The tap wasn't even technically malfunctioning. Just annoying. You had to nudge it slightly left and then back into position to get non-freezing water. If you turned it too fast, it'd let out a weird sound. Not aggressive, but sharp — like a kettle screaming. I let it go for too long. Blamed the system. Blamed the apartment. Blamed everything exc

Not too long ago, I stood in the passage and realized I couldn't stand it. Not in a “burn it down” kind of way. More like when you outgrow something gradually. Like cheap coffee, or a shirt that never quite fits.It was barely lit, and there was this one bit where the paint flaked like old glue. Just a wall. But somehow it felt like it was part