Midnight Shrub

Chapter break (part four)

Twelve years ago, Anju was ten years old. *

Day one*

One thousand and twelve, one thousand and thirteen, ...one thousand and fifty seven...

"Can I come out now?" I whispered to myself. Jireh said I shouldn't come out, but for how long? I've slept and woken up yet she isn't back. I don't even know where I'm at now, I never knew we had a place like this at home. I've counted to a thousand, I am coming out now. All I'd do was push the door above my head open.

I had to close my eyes because it was by this time of the day that the sun normally shone brightest. I pushed the door open and welcomed the warmness of the sun on my face.

"Jireh, Jireh," I called out as I raised myself to the top but no one replied to me.

"Papa?" I called out but opened my eyes this time. And I saw it.

"Is this a dream?" I asked myself. "Why is the house scattered? Where are papa and Jireh?" I went into their rooms and saw it was empty. There was nobody at home.

"What do I remember from last night?" I asked myself as I paced around. I think the last thing I remember was Jireh telling me to enter there and not say a word. Before then, I heard sounds of people shouting and yes! There was a fire, a fire.

I rushed outside to check our surroundings. We lived on the ground, we were one of the few that lived on the ground, most of the southerners lived on trees unlike us.

When I got outside, I couldn't see anything or anyone, maybe it's because we live far from others. I ran further, towards the general market, the fishing port area and that was where I saw it, nothing. All the structures had been burned to the ground. What about the people in them? I called out but nobody answered. Then an idea came to me, up, to look up, how come I never thought of that?

I looked up and, gods.

"Wha..at?" I fell on my butt. What happened to the leaves?

"Papa? Jireh?" I felt tears fall on my cheek. Oh god, Anya, anybody, what's happening?

I walked towards the nearest tree house and climbed it. Maybe I'll see someone there.

I climbed up the tree and knocked on the door.

Bang bang bang! I know papa told me to stop knocking that way but the situation was dire. I needed to speak to someone.

I kept on knocking with no reply. I twisted the handle and opened it, it too was empty. There was nobody there. I called out to anyone but still no reply. I went into the house and checked every inch but it was just like my house, scattered but there was nobody there. What was happening? I left the house and ran to the next house that was connected by a bridge. I knocked and got in. this time, it was worse, it was scattered but I think I saw blood on the wall. What was happening?

I went from house to house yet no reply. What happened? Where's everyone? Gods, this would be the last building I'll check, the council building, if anything, the priest is obliged to be there no matter what. Before I got there, I could see it, it was crushed, demolished. But how? How?

"How?!!" I cried out. "papa..Jireh! Anybody! Please, please, please"...

No reply. The only response I got was my stomach's grumble. True, I hadn't eaten yet. I looked up and saw it was already evening. How did time pass so fast? I hate today. I couldn't shed tears again, I just didn't know what I felt again. I'll just head home. My legs gave in at this point so I just squatted and rested my head on my knees.