Part of the "De-Activated City" series.
I don’t wander far, it doesn’t take long. Time passes agonisingly slowly and frantically fast at the same time. The plants appear to care nothing for it. They grow into the city, anchor themselves and claim their place. I wonder if they stood here hundreds of years ago. I walk through old familiar places, encounter trees I hardly noticed. Now they have joined forces and belong to a whole.
As soon as I leave the road behind me, the undergrowth becomes denser, I cannot leave the path. The noise of the road quickly gives way to the sound of my own footsteps. And I begin to perceive the surroundings, to turn my head in the direction of the sounds. The sun can rarely penetrate the clouds and the leafy canopy. Sporadically it hits the ice-cold ground. Hoarfrost. At the same time I hear voices coming through the thicket, accompanied by the smell of something fried, maybe a bit of cheese and meat. I follow. Now I perceive individual loud voices overlaid on a uniform busy murmuring and chattering. The path opens up and I stand in front of a clearing. A square, rather. The calm green nuances transformed into a bustling scenery. People of any age and look make their way over the square. Some seem to have fallen out of time while daydreaming and resting at the side. Change drops on the floor. It seems to be lost between busy feet. A man with flowers, a couple drinking something hot, the steam rises into the cool air.
Between those who might have their slower time of the week I can sometimes identify those packing boxes and rearranging an uncountable amount of fruit. They look tempting but the savoury smell of a nearby food stall evaporates this idea.
My eyes wander. A ball lies in the middle of the square, it looks at the same time as if it had just come to rest, but also as if someone had left it there weeks ago. This little riddle is quickly solved when the ball is picked up by a girl.
I first roam through the tall grass at the edge of the clearing, then my feet tread solid ground. I can only keep the calmness of the forest for some moments and then I am drawn in by the busy atmosphere. People nudge me as they walk by. The salesmen try to make eye contact with passers-by. I let my fingers roam over the façade as I walk further around the building under the canopy. A child slips under my arm. I let off of the glass and see where I have landed.
There are people in their houses on the other side of the street. They sit small and slouched at their desks, children romp through the house. Then I am surrounded by trees again. A landscape on the ground tells me that I won’t be leaving the city for too long and yet I dive off again.
