Blue ✓

♠ one ♠

The vision was imprinted in her mind – as clear as the dawn of the day. Her last visual memory of the world. The memory of seeing the world being coloured crimson, of sticky copper seeping out of her eyes. Sliding through her fingers, darkness taking over the light, panicked cries, shattered glass and a shocked expression.

It all remained engraved in her memories. Cut deep.

The vivid colours that are now beginning to fade, details now blurry, and faces flashing in and out.

Will I ever see them again?

The sky blushing, the sun rising and setting as people witnessed its most intimate moment, the clean droplets of water raining down like snow of light, fluffy cotton blanketing a sleeping world, trees swaying and flowers dancing in the unseen wind, birds flying effortlessly against the force of gravity, even the insects she feared crawling underground and living alongside humans who unknowingly trampled many a day.

Squinting against bright sunlight, catching snowflakes and raindrops on the tongue, admiring arrays of rainbow-like flowers, the rainbow after the storm that heralded the beginning of something pure, new and beautiful, the droplets of dew resting on the leaves, and the look of a world renewed and revitalised.

Will they once again reach my sight? 

The sight that is now enveloped in darkness. Covered beneath layers and layers of black - strangling her. 

Suffocating her.

She couldn't breathe.

"It's okay, you're safe," A voice whispered. 'No I'm not!' She wanted to scream. 'It's dark. Too dark. I can't..."

"In. Out. In. Out. One. Two. One. Two." The soft voice counted. Until she was back to a familiar rhythm. Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale.

"Ammi?" She gasped out after regaining her breath.

"Yes dear." The voice replied, her mother's. Warm hands encircled hers and held them tightly in their hold.

"Ammi." She repeated.

"My dear. My little girl." Her mother whispered to her, clutching her to her warm chest.

"Ammi." She called again.

"My little girl. My Aiyla. Don't cry child." 

Don't cry? Is she crying?

That's when she felt tears flowing down her cheeks in rivulets. "Allah will never leave you. He's here with you, right now. Walking beside you, carrying you, my little child. Don't worry. Everything good will come your way again. The clouds will move away and the sun will shine upon you once again. By His grace and mercy, my dear one."

'Soon, you'll see. Allah is cherishing you.'

The words reverberated in her head.