Taste Of War

• Temwani Chirwa, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2022

Sunny days, gone. Happy days, gone. Life with friends, gone. There's nothing left but a living nightmare. Screaming! All I hear all day. My head is pounding, scabs are bleeding, and my legs are tired. My fingers and hands are numb. I can barely walk without my legs giving up on me.
I’m done, and I’m tired. I need a break! It’s like the world is turning on me. I really need help both mentally and physically, just a doctor at least. Well, they’re probably wiped out by now. My eyes are fuzzy not a blink without a tear. This is the only place I can hide, everywhere else is just a bomb scene. The sounds.
“BOOM!” I felt my breathe cut. A rushing sound running through my ears. The feeling of boiling water splashing over my face and body. My body had flown. The taste of cement and rock against my tongue. The drip of sweat running into my mouth told me what had happened. The only thing my body was inhaling was the smoke.
Barely opening my eyes, I saw a glimpse of the crying mothers and children. My body was unable to move, it was like stone, I didn’t have the strength. This is the taste of war.