Where The Wild Stands

Surviving

When the wind died down, she lowered her hand and looked around, her gaze sweeping over the ruins. In the distance, she could see the skeletal remains of a skyscraper, its top floors long since collapsed, leaving a jagged outline against the dull sky. From its sides, beams of metal jutted out at odd angles, their ends twisted and torn, like the broken bones of some long-dead creature.

The sight of the skyscraper sent a shiver down her spine. It was a stark reminder of the power that once resided in this place, a testament to human ambition and the inevitable decline that followed. Mara knew that this city had been a thriving metropolis, a hub of commerce and culture, but now it was little more than a graveyard, a monument to a world that had been lost to time.

Turning away from the square, Mara continued her journey through the ruins. The city stretched out before her, a vast expanse of decay and neglect, a maze of crumbling buildings and overgrown streets. She moved carefully, her eyes scanning the ground for any signs of danger. Occasionally, she would catch a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye—a rat scurrying into the shadows, or a bird taking flight from a nearby rooftop. But for the most part, the city was eerily still, as if holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

As she made her way through the narrow streets, Mara could feel the air growing cooler, the shadows deepening around her. The buildings seemed to close in, their darkened windows staring down like empty eye sockets.

The light struggled to penetrate the dense canopy of leaves overhead, casting everything in a murky half-light. She could hear the faint rustle of leaves, the whisper of the wind as it moved through the branches, a soft, mournful sound that seemed to echo through the empty streets.Eventually, she came to a wide boulevard, its surface cracked and uneven, weeds growing in thick clusters between the slabs of concrete. The remains of streetlights lined the road, their poles bent and twisted, their bulbs shattered or missing. At one time, this street would have been bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of honking horns and the chatter of pedestrians. Now, it was empty, a silent testament to a world that had moved on.In the distance, Mara could see the outlines of what had once been a park. The trees were overgrown and wild, their branches intertwining to form a dense canopy that blotted out the sky.

The grass, once neatly trimmed, now grew in wild, untamed clumps, mingling with the encroaching vines that snaked their way across the ground.

An old fountain stood in the center, its basin dry and cracked, the water long since evaporated. The statue that had once adorned it was gone, leaving only an empty pedestal behind.

As Mara approached the park, the air grew cooler, the shadows deeper. She could hear the faint rustle of leaves overhead, the whisper of the wind as it moved through the branches. The sound was soothing...

she sleeps