Isabela Goes to Live in the House… 1.

She came down the stairs, dragging her feet a little under the weight of the big travel bag. She opened the door and found herself on Carrer de Josep Bertran. She turned in surprise and looked at the door as it closed.

Then she seemed to come to herself. She crossed the street briskly and cut through the little park she had watched from the balcony of her home for years. For as long as she could remember, in fact. A few minutes later she plunged into the noise of the Avinguda Diagonal. The morning sun clung to her arms and she began to stride more confidently. She had to cover a few kilometres to Plaça de Pius XII and then go on to the Casa de Maternitat. From there it was not far to the address she held in her hand, tucked into the pocket of her cardigan. She had reckoned it would take her about half an hour to walk the distance.

About an hour later she stood before the old house. She glanced over it, dumped her travel bag on the threshold and knocked. She had known about this address for more than a week, but the decision to come had taken her several days. No one opened. There was no sign that anyone had heard the knock. She knocked again. Then once more. Nothing. She raised her hand and pressed down the door handle. It was locked. She pushed a little harder. She could not even make it creak. The massive double door, more than 4 metres high, was not hospitable on this March morning. She bent down, picked up her bag and went round the house on the right-hand side. At the height of her face ran a string of windows, well covered with newspapers and faded sheets of gift-wrapping paper. Here and there one could make out Christmas reindeer, little hearts and flowers. At pavement level there were small windows that modestly lit the basement. Isabela continued her round, and when she reached the corner she saw that one of the little windows had a broken pane. In its place someone had stuffed two pieces of cardboard, in an attempt to prove that the house, old as it was, was being looked after.