A whole new world has just opened from the floors found below. Cautiously yet brave I venture alone. Peering around each corner of the stair case before walking down the next set of stairs. The boxy spiral U staircase has wide wooden steps with large landings, dark wood with a thick coat of gloss on top. Seven wide steps then a spacious landing, turn the left approaching another set of seven steps then to another spacious landing. The length of each set of stairs could hold about 10 people standing side-by-side on one step and the each landing could hold about 40. The thick banisters placed on the inside of each landing are made from the same wood and thick coat of gloss. Very wide, too wide for anyone to wrap their arms around. Running down I easily push myself away from the banisters.
Once I reach the bottom, I hear hustling about. Shocked to see the life down here. How did this come to be? How did everyone get down here without coming from the main floor several stories up? At the bottom of the stairs, the hallway is formed in a large circle stretching out to a straight wide hallway leading down a long distance. My ears lead me to the left where I hear dishes clinging and people murmuring. My eyes catch the deep red brick walls in the restaurant. I start walking toward the wall when a distinguished library becomes visible to my right. The same deep red brick walls encased with books from floor to high ceiling. Off the center of the dark room sits a large wooden desk with a lamp illuminating the small area around. A large leather chair with a high back sits behind the desk. I look toward the dimly lit restaurant again when a tall male server dressed in black from head to toe catches my eye, he is the first person I have seen so far down here. I can only see the profile of his clean shaven face. A white cloth draping over his left arm, a food tray held up by his right. He slowly moves away from a table when I see two ladies sitting at this table, chatting quietly, not noticing what is going on around them.
I walk back out to the circular hallway. The details in the walls and floor, the art of marbled sculptures throughout, there is so much to look at. Shorter hallways here and there lead off the left and right after leaving the circular hallway to a straight, wide and long hallway. The shorter, sporadic halls have hidden doors. Marble chiseled into the shape of a great animals head lead into apartments. My curiosity still strong, I start to walk toward one of the doors with a crisp white lions head. A few feet away from my hand touching the head, the door begins to open, I quickly run back into the hallway, move behind a standing statue reaching 15 feet and close to 10 feet around. Can anyone see me? Do they care I am there? Should I be down there? My heart racing, trying to act as if I do belong down there, in the hallway. No one seems to be paying any attention to me.
Back in my space I find a couple horses looking in, their stalls just outside my room. Gracefully pass them when I see a few people walking about. They are hear to buy something, a few things. What I can only imagine. Walk to a young couple, they have a few questions about a product or animal, I am not sure. But I do know someone who has the answers. I begin to run up the stairs, floor after floor after floor. Beginning my journey I carry a bread basket lined with a white cloth and one roll. Somewhere in between running and reaching the very top floor to my destination the lone roll now missing. Crumbs and the cloth are all that remain.
A secret meeting was being help in a room (the only room?) at the top floor. upon reaching the top, there was a hallway, not short but not long, at the end of the hallway are three smaller steps from the stair case I had just climbed, leading up to a large wooden door which open toward the hallway. Inside the room was a young German Shepherd, loyal to her owner, who ever that was, and at least three people where I barely saw some body part of them. The voice of a women I do not know but she is the one with the answers the young couple seeks. She must be in the corner of this small room, hidden from outsiders. Not afraid that I have just found out about the secret room (among several others in the building), I firmly state why I am there. Finally I get a response I need and start running down the hall toward the staircase with my crumb filled basket. Reaching the staircase I decide to eaves drop on their conversation. All I hear are murmurs. Without warning, the secret meeting door opens and I hear people shuffling their way out and toward the staircase as they continue to talk. I start running down the stairs hoping not to be caught. Run down seven, slid around the landing with my left hand grasping for the banister, then the next set and so on. Looking down I notice bread crumbs on the glossy, perfect stairs. But I am in a big hurry not to be caught that I do not have time to stop and pick them up. Instead, I try stepping on the crumbs with my stocking toes, as if I am dusting with my feet. All the way to the main floor I notice bread crumbs and all the way I dust them away.
Day is coming to an end. I venture around the corner from where my bedroom is, I notice a hallway which has another bathroom. Getting closer to this bathroom I see another bedroom, large and dark. I walk into the bedroom and realize it is my grandfathers. How can that be? Walking around toward the only window, small in size, I see a ledge above and across. Anyone can see right into the room from that spot. Someone was spying on him. I see the guy now, trying to hide from me. Gray and white hair, beady eyes with spectacles on. Wearing a brim hat but not to disguise, as if he always wears this.
There is a whole new area outside. Many more secret places. Am I with a person or a dog? We get to a place where we have to jump onto the next roof top, I toss the small person or dog onto the roof then I begin my climb. It is then I notice the gap between the roof and where I am is larger than I have initially thought. I just need to move a few of the chopped wood pieces on my right to my left so I can have a great hand hold while I throw my legs up and to the left. As I start moving a few pieces more from the top start tumbling down. This is better for me, so I let all the wood fall from the right side to the left. Finally I get up and on, now where did the small person/dog go?
Back on the ground I come to a petite lady with black short, curly hair and olive skin, her face is thin. Dressed in a flannel shirt and cargo pants, drawing on the ground with chalk. Red and yellow colors graffiti the sidewalk. As if she was sketching the design of a new building. I asked what she was doing and where she will be continuing her drawings. She did not answer me, kept to herself. I became a bit frustrated, I do not like to be ignored. It occurred to me that she is about to draw at a major access point on the property. I ask her if this is her plan. She replies, “Yes, I will be drawing there, they will make another access area.” Not happy with her reply, I become anxious.
There is always a way to solve issues. My idea to solve an issue is to wait for a train to arrive, disengage and the train conductor to move on while leaving a car on the tracks. I sit and wait. Finally, up through the dark earth below the street comes the train as a thick metal cover in the ground opens up making room for the train to pass through. No one around, I quickly climb into the empty train car which is mainly windows all around. There is no bottom, I am lying on the road and track. Belly on the ground I start to get to work. All of a sudden people are walking up to the car and peering inside, thirty or forty people. One lady looks into my eyes while she walks closer and closer and then kicks the car into the hole into the earth, the metal cover again opening to suck me and the car down into darkness, into the unknown. I try yelling, “NO!” but she kicks anyway, no expression on her face. Down the hole I go with the car. My stomach starts to churn and flop not knowing how far down the bottom is. How much longer I will be free falling.
