Night View

9pm. Another cloudy night.

A cool breeze wisps my long hair across my face, tickling my nose and cheeks. Yoda river stretches before me from left to right. I can see it shimmering and rippling in the reflected streetlight glow. Car headlights dance up and down the numerous bridges; golden orbs towards me and strawberry red moving away. Giant silver snakes glidge across the waterway, their many windows look like large yellow scales down the side of their belly. Chachink-chachink Chachink-chachink. From here, I can almost make out the tired and weary businessmen only now beginning to head home.

Blurry skyline ... what do you expect from a phone camera?

Umeda rises up from across the water. Large skyscapers freckled in yellow windows and flashing red spots. The smell of salt water catches on the breeze and brings with it a scent of fried chicken and seaweed. In the foreground a cat rummages through a pile of rubbish, cans, paper, plastic, looking for a discarded food or a small rodent to call a meal. It calls out in frustration before slinking past me and disappearing into the shadows. A low rumble above me and the clouds light up. An invisible plane glides somewhere beyond, its headlights like 2 large china plates marching across the sky. And then they are gone, disappearing behind the square apartment blocks behind me.

My flatmates are sick. Tonite I am alone by the river, burning smells and images in my head. My legs dangling over the concrete edge above the sand flats and riverbank before me.I want to remember it all. I want to be able to close my eyes and be back here; feel the wind again, smell the air, taste the breeze, hear the city breathe around me.

And as the wind picks up I paste the last of my memories into my mind, grab my bag and wander back through the streets to my room.