Day 8, (June 6, 2013): CITY OF DUST (Part 1)

How we got to this point in our lives is a long story; long enough to say that it consists of our every waking second. But a lot of people like long stories, right? Long stories aren’t just for the sake of words. We have to tell what we hear, what we see, what we feel, and what we discover. This very well may either be fact or fiction but no matter who tells the story, it will always be something worth listening to. Albeit some gibberish might make its way into the pipeworks, I’m sure there’ll still be some value to pick up from the ramblings of a madman.

As with most good stories, it is preferable to have a beginning, middle, and end. It may or may not be in that specific order either. Even now I wonder where to begin or end. Oh! I know… I should start with…

 

…The City of Dust Angels. That’s what they called it. The skies above spewed a constant stream of smog and silt across the metropolis. Rain shied away from this place as though the land itself repulsed the petrichor. They say you can lie on the street with your back on the asphalt and flap your arms and move your legs to leave a shadow of a divine imprint on the ground. Of course, there was nothing divine about the city.

The litter-strewn streets huffed and puffed with the pulse of the metro. Peddlers were peddling their wares screaming at the top of their lungs trying to lull potential buyers. Garbage just piled up higher and higher like plaque on the streets of this slowly decrepifying town. Buildings several stories high rose high blotted out a good portion of the morning sun. The shade was a welcome reprieve for all the hawkers and consumers.

As I plodded along these dirt-laden streets of desolation, I found myself surrounded by strangers wallowing away in their own destitution. It didn’t sully them the least bit it seemed. They held a countenance that was not fitting of their stature in life. They were hopeful. It was a curious sight indeed. No matter how many times I’ve already passed through the same roads over and over again the common aura of the different people that I saw everyday was downright surprising.

It was around this marketplace that I had an encounter of the most unusual kind…