“An alternate universe, that impossible, because I believe in fate. And if this don’t sound like fate, then you crazy.” so I sat that strange lost boy down right there on top of that deteriorating building and told him this, “You know man kind didn’t start out bad, they was good people. Taking only the necessities and takin care of the earth. They believed in god, offered sacrifices, but as time grew on, people spread and grew smarter, well stupider if you ask me and soon forgot all bout god and angels, demons and the devil. People fought against people, using good people as slaves. The earth was a present and people choose to corrupt it. Cuttin down her limbs to build giant monsters that attacked the sky, like the one we’s standin on. Them raised animals, just to kill and throw out in the trash. Their factories and crazy automobiles polluting the air we breath, until it turned to poison, people who were free and had all they ever needed, spoiled rotten buggers, they went out killin other free men, good men. Others immense them selfs with makeup and crazy outfits, that made them “look better,””I put up my fingers in like I way to emphasis that’s they did not look better, “ them laid out in the rays to turn their skin darker-prettier, and altered their skin with a knife and fakeness as well. Worshiping the pretty, skinny, rich and famous as they were idols who brought them life. Sittin mindlessly bout them houses watching a glowin screen fryin their brains out. Until mother nature had had enough, she sent raggin storms all over, shakin the dirt we standin on. Many died, served them right, but those who survived grew fearful of the outside. They feared the sun as it would burn them to a crisp, rain was as a poison fallin from the heavens when the sky turned gray, beautiful flowers adorn the landscape, but gave off odors that killed you within seconds, and the tall blades of grass that entwined themselves bout the feet, pullin you under. They even feared fresh crisp air, as it was an intangible monster that swept the land, invisible, but deadly. People built an immense amount of tunnels and doorless dwelling to navigate the city we standin on. Never did they reach outside, nor did outside reach in. Children were sent off to a metal packed school with thick walls and bullet proof windows to remind the kids of the dangers outside. Everyday they stood on up and spoke them pledge ‘The land and hills and the trees and the sky seek to poison us, kill is; they want us to die. And so we must promise to be safe and hide, these dangers can’t harm us if we stay inside.’” I spoke rapidly and stopped to check that him was still listenin to me. He was, so I went on. “This was until one day Annabelle broke out, she never spoke bout how she did it, but she did, thank god she did. Or wise i may not be standin like you sees me today.”I stood there with my hands on my hips lookin down at that boy who says hes from another world and hes starin up at me, with bewilderment on hes face.
“But aint chus Buddhist?!”his voice, rings through my ears.
“Well thats what wes callen ourselves. Karma, peace, compassion, the whole damn thing.”I reply. “Do you make your own happiness?”
”I believe wes do....why chu askin such silly questions boy?”
”Just curious I reckon. So if yous Buddhist then whys you all talkin bouts god, like hes real?”
“Because I’s believe hims to be real, I mean this place is too beautiful to have justs appeared by science. This is another reason whys peoples before us were so crazy, theys always wantin to know why, and how. Crazy mens with beard makin up some theories to describe thems world around and how its come to be, when they bes tradin paper for water-when its fallin from the heavens, but why theys be askin ‘does it fall from thes heavens? Becauses Gods made it thats way, that’s what I say.”
“Will you show me town?”Now hes askin to see town?! This boy really is crazy, I can’ts be just walcing into town with a strange boy I met up top a buildin I’s not suppose to be on top of to beginning with. But I grab him hands and pull him along across the top of thats buildin I love and down the windin stair case hidden by the leafs that entice each step. At the bottom I’s stop, turn and looks at him’s face. ‘Is hes be believein in god?’ I can’ts helps but wonder as I look in to his creamy brown eyes. He don’t look thats different, but anyones and everyones know everyones and anyones in Chicago. Theres aint no way we will make it through town, “Yous aint gettin in boy.” I warn hims.
“My names Ben, what’s yours?”
“Annabelle.”
“Aint thats ...”
“Yes, the girl whos walked out. Calls it tradition, i guess.”I interrupt hims.
“Oh, well can’ts you shows me around these outskirts, wheres you aint suppose to be right now?”His voice bes enticing, each word wrapped arounds my brains. How hes be knowin thats I ‘s not suppose to be out here?
“I guess so...”I lead him down the ally way next to mys buildin. Grass and flowers pokes throughs the ancient concrete and bugs make a low hums of sorts. Ben stops and is lookin ats the wall to our left, littered ins ancient english. “Can yous reads it?”I ask, halfs joking.
“Ya, can’ts you?” Ben replies plains and simples, like its be no big deal. I gets a lils bit excited,
“Really?! What does its say?”I ask eagerly.
“It says, ‘Don’t let this world go to waste, because sugar we’re goin down.’”
“That’s it?!”
“Yep, that’s all its sayin. Nows you tellin me, thats you can’ts be readin that?” He almost sounds shocked.
“Ofs course, silly. Wes writin in Kish, yous do knows whats Kish is lookin like, right?”
“Nope, will yous show mes?”I’s looks around the damp ally lookins for somethin to writes with. I spots a stick, grabbin it I’s draws in the dirt the sign fors peace.
“Whats that say?” Ben asks.
“Peace.”
“Why you bes writin a crazy thing likes that?!”
“Because we have peace. I’s think we be the first city ins the history of cities to be peaceful. Wes aints got no social classes, wes just livin.”
“I’s think you be too.” He looks at me and smiles. Is smile backs and start to walks again. I leads him arounds the side and down the creaky stairs of mes building. Under here it’s dark ands cooler, but I’s like it. Bys the far walll is one of the olds automobiles from before and I’s takes him over to it.
“Do’s you s know what this is?” I ask Ben. He laughs a lil then hes says, “Of courses! It’s one of thems cars.”
“Buts it’s the last one. They gots all them young boys out takin theses apart. Then them scrapes head over to the plant downs by the lake. I’s aint sure what them doings out there, but thems keepin it very secretive. Its a miracle thats I’s gots this one!”
“Them buildin something?!” He asks, with a trace ofs excitement in his voice.
“Whats I’s just tell you, boy?!”He laughs again and thens he asks
“What else yous people do with yous lifes?”
“Wells wes gots them farmers for our food and such, wes gots our doctors tos keeps us healthy, teachers for teachin all these children, the priests live in the biggest building and everys month on the fulls moon we go for a feast and thoughts, and thens wes got the men down at the plant givings us water and workings on their secret project.”
“Can I see the preist’s buildin?” Ben asks.
“Well nows wes got to climb to the top again!”
He follows as I lead him back ups the creaky stair, around the buildins, through the ally, and backs up the windin staircase to the tops of my favorites building. We race to the edge and I’s point to the tallest ands most distinct building ins all of Chicago, MIRSHIKA.
“It’s really pretty.” he breaths, then adds, “Whats it say ons the front?”
“In peace we go.”I answer by heart.