We walked through the weather of January; electricity enticing every step and motion, our breath fogging our view like the inversion did the city. The atmosphere felt so thick, not just with the junk in the air but what I or we felt as we walked into the tangles mess of apartment life. Huge flakey buildings jutted out of the earth and up into the sky, like old haggard trees. They loomed over head and as we passes the side of one of these towering structures, we became engulfed in its virtue. Silence was all I could hear, mind footsteps and stuttered breath. A shiver ran from head to back shaking me with vigor and excitement, pumping my frozen blood. Time stood stile hear for us and you couldn't help feeling that they knew we were hear, exploring their ruins.
Winding a corner we came to a small court yard that sloped downward to three looking stair cases twisting up the sides of the complex like wild ivy vines to a tree. The graying sky shone above and eliminated this forgotten wonder. The paint chipped in large plate sized flakes and wood splintered hear and there, windows boarded out the cold. Our steps reverberated off the walls and clamored as we walked to the central stair case to the first floor of the building. Turning around I take a look at this erie place which has stunned and captivated me completely. We entered the door, and this world disappeared.
The warmth rushed to greet us and began to thaw out our half frozen fingers and toes. She invited me into her life full heartedly and openly. Already beginning to shed her cocoon of shyness. Her smile glowed and dimples emphasizing her eccentric features. Showing me her apartment I began to feel more connected to her and and the life she lived. The air was thick with the smells of cooking and not once of the time we were there do I think the smell ceased to exist; constant oils over fire.
We ventured out again to fetch groceries and laundry, coming across and exploring more of this jungle. A huge pillar shoots into the sky and casts off the glow that the last bit of sun shines down. Feeling dwarfed by these giants I crank my neck to see where building meets sky. The view felt so powerful and beautiful. In all my years of living in this city, how could I have surpassed this mystery so many times? How have I not explored these ruins?
We walked into a pure light blue room from floor to wall to ceiling. I watched as the hue reflected onto our hands and body by the mid winter sun. Tinting our flesh to match the coldness of our breath. Squeezing my hand she led me back to a rickety door that looked in need of repair. We entered into another world, leaving the other behind, to another with long corridors carpeted red and generic doors lining the walls. We turned a corner and than the next, each as similar and hinting fear. We laughed with the nature of excitement as we continued down these halls. They reminded us of all the spooky things in life, and we scoffed at them as we scampered along in our clammer. She walked to a balcony and said to look down. The basement floor was beneath us and scraps of cardboard and paper littered the steps. Look up she said, and we turned around simultaneously and leaned back over the edge with our head to the air. levels and levels rose above us in a single spiral. At the top was a point of glass that let in the natural light, ghosting this already luminous building.
We went down to the basement level which was filled with miscellaneous peaces. Two containers of soda sat in the hallway, propped in a wax crate. I grab one for her and another for me, feeling there warmth in my hands, she laughed and shook her head in slight disapproval as she pocketed hers into the lengths of her jacket. We climbed back up the stairs to the first floor and found the old freight elevator. With pure ecstasy she pushed the up button and the old machine roared to life. It came to a halt and opening the door, we entered the glass fitted lift. She pressed a button and it began to raise. We looked at each other wide eyed and smiling as it rocked slightly with warning of old age and danger. I could feel out hearts pounding at this craze, as it stooped and opened once more.
Hear was the top where you could finally point out the distinct cracks in the dusty glass that was letting in the lonely and pitiful excuse for sun light. Everything was so silent and peaceful, only our voices to stir it. We looked over the balcony and saw the flights of stairs in reverse from before. She walked past me as I stared downward and began to descend to the seventh floor. I followed her eagerly to see more. Walking to the end of the next hall she opened door that lead out to a balcony. A loose screen door lazily hung on it's tired hinges, Old cigaret packages lay discarded on the steps and butts neatly stuffed into one of the beer bottles that lined the edge. Walking to the open sky she crouched on the ledge and overlooked the railing in front of her, I joined her and looked out to our city from inside our fortress, our prized wonderland, this tropical stretch of deceased apartment complexes. My heart sank at the sight of inversion that incased the valley in it's toxic blanket. Mountain ranges and full sections of the city and sky scrapers blended into the murky smog we call the salt air. In the distance smoke pillared out of plants and dispels into the air, only adding to it's gaseousness.
Wind ruffled our hair and swept it from our eyes. We stood a few minuets in it's sobering view, listening to the hum of cit life. The brisk air cut across our faces and stung cold with it's dry tongue. Down below was a city street and the people who walked it. I spit into the open air and we watched it slowly descend to the sidewalk as the wind pushed it aside. It took a few second for the drops to reach earth again. and there they then sprayed the walk. Her laugh echoed out into the open streets and I hoped that all could hear it. Hear the harmony of pure peacefulness and joy. All worries and anxiety dissipated into the thin air, I breathed it all in deeply, hoping I could save some of this, just to remember it so. I opened my can of soda and sipped off the foam, than ejecting it off the balcony floor, Our hearts sang in our laughter as we felt the last of the week rays of chocking sun.
I forget our words, the talk we spoke, the words we breathed, but not the images of this. No, not this. It sank deep deep down into the pores of my skin and mixed into my heart. A silent beauty in an acropolis. I felt we were dancing life today and smiling as she walked me home when the sun dipped down, too tired to continue rising. We laughed and ignored the bite of winter as we left behind our adventure. Slipping out of existence. it's winding architecture disappearing behind the peeling walls that enclosed it. As we reached my door I turned and looked at her anew. "Thank you for showing this to me Katy." I said with all the heart I could muster. She stared back and smiled faintly, "of corse." One last grin to our secret adventure and we turned our backs and walked our separate ways.
Magic realism. Reminds of David Almond and Dave Mckean.
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