Pain Killer

16 ~ Hobo at Heart

A playground, hidden from most of the neighborhood sits almost directly behind the campus buildings. Only patches of grass are watered while the rest is sorely ignored. The park designers might've assumed since the college is in the center of town, a park would belong there but for some reason, the whole area feels... off. With a chain-link fence cutting it off from all the large roads and streets, an air of seclusion drifts over the area.

In the late evening, when the bridge doesn't hold such attraction to me, I wander across the checkerboard of dead and overgrown grass toward the playground. A small swing set of three swings welcomes my quiet presence. I take the middle seat, the chains creaking and clinking with the shift of weight. I lift my legs, beginning the first little movement. A loud squeak emanates from the hinge as I begin to build momentum and the air rushes past my face, confused with my back-and-forth shifts.

A buzz in my pocket catches me by surprise. I slow and pull out my phone to see a text from Uri.

Uri: "you at home?"

Me: "no i'm at the park"

The little dots bounce up and down for a few moments.

Uri: "i wanna talk"

Me: "about?"

Uri: "can i come interrupt your brooding?"

Me: "sure :)"

I pocket my phone and begin to swing again. The rusty creaking carries on and I wonder when he'll show up. My legs slow their movements as I begin to listen for his steps. I watch the far end of the park carefully.

My swing is motionless by the time his jean jacket comes into view. I smile to myself, happy to see that his face is brighter than yesterday.

His hands stuffed into his jacket, Uri approaches me. A small grin greets me instead of his voice. He walks around me and gives me a push with both of his hands. The rusty creak begins again as I feel his hands on my back, sending me further and further into the air. I let my legs swing freely; they float up and down as my hair whooshes past my face, back and forth.

"Quite the chatty Cathy, tonight, aren't you?" I smirk into the sky, closing my eyes as my stomach turns when I reach the high point. "I wouldn't say you're interrupting my brooding at this point."

"I can say the same thing." I hear the smile in his voice. "When you're done swinging, it's my turn, okay?"

"Hmm, you have no idea how long I can go."

"We'll see."

I pull my head back, opening my eyes to see the world falling and rising above me.

Uri watches me pensively. His features look almost gloomy in my upside-down view. "Do you... still think about the bridge? You know, jumping?" Uri asks quietly. His voice barely makes it past the rusty chains, screaming a chorus of squeaks and groans.

"Is this what you want to talk about?" My momentum slows. Holding the chains, I lean backwards till my hair begins to drag along the ground. The full view of Uri makes me think for a moment. An odd feeling in the air grows prevalent with his silence.

He's no longer smiling. "Not really." His lips purse. "I'm just wondering."

"Well, not recently. I don't know, it was something you said at the bridge or... Well, they haven't bothered me too much." I sit up straight, dizzy. Twisting the seat around, the chains cross above me. I face Uri, my knees brushing his legs.

"I'm glad." He smiles widely, almost instnatly.

"How do you do that?" I cross my arms.

"Do what?"