Of Conflicts

Bang! Bang!

There goes that sound again. Every night, that sound haunts my dreams. Every night, we are all deprived of sleep.

Bang! Bang!

My Mama went inside our room and let my sister and I hide under the bed. She said, "Take cover."

And then she went out and secured the locks of our windows and doors.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Morning came; it was time to go to school. While I was changing, I noticed my only uniform riddled with holes. I ran to my mama and told her the news.

She looked grim. "You can wear anything you want to school my child," she said.

I was heartbroken – my only uniform, gone. I grumbled and complained incessantly, but no matter what I do, my uniform would still be like this, riddled with holes.

I went to school, walking for 5 kilometers in a mountainous terrain, along with my sister and my neighbors. We are all of different ages, but we were all on the same grade level.

Class was always fun, what with all the singing and dancing, and learning how to read! Oh how I love to witness the places I always read – where there are beautiful sceneries, breathtaking lagoons, and everlasting peace.

I want to get out of this place. This place is too noisy.

I want peace. I want peace.

Bang! Bang!

Another sleepless night; another haunted dream. When will this nightmare end?

Huddled under our bed, my sister was crying.

"Why are you crying? This isn't the first time."

But she was shaking. She pointed something in front of us. There I saw my mama lying down. She was looking at us, her finger over her mouth.

She was bleeding. I knew she was in deep pain. But she managed to smile at us and utter one single word, "Live."

Then there were shouts from the outside. "Fire! Fire!"

There was fire! I pulled my sister away. I approached my mama and attempted to carry her out. But I couldn't do it. She was too heavy. She was too cold.

We ran outside. The whole place is in chaos.

Bang! Bang!

My sister and I hid behind a tree and watched our house engulfed in flames. We made ourselves small, in any way possible. We must not be seen.

We stayed there huddled close, tears and sweat mixing. We couldn't move until mama says so. But mama, where is my mama?

Dawn came, and with it was the true form of chaos. There were a lot of bleeding people lying on the ground. Some held thin, long, black things. Others were carrying a crying child.

My sister and I went out from our hiding place and zigzagged through the bodies scattered on the ground until we reached our scorched house. Nothing was left. Only black dust.

I looked at my sister. She was trembling. She looked up at me. "Aren't we going to school?"

I answered flatly, "Yes we are. Let's go."

We walked the five kilometers to school. But something wasn't right. No one was with us in our journey. It was only the two of us.

As we reached the school, we found nothing in it. The place was scorched as well, just like our house. There were no bodies, but there were scattered pages of my favorite books.

Oh my dreams! Oh the places I wished to see again! Will I never see them again? Will we never learn to read and write?

We went back empty to a place as empty too. There was nothing left for us. Our stomachs growled in protest, but where do we find food to eat.

Bang! Bang!

There goes that sound again.

We huddled in our previous hiding place, trying to be small and invisible.

Bang! Bang!

There goes that sound again.

Oh when will this nightmare end?

Bang! Bang!

Bang! Bang!