We All Fall

Snow, in June..

No, the snow was grey, and it burned.

The first thing I can remember was the bright light and my mom telling me to stay put. She closed the door and only a moment had passed when I heard it. It was so loud, like a gun, and the growling... it lasted for such a long time, the growling. I was so scared, but mom told me told me to stay and wait for the men in suits. I wanted to make sure she was alright, I opened the door and everything was orange, and the trees were on fire. It was silent too, no cars or people. Besides the fire, everything was like a dream

I looked down and there I saw her, my mom burned and covered in blisters. All I could do was scream, "Mommy! Mommy, wake up! Please mommy," over and over until my eyes stung and my voice grew soft with the pain. Minutes or hours, I couldn't tell, I just laid there silent and in agony, just staring at what used to be my mother.

Then the ash began to fall, I remember now, it was ash and I stood up to watch. Walking out from the cover of the bridge, I made my way into the ruins of New York City.

As I came closer to the city, I could hear them. Survivors of the blast, screaming, screaming such horrible sounds. It grew louder and louder, such horrible noise I nearly turned back. But I had to find help, and nothing would scare me away. Then I came across the first survivor.

"Help me, help," she begged.

I lost control of myself and began to vomit. She looked just like my mom, except somehow, she was alive. Even with half of her body crushed from a fallen truck, she crawled and spoke. Once I got back on my feet, I asked her how she was alive but all she did was moan in pain.

"Kill me, please don't let me suffer," she cried out.

"I'm only a child," I said in a fluttering voice.

"I don't care, pick up a rock, just kill me," she shouted.

Before I could run away a loud bang echoed through the street and her head exploded right in front of me.

"I'm sorry you had to see that," a deep voice called out.