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We can’t take it back....

"It's only when the city sleeps"

"It's only when the city sleeps!"

Exclaimed an aged man sitting in the darkest corner of a well lit room. Turning to the orderly, i hand him paperwork explaining the reason of my presence. I couldn't help but to glance back to the man at the window. Sitting there repeating the same thing over and over again.

"It's only when the city sleeps"

Struck for a moment, trying to conjur any thought as to why he would sit there, muttering over and over. I remind myself where i am, pushing away the thought.

" Alright Mr. Lincoln, everything checks out. You're clear to see Mr. Shu, good luck getting him to say anything different." As he points to the man in the dark corner.

Retrieving the papers from the orderly and putting them in my jacket pocket, i proceed towards Mr. Shu. Drawing near, he sits there repeating himself as i come into his peripherals.

" It's only when the..." he pauses as he turns his head to look me over. He speaks softly. " I've sat here a long time waiting for you!" Speaking a bit louder "Took your sweet ass time getting here didn't ya?" Off put i start to say the reason of my being there, " My name is...." The old man quickly interjects.

" I know who you are! Alex Abraham Lincoln, born June first nineteen eightynine to mother Caroline Anne Carter and father Richard Micheal Lincoln. You grew up in southern California with your mother while your father was over seas in the military blah blah " he says looking at me with a hint of disgust on his face. " Do you honestly think i would sit here all this time if i didn't have any inclination of who you were?" Unsure of what to make of a man i dont even know, knowing enough about me to give me a chill. His eyes lean towards a chair a foot or so away from him, "Sit down, there isn't much time" Taking my place beside him he glances down at old style pocket watch he retrieved from a pocket. " How is it you know who i am?" I ask as i think over what i came to question him about. His eyes glued to the hands of his time piece, " All questions can be answered in the right time, now take my hand so you aren't lost in the void." he demanded.

Confused. I ask,"What the hell are you talking about? What void?" Just then he grabs my wrist, muttering what sounds like an alien language. Slowly at first, then speaking faster each time.

"Speels ytic eht nehw ylno s'ti"

A bright blue flash blinds me. I try to cover my eyes with my hands yet only one is free, for the old man still clings to one.

"Speels ytic eht nehw ylno s'ti" he continues as the light gets brighter. Hearing nothing but ringing in my ears, as my eyes can feel the relief of darkness. No longer touched by the warmth of the mans grasp.

Furious, i open my eyes to see we are no longer at the psych ward. A strange calm rushes over me like cold wave splashing onto sunburnt skin. Amazed at the sight that my eyes gaze upon, i gasp, with no sound to escape from my lips. Mr. Shu places his hands upon my shoulders, turning me to face him. " Now we can talk but don't try to interrupt, your questions are irrelevant! Just listen!" He said rather assertivly. " What you see before you isn't a dream or a figment of your imagination. It is my past and your future" Standing atop a mountain peak, gazing across miles of treeless charred battle torn valleys and canyons of coral that seem to plummet deeper and deeper into a dark abyss. "This is where you grew up, once a vast city surrounded by natural resources, now a wasteland no longer inhabitable...." he explains. I look at his grief stricken face, trying to utter my thoughts.

" You're wondering how this all came to be.....Greed! The people of the worlds hunger for more; faster, better. Neglecting the fact that our mother earth provided all we could ever need. Yet we selfishly took what we didn't need and failed to give enough back until our earth became what you see before you." He sighed as his chin came to rest on his chest. Tears roll down my face, dripping onto the burnt ground beneath my feet. Finally able to mutter a sound. "What can we do to stop this from happening?" I ask him.

His eyes meet mine. Begining to explain

" Learn to not take what you don't need, teach what has to be saved and what can be reused and most importantly treat every life on this planet like its your own. Most value their own life, it being the only one they have. Treat each and every living thing like it has a purpose"

He grabs my hand holding tightly " Now close your eyes!

Speels ytic eht nehw ylno s'ti"

Bright blue flashes and we are back in the well lit room at the ward, both sitting in our chairs.

He looks at his time piece and sighs, " People just think im crazy but i know what's real." He says as he ganders out the window once again. "One last thing before you go..."

"Now you know what our planet will become if you and the rest of the people of this world don't do the right things, cause in this day and age, the only time where our mother earth gets to rest;

It's only when the city sleeps!

It's only when the city sleeps...

IT'S ONLY WHEN THE CITY SLEEPS!