It was another ordinary day. I woke up at my usual hour, looked around to find everything just as it was the previous day. I took this as a good sign; I don’t like change. I was a bit cold, but that was probably because the sun’s rays haven’t reached me through the window just yet. I had no other reason to be cold, my life was perfect. Despite my just waking up, I felt slightly tired. All that talk from them kept me up, not letting me drift off into my dreams. They were talking quietly, their faces scrunching up with every word. I couldn’t pick out the words the way I used; I think I’m getting old. But their tone sounded different than it usually does. The carless and cheerful spirit was worrisome and troubled.
I started to ponder over yesterday’s strange mood but was brought back to reality when she came around the corner. Ready for my breakfast, lady. She walks to me, looks at me and smiles that straight white tooth smile as she gives me my meal. I gobble it up with joy; everything seems back to normal. He comes around the corner and greets her with his usual kiss before grabbing his coat and heading out the door. She leaves only moments later. The sun touches me, warming me even more. I feel good. Everything is good; I feel so alive.
But it doesn’t take long for my tower of happiness to topple down. Shortly after leaving, they both return. I am confused; this is different. The look on their faces only adds to my confusion. They look bewildered and worried, rushing to close all the windows and doors. Their voices are soft whispers, their movements quick and quiet. They close the curtains, shut off the lights and within the four walls for the rest of the day. Everything feels strange. It is quiet, the sun is not shining, the voices are not laughing and the atmosphere feels eerie. I put my strange feelings aside and drift into my sweet dreams, relieved by the fact that tomorrow will be just another normal day.
But today is different. It is not normal. They are silent; any words exchanged are whispered closely. The curtains remain shut with not a single morning ray of light to enter. Everything is quiet. The little ones below us don’t holler or cry. Those above us don’t vacuum or shower. The only noise is something I have never heard before, something from outside the walls. It rumbles and roars, certainly something that doesn’t sound natural. When this noise comes, I do not need to pick out words from them to see what is going on. I can tell it by their faces; the terror in their eyes is enlarged by the glass. They look at me, me in my safe little place. A place where I feel content with the most basic nutrition and observing the world around me, the world that now seems to be falling apart.
I was certainly not awaiting the next. A boom, a roar, a rumble, the loudest one yet, escapes from the monster outside. But I could have lived through a loud noise, I could have gotten over it. It was what came after that took the breath out of my mouth. Through my warm morning sunshine window, a strange object enters uninvited. If it would have had a face, its eyes would have been peering, its mouth a smirk, its nose scrunched up. It gives no warning as it explodes in our four walls, sending shards of its body flying everywhere. They scream, running for cover, like tourists from rain. The gaping hole that once used to be my warm window is a wound, showing me what is going on beyond the four walls. It is brutal; I don’t want to talk about it. The second explosion catches me off guard once more. It’s harder than the first, turning my nightmare into a reality. But among all the noise and uproar, I hear the worst sound yet…
My fishbowl cracks.