LIFE AS IT IS: PEARL HARBOR

PEARL HARBOR

December 7th, 1941
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Pearl Harbour.
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The winds blows towards the east as the girl behind me braid my hair. Her name is Kate and she's a nurse under the United State Navy. She tells me about her fiancee; John. I'm not really interested in her conversation. My body is here with her while my mind is sitting on a stool close to the fish monger watching as Mama yells at Tom for the type of friends he keeps.
"If you keep going out with those boys, you will leave my house" Mama says from afar, her voice is getting louder and I think almost all the neighbours are listening.
Why would Tom go?, maybe he should listen to Mama and stop going out with those guys.
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"Where would you been in ten years" Kate ask me . I think she's must have noticed I'm not here with her and is trying to divert back my attention.
"Ten years?" I whisper silently. I stare at the sea as my best friend Rachael and her father walk hand in hand. I turn back to Kate.
"I don't know where I will be, but I know where I want to be" I say with a twitch.
She smile. She stare at me intently for a second and turns back to my hair.
"I could be a nurse like you and my mama" I say after a while.
"Really?" she ask.
"Yeah" I answer.
I turn back to the sea and watch as the water moves steadily. Rachael and her father are no where to be found. All is left are a group of children playing tag in the sand.
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A little boy among the group raise his head and stare at the sky. I stare it too. It's blue. The colour I love. He turn back to his friends.
He raise his head again and stare back to a particular spot, this time he shows his friends. They all stare at it. I stare at it again. It's a plane, nothing like I have ever seen.
"Is that ours?" I ask Kate pointing where the plane is.
She looks at it intently for a while and whisper "No!"
She stands up and move closer while her white flowery dress blow due to the wind.
"Children" she calls out to the kids. Her voice is faint mixed with a British accent. I'm fascinated. The kids looks fascinated too. They walk towards us.
She turn to me and motion with her hand.
"Isabella, let's go". she says
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We walk to the house, with the kids. Kate and I tried to drop them off at theirs but their apartment was empty.
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The house is silent. it is not something am familiar with. With mama and Tom constantly quarrelling, it's always noisy.
It looks worn out. It's painted in bright green but even the paint is fading.
Mama sit on the chair with her best friend Mrs. Martinez. They are silent. The only voice in the room is coming from the radio and it's low.
I feel Kate's hands on my shoulders. I think she feels the sombre mood too. It's rare.
"Mama, what's wrong" I whisper.
She hush me with a look. I turn to the radio and watch as Kate sit close to the door while the kids start another game of tag in my family living room.
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The radio stops.
Before that, I swear I could hear loud scream coming from the background.
"Jesús" Mrs. Martinez whisper. She is Spanish. She start shivering. Mama puts her hand on her friends shoulder and comfort her with soft taps.
She turns towards us and mutters four words "We have been attacked"
My knees feel weak. The kids stops playing and underneath their eyes is the fright as they gaze at her.
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"Mama" the little boy who saw the plane cries. I have tried to comfort him but all my effort has prove abortive. Mrs. Martinez prays with the rosary beside me. The shivering has stopped.
The neighborhood is quiet. Everyone is locked up in his or her various house.
Mama and Kate were called to come treat the wounded. They have been gone for five hours now. The radio still speaks. It's another reporter, not the one who spoke previously.
Boom!!!
We all hear a sound. I freeze, Mrs. Martinez hands freeze on her rosary. The children looked at each with terrifyingly expression on their face.
The door to the house suddenly shakes and we all move backwards.
"Isabella?" I hear a voice call out. It's Kate. Even with everything going on, her voice is still crystal clear. "Isabella, open the door" she calls out again.
I move forward but Mrs. Martinez holds my hand midway. She hold my hand for a second and let me go. I open my hand, it's her rosary. Why is she giving them to me?, what do she think it's going to happen me?
I step in front of the door and my heart beats faster.
I open the door.
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Kate is standing on the stairs. Her face is flawless like always but her flowery dress?, it is designed in blood. Behind her is Rachael in her father arms.
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Mama is few distance from them. She looks like death. In her arms is a limp Tom, he looks lifeless.
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She cries, it goes with the wind. I stare at what is left of my family.
 My face feels wet. my heart?, it bleeds.

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