The Tears That I Cry

Darkness

Dead trees bristled as the wind raced past them, howling with laughter. Packets of once good chips roamed the ground. Rats scavenged the street for a meal, their whiskers cemented in plastic and their claws mangled. I lay here at the near end of an alley way. My eyes shut, water streaming down my face. My knees pressed against my chest. Teeth clanging together to create a rhythmic tune. Scared I fear what could happen next.

'Almost two years' I think to myself, 'almost two years since this world has transformed from beautiful scenery to a ghost town'. I imagine what the world was like before this disaster; it's still hard to remember. I can only make out bits and bobs here and there, yet it still looks like a miracle compared to this. I open my eyes to the sun, traveling down. I never fully understood how this was accomplished. I stare in amazement like I normally do. My focus gets shifted as a tiny rat crawls upon my leg. Covered head to toe in rubbish, I frown. 'Poor thing' I say loudly as I pick up the creature and stroke its ratted fur. His fur tangled and knotted I found it hard that he could walk. My thoughts suddenly shift away from the rat and to the past. The thoughts of what they did to us. What they did to my ma. I shake my head and let go of them. My eyes wonder back onto the rat. 'Did they forget about you too?' I gaze at the sun going down. Escaping my clutches.

'It's getting pretty late' I tell the rat as I stagger to my feet. He doesn't reply instead he just squeaks. 'Okay, okay' I cup my hands together and crouch on the ground. The rat sprints into my hands and I stand straight again. 'Better get going' the sun was barely even there anymore. I get lost from home enough with the light; I hate to see where I would end up without it. I make a brake for it. Bobbing and weaving around corners, sprinting then slowing.

I reach a broken down, rusted brown house. 'Home sweet home' I say to my new friend as I enter the house. 'Maybe tomorrow we can go visit the subway' gently I jump up and down in excitement, not wanting to hurt the rat. I carefully set the rat down on a near oak table. I was really proud of finding that table, I searched in the scorch of the heat and eventually found it. I plonk myself down on my lounge chair. It was beaten and had cotton spewing out of it, covered in dirt and fluff. It was yet one of the best decorations I possessed. I lean my head backwards and roll my eyes towards the broken light hanging down from the cracked, brick ceiling. 'Light' I whisper to myself, wishing it could turn on so I would not have to be stuck in the darkness. 'Light'.