When Silence Falls

It was a cold winter day.  I remember as if it were yesterday.

I was leaning over a bubbling pot of pumpkin soup. my hair was up in a scarf. 

I felt a sharp pain in my injured leg, which was in a cast. I yelped and looked down. Carl our cat was rubbing against it, purring loudly.

My two nieces and my sister Helen were in the living room. Helen was nursing her newborn, Vicky. While Caroline was playing with wooden blocks on the worn rug. Her laughter filled the room as she pushed over the houses she had built. She was two and a half years old and a very enthusiastic child, considering that there was a war just outside our doorstep.

I remember feeling happier than I had since the war had started. Perhaps everything would end up alright.

And then the siren went off. 

My heart leapt in my chest, filling me with nausea. My head started spinning, blood rushing to my head.

I saw Helen come into the room out of the corner of my eye. I grabbed Caroline's hand and ignored the familiar ache in my chest when I was reminded how mother died.

"We've got to get to the shelter!" I could barely hear myself speak.  A shiver went up my spine at the terrible sound of the sirens.

A second later the ground shook and I heard a bomb going off not too far away. I limped as fast as I could to the door. I felt a blast of cold air as we stepped outside.

The dark sky was filled with those killing machines. Heaven knows why people created them. 

In the distance I could see a house on fire, I knew the lady who lived around that neighborhood.

I didn't allow myself to pause and pray she was safe, there was no time. A second could cost us everything.

I remember Caroline's hand in mine, She was struggling to get loose, she was screaming something, her face red with anger. We were almost to the shelter.  just a little more. Helen was already safe with the baby, of course I wasn't as fast.

I heard a loud rushing whistle, and I went cold when I realised how close it was.

Caroline slipped out of my clammy grip and started running towards the house.

"No Carol-"

The ground shook. Then everything went black.

I woke to a ringing in my ears, and a pounding in my head. There was so much pain. I must have been out for only a few seconds. I was lying on the ground and there was fire all around.

I looked up, my vision hazy, Helen was standing inside the shelter, yelling out the door and crying. I looked around, our house was on fire.

I couldn't see Caroline anywhere.

Then, I saw something move through the window of the house, Carl. He was trying to get out. A second later I saw a pair of little hands snatch him up.

Despite my bruises and cuts, I managed to get to my feet. Bile rose in my throat and my vision began to become white. I limped as fast as I could towards the house.

I saw Caroline coming towards the door with Carl in her arms, she looked scared, but determined.

If I was a little faster then perhaps I could have got there in time, and everything would be alright.

There was a crack and roar. Caroline looked up with her eyes wide, and then instead of running she threw the cat out the door to safety.

A moment later the door collapsed down. There was so much fire.

I saw Caroline through the fire lying there with her clothes black and burnt... There was no chance...

I heard a strange muffled meow. Carl. His hair was burnt and one ear was torn, but he was alive. 

My vision went white and I felt lightheaded. 

That was the last thing I remembered from that day.