It's Getting Dark

i know it's getting dark. something is definitly pulling my shoulder. but what? and why do i listen to the voices? they are not real anyway. "it's getting dark, sir" my eyes are still closed. i think i should open them. that may help. "it's getting dark, sir. you don't want to get stuck in the park when it's dark." an old man is pulling my shoulder. where do i know him from? i have met him, but i can't remember. "you shouldn't fall asleep in the park, sir. it may be dangerous here at night. you may get stuck." i fell asleep. ok, so it must have been a dream. just fell asleep on a bench in the park. ''"thank you, sir. i must have fallen asleep." "don't mention it, sir. i'll be on my way now. you better go yours as well. have a good night."'' kind man. where do i know him from? does he work here? but he's right. better be on my way as well. now how to get out of this park? better ask the old man. where has he gone? i don't see him any more. "hey!" no answer. where could he be? ''"hey! you sir! where are you?" ''no answer. better start moving than. it's getting dark. but what direction? the park can't be that big. better just walk in a straight line then.

the park seems bigger than i thought. it's getting dark, soon i won't be able to see anything any more. the man said i would get stuck in the dark. i don't want to spend the night here. not in this cold. it is very cold for the time of the year. strange. and it's dark. isn't there supposed to be a moon here somewhere? no moon, no stars, just the grey sky turning black. i better hurry.

i'm so tired. this park is huge. when am i going to find the exit? it's getting darker every minute. and colder. i hate the cold and i hate that wind even more. creepy wind that sounds like whispering in the bushes. ''"stop whispering!" ''why did i do that? there's nobody here? there are no voices, just the wind playing strange games with my mind. happens all the time when people are too tired. i should take some rest. no. the old man was right, better not fall asleep in the park. better try to get home.

wait. what's that sound over there? it's not the voices of the wind. it's more like singing. a woman singing over there. damned fogg. i hate fogg. wish i could see what's happening. who is singing? ''"hey!" ''no reaction, better try to get a closer look.

looks like people. maybe it's the old man. ''"hey!" ''still no reaction. ''"hey you two over there!" ''they don't seem to hear me. maybe i should try and catch up with them. better start running. ''"hey! i'm comming over to you guys. wait for me!" ''they still don't hear me. maybe they're deaf. but then why are they singing. they look like children. what are they doing out here in the park? better run a bit faster. there. i'm catching up with them. ''"hello! hey! you there!" ''they've seen me. a little girl and a boy. is he her younger brother? ''"wait for me!" ''they stopped singing. that's good. almost there. seems to be a playground. ''"hello. who are you two then?" ''why don't they answer? maybe they're not allowed to talk to strangers. but this is a special situation. they shouldn't be out her in the first place. where are their parents?

''"it's getting dark sir." "i know it's getting dark. i am trying to get out of the park. you should better do the same. come along with me. the park is too dangerous for little children at this hour." "don't worry sir. our grandfather will come for us pretty soon." ''is he the old man i saw? can't really remember how he looked. ''"you are going in the wrong direction, sir. the exit of the park is over there." "you are sure? i mean..." "you better hurry sir, it is getting dark. you don't want to get stuck in the dark." "thank you. i should be going. goodnight." "goodnight, sir. you better hurry."'' they started singing again. it's a nursery rhime. this is not good. i should have taken those kids with me. it's not safe for them to be here in the park. not at this time. not while it's getting dark. who knows if their grandfather will find them. better go back.

wait. i can't hear the singing any more? where are they? damned fogg. damned darkness. better go back and try to find them. it can't be that far. i only walked for about a minute.

where are they? the playground is empty? are they playing hide and seek? this is not funny. ''"hey!" ''where are they? they're kid's, so they can't be too difficult to find. behind the trees? no? somewhere in the sandbox? they're damned good at hiding. ''"hey!" ''no reaction. this is not funny. ''"this is not funny!" ''where are they? ''"where are you guys? come out. i'm not playing." ''maybe they went hiding in the bushes. so many bushes here.

i think i hear them. over there. in the bushes. whispering. they are probably laughing at me right now, because i can't find them. i will take them by surprise, go around the bush and take them from behind.

ok. it must be here somewhere. i can hear them whispering clearly now. ''"come out! this is not a game any more. it is getting dark." ''they can't be that far away. two little kid's, hiding in the bushes. i whish that the fogg would go away. it's getting darker. i can hardly see the bushes around me. where is the playground? where am i?

i can't hear the whispering any more. they have gone silent. where could they be? it's getting darker, maybe i can see them when i get out of the bushes. ''"hey! come here at once, you two!" ''nothing. maybe i just missed them and their grandfather has already come for them. that leaves me with just one thing. i have to get out of here.

the girl showed the way out starting from the playground. if i can find the playground back, i have a good point of reference. it can't be that far from here.

that's more like it. back at the playground. now it can't be that difficult getting out of the park. maybe i should just take a rest. i am so tired. i won't fal asleep, just close my eyes for ten seconds. easy as that. one. two. no problem. three. four. five. i'm not falling asleep. six. seven. eight. almost there. nine. ten. open my eyes. see. nothing happened. now start walking. one straight line out of the park. out of the dark. did the girl said that i would get stuck in the dark?

one straight line, ok, but it seems to be a long one. when is this park going to end? did the girl actually know the right way out? why did i just do what she said without thinking? it's getting dark. it's cold and foggy and windy. how can it be foggy and windy at the same time? my body is tired. i want to go to bed. i hate it here. i have to get out of this park. it is getting dark and i hate it.

shouldn't be too far from here now. the park must end at some point. pretty soon i will be at the gate and back into the city. nice. i really need to go to bed.

what was that? was it the wind in the bushes again? it sounded like that song. but it's gone. are the kid's til out here somewhere? ''"hey! you two! are you stille here?" ''maybe they are stil hiding out there. should i go back to the playground for one last good look? they weren't there. it's a waste of time to go back. it is even darker now. no. my only worry should be to get out of this park.

it's getting darker. i am feeling tired. my whole body is feeling tired. maybe i can close my eyes again. just ten more seconds. precious rest before the last part of my journey. just close my eyes. i can even keep on walking. i won't fall asleep. i will just keep on walking with my eyes closed untill.

damned tree. i hate you. why was i so stupid to walk in the park with my eyes closed? not hurt, just a strange feeling in my shoulder where. no pain though. better hurry now. it is getting dark.

wait, what's that? is that a light over there? damned fogg. it seems like a light, probably a street light. i think i found the gate. only a few hundred meters from here. i'll be there in less than a minute. even faster when i run.

ok, now the shoulder hurts a bit. better stop running for now. if i just take another short brake, my shoulder can heal. just ten seconds with my eyes closed. one. two. this feels good. three. four. must not fall asleep. five. six. almost there. seven. eight. i feel so tired.

my shoulder doesn't seem to heal that fast. maybe running is just not such a good idea. maybe i better just walk to the gate. it's not far from here now. i could clearly see it when my eyes were still open.

right. my eyes. i should open my eyes. don't fall asleep while standing here in the dark. it is getting darker all around me. i think i should better open my eyes. no wait. i was counting. where was i? eight? ok eight. nine. ten. there we are. i should open my eyes now. just wait for one more moment. it is so nice with my eyes closed. i won't get stuck in the dark. silly little girl. i will open my eyes and then just walk out of the park. just like that.

i hear that there is the wind is getting stronger. i hear the whispering in the bushes. it sounds like real voices now. could i understand them? i hear "uck" and "ark". are  the voices saying anything? do they want to speak to me? i should try to listen better. ''"t s tin ark" ''i don't understand a word of it. how could i? it's just wind in the bushes. i shouldn't get carried away. "it is getting dark". wait. those are real words. that's a real sentence. i can understand that. but how is that possible? how can the wind do that?. "it is getting dark, sir". "of course it is getting dark! i don't need the wind whispering in the bushes to know that." if i just open my eyes, i would see it. it is cold and dark, my body is tired and i have a strange feeling in my shoulder from colliding with a tree. i am so tired. just better start walking.

"it's getting dark." the wind keeps playing tricks with my mind. "i know it is dark, i know there is a fogg and wind and i definitly know that i am tired. this will al be over soon. now shut up!" "it is getting dark." better just ignore the voices. they are not real. wind in the bushes. just keep walking, i am almost there. the gate can't be more than one hundred meters away now. almost there. almost home. almost in bed.

wait. what's that? something is pulling me back. something is pulling my painful shoulder back into the park. as if it is drawn to the tree again. impossible. i'm just tired and i get confused. just a few seconds of rest should do. just close my eyes for a few seconds. that's all. nearly there now.

the voices again. "it is getting dark." i know it's getting dark. something is definitly pulling my shoulder. but what? and why do i listen to the voices? they are not real anyway. "it's getting dark, sir" my eyes are still closed. i think i should open them. that may help. "it's getting dark, sir. you don't want to get stuck in the park when it's dark." an old man is pulling my shoulder. where do i know him from? i have met him, but i can't remember. "you shouldn't fall asleep in the park, sir. it may be dangerous here at night. you may get stuck." i fell asleep. ok, so it must have been a dream. just fell asleep on a bench in the park. "thank you, sir. i must have fallen asleep." "don't mention it, sir. i'll be on my way now. you better go yours as well. have a good night." kind man. where do i know him from? does he work here? but he's right. better be on my way as well. now how to get out of this park? better ask the old man. where has he gone? i don't see him any more. "hey!" no answer. where could he be? "hey! you sir! where are you?" no answer. better start moving than. it's getting dark. but what direction? the park can't be that big. better just walk in a straight line then.