Day 11

“Write” - me

It was a long day, and an even longer night.

I’ve been sitting, staring out the window and hearing the birds bicker.

I didn’t notice the change in light right away. It had moved slowly and then suddenly and then I heard the birds.

I couldn’t shake the feeling of lethargy off my bones.

I was exhausted.

The sun was beginning to creep out, above the roofs of houses and trees. Casting a dark blue over everything.

My mind was feeling slow, almost stationary in thought. There was nothing to give.

What a long day. What a long night.

It had taken us three days to pull everyone from the wreckage. Three days of screams, dirt, gravel and the smell of sweat.

No one thought a building could collapse the way the Plaza did.

But one shake and it folded.

Thankfully it was during the least busy part of the day.

But still. So much rubble and so many people.

I rubbed my face slowly, my hands still ashen and covered in blood.

Someone sat next to me, talking quietly.

I couldn’t hear them.

I was raised by the arm, and led away from the window. The fading sounds of birds, the sunlight breaking through behind me.

I was stripped and put into a shower. It was a big shower, I stood next to another woman. She was crying as the water poured onto her head.

I was handed a bar of soap and I began to wash. Quietly, my eyes focused on the wall.

I could feel the warm water trickle over my sore chest and back. I scrubbed as much as I could.

The water pooling at my feet became a dark, murky grey.

I stood. I cleaned. I heard cries and murmurs.

I heard the siren go off and I was told to finish.

I followed the line of women, in towels. We were handed our clothes.

We dressed in a locker room, the smell of bleach and wet hair hung as we arranged ourselves.

They came to get us, we lined up. We walked slowly.

We each tailed off to our cells.

I automatically turned to enter 134. I stood as the bars shut across the frame. I turned and looked out the window. I could see sunlight. I couldn’t hear the birds.