April 07, 2007

This story took place in Pakistan’s mountainous northern region. Aamir kicked a rock wearily as he slowly made his way to school. He watched the rock go scurrying down the hill side and hit a tree. A little while later, he met his friend Umer.

“Hey, Umer!” he called out. “Did you do the assignment?”

“Yes.”

“Lucky, I haven’t even started yet.”

“Well. You’re going to be in big, big trouble.”

When they finally reached their single-room school, Aamir was deeply worried. I might have to stay for detention, he thought. Mrs Nasreen is such a strict teacher; she’ll probably give me a bad grade.

The teacher came in and started her class. Aamir suddenly felt extremely sleepy so he leaned back and closed his eyes… Pretty soon he was in another world, snoring happily without any worry or anxiety.

Aamir stirred from his sleep. He could faintly hear some distant clanking. As he awakened, he realised that someone was tapping his desk. He looked up and found the stern eyes of his teacher glaring down at him. Aamir could feel the whole class staring at him. His face turned red. “Aamir! What is this?” his teacher demanded. “Go outside and wash your face. Then come right back and I’ll show you what sleeping in my class means!”

Aamir mumbled some meaningless words and got up. As he made his way out of the classroom, he cursed himself. How could I possibly sleep in Mrs Nasreen’s class? How could I? Aamir cringed as he thought of being the laughing stock of the entire school. I wonder what she’s going to do to me now, Aamir thought. Aamir reached the small faucet outside the school building and turned it on. With his hand he felt the gushing water. It was ice cold. Aamir hesitated, and then slowly put his face underneath the faucet. He almost screamed as the freezing water numbed his face. It hurt, but he was fully awake now.

It happened then… When he started to walk back to the school building the ground began to tremble. Aamir screamed as he jumped back. Then he heard another scream. Another scream. And then suddenly it seemed as if the whole world was screaming. Aamir was frozen. He could faintly remember something Mrs Nasreen had taught about these rare, yet powerful shocks. There was a huge roar. A mountain crumbled helplessly. Millions of rocks and sediments vanished below into the earth’s interior. The ground was still shaking. Then suddenly, the whole school building came down. Aamir frantically jumped a few feet back and fell down as hundreds of splinters flew at him. He narrowly missed a falling wall and his mouth filled with dust and he coughed for a long time.

At first, he was too surprised to react. It had happened too quickly for him. Finally, when reality came gushing in he started screaming and screaming. He couldn’t feel his legs. He screamed for a long time. He cried desperately for help. He tried calling out names. He called out the teachers and the students, individually. He even called out for his parents, though they were in another village visiting relatives. He didn’t receive a single reply, so he felt that they had deserted him. Fear and pain overtook him. The whole world flew between his eyes. He felt like these were his last moments on earth. Finally, he fell unconscious.

After what seemed ages, he woke up. He tried to move. He couldn’t. He tried harder and harder. There was no progress. Finally, impatient with his immobility, he jerked his hands with all the power he could muster. To his utter surprise and relief, his hands moved and crashed into something hard. He tried his legs. They didn’t respond. Finally, Aamir figured that there was a huge wooden piece lying on his legs. He pushed it with his hands. It budged slightly. Aamir pushed harder. The wooden piece gave way. Aamir nervously pulled himself up. His legs were trembling, and for a moment, it seemed like he would fall.

Aamir jerked himself up. He flexed his leg and arm muscles, trying to stabilise himself. I have to be strong, he thought furiously. He examined the place. The whole area was filled with broken concrete. There was nothing standing. It seemed like it was out of place, like perhaps, a junkyard.

Aamir noticed the neighbouring hills. Some were just piles of debris. At the bottom of the hills was a huge pile of trees and rock and mud. Aamir was awed, yet terrified. The whole world seemed to have changed.

Suddenly a terrible thought struck him. It made Aamir feel sick to the core. What had happened to all his classmates and teacher? Where were they when the earthquake struck? And most importantly, where are they? Aamir searched the ruins. He walked around picking up wooden pieces looking for them. He finally noticed a jacket and tugged at it. It was heavy, as if holding a body. Aamir shuddered. He started picking up pieces and throwing them away. A little while later, he uncovered a few more bodies. Aamir searched them for signs of life. There were none. All of the bodies were cold and limp, and had blood splattered over them.

Aamir felt sick. He felt like vomiting. He just wanted to cry and cry. He wished this was a dream. After a while, Aamir decided to go home. He doubted it would have survived, but still carried some hope. He started walking briskly. The sun was almost setting.

Aamir was worried about his parents and his house. His parents had gone to visit some relatives in another village. And Aamir wondered if his old, mud house was standing.

Halfway, Aamir paused. He was too tired. He couldn’t carry on. The day’s unexpected ordeal had totally worn him out. He longed of sleeping on a soft, comfortable bed. Twice he had nearly fallen down. Both times, he had unconsciously stretched his legs out, as if he were on a bed. Aamir put himself together. I have to stay awake, he thought as he started walking again. I have to reach home. He started counting his steps. One… two… three...

When Aamir reached his small village, he was surprised to see some buildings, including his own house, intact. Apparently, the earthquake wasn’t as devastating as it was at his school. Aamir breathed a sigh of relief. He suddenly felt extremely happy, and had an urge to do something exciting and fun. Nevertheless, Aamir went straight to his house. As he opened the door, he felt the familiar, homey smell of pineapple incense come gushing at him. Aamir felt truly relaxed and thankful. His house felt like a sanctuary. Never before, had he felt so much appreciation and gratitude for his house. When he laid down on his bed, the soft, wool blanket felt so good on his battered and frail body that he fell asleep almost instantly.

Aamir slept for a long time. There was nobody to wake him up, but even if somebody tried to wake him up, Aamir wouldn’t have woken up. When Aamir finally woke up at noon, he felt refreshed. He ate some bread and drank some water. He was thankful for having all these amenities.

Aamir’s parents were supposed to come in the evening and Aamir was very anxious. It was still a few hours before they were supposed to come. Aamir decided to go outside. He saw his aunt beside her house and went up to greet her.

She looked up with a bewildered expression on her face. “Praise be to God! You are alive? You survived? How did you survive? It’s a miracle!”

“Yes, Aunty. Praise be to God.”

“Come here, come here my child.” She hugged him thoroughly. “We all thought you had died with your friends at school.”

“They died?”

“Yes,” she said in a sad voice, “all of those poor souls perished. All of them.” Aamir felt shocked. His school friends, those very people whom he had played with for years and years, were dead! Everybody! His teachers, his friends, his enemies were all dead! He couldn’t digest all that. Suddenly, he started to cry. He wailed and shuddered like a little baby. He didn’t care for anything. Everybody was gone. Everybody was dead. Aamir felt horrible. His aunt led him in her house and let him rest. Aamir was still sobbing quietly. He suddenly missed his parents and he felt that his parents were dead too. He lost all hope.

After a while, it was time for the evening prayer. Aamir prayed fervently that he be reunited with his parents. After praying, Aamir felt a little better so he went back to his house and slept.

He was awoken by footsteps. He jumped out of bed and ran to the door. There his parents were standing, sound and safe. He rushed up and eagerly hugged them for what seemed like an eternity, forgetting everything and anything that had bothered him. He was just relieved that his parents were alive and well.

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