A child in war

Before war

I heard soldiers running, guns and tanks.  My neighbour screamed.  The door to my house got kicked down.  Ten soldiers ran inside, and shot us.

I woke up with a jolt.  My pillow was full of sweat.  My room looked exactly like it usually does, with pink walls, a dollhouse, Barbie's, a desk and a cupboard. No soldiers had attacked our house today either.

Suddenly my brother John yelled, "Wake up Mina!  Don't be late for school!"

I got dressed and strolled to the kitchen.  My mum was making breakfast.  She looked very tired.  I think I heard her crying last night.

"Did you sleep well?" she asked me.

"I had a nightmare again..." I mumbled.

"Was it about the war? You know, it's not sure the war will come to this town," my mum smiled.

"Don't fool her.  Of course the war will come to this town," my dad said.  He was reading the newspaper.

 My mum answered, "I'm just trying to not make her afraid."

"Why?  Everyone is afraid.  It won't make any difference."  My dad was starting to get angry.

"Can't you guys shut up?!  It's hard enough for her to be seven years during a war.  You don't have to make it worse by fighting," my brother yelled.  He is thirteen years old.  He has dark brown hair and green eyes, just like me.

Everyone was exhausted and started a fight about almost everything.  Our country, Varina, was attacked by the neighbour country, Tavail, and Varina's way to defend was not something to be proud of.  That's what my brother told me.  Our town is not attacked yet, but I've heard that the time before a war is almost as bad as during and after.  My brother has a knife in his room, and I have a big blanket I can hide under, but I'm still afraid that I and my family will die.

"You're right," my mother finally answered. "Eat your breakfast!" she said, and gave me some bread and juice.  It was almost nothing left in the store because of the war.  Everyone was starving.

After the breakfast, I walked to school with John.  He didn't say anything.

"I wish I was at the same age as you," I said.

"Why?"

"I could protect myself so mum and dad wouldn't get mad at you all the time."

My brother smiled at me.  It's the first smile I've seen from him in many days.

My teacher talked about something and wrote another thing at the blackboard.  I was in my own world.  After the war started, no one wanted to learn anything in school.  Everyone was too sad and tired.

"Any questions?" my teacher finished.  A girl behind me raised her arm. "Yes?"

"Why is it war?" she said.

"Any other questions?" the teacher asked.  No one would talk about the subject.  Not the teacher, not my parents, not my brother, not anyone.

That night I had a weird feeling.  Something was going to happen.  I just knew it.  It was hard to fall asleep, but I finally made it.