A busted radio in a destroyed electronics store suddenly comes to life, transforming the gloomy battleworn city into a less depressing sight. Huddling herself into a ball inside of a car across the street, a little girl tries desperately not to loose her mind as she hugs her teddy bear closer to her and listens to the oh so familiar Christmas song.
"Sleigh bells ring, are you listenin'?" She listens, and aside from the radio, all she hears is an eerie silence in the city, replacing th horrible screams and bombings she had heard earlier. "In the lane snow's a' glistenin'." She takes a quick peek out of the window, and all she can see is black slush, debris, and other things lying in the streets she doesn't wish to even think about. "A beautiful sight, we're happy tonight. Walkin' in a Winter Wonderland." A beautiful sight? Maybe in a fairytale her mother used to read to her before the war hit home; but out here, her once beautiful and happy life was gone. Destroyed by chaos and war. She was alone now, and has been for several hours since the attempted evacuation. She lost sight of her mother and there was a big explosion, so she ran til made it to the car, her last sanctuary.
Looking out of the car, she glances at the desimated streets of downtown. The streets were now empty, except the debris and other things littering the ground, there wasn't a soul in sight; not even a soldier. Slowly and with extremem caution she opens the door and takes a brave step out, walking into the destruction she so fears. She looks to her left and takes another look to her right; the streets were indeed deserted, almost as if the war had left the city like some horrible nightmare. She sighs and closes her eyes, leaning back on the car. Suddenly, the car door unexpectedly closes and makes a large sound. She gasps horrified and takes off running. Hugging her teddy bear even closer to herself, she hides underneath the nearby freeway.
Not long after, a soldier appears by the car and investigates the commotion. After poking around the car hesitently and making sure there were no threats within the area, the soldier makes his way up the street towards the electronics store. Terrorized by the mere presence of the soldier, the little girl slowly backs away from the soldier's line of sight and runs away. Away from the car, her newfound safehaven; and away from the radio, still playing another Christmas song.
How desperately she wishes the war was in some other place and not here at home. How she curses the evil people who hath brought such a thing upon her. How she wishes she were home, safe in her bed, listening to her mother reading another bedtime story to her.
Not paying attention to her surroundings, she runs into something hard and falls down. Shaking her head she looks up to see what it was that knocked her over and gasps in horror at what she hits. A soldier. Of all of the things that she could've hit she hits a soldier. The soldier, hidden by a helmet, looks down upon her.Her body screams at her to run, but held by fear she stays frozen in place. The soldier grabs her, lifting her up; she screams and struggles in resistance. But it is futile, and she is handed off to another soldier who drags her into a jeep surrounded by other surviviors from the city. she cries softly to herself thinking of the horrors that may be unleashed upon herself, until she hears a familiar voice.
"Emile?! Is that you," the voice exclaims. She looks around and sees her mother. Fear is overcome by joy at their reunion as they hug each other, making tearful promises to never leave the other's side again.
The End
