The Threat, the Mall and the Room

There was something threatening the lives of myself and several children that were in my care.  We were at a sprawling rambler home sitting on a hilltop that was in the middle of a wild-grass prairie.  It was late summer and the grass was tall and burnt dry by the sun.  It was also late afternoon when we saw the danger approaching.  We knew without a doubt that we must run far away and quickly.

As we ran from the back of the house we found ourselves going down a gradual slope through the abundant tall grasses.  There were occasional scrub trees, which we used, to the best of our ability, to hide. Eventually the slope gave way to a steep, rock cliff that at first seemed to be so far a drop and dangerous that I felt we may be stopped in our tracks. I hought about making the jump to the bottom of the cliff but the drop was far and solid stone. I decided the jump would not be wise.  In a short while there was a call from one of the boys that he had found a way down and we started the descent using occasional protruding stones for footholds.  It was a precarious decent but we had little choice.

The next that I know I was in a city and still very much feeling an overriding presence of danger.  I was on my own now and my goal was to find the most hidden space available and to put as much distance between me and the ever-present threat as possible.  I made my way into an office building.  It was an old building with many stories and high vaulted ceilings.  I went to the upper story and into an office there.  I found a closet and entered.  My travel did not stop there, one place lead to another, and yet to another.  I crawled, walked or in any other way maneuvered myself into a more hidden or more distant position.

I eventually ended up in a large, industrial work complex.  Again I went back in among the machinery and looked for the most hidden of spots to wait out the danger.  I crawled up on top of a pipe and sat there.  It was well hidden as a pipe crossed behind me and others were at each side.  A machine that was a bit more distant obscured my front side. I saw others walking by and I hoped feverishly that they would not notice me on my perch.

I finally made it into a mall that was completely below ground.  I made my way through large open rooms one after another. The mall was deserted.  The people, the halls and the furnishing of the stores were gone. The mall was barren.  I had the feeling I was in a mental hospital from times when they were labeled Asylums and were more dungeon and horror than insightful.  As I rounded one corner I saw a large room off to my left.  It was a round room. It had cement walls that came up the first few feet from the ground and from there to the ceiling was all glass.

Two or three rebellious youth were in the room sliding across the floor at the same time brandishing straw brooms, which were used to sweep.  I could tell that they were contemptuous of anyone and anything.