slowly undulating white halls 

overhead

      light sweeps in waves and shadows of things unseen crawl creepily on the tiled floor scribble the walls

inside the halls he hears a breathing or a whisper    he follows his ears refutes what his eyes seehis dominatrix sense shrills                                                                                                                          

he lets her go 

though he refuses to close his eyes                       

he digs her febrile hallucinations sent to confuse him   

within he found a very old man laying in bed  beyond struggle  surviving only in his eyes   they are enormous

paleblue  

he has crepepaper skin  

he didnt know who he washe didnt wear a bracelet

the old man didnt say   

he talked to the old man like one talks to a pethopeful at least he might convey his feelings emotions  he didnt assume they spoke the same language

the old man moved his eyes side to side searching his gaze as he spoke to him

he didnt trouble himself wondering what his looks meant

he hazarded the moving wallsthe effacing labyrinth contrived to keep him away from this  and yet during every visit the old man remained mute

   

                 then he would feel the halls behind him begin to quiver sense their impatience their preparation to constrict and close and seal him inside 

he rose from a simple wood chair touched the old mans shoulder Ill be back  I will be back   then he strode out of the room ignoring the false exits the maze tendered  it was a pity it couldnt smell the freshblue aroma more robust more realised than Ariadnes thin spunsilk

he didnt know how many timesthe dozens of times he risked the labyrinth to visit the old man

this morning he rode the brisk threads of silver morning sunlight pushing him through the quivering hallwaysover the thin black spider shadows haunting the floor and walls to the old mans room

Good morning he said as he entered Its a glorious day  You ought to allow me to take you out of here

the old man shook his bald head no

                         it was the first he ever acknowledged a word he said

then out of his shrunken body laboring he said Please do not come anymore

he nearly gasped

You dont want me to come

he labored Do not come  I am only living to see you again         I am tired of living

tears welled up in his eyes You cant mean that

Please  Do not come

Dont come

Yes

he searched the old mans eyes

the old man looked back into his lucidly  without alarm  not averting them  piercing  despite their rheumyness

I hear you he heard his heart crack  I wont return 

the conversation exhausted the old man

he shrank a bit more before his very eyes

then he talked as he always talked 

                              of the blue and green world outside the queer walls  the prowling animals flying calling birds the ants and bees and butterflies  the natural lively earthlings which would recognisethough only briefly the old mans death  feel his soul flee through them

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         then the spasming came

I have to go  he stood laid his hand on the sheet over the old mans chest he could feel his ribbones   he smiled

the old man betrayed himself

he smiled

leaving he didnt look back

    he felt the old mans eyes accompanying him  he hurried through hallsdisappointed he passed  and took them outside so they could see again

                           one last time

1235, Saturday,  27  5. 17 

Unkle (feat. ESKA) The Road  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pq0iplfH3l0