The everyday hustle bustle of the market place was at its peak
vendors shouting out to people,
“ORANGES FOR 100RS A DOZEN ONLY”
a child licking an ice cream cone, holding onto his mother’s shirt.
a man walks down the street wearing a yellow patterned shirt.
a boy argues with a vendor over the price of a shawl he is buying for his girl.

BOOM

And the world slowed down
buildings collapsed
debris flew everywhere
dust rose like a menacing monster ready to swallow the earth and everything it contained
in one
    big
           gulp
Just like it had slowed down the world sped up
peoplerunningeverywhere-aboycryingforhisparents-ahandreachingo­utfromunderthedustandbricks-peoplestumblingaround-trippingoverthe­piecesofblownupcarts-awomancluthesablackshoeshefoundamongstthebri­cks.

BOOM

The earth exploded again r-e-v-e-r-b-e-r-a-t-i-n-g    for   a    while
exploded dynamite lay on the ground shreds of patterned yellow cloth lying near by.
someone dragged an old man from amongst the mudbricksshoesclothorangesbloodandbones
a woman searched frantically, holding onto a tiny hat.
   a man stumbled across the street, calling out “RABIAA!! RABIAA!!!WHERE ARE YOUU?”
                                       a boy clutched a girl’s body in his arms, holding onto a red shawl
muddy tears stained the edges of a child’s face
his blue eyes growing darker.