Thousands of footsteps are going past every minute. The tip-tapping fills the air. The voices fill the short period of rest in-between each foot hitting the ground. The sounds resonate for metres upon metres of this place and start to merge into each other. Walking down the alleys and paths you can hear snatches of jumbled conversations. It sounds intriguing. The pronunciation of each word, the different linguistic rhythms. Some are more musical, but others are more harsh and prosaic.
The Temperature is not too hot, nor too cold. The air is easy to breathe. not too thick. It flows easily into your mouth and nose. The place looks somewhat clinical, with an abundance of glass, marble and steel. The lights are bright, but not too bright. It is well lit and is without glare. The floors and glass seem to be almost too clean, and look like they are meticulously cleaned every hour or so. Smells waft into my nose where I receive mixed aromas of the various foods from all corners of the planet. They smell delicious, making the mouth water. These aromas attract people like vultures circling around a carcass, waiting impatiently to be served. Luckily there’s plenty to feed on. The restaurants are bustling. There is no fight for food, but for places to sit and munch on the overrated and probably overpriced foods that are for sale. Old and young both sit down. Tired and fed up, resting their legs after a hard day of walking. Children are messing around and entertaining themselves on what ever they can find. While their parents are desperately searching for products that are needed to eat, wear or use. Once in a while you will see a well off couple parading past, acting like they are the king and queen of the place. Dressed in their finery, for everyone to “admire”. Most people are wearing sharply pressed suits, with white shirts smart shoes and a tie, purposefully striding along. While other people are dressed more casually, and seem more relaxed.
As it gets later during the day, the amount of people diminish and keep on doing so until almost nobody is around. Barren and sparse of the people who filled it before. Now it is silent, extremely silent, eerily silent. Once in a while some footsteps can be heard. Echoing, but with no discernible source. One or two guards stand in the same place looking out for nonexistent threats. The temperature has not increased or decreased, it has stayed at the same level as before. The lights are still bright ablaze, chugging on electricity. The restaurants are empty. Nobody inside, with the lights turned off. Everything in the restaurants have been cleaned up and moved out the way. The enticing smells that had previously been there are now missing. Nowhere to be found. The car parks are devoid of cars that it would usually be containing. You can hear music thumping in the background, the repetitive beat wears on into the night, coming from the bars and clubs in the surrounding area.
React!