Retrospect

Four

I scared myself after I clapped off the lights to the bathroom to leave. I kept forgetting the makeup I had put on was glow-in-the-dark so every time I looked in a mirror, I'd see floating orange lips and purple liner a little above where my eyes should have been. I had tried to add a blue butterfly pattern to the right side of my face, but it just looked like a page in a kid's first coloring book. I shrugged to myself and left the bathroom. As long as I appeared to be a worker who was ready for a celebration, that was all that mattered. The streets would be packed in exactly fifteen minutes.

   I went into the kitchen, ate a small chocolate (which my fridge frowned upon), grabbed my pocket knife and put it into my pocket, and opened the window in front of the fire escape. I slipped on my black sneakers then, knowing running in my boots was like an accident waiting to happen.

Looking back at my apartment for what could've been my last time, I grabbed onto the ledge of the window and hoisted myself up. The cold, night air was refreshing as I sat with one leg out the window and the other still inside. I just stayed there for a little while, listening to the sounds of the celebration that was taking place just down the street. I could hear the thumping of music and the wild laughter of the residents of our city. Everything was loud and crazy down there, but up here it was quiet and calm and I could smell the savory scents of chicken and hamburgers coming from the celebration. I threw my other leg over the side of the window and jumped down on the fire escape with a clang.

Walking slowly over to the railing, I took in the mesmerizing sights of blinking lights off in the distance. The neon glow of the lamps that were scattered around Laurier Section were beautiful and the river nearby shimmered in the moonlight. But all that just made me think how blind everyone really was. Sure everything appeared pretty, yet there was darkness hidden somewhere within the city and that somewhere was where I was going. I snapped out of my trance and reminded myself I wasn't out here for the views and the fun. I was out here for my parents and sadly, they were the only people I could trust in this city before they were taken from me.

   I turned around, closed the window, and started down the stairs carefully. Taking small steps, I made it down in a few minutes, but I had to jump from the last set because it was hanging above the ground. I landed on top of a trash can in the alley and rolled off of it onto the sidewalk. It was covered in sludge and newspapers and the smell of whatever the mysterious liquid was made me gag, so I got to my feet as quickly as I could. Stumbling out onto the sidewalk, I made sure my coat still looked clean and then followed the sound of the booming music that was in the distance.

No one was on the street I was walking down which looked so strange since this place was filled with people yesterday. Now it was empty as if I were the last person alive. My boots echoed off the buildings with my every step. If someone were five blocks away, they could still hear me coming.

   My hand went to the pocket the device was in after I passed by a few residents. I had to make sure it was still there and they eyed me suspiciously, since all the workers (which included me now) were supposed to be together having fun. I stumbled forwards on purpose to act drunk because I knew they were still looking back at me after they'd passed. A drunk worker is the only reason one wouldn't be where they were supposed to be. Hopefully it was convincing enough, but they were probably more scared of me than I was of them. I was dressed as a worker after all. A resident wouldn't dare try anything with a worker since they had so much power over people like me. Plus, I was still wearing my glowing makeup which looked extremely terrifying.

   Once I saw the group of people disappear on another street behind me, I returned to walking normally. I could hear the low hum of a song growing increasingly louder as I turned onto a street to my left. Lights of all shapes and colors lined the road and almost every window was open with people watching the celebration. I couldn't see where the street turned or ended because every inch of the ground was covered by people. People people everywhere.