14

The demon woke me up this morning with a light nudge. I looked up at him and he made a motion for me to follow him. No force, no cloaked men. Just a gesture to follow him. And I didn't want force or cloaked men, so I did.

He led me up the stairs, ducking as he went through the doorway, down a hall and through several doors until we came to a large red door. It stuck out in this building where everything is gray. He pushed it open and sort of softly pushed me through. It was outside, or looked like it. Night time but light enough to see far off into the distance. The air was cool, but warm enough to wear short sleeves. I looked behind me and the building was gone, only the red door and the demon remained.

In front of me was a playground, an old one. You know, the ones with old metal slides rather than that safety plastic stuff playgrounds are made of today. Even those creepy metal sculptures that kids play one that look like cartoon bugs or other weird things.

And kids. So many kids. I guess the youngest was about 4 or 5 and the youngest maybe 15. They were all so happy playing together. None of them bickered or fought. They shared toys and took turns on the large metal slide. Not like regular children. Not like the children I grew up with at school who would push others off the swings or send someone flying in order to get a hold of an action figure.

A weird little detail I noticed was their clothing. It ranged from various periods in time. One little girl had a Victorian dress and hat, a little boy who ran past me looked like a little depression-era paperboy. Then there were kids in modern Fubu shirts and bands shirts.

The demon knocked on the door and all the children looked up. At first they looked at me with confusion, then cautiousness, then they smiled. Some of them ran up and hugged me.

Then the demon knocked again and the children went back to what they were doing and to took me back to this room.

I don't know what that was all about. Although the children were happy, it was eerie. I refuse to believe they were born here, or lived here their entire life. Although they showed no signs of homesickness.

I've got to think this over.