It Always Gets Worse before it Gets Better It was exactly one year ago today when the world ended. It was exactly one year ago today that my whole world was turned upside-down. I hear the laughter of Ariel and her friends in the backyard; it’s her 6th birthday today. I am trying to make this day extra special bearing in mind all of the destruction and chaos she experienced on her last birthday. Her friends run through the yellowed patches of grass and over small rocks sending dust clouds through the air. With the little that we have today, I’m pleased at how happy they all are, how content they are with what they have. I am sitting on a cracked, run down picnic table watching over Ariel and her friends. Sam should be with my right now; he would love to see how happy she is. That’s all he’s ever wanted, for our little Ariel to be happy and she is happy even though she misses her father. Some say everything happens for a reason, but sometimes I don’t think those reasons are for the best. Taking a loving husband away from his family on such a tragic day is what happened, but was it supposed to happen? Our house is shaking violently; the ceiling is beginning to collapse upon us. Sam covers us with his strong body in order to protect us. Ariel is crying; she’s horrified. We all are horrified, but for the sake of our daughter Sam and I have to stay strong and hold ourselves together. We run into the basement, the safest place for us to go. I can feel the gusts of wind crashing through the broken windows. The wind brushes against my side stabbing fragments of broken glass and wood into me. I hear a loud crash and shivers make their way down my spine. The main support beam becomes frail and crashes upon us. I black out as I hear Sam groan in pain and Ariel shriek in fear. As the children leave Ariel and I make our way into our house. It is not so much a house, as a wooden shed, but it is our home for the time being. It begins to rain; the small drops drip through the cracks of our home and into small puddles in the ground below us. We sit in silence watching as the puddles overflow and become streams. Thoughts begin to flow through my head as I watch the stream flow through the doorway. I know that Ariel deserves a better life then this, and I know that’s what Sam would want for her. It breaks my heart to leave Ariel behind, but I have no choice. As I kiss Ariel goodbye I remember the saying, “It gets worse before it gets better.” A tear rolls down my cheek, but I quickly wipe it away before Ariel can notice. We say our final goodbyes and I begin my journey to find a better life for her and myself. I haven’t travelled more than a mile since last year, so I am not sure what to expect. All I can think about is my baby girl, and how much I am going to miss her. I pack lightly, which is fine considering I don’t have much to carry with me in the first place. I carry a water bottle and a picture of Sam, Ariel, and myself before our whole world ended right before our eyes. The air is cool and a slight breeze stirs the leaves and sends them flying through the air. As the sun begins to set and the stars poke through the cloudy sky. I stare up at the sky and drift off to sleep. I dream of Ariel and Sam last Thanksgiving. Our meal around our small dining room table, just the three of us, was so pleasant and joyous. As we we’re sitting there Sam stared at me, he smiled as he said, “I know you can get through this Katrina, you’re a strong woman. You can make it better, just believe in yourself.” I drift out of sleep and shoot up calling for Sam, wondering where he is, before I realize that it is just a dream. I take his words to heart and I just know that I will make this better; Ariel deserves this more than anything. Today is December 22nd, 2013 and it is the start of my new life. The world can recover after destruction and so can I; that is exactly what I am going to do.
It Always Gets Worse before it Gets Better
It was exactly one year ago today when the world ended. It was exactly one year ago today that my whole world was turned upside-down.
I hear the laughter of Ariel and her friends in the backyard; it’s her 6th birthday today. I am trying to make this day extra special bearing in mind all of the destruction and chaos she experienced on her last birthday. Her friends run through the yellowed patches of grass and over small rocks sending dust clouds through the air. With the little that we have today, I’m pleased at how happy they all are, how content they are with what they have.
I am sitting on a cracked, run down picnic table watching over Ariel and her friends. Sam should be with my right now; he would love to see how happy she is. That’s all he’s ever wanted, for our little Ariel to be happy and she is happy even though she misses her father. Some say everything happens for a reason, but sometimes I don’t think those reasons are for the best. Taking a loving husband away from his family on such a tragic day is what happened, but was it supposed to happen?
Our house is shaking violently; the ceiling is beginning to collapse upon us. Sam covers us with his strong body in order to protect us. Ariel is crying; she’s horrified. We all are horrified, but for the sake of our daughter Sam and I have to stay strong and hold ourselves together. We run into the basement, the safest place for us to go. I can feel the gusts of wind crashing through the broken windows. The wind brushes against my side stabbing fragments of broken glass and wood into me. I hear a loud crash and shivers make their way down my spine. The main support beam becomes frail and crashes upon us. I black out as I hear Sam groan in pain and Ariel shriek in fear.
As the children leave Ariel and I make our way into our house. It is not so much a house, as a wooden shed, but it is our home for the time being. It begins to rain; the small drops drip through the cracks of our home and into small puddles in the ground below us. We sit in silence watching as the puddles overflow and become streams. Thoughts begin to flow through my head as I watch the stream flow through the doorway. I know that Ariel deserves a better life then this, and I know that’s what Sam would want for her.
It breaks my heart to leave Ariel behind, but I have no choice. As I kiss Ariel goodbye I remember the saying, “It gets worse before it gets better.” A tear rolls down my cheek, but I quickly wipe it away before Ariel can notice. We say our final goodbyes and I begin my journey to find a better life for her and myself.
I haven’t travelled more than a mile since last year, so I am not sure what to expect. All I can think about is my baby girl, and how much I am going to miss her. I pack lightly, which is fine considering I don’t have much to carry with me in the first place. I carry a water bottle and a picture of Sam, Ariel, and myself before our whole world ended right before our eyes.
The air is cool and a slight breeze stirs the leaves and sends them flying through the air. As the sun begins to set and the stars poke through the cloudy sky. I stare up at the sky and drift off to sleep. I dream of Ariel and Sam last Thanksgiving. Our meal around our small dining room table, just the three of us, was so pleasant and joyous. As we we’re sitting there Sam stared at me, he smiled as he said, “I know you can get through this Katrina, you’re a strong woman. You can make it better, just believe in yourself.”
I drift out of sleep and shoot up calling for Sam, wondering where he is, before I realize that it is just a dream. I take his words to heart and I just know that I will make this better; Ariel deserves this more than anything. Today is December 22nd, 2013 and it is the start of my new life. The world can recover after destruction and so can I; that is exactly what I am going to do.