Call This Hell

I was on the run. I had to escape where I lived before those bandits found me and made me fit for a cemetery! All I could think of was running. Running away and leaving that mad place. I knew I couldn’t run forever; couldn’t escape with only my feet. Yet, I was wiling to try, I mean, we were talking about my LIFE here. Whatever it took to reach safety, I knew I was ready to do it without hesitation.

I found myself in a really nasty neighborhood. I could see people everywhere. They were all dirty; repugnant to look at really. Dirty hair, dirty ragged clothes, yellow teeth when their mouths were bared in grimaces…They were just frightening to look at. It become quite obvious to me that I was in a slum; one of those slums in New York that I never believed I would see in reality. All of them street people seemed to be walking without energy, like if they were under control of some kind of drug or something. Many were also lying down in cardboards…they used it for shelter as they had no proper house to live in. Only dirt everywhere. Trash everywhere. I was finally coming face to face with the street people; I could see the poor conditions they lived in, and honestly, I was horrified.

I felt strongly intoxicated. My nose seemed blocked. I thought I might choke on the horrifying smell; the acrid smell of human (and who knows maybe even animal) dung, which filled the air. It infiltrated my nose, went down to my lungs and left me breathless. Too disgusted was I, to even open my mouth to cough; ‘cause I knew I would only take in more unwanted toxic air. The smell in this place was abominable; too horrible for words really.

My feet suddenly felt heavy. It took much more effort to lift each foot. What was happening? Why was the ground suddenly so mushy and sticky? I looked down. What I saw made me shiver. There was a red bloody mess on the concrete floor. (Well I strongly suppose it was blood.) I could also see tiny body parts: A small hand there, a foot sprawled somewhere else, an eye…I think it was a dead baby. Not only dead, but savagely run over by a car probably. I thought I would puke.

Unfortunately, I had to open my mouth- to breathe anyways. When I did, I could even taste the air. The horrible air. It felt so bitter in mouth; the pungent smell was just too much. So bad it was that I frankly wondered if I was ever going to be able to taste food normally again. I was half sure that my tasting buds in my mouth were severely damaged.

I don’t think my tasting buds would be the only things damaged tonight. My ears felt like they might explode at any time from now. The noise was seriously appalling. This was REAL noise pollution. Babies screaming everywhere, old men breathing in a laborious way, drunk women screaming out insanities…in short, the noise was just unbearable. I needed to get out of here, and FAST!

I ran even faster than before; my speed accelerating all by itself as my organism was getting really sick of this detestable slum. Finally, I was back to the New York I had always known. The tall skyscraper, the five stars hotels and restaurants, the apartments…yes. This was the posh New York I knew. Finally some good natural fresh air to breathe in. No horrible smell, no disgusting things to see, no reason for my ear buds to get busted. In short, I felt wholly good again; and I continued my relentless run against time…to preserve my life.