Time Is The Hero

Ch-1 Goodbye

Empty. I feel void as I stare at the ceiling. The fan is moving at a slow pace; still, I can't make out the four hands of the fan. Just like life, I guess. It feels like just two minutes have passed since I have stopped my alarm clock. But when I glance at it, it shows 10:47 am. Three hours almost.

I turn to look straight up at the ceiling again. I close my eyes. I take a deep breath and sigh loudly. I can't move. My arms feel heavy. My legs refuse to give me support. I feel helpless. There is a knot in my throat. I am about to cry, but I find myself taking heavy breaths.

I am tired now. I am tired of crying all night. I am tired of stopping the pain in my heart. But somehow I need to get myself together. I force myself out of the bed. And as I put my feet on the ground, I cherish the coolness of the floor. I go straight to the washroom and look at myself in the mirror. There are dark circles under my eyes and they are red and puffy. I notice the dried tears. I lick my lips. They are salty. Precisely, the taste of my tears. I am suddenly thirsty. I open the tap and bend down a little to wash my face in the basin. I brush my teeth and wipe my wet face with a blue towel.

I get out and drink water. It's a tasteless liquid.

I get out of the room and watch my aunt, uncle and elder brother seated on the sofas around the large centre table down the hall. They are discussing something. Quietly I step down the stairs. They must have sensed my presence as they looked at my direction. I try to give them at least a sad smile. But I fail. Lucy, my aunt motions me to sit beside her.

"Did you reach here just now?" I ask my brother as I sit down. "A couple of hours ago" he answers. I look down at my hand nodding. I look up pursing my lips.

"Linda..." I respond to uncle Sam's call by looking at him." Are you okay?" He enquires.

"Ya "

"Ok, I'll check on the police" And he went outside the hall.

I notice the untouched cups of tea and how silent my big brother is. Uncle Sam comes in. "The police said they are coming with the bodies in a few hours."

My Aunt gently pats my head. "Linda, darling it is okay. Everything will be just fine." She tells me. I don't know if everything will ever be fine. The emptiness is returning. I find myself pushing that unwanted feeling away. Aunt Lucy took the tray of tea and went inside the kitchen.

I watch my brother looking down at the ground. I think about what should I say now. I can't think of any. How can I comfort someone else when I am unable to calm myself down?

"I am going to my room" Austin, my brother leaves.

A few hours pass when Uncle comes into the house with the police and behind them, I see a truck across the street. Four policemen are taking out a long rectangular box, a coffin. And then another one.

My hands get cold, so do my feet. My mouth is dry. I see them approaching. They keep the boxes down on the porch.  My feet take me closer to it. Aunt Lucy and Uncle Sam are behind me. I crouch down and look up at the police. They bend down to open the coffins and I suddenly don't want to look anymore.

There are my parents. Their eyes are closed.  My mom. She is phenomenal, or is it 'was' now? No. She is alive. I can sense her. I can feel her. I can hear her voice, screaming from the kitchen to finish my homework and come down for dinner. I can hear my dad telling her that 'its chill'. I can hear my dad's laughter. My dad. Will he never be there again? Never? Why are they not speaking now? Will they speak if I come with a new street dog? Will she scold me now I break one of her expensive vases? Will he say I'm proud of you Linda if I win a basketball match now? 

Both of them have the blood covering their whole body the blood is dried. Red is all I see. the blood that dripped down their foreheads till the noses and mouths, accepting the gravity's order, is dry now.

Austin crouches next to me and puts his arms around me. He is crying. I wrap my hands around him. I cry with him.

He pulls me up after a while. Nothing stops the flow of our tears. Aunt Lucy sobs against Sam uncle's shoulders. The police handed him a file and start getting into their vehicles to be off. Aunt Lucy runs inside the guest room, not being able to see her sister in such a condition, not being able to bear with the situation anymore.

Slowly Uncle Sam makes his way to us where Austin and I are. "Stay brave children, stay brave" he sighs and wraps his arms around us.

*******

We all are gathered in the graveyard. The priest doing the last rituals. My tears are battling against my will to come to my eyes. The names 'Mr Hassen Williams' and 'Mrs Ignika Borisov Williams' are distinctly written on the grave. The sight gives me chills. The strong wind adds intensity to the happenings. I am lost. I am thrown back by the wind harshly into reality. It is goodbye. A heartbreaking goodbye. 

Trivia: I acted out the whole 'staring at the ceiling' thing before writing it.