Member-only story
Emerging Over Time
Cease and Continue
The train station was empty.
There were a few Others here and there, but none of that sense of rushing that he enjoyed passing through on his daily walk. No stampede of humans in mad pursuit of destinations. He wandered past the two khaki colored para-military police, their hard-metal weapons prominently displayed. All the shops and restaurants were closed.
As he exited on the other side there were three more of these insect like humans in threatening killer gear. Strange things humans do to feel what they call safer, he thought, not daring to look into those eyes above the safety masks.
From there he took a bus—the very few passengers that there were had to enter through the back door these days—uptown, towards his favorite park.
The walk down to the river was a favorite part of his daily routine. He’d alternate streets to diversify his wanderings, but always towards that water. One of the few rewards amidst the losses of getting old, and even moreso moving through this New Silence—a couple hours strolling and some time at his Pondering Place.
Today, as he did at least once a week he chose to walk down 86th Street past the huge construction site. Last November they tore down the grand old hotel that stood there, leaving an enormous cavity in the…
