He passed a playground where the swings groaned in the wind—metal on metal, a perfect sample for a nightmare. He remembered sitting there years ago, dreaming of a way out. Now, he realized the "out" wasn't a destination; it was the movement. As long as he was moving po betonu , he was alive. The hardness of the ground gave him something to push against. It was the only thing that didn't give way when life got heavy.
By the time the track faded into a haunting, hollow echo, Protiva reached the bridge overlooking the highway. Below him, the headlights of cars blurred into a river of white and red. He looked down at his shoes, dusted with the fine gray powder of the city.
He didn't need a stage. He didn't need a spotlight. As long as the concrete held, he had a foundation. He turned around and headed back into the dark, his footsteps the only percussion left in the night.