The once smooth network of roads that let to Ballymena was still somewhat discernible despite the many cracks and holes given to it by the elements. The crisp and clean looking town now looked more like a jungle as trees and gardens grew beyond their now unkempt boundaries.
Many doors had collapsed as rot ate away their edges. The open doorways that were once perhaps very welcoming were now an eerie and unwelcoming sight. There were signs of fires, in some cases it was merely a trail of soot and smoke above a window pane, in others it was a pile of ash where once a building stood.
Ballymena, once a pleasant quiet town and home to friendly folk was now a ghost town in the truest sense. The many sounds of wild animals who’ve made their home in this town are carried in the wind and give it a new sense of liveliness and vibrancy.
The art gallery was once the cultural pride and joy of this town and tourists flocked to see the art displayed here. Now it was home to a flock of doves who’ve destroyed most art pieces in their ignorance of what it once meant to so many people.
It was a strange feeling to be in the footsteps of so many lives now long forgotten and not knowing what became of the people who once spent their lives here. But despite all the decay and destruction at least there was happiness among the animals. Most had found a relatively safe haven to live in.
The now quiet road that led to Holbeck was barely discernible through the weeds and grasses that had reclaimed it. Broken branches and leaves cover the roads inside the town while the tall grasses of the unkempt gardens sway in the wind.
Most doors still stood in their frames as if nothing had changed. A few were ajar for one reason or another, perhaps left open in a hurry. Many roofs had collapsed and in some cases had taken the entire building with it. Others looked in decent shape and were simply dirty and filled with bird nests.
Holbeck, once rich with life, hopes, dreams and aspirations was now a forgotten remnant of a time long passed. The air which was once filled with the many sounds of a growing community had grown eerily quiet. The silence was only broken up by the occasional animal sound and gust of wind.
The fountain in the town square was still full of water, though without filtration it had turn green and overgrown with algae and other plants. But at the very least the ducks seemed to enjoy it.
No matter how many animals made their home in this town now you couldn’t help but be overcome with loneliness. Life had not just come to a halt, it had completely disappeared. But despite all the decay and destruction at least there was happiness among the animals. Most had found a relatively safe haven to live in.
