Hiroshima's journey towards the dawn - By K.Thushaleny

Written By: K.Thushaleny

Category: Short story

Competition: Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026

In the evocative short story "Hiroshima's journey towards the dawn," author K.Thushaleny offers a heartwarming narrative set against the backdrop of the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park. This entry is part of the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026, a platform for voices from around the world to share their unique perspectives. Through a touching exploration of personal trials and the enduring spirit of hope, this piece captures the essence of resilience and the quest for peace in the face of life’s adversities.

About the Work

"Hiroshima's journey towards the dawn" delves into themes of inner strength and rebirth. The protagonist's visit to Hiroshima becomes a metaphor for her own healing journey, paralleling the city’s recovery from devastation. The narrative style evokes a deep emotional connection, portraying the complexities of familial love and personal endurance. The imagery of Hiroshima's transformation into a symbol of peace serves as a poignant reminder of hope and the possibility of renewal, even after the darkest times.

Hiroshima's journey towards the dawn

Original Submission by K.Thushaleny

Hiroshima’s journey towards the dawn

“I am now standing as a witness of the tragedy where the first atomic blast wrote its history at the end of world war 2. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, which is a symbol of everlasting world peace. A strange peace is spreading through my veins here. That emptiness of the peace makes me wonder. And suddenly I remember an old saying, “peace always comes after a great destruction”. Although Hiroshima has a sad history itself, the city is full of joy. It gives hope to its visitors and is a worthy destination to calm everyone’s stress into peace. But it is a really very strange feeling. Perhaps it would be my imagination. I can not be sure because my ears feel some faint whispers as if the air itself carries the memories of those who once suffered here. But yet the weight of my heart slowly grows lighter and I begin to feel free. It longs for five seconds only because as I watch my kids playing nearby, a sudden thought crosses my mind. Perhaps this is my last unforgettable journey of my life with the whole family by my side. Again my heart slips back to its familiar restlessness.”

My fingers freeze on the page. I grab the diary tightly and continue reading…..

“ I am David’s wife and a mother of two children who mean everything to me. Every day I try to balance my responsibilities not only at my home but also at my work, as an employee, as a mother and as a wife. I feel as though I alone am responsible for carrying the whole burdens of every role I am playing in my life. I am a working woman, in the editing department of the starlight producing company. Every day I do overtime and I fulfil my responsibilities with a quiet happiness just because every exhausting day remains for me to push myself forward only for my family. I’ve lived an extremely busy life. Every morning, I rise before dawn and I move towards the kitchen half awake. I prepare meals. Once everything is ready, I walk toward my children’s room and gently wake them up. I really feel lucky to have David by my side. His love, support and understanding make even the difficult days more easier to face. He always helps me get the children dressed and makes sure that they eat their meal and reminds them about the little things they might forget. This quiet routine holds us together to lead a joyful life. After that, I take them to school and I always watch them until they pass safely through the gate. Then I turn back to the office. My life may be simple and repetitive but it is built on love and care. But on weekends, I set everything aside and go on picnics with my family. Those days feel cheerful. We pack simple food and visit a calm and comfortable place. Sitting together under the open sky carries our worries far from us. Children run freely and enjoy their holiday. David and I always talk about our little dreams and future plans. These small conversations feel precious to us. Those weekends become my strength. They remind me why I keep going and why I wake up before dawn every day without a single complaint. They are the gentle pause in my busy lifestyle to restart the next week fresh.

My life had always moved in a peaceful and constant rhythm like a quiet river flowing smoothly, until that moment arrived and changed everything. There had been no warning sign that anything was about to change. Each day felt happy, safe and complete in its simple way. But one day, everything shifted in a tragic way. I woke up with a strange heaviness as if the energy once I carried totally drained and faded away overnight. I felt under the weather. But I ignored my fatigue and headed to work. As the hours passed, a deep exhaustion settled upon my body. It was not regular tiredness that sleep could fix. It was something deeper , difficult to put into words and also unfamiliar. A wave of dizziness lingered within me wherever I went. The world around me seemed unsteady and lost their sharpness and blurred shadow. I felt as if my body had lost its balance. I tried to ignore it at first, telling myself it was nothing, just a passing feeling that would fade by the next day. But somewhere inside me, I knew something wasn’t right.

Then, unexpectedly , the change in my body reached its peak and I could neither understand nor escape. The calm rhythm of my life had been quietly broken. My vision went blank. I couldn’t control it. No matter how I tried to stay awake, my eyes kept closing little by little. Everything around me faded into a blur. Finally I collapsed on the spot before I even had time to understand what was happening. It might have been seconds,I could only sense movement around me, faint voices calling my name but they sounded unclear like echos.

My body felt numb and unresponsive, when I tried to move, my effort failed. My colleagues who were standing around me called my name constantly. Seeing me unresponsive frightened them. Eventually, they sent me to the nearby hospital immediately. After half an hour, I found myself lying on the hospital bed, confused and weak. My hands were stiff and an IV had been inserted into my arm. The faint smell of antiseptic filled the air. And a rhythmic beeping of a machine echoed somewhere nearby. When I turned my head weakly, I found David standing nearby and he seemed tense. His eyes stayed fixed on me for that moment. He stepped closer slowly and made sure that I was really awake. When he started to speak, his voice was low and tense.”I was so worried,” he said. I tried to respond but because of the dizziness, my body didn’t cooperate with me to reply. I could only look at him. But his expression says he was looking for ane answer from me. The tension in the room made everything feel heavier.

Then he called the doctor immediately. His hands trembled as he tried to call the doctor. I could hear the urgency in his words. Within moments, the doctor arrived. Unexpectedly he was David’s classmate from their school days. He carefully examined me. After a few questions and check up, he said that I needed to undergo a full body check up to understand the cause of my condition. His words were firm and carried seriousness. David looked at me and was still frightened but tried to stay strong to console me. I could clearly see the worry in his eyes but I felt weak and laid there quietly. Then I went for a full body checkup and waited for the results but a nurse informed me that it would take one day to process them. She said “Now you can go home and we will send your reports by email tomorrow.” So I and David went home.

The next day, I took a day off from the office and rested at home while waiting for my report. My whole body still felt an unbearable pain. Finally I received the email and opened it, believing there was nothing serious. But as I read the report, I was shocked. They indicated pancreatic cancer. My hands started trembling and I read it again, hoping I had misunderstood something. The words didn’t change. A regular checkup suddenly felt serious. Fear and confusion overwhelmed me and for a moment I just sat there and tried to process what this meant. But I realized that I needed to stay calm and speak to the doctor as soon as possible to understand the situation better.

I immediately contacted my doctor but he said “ It is usually hard to cure because it often doesn’t show clear symptoms early. Unfortunately your cancer is already at the third stage.” After hearing his words, my heart became heavy and hopeless. A sudden thought of my children crossed my mind. “Why God? Why must you punish me with this cruel fate?” My mind is only filled with the thoughts of my children. I didn't even know what to do next. But I found myself asking him whether there were any other options. The doctor paused for a moment before speaking. After a brief pause, he explained that surgery was the only possible way to treat my condition. “There is a chance,” he said gently. ”But I can’t be completely sure of the outcome.” My heart pounded as he finished. If I wanted a chance to survive, I would need to undergo the surgery.

He continued, ”You should consider getting treatment in another country.” The room fell silent. The future I had imagined suddenly felt distant and unclear. And in that moment, I realized that this was not just a normal illness. And the doctor added “ I have a friend in Japan whose name is Ren and who is a skillful oncologist. He can perform this surgery successfully. I’ll give you his contact information. Take your time and let me know when you’ve made your decision. With a heavy heart, after a long discussion with David, we finally decided to go to Japan for my surgery. Though the outcome of the surgery was uncertain, I made up my mind. David and my children gave me the strength to face it. I could clearly see the pain in David’s eyes but all I could do was hide my own pain. My children were still so little. I couldn’t find the courage to tell them what was happening. The moment I saw the innocent smiles, my tears began to flood my eyes. My heart hurt as if it was breaking apart inside my chest. I hid my tears and walked over them. Then I pulled them into a tight embrace. The warmth of their hug brought me a sense of relief even if only for a moment. With a gentle smile, I said “ Children, I have a surprise for you. I am going to take you on a trip to a wonderful place where you can play, have fun and enjoy yourselves.”

Eventually, my whole family started our journey to Japan. My heart carried a quiet hope that this journey might end with good news.

We arrived in Tokyo, Japan and spent one night at a hotel. The next day, David and I hurried to the national cancer center in Tokyo and met doctor Ren at the oncology department. He asked me to undergo a scan for further examination. I completed all the checkups and they finally scheduled the surgery date. David spent all the money from our savings account which made me feel heavy and disturbed because those savings were meant for our children’s future. Before I could say anything, David sensed what was bothering me inside so David tried to console me and strengthened my determination only toward my survival.

Finally they scheduled my surgery for two days later. So David decided to take me and the children to explore Japan to help me feel relaxed and stress free.

Yes, now, we are at Hiroshima memorial park. It is my first trip abroad but I never imagined it would happen in such a situation. I set my grief aside for the sake of my children and focus on enjoying this trip with them. Standing in this memorial park gives me a powerful hope. Because after an unimaginable destruction, now this place breathes laughter and peace. Still the people who are living here, leading a peaceful life. It reminds me that even after a darkest moment, life doesn’t end. It finds its own way to start again. As I walk through this park, I realize that the hope Japanese people once carried helped rebuild their lives. When I look at my children, their joy and laughter build an invisible strength inside me. Hiroshima rose from ashes but they rebuilt their city. If a city can heal, then maybe I can too. So apparently this park is not only a symbol of peace but also of hope and rebirth. Traveling to this place gives me hope of rebirth. In this situation, with a powerful hope, I am surviving and waiting for the unknown end.”

The words end there.

I gently run my hand over that faded writing. I hold the diary tightly against my chest. “Mom, mom….” is the only word that keeps coming from my mouth. Now I am feeling something heavy in my heart. My hands tremble as I lower the diary. My tears are blurring the ink on the page. Until now I have never truly understood what my mother went through. I can clearly feel the pain behind the words she wrote. She carried so much pain inside her heart, yet she continues to smile for us. Though she is no longer by my side, her memories are still surviving in my heart and within the pages of this diary. Every word she wrote is filled with love for us. I am truly amazed by her courage and how she kept hope alive because of a single place. She will always be my role model. Life may flow on its own, but it is our hope and positivity that make it beautiful and prosperous.

About the Competition

The Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026 by Hashtag Kalakar is a prestigious event celebrating creative expression across diverse genres. It invites participants from around the world to share their literary talents, fostering a global community of writers and poets. The competition provides a platform for emerging voices to be heard, encouraging artistic exploration and the sharing of personal stories that resonate universally.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to K.Thushaleny for sharing "Hiroshima's journey towards the dawn" with us. Your narrative, woven with themes of hope and resilience, adds a meaningful layer to the Global Poetry and Creative Writing Competition 2026. Thank you for allowing us to glimpse into the profound journey of healing and renewal.

About Hashtag Kalakar

Hashtag Kalakar is a creative platform dedicated to providing artists, writers, singers and other creative talents with opportunities to showcase their work and reach wider audiences through competitions, features and creative initiatives.