ANISA SAHA

Grey.

Anisa drowned in grey.

The early morning chill didn’t send its usual goosebumps down her skin. Rather, her skin blazed with fervent warmth. It was the kind of warmth that made sweat dribble down her forehead, made her core tremble, knotted her stomach and sent her heart racing. Sprinting down the familiar asphalt sidewalk, her breaths came out in short puffs. If anyone were to spot her they might’ve thought she was taking an early morning jog. A breathy chuckle escaped her chapped lips, deep in her cold bones she wished she was taking an early morning jog.

Her eyes were blurry and unfocused. Her heart pounded against her chest like a tiger leaping on its prey. The rapid thump of her heartbeat roared in her ears to the point it was the only thing she could hear. She gasped as her lungs tightened forcing her to inhale sharply. Her lungs tightened and tightened like a rope around her neck, at the same time, it made her heart pound harder. The greyness in her mind wrapped its arms around her, its grip frighteningly strong. Anisa never inhaled gasoline but she imagined if she did, it would feel like this. Swirling, hazy grey clouds filled her head, the cold grip dragging her to its darkest depths to the point each breath felt like breathing underwater.

Anisa was lost in the storm.

Lost and shattered, she didn’t even attempt to claw her way out. Shakily, she examined her weary hands. Scattered lines ran deep on her skin as if they were telling a story of their own. Her skin devoid of any colour tried to remind her of happy memories.

There were moments in her life where breathing ceased to exist and became a task she was much too aware of.

Some days it was the hardest task she would ever do.

How can emptiness be so heavy? It came with no warning and hit her body like a truck, shocking her veins and draining her of everything she had. Anisa trembled, she was lonely in places she didn’t even know existed within her. She didn’t know if she was drowning in the waves of her feelings or if she was aching to feel. A shaky breath slipped from her quivering lips, she blinked at the glimmering ebony sky.

“Would you drown in the waves or die from thirst?” Anisa chewed her bottom lip, gazing at the sky in forlorn.

Rubbing her elbows, she stumbled down the sidewalk and almost tripped onto a bench. Anisa surveyed her surroundings. Wilson Park was the largest park in their neighbourhood. It ran alongside a small lake, people usually walked by the lake early in the morning or late in the afternoon. At night the park came to life, illuminated brilliantly, food carts lined up on the sidewalks. The atmosphere was perfect for a late-night stroll. She wished she came at night instead, it would’ve been nice to take a stroll along the lake. She dejectedly collapsed on a swing with a loud sigh. Her eyes wandered across the serene playground. The sun hadn’t broken out yet from its ebony blanket so the park was submerged in a delicate cover of darkness. Here and there, the silhouettes of figures popped in and out of the park.

Anisa didn’t pay attention to any of them. For once in her life, she didn’t sit on the edge of her seat. She didn’t panic or analyse their intentions. Her eyes didn’t observe their figures as they left the park or came near her.

Her gaze didn’t waver from the sky at all.

It was an odd feeling. Her veins coursed with unknown tiredness and her muscles ached. Her eyes were dry and void. Everything seemed dreary and endless. Some sort of heaviness dominated her heart, body and mind. It weighed and pressed down on her like a can crusher. It slowly pressed down on her with the intent to erase her. She yearned for something, anything but she didn’t know what she was yearning for. She was reminded of the hollowed out pumpkin on her neighbour’s steps, empty and suffocating.

“How odd.” She softly smiled at the sky.

The sun slipped off its covers and ascended into the delicate night sky. A spread of passionate colours engulfed the sky. Softly layered oranges, delicate purples, smooth pinks swirled and collided with each other. It was an effervescence of colours, brilliant and elegant all at once. The palette of colours was something she saw often. She saw it from her window, she saw it in her car rides and she had seen it from the top of a mountain and it was different every time. She revelled in those tiny moments, her skin tingled and her heart sighed. Whenever Anisa stared at the sky, she liked to think the colours of her heart were painted across the vast sky.

She broke out of her trance when a boy bumped into the swing next to hers. He gasped and sputtered. His breathing was ragged and rough. He smacked his chest to stop panting. She noticed sweat dripping from his brow and his crumpled clothing. She grasped the chain of the swing and steadied it for him.

She patted the bottom of the swing, motioning him to sit, “It’s steady now.”

He nodded at her, his wild brown curls bouncing at the small action. His curls hid his eyes so she couldn’t catch a glimpse of them. Strangely she was calm, usually, she would be panicking by now and obsessing over what to say. She glanced at the boy again, his lowered head formed a shadow over his clenched hands. He didn’t seem like he wanted to talk which was a relief for Anisa. She wasn’t in the mood to talk to anyone either. She stretched her arms out and kicked off from the ground to softly swing back and forth. A slight breeze rustled her hair and kissed her mocha cheeks. A loose smile danced on her lips as she swung back and forth. She had to admit it felt great to do her own thing without worrying about others.

Her eyes wandered to the boy next to her every so often. She wouldn’t deny that she was a little curious about him. Now that the sun was in half bloom, she could see his brown hair was actually hazel. He looked old enough to be her age, she snorted at that thought. She may be 17 but she was petite so she was often mistaken as a junior.

“Tsk-it must be nice to have long legs.” Anisa bitterly muttered mid-air, furrowing her brows in his direction.

“It’s not that great.” The boy objected in a low voice. His hard gaze met her shocked hazel one.

Anisa’s cheeks reddened at his response. She held his indifferent stare with a dry throat and racing heart. Internally, she screamed at herself for being so stupid. The sweet taste of peace blossoming in her stomach died and in its place, a flower of anxiety bloomed.

“It’s not great to have short legs either.” She defensively blurted out, gesturing to her legs for added emphasis. Anisa quickly looked away and cursed her brain for blurting out a dumb excuse.

The hazel-haired boy’s lips quirked into a strange grin, “I didn’t ask if you were short, though?”

Anisa’s internal cursing stopped when she heard his reply. Out of all the things, she could comment about him- why did it have to be about his legs? Normally, someone would talk about their hobbies or even introduce themselves when they meet someone but Anisa just had to comment about his damn legs. She wished the ground would swallow her up right then and there so she wouldn’t have to continue talking to him.

“Um, I didn’t ask if it was great to have long legs, either?” She nervously laughed, flashing him a small smile while scratching the side of her cheek.

The boy twisted his hands together, “Fair point.”

An awkward silence fell between them, Anisa didn’t know if she was supposed to continue their conversation or drop it. This is why she preferred staying home and talking to her small circle of friends. Just as she was about to open her mouth someone tugged her sweater. Surprised, she looked down and saw the boy loosely tugging her sweater.

For a moment, she blankly stared at his pale fingers clenching her navy blue sweater. She noticed how the tips of his ears were scarlet and the slight tremble of his arm. This tall pale boy with hazel hair was just as nervous as her. Anisa found his actions adorable, she bit her lip to stop herself from laughing. She twisted her swing to face him.

“Do you usually come to see the sunrise at this time?” She smoothed the wrinkles of her skirt.

Abruptly, he met her gaze with a startled expression. “Uh-um, not all of the time?” He anxiously sputtered.

Anisa noticed how he stiffened at her question, she didn’t press any further since it seemed like he wasn’t comfortable. There was something familiar about him, she just couldn’t put her finger on it. The morning rays of the sun softly highlighted his hazel hair and brought out his vivid green eyes. A scar ran through his left eyebrow and there were rough scratches on his clothes. When their eyes met again, her stomach churned. His green eyes contrasted the heavy grey eye bags underneath them.

There was something uncanny about his eyes. He softly smiled at her, no, it was more like he was trying to smile at her. His green eyes that should’ve shined brilliantly underneath the rays of the sun were gloomy and forlorn.

Like a shattered glass window, his eyes showed everything he wanted to hide and everything he wanted to say. His shoulders sagged as he sighed deeply and raked his fingers through his hair. Her heart thudded in her chest at his actions, it wasn’t because he looked good rather she realized something.

Under the soft morning rays, in this quiet playground where the melody of their melancholy reached a crescendo; Anisa realized how human Sparrow Halefield looked.

She silently groaned for not realizing it was Sparrow but then again she had only seen him three times around the neighbourhood. The scar on his left eyebrow was a dead giveaway yet her bubble gum brain didn’t pick up on it.

She furrowed her brows, she didn’t know if it was appropriate for her to mention his name. After all, he seemed troubled and lost. Even if she didn’t mention his name, she couldn’t think of any way to continue their conversation without acting awkward. If only she didn’t make that comment about his legs.

Biting her lip, “You’re Sparrow, right?”

Sparrow blinked his eyes, “Yeah....that’s me.” He slowly spoke, shifting uncomfortably in his seat.

Anisa panicked, she quickly tapped her left eyebrow. “The-the scar on your eyebrow.” She spluttered and waved her hand around. A blush crept up her neck when he nodded in understanding. Ducking down to hide her blush, she found his hand still clutching her sweater.

Anisa cleared her throat, “Um...Sparrow?”

“Yeah?” He tilted his head in her direction, his doe-like green eyes innocently blinking at her.

Anisa bit the inside of her mouth. Why did he have such big innocent eyes? “You’re still tugging my sweater.” She mumbled, tapping his hand.

He gasped and pulled his hand away, “I’m so sorry-you caught me off guard when you asked me about my name. I only wanted to get your attention. I should’ve pulled back when I got it but for some reason, I felt warmer hold-” He paused midway, his cheeks burning red at his words. His wide eyes nervously glanced around, “no no no um that came-I didn’t mean for it-”

Anisa’s shoulders shook from her fits of laughter. She couldn’t help but find his incoherent ramblings sweet and hilarious. He resembled a restless puppy dog worried about its owner. She bumped his swing, “Don’t sweat it! It’s quite cold so it’s alright for wanting a bit of warmth.” She playfully stroked her chin, “If it makes you feel at ease, I’m Anisa.”

“Your name sounds pretty.” Sparrow blurted out without any hesitation. The minute he realized what he had said, the tips of his ears turned red.

“It means pleasant companion.” Anisa softly whispered, watching the sky.

Sparrow didn’t say anything to her for a couple of minutes. Just when she thought silence had settled between them, Sparrow turned to her. “Do you like watching the sunrise, Anisa?”

Did she like the sunrise? Anisa didn’t know the answer to that. She scrunched her lips, “I don’t know, Sparrow?” She glanced at him with a bittersweet smile, “Whenever I’m lost in my thoughts or when my vision is doused in grey I somehow find myself standing before dawn. I find myself admiring the beautiful spread of warm oranges and soft pinks. No.” She paused and steadied her shaking hands, “I drown in dawn. My nerves sing as the sun rises again in the sky and they cry when the ebony blanket disappears. When the sun reaches its throne, it is at that moment I feel comfortable, warm and secure. I know, no matter what happens, I can always count on dawn and dusk.” Her lips quivered, “But the sun is never on the throne for long so when dusk swoops in stealing its lover. I fall helplessly into the ambrosia of the moonlight. I don’t hate dusk nor do I like dawn. I just know they’re there whenever I need to lean on them.”

Sparrow watched her with an unreadable expression. “Ahaha, it probably sounds like a load of BS, huh?” She chuckled, puffing her cheeks to stop her blush from spreading.

“It doesn’t.” Sparrow played with his fingers, “To be honest, when I was running over here I just wanted to be alone. The only thought on my mind when I ran out of the front door was the desire to breathe. I didn’t even know where I was running to. I just ran until my lungs burned, Anisa.” A small scoff escaped him. He pointed to the scratches on his clothes and knees, “I tripped into some bushes and scratched myself. I’m glad I tripped though, it was only after I tripped and laid my eyes on the sky that I was able to breathe.”

A foreboding sense enveloped Anisa’s bones. It pecked her skin and made her shiver at Sparrow’s words. She knew all too well what it felt like to just want to breathe for a moment. To inhale one breath without her lungs choking her or her chest feeling stuffy. She could’ve told him it was going to be okay. She could’ve uttered sweet whispers telling him he would make it through but in reality, she knew all of those flimsy assurances only felt good the moment they were spoken in. Once he returned, none of those assurances would ease his mind or clear his stifled chest. For once, Anisa didn’t want to sugar-coat the truth.

There was a chance his life would never change and his unyielding pain would perhaps remain in all of its glory. Instead, she would speak about the person in front of her and if he didn’t want to hear her words, she could sit beside him and let her quiet company suffice.

“There are times where forcing air into my lungs seems like the hardest task I’ll ever do. There are times when it feels like my chest is about to explode and everything I’ve shoved deep into my heart threatens to gush out like a waterfall.” Anisa revealed in a heavy voice. She looked over at him with a gentle smile and bitter eyes. She saw his fists clench at her words, she wanted to squeeze his hands but she didn’t. After all, they were practically strangers and even she would be uncomfortable if someone she barely knew squeezed her hands out of nowhere.

Anisa didn’t want him to feel alone.

How ironic.

“After a while, do the clouds in your head become unbearable?” Sparrow asked, observing the sky with an unreadable gaze.

She raised an eyebrow at him. She wasn’t quite sure what he was asking her but she had a vague idea. “Hmmm.... clouds, huh?” The corners of her mouth twitched, “I don’t know about clouds, Sparrow. It feels more like a grey blanket or a fog obscuring my vision. It wraps around me and drags me down-I don’t resist it. Even when it becomes unbearable and heavy or when it buries my mind with thunder.” Anisa offered him a small grin, “So yes after a while the clouds do become unbearable but-” She poked his side which elicited a small squeak from him, “-they also clear away and reveal a brilliant sunrise waiting for me.”

Sparrow dazedly stared at her like he was lost in his thoughts. He turned away from her and covered his face in his hands. Panic struck Anisa like lightning, this wasn’t the reaction she expected. She bounced off the swing and rushed to his side, “Sparrow? Are you alright? I didn’t mean to hurt you. No, I didn’t think my words would hurt you. I wasn’t thinking-″ She babbled, slightly shaking his shoulders. Sparrow refused to look at her, when she glanced down she noticed how red his ears were.

Abruptly, Sparrow gripped her arms. She almost fainted from how close he was to her. His warm breath tickled her skin, his trembling body sent tremors to her core. Blood rushed to her ears, she awkwardly stood there unsure of what to do. His head, slumped against her stomach, didn’t show any intention of moving. Anisa gulped, her fingers were itching to run through his curly soft hair. Her eyes widened when his head rubbed against her stomach, Anisa swore her heart skipped a beat.

In all honesty, she could push him away but the way his fingers quivered, digging into her sleeves stopped her. She did think it was weird for someone she barely knew to cling onto her like this but she wasn’t blind. Anisa knew, deep in her brittle bones and flushed cheeks, Sparrow Halefield needed warmth.

He needed to hold onto something.

Despite his sudden actions, she decided that even if it was for a minute, she would let herself be something he needed to hold onto. Although, it didn’t help the butterflies in her stomach when his hands slipped down her arms. Cheeks red, she closed her eyes to reduce the butterflies in her stomach, she nibbled her lip in an attempt to distract herself.

They stayed like that for a couple of minutes. Here and there, Sparrow would adjust himself causing Anisa’s cheeks to burn. Yet, what ticked her off the most was when he wrapped his arms around her waist. Her left eyebrow twitched, she didn’t know if he was sleeping, crying or even aware of what he was doing. Anisa didn’t know how many minutes passed in their current position but it felt like an eternity to her. The heavy silence between them was slowly suffocating her so she decided to do the one thing she could never do properly.

Talk.

“Sometimes our wounds run so deep they seep into our bones and engrave themselves in the bits we call our soul.” Anisa chuckled, brushing a stray strand of her hair behind her ear. “Some say time heals all wounds but some wounds will never ever heal.” She clenched her fists, keeping her tone even.

“Time does heal all wounds, eventually we forget about them.” Sparrow stubbornly objected in a muffled voice.

She mirthlessly laughed, “Not all wounds are the same. Like when a parent walks out of the door and never looks back. Or when someone betrays you, cheats on you, abandons you or violates you.” Anisa’s eyes darkened, she steadied her voice before she continued. "Those wounds never ever heal.”

Sparrow flinched at her words, he didn’t respond to her. He simply tightened his grip around her and drew her closer. Anisa’s heart rapidly thumped against her chest, she really wanted to touch his soft curls.

“You won’t pick up the phone, you’ll lie in bed for days. Perhaps, you won’t even shower or maybe you’ll shower so much just so you can hide your tears. Your throat starts to close up whenever you think about the wounds. Your heart begins to ache and burns, burns and burns until it turns into ice. One day you’ll feel everything at once and other days you’ll feel nothing at all. Other days, the emptiness feels so heavy it squashes your shoulders, breaking whatever will you have left. And that- that is when you feel like your next breath is more of a job than an instinctive action.” Anisa raised her trembling chin to the sky. The sun was in full bloom, extending its glorious warm rays to the rich earth. “You start asking yourself, who you are and what you could have done differently. You start to hold back because you don’t want to seem vulnerable or weak. You look away and begin to lock yourself in.” She breathlessly spoke, the words gushing out of her. Anisa hung her head, she was so close to Sparrow she could smell his strawberry shampoo. She smiled, the corner of her eyes crinkled and her heart bloomed.

In a gentle voice, she uttered to him. “Now-” Anisa paused, patting Sparrow’s head. “-you can decide to wait for time to heal your wounds or you can decide to not be healed.” Sparrow jolted at her words, “To hell with the wounds, to hell to the people who caused them! You don’t need to forgive them, you aren’t obligated to forgive. Because you are going to laugh again with the pain, you will find the courage to love again with the pain but most importantly you will find the power to live again. Do you know why you’ll be able to do all of that again?” Anisa curtly challenged, her voice rising. “It’s not because time healed your wounds, no, it is because you found the strength to live with them. Those wounds will never go away but so will the strength you found to live with them, Sparrow.”

She raked her fingers through his hair, it was soft like she expected and smooth under the pads of her finger. His scent lingered of strawberries and lavender, an unexpected combo but a refreshing one. Anisa knew she was dancing on rough lines with her words but she didn’t just say them to Sparrow, in a way, she was also talking to herself.

What surprised her the most was how hard Sparrow was gripping her waist. It was like he was trying to squeeze the life out of her. She was about to pull away from him but stopped when she realized her sweater was wet. Sparrow’s body shuddered and if she listened closely she heard tiny hiccups. Alarmed, she jerked away from him and held his face in her hands. Anisa had never seen Sparrow Halefield up close, his green eyes glistened with tears and they were dark, bloodshot and puffy. Sadness clouded his delicate features, his face flushed as tears ran down his cheeks and his lips trembled.

Sniffling, he pulled away from her and covered his face. “I don’t want you-ugh I don’t-” He sobbed, frustratingly clenching his fists. “-Anisa, it hurts.” He snivelled, raking his hands through his hair.

Anisa, overcome with fury, grabbed his face and looked Sparrow dead in the eye. Her thumbs swept away his tears and caressed his cheeks. Anisa wanted to know his story, she wanted to know who made him cry and why he ended up here. She wanted to know it all but there was a line she couldn’t cross with him. They didn’t speak of it nor did they acknowledge the line but they both knew it was there. Gently, thumbing away his last tear she met his melancholy gaze.

Her voice, quiet and tense. “Never hide your tears.” She told him, pressing her lips into a firm line.

Sparrow bit down on his trembling lips, his jaw clenching at her words. He shook under her hands and instinctively Anisa knew the dam was about to break. From the way his forehead creased, eyes narrowed and his quick breaths. She sensed Sparrow’s sun breaking into dawn and his moon cracking.

“Why is vulnerability viewed as a weakness?” Sparrow gritted out, his tone low and heavy. Lightly pushing her away yet also keeping her an arm’s length away from him. “Why do we prey on those who are vulnerable? Why do we hold back everything we feel? We’re forced to silence our emotions to protect ourselves so we don’t appear eager, interested or sad.” Sparrow’s chest rose and fell with rapid breaths, his dark eyes burning into her.

“People are so proud to have shallow, weak connections. We crave depth and intimacy yet we stop ourselves from taking the next step.” Sparrow squeezed her shoulders in desperation, “Why?” His voice barely whispers, tickling her bare skin.

Anisa’s throat ran dry at Sparrow’s question, she willed herself to utter something but nothing came out. Everyone was running to make connections, eager to meet new people and expand their circles but when the time came, eye contact was avoided and fewer words were spoken than imagined. Maybe the reason her words couldn’t come out of her is that she agreed with him.

Sparrow’s hands slid from her wrist to her hands, he rubbed his fingers against hers. His tall figure towered over her drinking in the rays of sunlight with tormented eyes. Shivering under the weight of agony, words spilled out of his quivering lips. “I know the reason I can see the best in people is that I open myself to the worst in them. I know this world is filled with beauty and cruelty. However, every time I try to open myself up I end up isolating myself. Why do I get shit for being open about how I feel? I get shit when I don’t open myself up, so what the fuck am I supposed to do? Instead of feeling good about myself, I feel alone and misunderstood.”

Sparrow’s eyes glistened with unspoken tears, his Adam’s apple dangerously trembled and his grip on her fingers tightened. She noticed the slight twitch of his lips and his slumped shoulders. It wasn’t like she didn’t know what he was feeling rather to an extent she knew what he was feeling. Abruptly like a cookie crumbling, Sparrow crumbled onto her. She winced, he buried his head into her shoulder.

“It’s okay to be emotional, it’s okay to scream your heart out, to look for help, to tell someone you enjoy their company. There is nothing wrong with being vulnerable because it’s what creates depth in our relationships and ultimately what we’re craving for. Right, Anisa?” Sparrow mumbled into her shoulder, burying his head deeper into the crook of her neck. His question hung in the air between them, it bit into her skin and crawled into her bones looking for an answer.

Maybe that’s what she was looking for; someone to accept her vulnerability and accept her flaws. All her life, she was afraid of revealing too much of herself. What did that achieve for her? It only leads to exhaustion. Tired of holding herself back, tired of feeling empty with her friends, Anisa was tired of being tired.

She answered Sparrow confidently because she was tired. “Yes, Sparrow. We ask for love but we fear loss. We wish for someday but ignore today. We are disconnected and tired because we are so exhausted from trying to protect ourselves from others that we fail to protect ourselves from ourselves.”

Anisa smiled to herself. It didn’t matter if her words didn’t make sense or if her thoughts were nonsense. Everything Sparrow and her spoke today could be considered nonsensical ramblings of two teenagers who were incredibly empty inside or they could be considered the untold musings of two deeply scarred teenagers. Whatever it was, at the moment, warmth rushed into her and filled her limbs with renewed energy.

She pulled Sparrow into a hug, she thought she would hit his shoulder instead her grinning face hit his chest. Sparrow didn’t move from his spot on her shoulder, she could feel his chin digging into her shoulder. Anisa really needed to move him away from her shoulder before it went numb. She patted his back, “Alright bud, I’m afraid I’m going to need you to remove your head from my shoulder before it goes numb.”

Sparrow warmly chuckled at her request causing Anisa to freeze. Currently, she was trapped in his embrace. His head had taken her shoulder hostage so she was well aware of his strawberry scent and his deep chuckles shaking his entire body. Sparrow pulled her into him and rubbed his head on her shoulder, “What if I don’t want to.” He teasingly asked her, playing with some loose strands of her hair.

What a bastard. She knew Sparrow could see how red her ears were. She smacked his back with all of her might, “Darling, if you don’t remove your head from my shoulder I’ll remove it from your neck.” Anisa sweetly hummed to him.

Sparrow moved away from her, “I like my head attached to my neck.” Cautiously eyeing her, he rubbed his neck.

She stretched her arms, “Trust me, I prefer it that way as well.” She winked in his direction with a cheeky grin.

Sparrow scoffed at her, “You just threatened to remove it a minute ago!”

Anisa cocked her head and tapped her chin, “No, I gave you a friendly reminder.” She beamed at him with a loose smile.

“You call that a friendly reminder?” He sputtered in disbelief, covering his hand over his mouth.

Anisa giggled at his incredulous expression, he truly resembled a puppy. He joined in with her giggles soon enough they both flopped to the ground. They both sat there for a while and chatted with each other. Turns out they had met a couple of times during school and at neighbourhood parties. As the pink splash gave into the oranges, a warm tingle spread throughout Anisa as she confessed her hidden dreams. Sparrow quietly watched her and at times she would blush at his intense gaze. No one had ever listened to her speak this intently before. When she finished, he nudged her and revealed a world of things she had never known.

Maybe it was because it had been a while since she last held a conversation like this with someone, she couldn’t take her eyes off him as he spoke of brush strokes and the thrill of racing across polo fields. He told her how his heart fluttered when his little sister bit into his freshly baked cookies and how free he felt under the bustling city at night. She even learned about his obsession with scented candles and his late-night window musings.

Anisa sighed and stared at the brilliant orange sky, it felt nice to talk to someone without worrying about the tiny things. A light breeze tickled her short curls, she beamed in delight. She wanted to preserve the sweet melody she was drinking in so she could savour it forever. Her gaze wandered to Hilltop avenue, she spotted a cute little girl walking with her mom. Anisia smiled, the little girl played with her ball and animatedly chatted away to her younger brother. The little boy furrowed his brow and he kept swatting his sister away. She chuckled, he reminded her of her older brother, he too, often furrowed his brow when Anisa’s older sister barged into his room unannounced.

Yawning, Anisa stood up and dusted off her pants. Sparrow was sprawled across the ground, his green hoodie hiding his rambunctious curls. She giggled when she saw his eyes fluttering close, she patted his head. “Sparrow, I’m going to take a walk, okay?”

He sleepily nodded at her, “Yeah, I’ll be chillin ’over here.”

Anisa strolled around the park before stopping at the avenue. She saw the family of three again, this time the little girl offered her brother her ball but he stubbornly turned away. The girl was relentless; eventually he snapped and kicked the ball away from his sister’s tiny hands. Startled by his action, his sister ran to catch the ball before it rolled onto the road. Instinctively, Anisa darted to the crosswalk. The ball rolled over the crosswalk to her side, she motioned for the little girl to stop. She sighed in relief, thankfully the ball rolled to her side instead of stopping in the middle of the road. She smiled at the blue-eyed girl and kicked the ball over to her side. The girl beamed at Anisa as the ball rolled over.

Anisa, still smiling, nodded at her. She turned her gaze to Sparrow; she spotted him yawning languidly while stretching his arms. His hood slipped off due to the sudden gust of wind, Anisa giggled at his surprised expression. In the distance, the softly layered sky disappeared into a flood of cerulean. Serene and alluring, she was captivated by the elegant grace the sky produced.

Perhaps that’s why she didn’t notice the impatient nature of the little girl.

Her stomach roared frantically at the sight of the girl picking up the ball in the middle of the crosswalk. The sun had reached its throne and brilliantly flooded the earth with its rays. The blue-eyed girl’s smile radiantly shined amid the sun’s rays. Her mind blanked at her smile, the glorious rays of sunshine, the serene sky and the-

HONK HONK

-deafening honks of a rumbling truck.

Anisa snapped out of her trance and dashed towards the blue-eyed girl. Her heart thudded against her chest and the wind whipped her skin. The minute their gazes connected, the girl froze in terror. Anisa shoved the frightened girl away before the truck could reach them. Maybe it was the adrenaline coursing through her veins or her fear but time slowed down and forced her to become aware of the percussive engine of the truck and the vibration of the ground.

It all happened at once.

Her legs were rooted to the road, her mind drew a blank as the truck sped up and its headlights dangerously blinded her eyes. Anisa vaguely heard a desperate voice screaming her name repeatedly and then...

Anisa Saha vanished into the dawn.