She emptied herself of Fabio and of herself, of all the useless efforts she had made to get where she was and find nothing there. With detached curiosity she observed the rebirth of her weaknesses, her obsessions. This time she would let them decide, since she hadn't been able to do anything anyway. Against certain parts of yourself you remain powerless, she said to herself, as she regressed pleasurably to the time when she was a girl.

With a little effort, she could get up by herself

Mattia's voice no longer stirred anything in his stomach, but he was aware of the idea of him and always would be, as the only true benchmark for everything that had come afterward.

[Their love] had burned itself out, like a forgotten candle in an empty room, leaving behind a ravenous discontent.

...finally her hands, so light, holding his head still and catching all his thoughts and imprisoning them there, in the space that no longer existed between them.

Even though he was afraid to admit it, when he was with her it seemed it was worth doing all those normal things that normal people do.

She was tired, with that tiredness that only emptiness brings.