My ears were buzzing and my heart felt like it was going to pound out of my chest. The smell of chemicals, gas and dead bodies were mingling in the air. I wiped my face and wasn’t surprised to see blood soaking my entire arm. Tears pooled I my eyes and dripped down silently. I couldn’t see, I couldn’t feel but I could hear the blaring sirens of ambulances outside. Help is on its way, I comfort myself as I push out of the rubble. I scream as loud as I can so the paramedics could find me. I suddenly feel dizzy and pass out.

My eyes flicked open. I slowly take in my surroundings. White walls, the IV drip and beeping from machinery. I sigh, which makes my head hurt. So I close my eyes and try to recollect my scattered thoughts. I find myself standing at my school gates again. I remember walking to my class and finding my seat. My friend Sara who sits behind me turns and asks about the homework. We start to talk when our teacher comes in. I turn around and take out my book. She starts the lesson by collecting our homework. After explaining the topic she gives us work to do. I start writing in my notebook with full concentration. All of a sudden there is an explosion.

I was thrown off my chair as the roof collapsed on us. I couldn’t see anything because of the smoke. The pain in my arm was unbearable. I could hear my classmates crying or screaming. I was brought back from my thoughts by the call of my name. My eyes shot open. My mom was standing in the doorway, eyes bloodshot and her hands shaking. “Mama”, I croak. Tears spill from her eyes as she hurries by my side. I grimace as the pain electrifies my body. My mom strokes my hair to calm me. The pain in her eyes explain it all. She thought she would lose me too, after my father and brother’s death. I slowly close my eyes and fall into an aqueous sleep.

When I’m finally discharged from the hospital, my mom leads me out. We walk quietly on the broken streets while looking at the crumbling buildings. We fasten our pace as we arrive at the broken building I call home. The top part was blown up killing both my father and brother. As we entered my mom smiles ever so slightly and says she will go make tea. I find my way to my room and sit near the window and watch the barren street. The war took everything from me. My life, my family, my home, my happiness and the list could go on forever. I want things to go back to the way they were. The freedom I felt then. How we could walk on the streets without the fear of bombs. I let the happy memories flood in me. I hope that we will be free from this war. Pray that tomorrow will be better. I curl up into a ball and watch my broken but strong city fight on.