This fantastic short story is a must-read. It will take you on a rollercoaster of emotions from horror and then hope, to… Nope, no spoilers here.. read, reflect and walk away a changed person.
She ran across the ravaged plains, abounding in burnt down grasses and massacred trees, scrambling from death itself, to save herself and her newborn. They had left their picturesque home with the advent of the unforeseen infantry who had set fire to the homes and churches dotting the small village, and in doing so, set fire to men, women and youth as well. As the daunting pain and misery encapsulated her weary spirit, it dawned on her that perhaps this might be the end of the tunnel.
The gray skies overlooking the once serene village differed from its radiant and azure predecessor. The cries of anguish and pain, the grim sounds of rifles and detonations pervaded the smoke-filled air. She took heavier breaths to try and overcome this perpetual race before she fell prey to it. Her vision was blurred by tears, yet she remained vigilant and impregnable – fighting for herself as well as her son. In her heart, survival was imperative.
The remaining few bellowed out for help before their lives too were seized. She approached the steep, rugged slope of the hill, at the foot of which lay a torrent. No other means of escape seemed viable but calling this a means of escape would be sardonic. Her heart in her throat, with a prominent feeling of regret, she hurried downhill with her progeny wrapped closely in her motherly arms, unwaveringly hoping that she didn’t stumble. Notwithstanding, the inevitable occurred. Before succumbing to her imminent fate, the last thought on her mind was, “How are we a civilization if we aren’t even civil?”
Benjamin Eldo Jobilal – 10 A