the bark

Zappp! A loud thud came from the backyard. Aria peeked through her window and she saw a tree branch had fallen from the sky. Back there, is a tree so tall that no one can see how many branches it has. It was beautifully covered by the clouds and the sun always shines upon it.Morning came and Aria looked at her handphone. No calls. No messages. It had been months since she received any news from Damien. She was almost used to the idea of him not contacting her but the situation bothers her most of the times. Aria often comforts herself with reasons that are practical but not logical. The truth is not something that she wants to know. Not for now.A disturbing graphic of an Elmo provoked her curiosity. She explored deeper and was shocked by the findings. No tears can comfort her tonight. Her eyes blinked and her finger shivered as she clicked on the thumbnail of someone familiar. Words dare not come out of her heart-shaped lips. Aria stared in silence and her finger cleverly dials his number. No answer.The thumping of her fragile heart was so loud that she might have been wearing it upon her sleeve. Her blood pumps faster as words are structured appropriately into the compact message. Even at times like this, Aria had time to think. Never a sound of a beep had brought so much importance. This beep brought the truth. An underlying truth that Aria had try to run away from for quite sometime.Aria had always been said to keep her thoughts to herself. She always believed that no one is ready to hear truths out in sound molecules. But this time, words are the only tool. Truths or lies, she does not care. She only wants to hear them. Just to give it a chance to dance in her ears, again. Words can bring change to life.Aria quickly got out of her bed. The skies were clear. No clouds were covering the tree anymore. Her two stubby bare feet brought itself across the backyard. Her head tilt upwards. She now realizes that it is a rotten tree. It is a dying tree with more than one branch working its way out of the bark. “I guess this poor branch could not take it anymore.” says Aria. She smiled to herself with the thought of how fascinating nature could be.

have fun,

kazem.