Encyclopaedia of Stairs
Intoxicated by fatigue, she grabs hold of the rail and slides giddily upon the step. No further can the beating, blaring city entice her to pursue the echoes ahead. The city’s garble plays medley with her thoughts: she’s forgotten whether she was desperately seeking or instead chasing away.

page 5

Encyclopaedia of Stairs
Steps descend: a child sits beside her and says … “I know exactly what’s happened – I read about it in the Encyclopaedia of Stairs – and these stairs in particular are notorious. Have you heard, shall I tell you?” Bewildered, fatigued – she listens.

page 5

Encyclopaedia of Stairs
“On page five it’s written that at the foot of these stairs – near the river below – there waited a woman. She waited and waited, through the night’s darkness and cold, mist so thick, through to the day’s sunlight that follows. She waited for Hope.

page 5

Encyclopaedia of Stairs

“When One day – hearing steps descending, presuming them to be Hope – she hastened, ascending: but at each step the stairs extended, never taking her from whence the echoes came. She fell here, fatigued, between expectation and disappointment.”

page 5

Encyclopaedia of Stairs

“… My friend says this is a stupid story – fiction, not fact. But upon passing I recognised these stairs as those described in the Encyclopaedia; and upon descending – what luck – my speculations found you just as described. One day I’ll find the Missing, confiscated, Expectations: well maybe; One day.”

page 5

———

fig. 5 – library: Princess Bridge staircase, Melbourne