«The Night of the Gütsch», unpublished novel (episode 10/10)

The latest novel by Swiss writer André Durussel, published in Le Regard Libre throughout 2024, continues and concludes.

It was already light out in the bedroom that Saturday morning when Aimé opened his eyes and stretched. He was alone. Santa was already at work! She had drawn him a little heart pierced by an arrow and placed it on the table that served as his nightstand. Beneath it were these few words:

See you Sunday at 4:00 p.m., but without B., at W.

Your Santa.

He took a shower, got dressed, quietly drew back the curtains, took the elevator, and went out without running into anyone, on his way back to «his» Steinhofstrasse. The alley, too, seemed to be waking up from a night of love amid its tall trees with yellowing leaves, which a pale morning sun was gently caressing.

As agreed, it was at the Waldstätterhof, two days later in the late afternoon, that Aim