The Park

Childhood Pleasures….

Bing Ai pic credit

Who reads paper maps these days? I must’ve had it upside down or something, more likely I got my left and right muddled up.

Whatever … I was now completely lost. My phone battery had died, and naturally, me being me, I had no charging cable… light was failing. now. And I really had no idea where I was.

I felt a little better when I spotted it. Actually make that a lot better. I was right next to a park. Well that was. reassuring, it must be a nice enough area if there’s a park with children’s play equipment( and possibly a restroom , I realised how much I needed that)

I got out of my car and ran across to what I assumed was a toilet block, hallelujah it was! And it wasn’t locked!

I emerged from the toilet and decided to take a moment to try a reorient myself. I felt relief, in more ways than one.

There was no point in panicking, there was a bench, I could take a break there and try and figure out where I went wrong.

I took a breath and looked around there were dozens of empty swings swaying in the wind. There wasn’t a slide there wasn’t a round about I hadn’t realised that the playground wasn’t like the usual ones . The swings creaked and groaned and there were banks of them. I had a mounting sense of discomfort, then I realised with a shudder there was something watching me from the shadows.

The feeling of safety I had revelled in only moments before, evaporated as an icy chill ran down my spine. I jumped up and bolted for the car.

I threw myself into the passenger seat, wriggled over the central console and press the central locking button. My heart was hammering in my chest. I fumbled with the ignition, once the car engine sputtered into life I wasted no time in accelerating out of there.

I still had no idea where I was but I knew the freeway was close by, I merged onto. it. deciding that my best idea was to stop at a motel and figure out what to do in daylight. I felt like I had dodged a bullet, because I would swear to you I was being watched.

I saw a neon sign in the distance and as I got closer I saw there were vacancies. Thank God …it didn’t look much but honestly I didn’t care if was extortionate. I had to sort my pathetic head out. There was no one to worry about me, not even my flatmate Gail, because being the fool that I am I didn’t tell anyone I was going to pick up this vintage dress advertised on Marketplace. But it was ok …tomorrow was a weekend day, didn’t need to worry about work.

I pulled off the freeway and into the carpark of the motel. I don’t know what made me check my mirror, but the scream to tore from my throat would have wakened the dead.

The eyes crinkling in amusement was second last thing I was conscious of, the last was a massive pressure on my throat.

I awoke very gradually unsure if I actually alive. I felt nauseous, swaying to and fro , trussed up with cable ties.

It took me more than a moment to realise… I was back at the park.

….. tied to a swing

As was a blonde teenager and a middle aged woman whose feet kicked her shopping bag rhythmically as she swung slowly back and forth.

The teenager’s phone lay in the dirt, screen up the numbers 91- were on the screen…

I felt that familiar shudder again. I was definitely being watched.

There was a rustling in the bushes, and a small black clad figure burst from them, running towards the swings. And me.

“Gail?!”