Watching Everyday Go By

• Suha Dahir Ali, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2015

A loud piercing sound of a gunshot, echoing through the city.
It would be a matter of time before the bullet aimed at my home. “Mama, papa,” I shrieked sprinting to my closet. I would stay there for an entirety if it took that long for safety to arrive.
I cried relentlessly for protection. I knew all of this would come to an end. What do they want? I howled. Where were my parents?
Watching day go by waiting for my parents. Days went pass and finally what seemed like immortally my parents rushed in the house screaming my name Nadia, Nadia come here. I ran out of my closet and ran to them. My mother and father were muddy and dirty. I was shattered at the state of them. I felt oblivious to see the state of them. I sense unmitigated terror as another bullet strikes to who knows where.
“Mama, papa” where were you? I sniveled. My mama retorted we were hiding from the gunmen. I was bewildered. Another bullet struck a nearby home. “Quick, mother retorted, let’s go before its forays us.”
We dashed out of the house ducking down with a photo album of family members and a picture of my grandparents who were targeted at war and were left to die.
“Mama, I cooed “what do they want?” “Is this war?”
“Yes, daughter, “this is without a doubt war. I suddenly had memories of my grandparents. The scene where we saw them lying on the ground and me saying wake up grandpa and grandma, “it’s not funny”and mama weeping and I am tugging at her dress. While fathers says without a facial expression “they are dead, whoever done this will pay their remorse. Those memories were destined to haunt me for eternity.

If this is how war feels like, then it’s atrocious.
We are wondering in the forest silently hearing the faint whispers of the gunshots. I hope we are safe. “Daughter, mother says out of a sudden, you are an angel whatever happens.”
Then I hear a bomb and my parents are on the ground dead. I weep and run dodging bullets and say ever so softly two promising thing
“You can aim but you can’t target me.”
“Whoever done this while pay their remorse”