The dancing trees whisper in the wind,

A distant hoot pierces the night’s hush

-a lonely owl on its dinner prowl.

The leaves crunch beneath my feet

As I move closer and closer

towards the warm, little strung-up lights

stretching for seemingly forever.

The Ferris wheel seems to beckon

With its ka-chunk wheeeeeerrrr ka-chunk sound.

There seems to be a toy train

running nearby in the deserted park:

Chug chug chug.

But My eyes are fixed on the Ferris wheel

As it stops with a loud squeak.

An empty basket dangles in front of me:

Ka-klatch ka-klatch.

A strange instinct takes over

and I board the basket.

Whoosh, it begins to spin.

My memories swirl in eddies

As I get sucked into a celestial plug hole: swoosh.

Ninety degrees,

Thump Thump Thump,

Footfalls in quick succession,

Little feet jumping down walls with gleeful giggles,

Playing hide and seek.

Whoosh moved the Ferris wheel.

A hundred and eighty degrees now,

Thunderous claps rain down on me,

Shrouded in a black cloak and rocking a black cap,

I receive a degree from the most prestigious institution.

The Ferris wheel whirs on.

Two hundred and seventy degrees now,

He-ha he-ha, laughter bubbles all around,

As babies screech and children yell,

Surrounded by warmth and love.

The Ferris wheel glides down to where it began.

Pop, I’m spat back out the plughole.

The silence is absolute and peaceful.

The inky darkness is ubiquitous.

But then a happy tune begins to chime,

And twinkling lights light up the park again.

The train goes chug chug chug.

And I realize I have the option to alight,

Or stay on the Ferris wheel.

The cycle of life is an adventure.

But I have a feeling,

That afterlife is not so bad either.

Pic courtesy: Internet