Black Sky Day

By Manya Roy

Red. Yellow. Black. The colours were flowing down the peak, hurling like a river, at an unprecedented speed.

The viscous lava was swallowing everything it had set its sight on. Whatever stood in its way ended up becoming food for the raging demon - the barren rocks, the lush green trees, the frightened monkeys, all other animals in vicinity… and even the humans could not escape.

Little Andrew was gazing into the red lava and blackened sky through televised news. He was fortunately at a safe distance from the waves of lava, but his city was not far away from the dark sky. The 'Great Eruption', as the news called it, had spread the volcanic ashes miles away from the origin point.

The consequences were dire. The city was trapped in ashes falling from the sky. The air was no better. The Nuee Ardente clouds had made it difficult for the flights to take off, land or in fact survive even. The low visibility was nothing short of 'kiss of death'. The pollution only added to the woes.

Unaware of this harsh reality, Andrew was simply astonished by the scenery. He witnessed from his window what he thought to be a 'snowfall'. The little fellow happily glided from his sofa towards the window, trying to open it to catch the falling snow.

"Andy, don't put your hands out of the window," cried granny, rushing to his side. She pulled the child away from the window and brought him back to the cozy sofa.

Innocent Andy could only blink in confusion. Though his observant eyes could diagnose tension on his granny's face, but his unperceptive, young mind could hardly understand why that was so.

The old lady pulled him into a warm embrace, nonetheless her eyes were constantly locked on the TV. A little later, she slowly folded her hands in prayer, hoping that the Almighty would listen to her. The boy followed, not in concern, but only in imitation. Afterall, everytime his granny prayed, her little bundle of joy always followed.

A few seconds pass by. Then a few minutes. They later turn into a few hours. Perplexed, Andrew stared at his grandmother. Her old quivering hands were still folded in prayer, no matter how strained her muscles became over the span of these few hours.

Andrew had given up on prayer long before. He would instead look casually outside the window and then into TV for news. The dark sky fascinated him like nothing else. Little could he grasp the extent of this darkness…

Sun had started to dawn and night was about to begin. Andrew's stomach grumbled. Now impatient, he shook his grandmother from her stupor. "Granny, I am hungry."

Granny nodded and made her way into the kitchen. Her cramped muscles and crooked stature made her movements slow. Meanwhile, the news kept Andrew not only busy but entertained. The visuals of this century's biggest volcanic eruption had him hooked since the morning.

As strange as this day might be, Andy seemed to enjoy every spectacle he saw on television. Add on to it the fact that he was an on looker to a rare snowfall, for his city had never had one before.

But granny's grimacing face was in stark contrast with Andy's beguile enjoyment. She came back to Andy with a bowl of hot chicken soup with egg on the sides, his father's favourite. The food reminded Andy of his father's arrival. He was supposed to be here by evening.

"Granny, when is dad coming back? Just yesterday he told me he would be back by evening."

The only answer Andrew got was another warm embrace. But this time, he felt a streak of hot tears fall down on the back of his shirt.

Young Andy wanted to comfort his granny. However, all he could do was blink in confusion one more time, for he thoroughly enjoyed this day. He enjoyed this day when dark clouds were cladding the sky. It was a Black Sky day, one that Andy would never forget…

By Manya Roy