VIVA LA DYSTOPIA

My heart was in my mouth. Scratch that, my heart was almost in my eyeballs, and it was thumping behind them in a kind of sheer terror. Was I going to prison? Maybe we would get deported. I contemplated lying about my name, while trying my best to duck and run at the same time.

..TWO HOURS EARLIER..

We exited the subway with two dead phones, and no clue which direction to take. After walking around for a while, thinking hopeful thoughts, I was struck by a genius idea: I stopped by a bus shelter, and scanned the small map on the wall for any promising areas. Any large area of woodland would do. The map revealed a large green space, a bit behind us; we backtracked a little and found ourselves on the edge of an endless forest.

In the forest, things were looking up. I only stepped in poison ivy twice, and we managed to make our way to a small bench on the edge of a river, where we cooked lunch and thought about giving up. Until I spied something a little odd... a young girl, looking a little shifty, as she poked at a nearby fence. Aha! Jackpot. She had inadvertently led us to our journey's destination: Spreepark, that wonderful dystopia of broken carrousels and old swan boats. 

We joined forces for a few minutes, the young girl following us past the fence, until we heard the sound of loud voices and dogs barking - then we ran for it. Prudence and patience was needed here. So, we walked the borders, hearing voices near and then far, as people roamed the park, till I couldn't wait any longer, and we hopped the fence into another world.

It was eery in there. Shifting leaves, the grating noise of the old ferris wheel turning in the wind, and rows of old clowns combined to make this one of the creepiest atmospheres. We explored for fifteen glorious minutes before being caught. 

Nothing will ever beat that feeling of discovery and trepidation, when one sneaks into a place that is off-limits,
and just a little dangerous. 

POSTSCRIPT

Spreepark's future is uncertain, and the park is being slowly dismantled, with talks of a refurbishment. The security at this place evolves all the time, sometimes there are guards, sometimes dogs, sometimes it is open to all picnickers and daytrippers. I suggest you do a bit of research before climbing that fence, and please make sure to respect the park - look-y but no touch-y.