Lost children

Chess game →

Lost Children, Acrylic on Panel, Sep 2014

List of chapters in 2014 “A walk on the dark side”:
Jan – Dark Night, Feb 2014 – The Tunnel, Mar 2014 – The Invitation, Apr 2014 – Underground Palace, May 2014 – Foxy Gentleman, Jun 2014 – Crystal Lizard, Jul 2014 – Three Little Mice, Aug 2014 – Mr. Mad, Sep 2014 – Chess Game, Oct 2014 – Lost Children, Nov 2014 – The Garden

Lost children

The lights were off, as the play stopped. When the lights turned on again, everything disappeared. That was rather new to me, but I can’t say I didn’t enjoy it. It felt like a dream, an illusion, as if it never happened. And yet it was real and beautiful, unlike anything I had ever experienced before.

“But when would I be able to go home?” I thought to myself. “Do I still want to go home?”

I remembered the man in the wall, perhaps I could ask him for help. I couldn’t remember his name, I didn’t think he introduced himself. I walked towards the wall, and placed my hand on it, as if I was trying to pat someone’s shoulder. I said, “Are you there?”

“Hey, yes, I’m here.” The wall responded, faster than I expected. His face slowly emerged out of the wall as I moved slightly away from him.
“So you have always been here?” I asked.
“Yeah, I’m creepy on you all when you are not paying attention.” He gave a friendly smirk, somehow it was more fun than creepy.
“Good to know that, hehe. So how did you end up in the wall?” I smiled.
“Hmm, that’s a long story. Perhaps I shouldn’t bore you with it right now.”
“I see. I can only imagine you have made a deal with the winter queen just like everyone else here?”
“You could say that, but it’s a little different with me.”

After a short pause, he said, “Have you been here for long? If you don’t mind me asking.”
“Not for long. Yourself?”
“Quite a while I would say, something like 10 years I think.”
“Wow, that’s a very long time.”
“Now that I think of it, yes, it is a very long time”

Just as he finished that sentence, the side door opened again, this time, slowly.

“I think you are ready for it now.” The wall said.
“Ready for wh …” before I even finished saying the words, I noticed my body started to change. I started to feel lighter, and my clothes started to feel slightly loose, as if I was shrinking back to my teenage self. I looked at the wall confused, and I said, “What’s happening?”
“If you don’t like cockroaches, you should let me lift you up now.” He said. As he finished, an army of bugs suddenly began to spill out of the room and onto the floor. I had no choice but to hold on to his wide shoulders, and try to stay away from the floor before the cockroaches reached me.

The door opened a little further as more and more cockroaches crawled out. I could see someone was walking out of the door slowly. It was a little girl, wearing a dirty pink dress. Some other kids followed behind her. At first I didn’t notice if there were something odd about them, later I realised they were probably not human. A girl had split lips like a rabbit, a boy with two snail like antennas, and they kept walking out of the room one after another.

I was holding onto him tightly and tried to avoid making eye contact with these kids. At some point I could see the room next door was becoming less crowded, and I could see bright neon lights emanating from there.

“They can’t see us now, but let’s get in before they notice.” The wall whispered to me.
What?! … into that creepy room? I had another look at the room, it had certainly become empty after about 20-30 kids walked out. The wall lifted me up even further, and he started to move towards the door while some kids began to notice. I could see them turning around to follow us, while the wall moved through towards the wooden door, had me inside the room and shut the door behind.

The room was surprisingly uplifting. The neon lights were decorating a mini carousel at the corner of the room, with gentle music playing in the background. There was a little tent made out of neon light and chiffon on the bed. I turned around to look for the wall, he was there, looking at me.

“What just happened?” I said.
“It’s normally a little more peaceful than this, I guess there is a lot in you that’s rather … interesting.”
“What do you mean?”
“After you have performed the act back there, some energy was released to restore the balance. Those cockroaches and creepy kids were your energy, if that makes sense.”
I looked at him confused, “I don’t think I understand what you are saying.”
“Well, to put it simply, there is a much darker side of you.”
“I’m sorry if I have done something wrong.” I felt guilty.
“No it was all happening naturally, it wasn’t something you could have controlled anyway.”

He walked a little further towards me, completely free without the support of the wall.
“I didn’t know you can move around freely away from the wall” I said.
“Yes I can, as long as they are made of earth, wood and stone.” He answered, “this whole underground palace is made out of these three things, so I can go to most places.”
“Interesting.” I asked. “So you can also go out of this place too.”
“Theoretically yes, but I wouldn’t want to do that.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because I’m here to serve the winter queen.” He said.
“I don’t understand. why is everyone here loyal to her.”
“Well in my case, she has locked my heart.”