Sola skinte sterkt gjennom de store vinduene i psykiatrisk avdeling.

The sun shone brightly through the large windows of the psychiatric ward.

Selve bygget var stille, men utenfor kunne man høre fuglene kvitre, og en svak duft av nyklippet gress snek seg inn gjennom de åpne vinduene.

The building itself was quiet, but outside one could hear the birds chirping, and a faint scent of freshly cut grass sneaked in through the open windows.

Sindre gikk langs korridoren med nølende skritt.

Sindre walked along the corridor with hesitant steps.

Han så rundt seg, tok inn den sterile atmosfæren som var forsøkt lysnet med fargerike gardiner og malerier av blomster.

He looked around, taking in the sterile atmosphere that had been brightened with colorful curtains and paintings of flowers.

Sindre var på vei til å besøke sin søster, Astrid.

Sindre was on his way to visit his sister, Astrid.

Hun hadde vært innlagt i noen uker etter en mental helsekrise.

She had been admitted for a few weeks after a mental health crisis.

Han tenkte stadig på hvordan hun hadde vært før, alltid så full av liv og latter.

He often thought about how she had been before, always so full of life and laughter.

Det var vanskelig å forstå hvordan det hadde endt slik.

It was hard to understand how it had ended up this way.

Han banket på døren til Astrids rom forsiktig.

He knocked gently on the door to Astrid's room.

"Kom inn," hørte han hennes svake røst si.

"Come in," he heard her weak voice say.

Inne på rommet satt Astrid i en stol ved vinduet.

Inside the room, Astrid sat in a chair by the window.

Hun så ut i hagen, som om hun lette etter noe der ute.

She looked out into the garden as if she were searching for something there.

"Heisann, søs," sa Sindre med et tappert smil mens han satte seg i stolen ved siden av henne.

"Hey, sis," said Sindre with a brave smile as he sat down in the chair next to her.

"Mamma og pappa hilser så mye.

"Mom and dad send their love.

De oppdaterer hagen som du alltid ønsket."

They're updating the garden as you always wanted."

Astrid nikket, men det var klart hun hadde noe annet i tankene.

Astrid nodded, but it was clear she had something else on her mind.

"Sindre," begynte hun etter en stund.

"Sindre," she began after a while.

"Jeg føler at det er noe du ikke forteller meg."

"I feel like there's something you're not telling me."

Sindre kjente en klump i magen.

Sindre felt a knot in his stomach.

Han ville hjelpe Astrid, få henne til å le igjen, men hemmeligheten han bar på truet med å bryte alt.

He wanted to help Astrid, make her laugh again, but the secret he carried threatened to break everything.

Han hadde skjult den for lenge.

He had hidden it for too long.

Nå, under hennes skarpe blikk, visste han at tiden var inne.

Now, under her piercing gaze, he knew the time had come.

"Det er noe jeg må fortelle deg," tok Sindre mot til seg.

"There is something I have to tell you," Sindre mustered the courage to say.

"Jeg har holdt det skjult fordi jeg var redd for å skade deg."

"I've kept it hidden because I was afraid of hurting you."

Astrid så på ham med det samme gjennomskuelige blikket.

Astrid looked at him with the same penetrating gaze.

"Jeg må vite," sa hun, stemmen like fast som hans var urolig.

"I need to know," she said, her voice as firm as his was uneasy.

Sindre nølte kort, men begynte så å snakke.

Sindre hesitated briefly, but then he began to speak.

"Den natten før du ble syk, kranglet vi.

"That night before you got sick, we argued.

Jeg sa ting jeg ikke mente fordi jeg var sint og redd.

I said things I didn't mean because I was angry and scared.

Den krangelen... det var min skyld."

That argument... it was my fault."

Tårer fylte Astrids øyne.

Tears filled Astrid's eyes.

"Det var ikke bare det," hvisket hun til slutt.

"It wasn't just that," she whispered at last.

"Men jeg trengte å høre sannheten fra deg."

"But I needed to hear the truth from you."

Sindre la en hånd på henne.

Sindre placed a hand on her.

"Jeg er så lei meg.

"I'm so sorry.

Jeg ønsker å hjelpe deg nå, være der for deg," sa han med en svak stemme.

I want to help you now, be there for you," he said softly.

De satt der en stund, begge fanget i en delt smerte, men også en begynnende forståelse.

They sat there for a while, both caught in a shared pain, but also a budding understanding.

"Vi finner ut av det sammen," svarte Astrid til slutt, bestemt, men vennlig.

"We'll figure it out together," Astrid replied finally, determined yet gentle.

"Men jeg trenger at du alltid er ærlig med meg fra nå av."

"But I need you to always be honest with me from now on."

Sola skinte fremdeles gjennom vinduene, men nå kjentes den varmere.

The sun still shone through the windows, but now it felt warmer.

I stillheten som fulgte, var det som om rommet fyltes av en ny begynnelse.

In the silence that followed, it was as if the room filled with a new beginning.

Sindre kjente en ro som spredte seg gjennom ham.

Sindre felt a calm spread through him.

Ja, tenkte han, sannheten var veien videre.

Yes, he thought, the truth was the way forward.

Sammen skulle de kanskje bygge noe nytt, sterkere enn før.

Together, perhaps they could build something new, stronger than before.