The Long Wait

Excellence Award in the 'Word Zone 2016' competition

William Banderson quivered with anxiety inside the shelter. He remembered that morning’s newspaper title: Bombers heading towards London. In the distance, his ears could perceive the sound of several bombs exploding.
"I’m lucky" he thought. "At least I’m in a shelter. Joey and Billy don’t even have one!" Thoughts about his friends began an invasion on his mind, and after a while, he decided not to think about them. I’ll think about them later, he thought as his mind started concentrating on the outside world.

BOOM!!! William listened as the already battered house on the other side of the road got flattened. Out of the blue, a horrible question wandered into his brain. “Ma” he began nervously. “Is Pa away in another place to do the same thing to the Germans as the Germans are doing to us right now?” For what seemed like an eternity, there came no answer, and Will began to think his mother was asleep, but finally, the dreaded reply came. “Yes. He is”. “Why?” Will asked. “Why is he doing it?” This time, there was no response at all.

Hours flew past as quickly as a horse, and with every second, Will’s urge to break free of the now cage-like shelter grew stronger. “Ma, when can we get out?” he asked impatiently for the fifth time. The sun must have risen in the sky for another day already, but the answer which came was “In a few hours’ time Will, when the siren decides it’s safe. Be patient.” Will, clearly unsatisfied about his mother’s reply, complained about his hunger, but his mother paid him no attention. As another hour passed, Will noticed that the siren had still not made up its mind.

Will had decided to take a nap. His new plan was to pass the time in his realm of dreams, and it seemed to be working, but after a while, Will awoke. In the limited light, his eyes could make out a small creature crawling upon his lap. A rat! “Aaaargh!” he screamed, as he shoved the miscreant off his lap. “What’s wrong?” his mother asked. “Nothing” Will replied, extremely annoyed about the rat. “Has the siren gone yet?” “Not yet”. Will sighed and did his best to get back to sleep. The reason he didn’t complain was because he knew that complaining would not put him out of his misery.

BEEP! A voice from above shouted “You can come out now! The bombers have passed.” Will’s mother poked her son’s head. “Will! We can get out now!” she said. After a few more pokes and prods, Will snapped back into consciousness. “Really?” he asked sleepily. His mother nodded. His face broke into a grin. “Finally!” he shouted with joy. He climbed excitedly out of the shelter in which he and his mother had been waiting, and as soon as he looked outside, his grin dispersed. All around him, houses lay on fire, flattened.


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