Wanderer Ward
16 years ago
Wanderer Ward
Dreamscape Artist
A foul wind blew threw the many slats in the remaining walls of the burnt-out building. No ash stirred. It had all blown away long before Alka arrived. She stood silently, lost in the horror of the fire. There had been people inside, she was sure of it. Her hands began to tremble as she heard the screams. Clenching them into fists did nothing to deafen her ears. Mothers, children, babies. Their silent wails buffeted Alka’s ears until she could stand no more. Had her stomach had anything in it, she would have emptied it onto the strict grey path which lead to the door of the building.
The low white fence seemed unaffected compared to the blackened damage of the structure it encircled. Murky memories of her time living within those walls were dragged forcibly into Alka’s mind. The fence had been for show, a simple feature made to separate the grounds from that of the surrounding buildings. No one would ever have dreamed of escaping this place.
Alka stood and walked unsteadily towards the gaping entrance. In the grey light of the moon, everything in the garden appeared dead. It seemed nothing could survive there when the care of the refugee overseers was taken away. Unlike the people who had dwelt within the building, they would have been better off without them. Standing beneath the doorframe, Alka once again sank to her knees and lay her head in her hands. She let the tears come. There was no one left to see them drop silently onto the starved wooden floorboards.
A pink tinge crept up from beyond the mountainous horizon. But it didn’t matter. The past was something dawn could not brighten.
16 years ago
Sun Nov 09 2008, 07:38pm
At the back of the building a young girl in rags crept through a burnt out hole. She had witnessed the fire. She knew who had started it. Tears fell from her eyes as she looked at the place she once called home. Hugging her arms around her body she crept deeper into the house searching.
Alka sat still with her head in her hands. Remembering. She wasn't aware when the child walked past her. The voice the screaming in her head made her look up. "Save Her!" it screamed. Her mouth was open in an "o" of shock at seeing another person there. After a moment she asked
"Who are you?"
The girl stood for a moment and then quietly almost a whisper she said
"Mimi" Mimi stared deep into Alka's eyes. Alka felt like Mimi was staring into her soul.
"Do you know where it is?" Mimi asked quietly.
"What?" Alka said in confusion.
"Its here" Mimi nodded to herself and walked away from Alka. As if in a trance she followed the strange girl.
