the fences

once, when i was a kid, i had a dream

that was basically my neighborhood (my, in that i live there) unmodified, except for these four fences all around

suddenly, instead of being able to go anywhere my body could go, i was limited to almost exactly six blocks, maybe eight? altogether

a prison

supposedly, it was for my safety, and the safety of everyone in the neighborhood

but i had vague memories of what used to be on the other side of the fences, and nobody would tell me what had changed that suddenly made it so dangerous to leave now

"what's on the other side?" "what's on the other side?" "shut up, stop asking" "you're being annoying" "it's not safe" "nobody goes out there anymore" "but why?" "..."

....i should've listened to my dreams, i would've learned this was prison way faster