(Inspired and is a fanfiction for The Twilight Zone)

September 9th, 1961

Central Park, New York

Meet little Delilah Mervin, an 11-year-old who possessed adventurous and curious traits. If something grabs her attention, she won't hesitate to investigate. Despite her insisting behaviour to explore the unknown, she was still sweet and kind to all those around her. However, most things that caught her eye were just simple, accessible, and comprehendible earthly properties. Things like how the caterpillar in her backyard went through metamorphosis, or how the fungi came to be outside her backyard, in the woods. It's always been about how. Though she didn't ask what, where, when, and why to the world. She knows things exist, she always knew what they are, where they are, when they came or when they are, and why they exist. But she never knew how they did that, how they processed, how they were made. That was the only thing that fed her curiosity, how.

On this particular day, in a particular playground attraction, Delilah's mental comprehension will be tested when she is thrust into a place that is beyond every human's imagination. This unknown dimension might as well spark Delilah's other variables of questioning, and maybe, just maybe, the questions she will ask might keep her sane. But not for long.

~~~

Even though the trees painted their leaves in orange and gold to declare autumn's arrival, the clouds have given the sun one more chance to shine by being absent. The heavy atmosphere of summer was finally lifted and was replaced with cooler winds to slither and swirl in the air. It was finally safe for the children to pour and spread into the playground, for the metals in the attractions were no longer dangerously hot.

Delilah always went for the swings. They were her favourite. The swings, there was something about them that made her love them. Maybe the way they made her feel light-weighted when she was in the air for a second, or that tickling feeling when she descended backwards after she ascended forward. She couldn't put a finger on it but enjoyed it anyway. But she did question, always questioned how the swings worked while she was swinging. How did they move high and low when she swung her legs first? In the beginning, she went back and forth slowly when she moved her legs, then in a few seconds she found herself swinging further and higher using her calves alone. It was as if her ankles were attached to some kind of invincible strings that pulled her forward. It was fascinating indeed.

Of course, she knew how swings worked when someone was there to push her. It was obvious and logical, and no questions were needed. The action was self-explanatory. This time, her mind didn't bother to stay silent and enjoy the moment, because her father was there to push her. Her mother was there as well, but she was sitting on one of the benches watching them.

"Careful, honey, don't push her too hard," her mother called.

The father didn't hear her. By the bland expression on his stubble face, he seemed... Lost. However, slowly, his facial features twitched and flinched, his bushy brows narrowed, teeth grinded. One moment he was distant in his private thoughts, the next he was unexpectedly boiling. Delilah's euphoria was short-lived when she felt her father's hands quickly thrust her high, so dangerously high that she heard her mother's screams erupt all of a sudden.

Delilah didn't expect to get this high on the swing. So high that she made one, literal, full rotation. With this, she thought she was going to crash into or kick her father from behind due to this sudden movement. Unfortunately, though, this wasn't the case, for something far stranger had occurred.

She hit no one. Nothing but air. The sounds, the screams, they echoed away once she did one loop on the swing. She tried to stop the motion of the swing to get her bearings. After she did, she remained on her seat and scanned her environment, shock pinned her on the spot.

The playground was covered in moss. The metals were consumed by hideous rust. The autumn winds were gone and were replaced by the eerie silence. She looked up at the sky above to find that the dark clouds had conquered the clear blue sky.

"H-Hello?" she called. No answer.

Her heart began to beat audibly in her ears. She stood from her swing and explored. She looked everywhere around her for anyone. It was strange, truly strange but in a fearful way of course. This place looked the same to her. However, it felt wrong for some reason.

Fortunately, she and her parents didn't go deeper into the park, rather she was on the edge of it, so she wasn't far from the city and buildings that surrounded this massive garden. She went outside, between the tall towers and onto the dark streets. As she roamed, she called anyone and everyone, to learn what had happened, to understand.

This time, in this moment, she finally asked different kinds of questions. There were people, she swore there were others besides her parents, where did they go all of a sudden? What happened? When is it? How did she end up here? And why? She never knew.

Time here seemed long. And Delilah started to feel that some of her needs were draining. She heard a rumbling coming from her stomach. Indicative of her hunger it was. She kept looking not only for people but also, for food. Fortunately, not too long she found a food stand on the street across from her. What made her even more glad was the fact she finally saw someone there.

She quickly went up to the stand as her heart eased at the sight. However, the counter was slightly taller than her, and the person operating had their back turned.

"E-Excuse me, mister... Or miss," she called as she stood on her toes so she could see the person clearly.

The person's head jerked up, then turned around as the sound of cracking bones echoed around. Delilah gasped when the person revealed his face. He was as pale as snow and slender as his skeletal figure. His eyeballs, sunken deep and black as tar, pupils red as ruby, stared right at her own with impatience. He also revealed his sharp, yellow disgusting teeth when he growled. There were very few strands of greasy dark hair that dangled from his almost nude scalp when he leaned closer to her face.

"What do you want, kid?" his voice was deep yet mixed with another that wasn't deep. As if two voices spoke in unison.

The girl trembled, and she couldn't bear to smell his breath which consisted of something sour and disgusting. It was similar and familiar to her father's every time he came home late at night.

"I-I just want to have s-some food, mister. Can I have some? P-Please?"

"Do you have money?" the man growled again.

"N... No, I d-don't have any... B-But I can ask my dad to give you some–"

"No money... No food," the man almost yelled.

"But I'm starving! I really am, I-I promise I'll pay you once I find my paren–"

"NO MONEY! NO FOOD!" The man roared as he violently smacked the counter.

The poor girl tripped and fell back from his terrifying screams. She couldn't continue to be here any longer. She struggled to get up to her feet before she stood and ran away. However, it didn't end there.

To be continued...