A huge neglected concrete mega-building and has been like that for years. It doesn't matter where it is, what it was used for, what its history is... All of that can be found on the internet, just type in "Sclerosis" and there you have it, a copy-paste story that has been going around for a hundred years. I'm interested in something else, and that's what it's like to stay in it when there's no one around, when everyone's asleep and everything's quiet. I'm interested in that because it's part of my job, but not just for the sake of it.
In those dark hours, when you sit in places like this, the dilapidated walls seem to wake up, and the half-opened windows reflect some strange play of colors. Light comes from outside, from the street. Tall lamps stare at the floor like deformed figures. A mouse passes by. His leg is injured, it is half hanging - it seems that he was "stung" by some cat. He hides in a pocket and disappears into the darkness.
Stillness. Month.
I look at stars, galaxies, satellites and aliens. Supposedly they exist, say the Americans, and they are like a fool in charge of everything. Bo - I don't know. Who will know who is right and who is wrong anymore.
Silence.
A little further away, behind the battered wall, there was suddenly some kind of gasping. Chills, tingling passes and fear awakens. I pick up a stone from the floor and in that semi-darkness I throw myself into action. The fist is clenched, cold sweat covers the body. I peek behind the wall, when it shows two furry ones! They sit on the floor, sweaty, smelly. There is gasping and licking. They eat something, feast. Everything is leaking, all around some strange secretion.
Leaning behind the wall to see what it is about as quickly as possible, a piece of the wall is torn off and set in motion. He falls to the floor, I look at him, it seems like an age, every thought passes. One second, two and BOOM!
I was shaking, and so were they! They turned their heads to see what was happening, what kind of intruder was behind them. I froze. A face like that of the most terrible creature in the world, mussava from overeating. They started on me. Without thinking for a moment, I started running faster than I had ever run in my life. My legs just carried me, that animal strength woke up in me. Despite this, they were faster. They caught me, threw me on the floor and started...
"Markoooo", I hear from a distance, "Are you okay?". I jerked as if from a dream. John was standing in front of me. "Dude, you've been standing there staring into space for a few minutes, what's going on?", he asked curiously. I didn't know what to say to him. The crazy head simply played with me in this darkness. Imagination was awakened, Babe Roge and similar freaks came out.
Darkness is actually the same as day. Don't let your crazy head and imagination fool you. Be realistic, be brave and enjoy the moments that can be a memory for a lifetime.
Marko Sladić – Your Local Guide
