Fence

Once upon a time, when the planet was still ruled by such primitive creatures as "homo almost sapiens," there existed a certain Housing Estate. A small, new concrete square with a bench in the center was surrounded on all sides by tall apartment blocks, completely obscuring the horizon, as gray as the life of an average person. One such man was Niki, also known as Nik.

One sunny day, a thick blanket of clouds obscured the entire sky. When Niki stepped outside, a light breeze caressed his face and uprooted trees. He decided to visit his friend, Cichacz, who lived across the street. He crossed the concrete square, now raging through a tornado, whistling the only tune he knew—"Funeral March." He entered the dingy stairwell, climbed the crumbling stairs to the second floor, and knocked on the door. As he waited, he listened to the cracking of trees as they flew through the estate like matchsticks. Then the door opened. Behind them stood a pale boy in a black hooded sweatshirt.

"Hi, Hush," Niki beamed, "are you coming out?"

The boy nodded and closed the door. A moment later, he emerged in his formal attire—black sweatshirt pants, a black hooded sweatshirt, and a black sweatshirt cap. His black sneakers were also sweatshirts, except for the soles.

"Listen, Hush," Niki said as they descended the stairs, "We have to call all the boys for a meeting. Turkus said we have to meet at the bench."

Turkus was the oldest boy in this neighborhood, so he became the head of the whole gang.

They went to the next block over. Niki knocked on the door and saw a UFO

. "Who do my eyes see?" UFO said. It was a boy of average height, with bulging eyes and a winter hat with a pompom on his egg-shaped head. They called him UFO because no one understood exactly what he was saying, except Niki. "Why do you come here, you tireless wanderers? Didn't the stars in the sky tell you to enter my doorstep?

" "No, Turkus told me to."

"Oh, Turkus," he said with a look of admiration in his eyes, "what does this good man want?"

"I don't know," Niki shrugged. "He called me to call everyone. Hurry, the others are surely here."

After a moment, UFO put on a thin, red jacket and left the building. The tornado was no longer raging in the square, but three boys were standing in its center. The tallest was Turkus, as usual in his Turquoise jockey cap. The shorter one, with black, disheveled hair and a leather jacket, was called Luzik, after his favorite word. Beside him stood Ciapa, in a white sweater too big for him and tight trousers.

"Greetings," Turquoise said to the newcomers, "I have gathered you here to discuss a matter that concerns us all. A matter of the utmost importance."

A light breeze began to flutter the sweatshirts of the tense boys.

"Surely each of you," he continued in a solemn tone, "has had thoughts like mine. Namely, why must our four skyscrapers, which form the wall separating this small, gray square, crush our dreams of discovering new places and nooks, of escaping the thought that we will forever be slaves to this soulless place, right? Right!?!

"Okay, man," said Luzik. "Luzik, but spit it out, what's your problem?

" "I'm telling you, Comrade Luzik," said Turkus in an authoritative tone, "do you see that fence?" He pointed to several tall boards blocking the narrow passage between two apartment buildings. "This is the barrier that is the boundary of our world, and which no one has managed to cross... almost no one.

Of course, everyone knew that in ancient times one person had dared. She became a living legend, whose name is still held in respect and affection to this day." His name was Dynguś, and even though he had accomplished the greatest thing a resident of this neighborhood could dare, he refused to share with anyone what he saw beyond that wall. On the contrary—since that event, he had become very withdrawn.

"So, talk," Luzik said, dusting off his jacket. "What are you getting at? "

Turkus straightened, wanting to assume a serious stance.

"Comrades, it's high time someone finally crossed that fence and shared with others what lay beyond it."

An excited murmur spread through the audience. Finally, Niki stepped forward.

"I can go there..."

Luzik looked at him in surprise, UFO gaped, Silent Man shook his head doubtfully, and Ciapa had an expressionless face, drooling.

"It's good that someone so courageous has been found," Turkus said, looking at Niki with considerable surprise, "but you'll need help."

And Niki was about to ask for that help. He took Hush with him and headed for the stairwell. The hallway was dirty and dingy. He entered the elevator and pressed the button marked "2." After a short ride, the door opened. They exited with complete solemnity and approached the white apartment door. Before Niki could knock, it opened at the hands of a young woman.

"Welcome," she said, stepping aside for them to enter. "He's been expecting your visit."

Both of them, surprised, entered the house. The walls were adorned with various patterned rugs, and the air smelled of incense.

The woman led them to a room from which strange murmurs were emanating. Niki and Hush entered and saw THE PERSON. On the floor, with his eyes fixed on the wall, Dynguś was meditating. He was at least fifteen years old, with a well-built jaw and long, gray hair that fell carelessly over his eyes.

"I know what brings you here," he said hoarsely.

"Really?" Niki asked, surprised.

"Yes," said Dynguś, not taking his eyes off the wall, "you're screaming so loud that the whole neighborhood can hear you.

" "So you also know we're looking for your help?

" "Yes."

Dynguś slowly rose from the floor. Only now could one realize how tall he was. In all his glory, he stood over little Niki.

"Yes," he repeated, looking Niki straight in the eyes. "But I won't help you.

" "Why?" said Niki with great pain in his voice.

"I won't help you," he said more loudly. "And I advise you never to go where I've been, because unpleasant things will happen to you. Now go away."

Niki bowed his head sadly. He and Silencer left, feeling greatly disappointed and five kilos heavier.

They (that is, Niki) reported the news to Turkus and waited for his reaction.

"Well," he folded his arms behind his back and stared blankly at the sky, "I dare not doubt that Dynguś made the right decision." The operation was canceled.

This was to be expected. No one held Dynguś in such high regard as Turkus. Niki, however, wasn't about to give up. If he decided something, he would do it. He would complete his task, even tonight.

The arrival of evening didn't surprise Niki, as evening always had a habit of arriving at the same time. However, the sun was still shining low on the horizon with a warm light. Without further delay, he rushed toward the fence to face his destiny. The fence, inconspicuous boards nailed with rusty nails, stood where usual. But appearances can be deceiving...

Niki suddenly realized what he was about to do. Before him stood a wooden barrier, proudly marking the border of their world, the edge of their perception of reality... Was he worthy of leveling the fear that reigned among his kinsmen, the fear of knowing the unknown? Was he ready for such a challenge? Was he...

"Huh?" Niki was jolted out of his deep thoughts by a nudge from the Silent One, who had a rope slung over his shoulder. He nodded.

"So the moment has come. The time when the fate of the world will be decided, unforgettable, invaluable..."

Niki's heart skipped a beat at the thought of being added to the hall of fame. He'll be right next to Karol Kurzajkodłonny, who discovered a corridor connecting the stairwell with the basement in Block Three, never before known. He'll even surpass Maciek Podkoworyj, who became famous for his extraordinary courage in digging out shards of glass from under a bench. Even Kamil "Mr. Jump from the Second Floor" won't match him. They'll all be behind him. They'll be forgotten when the new idol of their world, Nikodemus the Explorer, enters the hall of fame. Everyone except Dynguś..."

Niki frowned as he prepared to precisely throw the rope with the heavy hook at the end. He glanced to make sure no one was nearby, then gave a quick wave. He gasped as the rope arced majestically over the top of the fence, then fell with a muffled, thud. And that sound unsettled Niki, for it was a sound he hadn't expected from the collision of heavy metal with concrete. Then a strange, uncertain thought struck him – what if beyond the fence didn't stretch the limitless expanse of hard concrete that had served him faithfully as a base all these years...? What then? He couldn't imagine it; it was certainly not something he had ever known before.

He glanced at the Silent One, as if expecting some suggestion or some other reaction. The Silent One, however, stood calmly, as if contemplating the sight of the rope, one end of which was behind the fence, the other held by his companion. It seemed like an eternity passed before Nicki said,

"I'm coming."

So he climbed the rope, transforming his words into flesh, first pulling the hook to hook it against a stable obstacle. He placed his right foot on the fence, and before taking the next step, he looked at the Silent One for support. He nodded, signaling Nicki to continue his climb. A pair of boots were already on the fence, allowing him to take subsequent steps with the ease of a fly. These steps weren't many, as the fence wasn't as high as a first-story window, but each one was filled with pride and hope.

And then, just as Nicki could almost see the horizon, the unexpected happened.

"Stop!" came an anxious shout from the distance. Nicki, alarmed, turned to see Turkus running toward them.

Slightly out of breath, he stopped and glared at them both.

"What are you doing!?" "—he said in a raised voice, his eyes blazing. "Dyngus made his point clear! You shouldn't ignore his words!"

Niki was frightened. He didn't want to contradict Turkus or lose any value in his eyes, but being so close to his goal, it was hard to resist. He looked at Turkus expressively, then, after a moment of contemplation, grabbed the edge of the fence and pulled himself up.

Turkus's eyes bulged at witnessing such an audacious act, but it couldn't compare to the expression on Niki's face.

Before him, a completely alien world stretched to the horizon. There was Green. Not the green that painted the bench in the middle of the square, but a completely different Green, vibrant, blooming. Like an immense carpet, flat, yet billowing in the wind. There was beauty in it, and yet something terrifying at the same time. This blooming carpet merged with the sky in an endless abyss, as distant as anything had ever been in Nieki's life. But there was something worse. The sun, which always hung overhead, was about to collide with that thin line connecting two endless planes. Sunset...

Niki slumped to the ground, struck by a sudden shock. His breathing was rapid, his eyes darting... Incomprehensible experiences swirled in his mind. Incomprehensible to Cichacz and Turkus, who leaned over his feverish body, but not incomprehensible to Dynguś, who was gazing out the window, his expression filled with satisfaction. For the first time in a long time, though he didn't know exactly why, a smile appeared on his face.

"I'm not alone. Finally, I'm not alone anymore..."