Illustration Susanne Gold/ Text Andrea Holthaus

 

It’s been a long day and my neck hurts

I just want to go home, lie down in the warm tub and then go to bed. The bath water runs in, I light a few candles and in the background quiet relaxation music is playing. The room is filled with the scent of pine and lime and in the tub, mountains of foam build up, into which I sink exhausted.

A horn breaks the silence

I close my eyes, let my breath flow, enjoy the warmth of the water on my skin and let myself fall. A loud honking makes me drive up and I am almost scared to death. Where am I?

A linen sheet wraps around my body. The look down on me startles me

I look down at myself and stare at a white linen sheet that envelops my body. I have long blond hair on my shoulders and I feel much smaller. The skin of my hands is very smooth, like a young girl’s. Oh, my God, I’m a young girl. My heartbeat stops for a moment and I doubt my sanity.

Suddenly I’m in a strange environment

All around me high houses stand in line and each has its own colour. Beautiful houses and no two are alike. I’ve never seen anything like it. Fear seizes me and I just want to leave. I want to go home. The road meanders through narrow alleys and seems never-ending. After some time I stop standing there exhausted. It smells strangely and light fog settles on the ground.

There’s a bench, I just need to rest a little bit

People pass me by and they look strange. They are all dressed in white and wear the same linen sheets as I do. Next to the bench there is a trash can in which I discover a crumpled newspaper.

The New York Post of 21.02.2118

Whaaaaaat, how can this be? What the hell happened, how did I get here?
Deep desperation rises in me, I feel cold and very hungry, as if I had not eaten for days.

Suddenly an older man sits down next to me

He looks at me with gentle eyes. At first I want to flee, but my legs are paralyzed. “Well, my child, what are you doing here all alone?” “I don’t know. Where am I, anyway? What do you want from me?” “But, darling, you’re in the middle of New York. Don’t be afraid, I won’t hurt you. Where are your parents?” Tears come to my eyes and I swallow a few times before I answer. “I don’t know. No idea what I’m doing here or why I’m here.”

He looks at me skeptically and blinks his eyes

“Ah, another one from the other world. I’ve heard about you, but I’ve never met anyone. It’s an honor. Welcome to the new age.” “What exactly do you think you’re talking about?”

He caresses me tenderly over the head and whispers softly

“There seem to be gaps in the time system and people keep getting lost here. At first they want to go back to their time, but after a while they realize the value of our time and decide to stay.”

“They want to stay, but why, what keeps them here?”

“People are happy here. They have realized what it means to love and care for each other again. Everyone here cares about each other’s well-being. We no longer work for money, or because we have to. Everything happens for joy and fills us deeply.

Money has been abolished and everyone can live as they wish

Envy, hatred, war, poverty, hunger and environmental threats are a thing of the past. Now the only thing that counts is to grow old with dignity and joy. No one lives alone and education is available to all. Travel is possible for everyone and racial differences no longer play a role. Our only goal is to be happy and love.”

“That sounds like paradise”

“Yes, my little one, it’s paradise. Look around you, people are relaxed, they have a smile on their faces and play like children. Come with me, I’ll show you our world… you’ll see”

He takes me by the hand and we walk down the street

Brrrrr, what’s the water become cold. I open my eyes and look at the candles that are almost burned down. Did I fall asleep? A strange feeling is building up inside of me, almost a bit like homesickness…

It’s time to go to bed.