Through the little window in her room, she peeked out to see if the planes were still flying above her, even though amma told her not to. They said “curiosity killed the cat” but would the curiosity be worth it if they were all going to die anyway? The concept of war confused her. To her, it seemed as if the battleground were a sand pit and the two parties were boisterous little children fighting over the last toy. From ajja she’d managed to get some details. She overheard little tid bits of information from the closed door. “if this is going to break out into full fledged war, what are we going to do?”
A few days later, everything seemed calm. All the planes had gone away, all was peaceful. she was especially excited since today was show and tell at school. As she pulled up her socks as appa walked in the living room, looking stern as ever. “She isn’t going to school today. “Just like that, with no explanation he walked away. She exchanged her disbelief with amma, but walked to school anyway.
During lunch, they played hide and seek. Happy chirps rung the air, and then it began. The blue skies suddenly covered by death. The aroma of happiness no longer existed and as replacement the sharp stench of blood was distinct. she heard a scream as a bullet rapidly soared around the slides. Stone cold men rushed into the class, ushering to get their revenge. The cry of war had begun.
We know war isn’t the answer, yet we still instigate it? Have we finally reached a day where revenge is worth more than lives? Where, in the name of patriotism, we yell out cries of war? Why do we persistently ignore the young and old lives that we injure through even just the thought of war? Is killing worth more than happiness? War has become such a common precedent in our lives, that we forget to fear it anymore. The sound of cocked rifles has become background music in our mind. the feeling of dread we feel when two countries are at a dispute is a way for memes to rise. When did war become a game? when will we learn to say no to war?
