#WDYS — A Hole In the Sky

Fandango

Nine-year-old Altrua grunted as she pushed aside the manhole cover enough to peek out of the sewer. She couldn’t believe or even understand what she saw. Without even taking the time to close the manhole, she scampered down the ladder into the tunnel and ran toward the chamber where her extended family lived. When she got there and found her mother, she grabbed her mother’s hand and said, “I must show you something, Mother. There’s a hole in the sky.” Then she started pulling her mother into the tunnel and heading back to the ladder she had climbed before. “Go,” she said, pointing at the ladder. “Look outside.”

Elana climbed up the ladder and tentatively stuck her head out of the manhole where her daughter had partially pushed the cover aside. Elana let out an audible gasp. Tears started streaming down her cheeks as she gazed upon something she hadn’t seen in almost a decade — a small patch of blue sky and what appeared to be golden sunlight piecing the thick cloud cover.

Elana moved the manhole cover back into place and made her way down the ladder to where her daughter was waiting for her. “What is it, Momma, what did you see?” Altrua asked.

Elana hugged her daughter and said, “Quickly, we must go back and tell your father and the others. I think, at last, Altrua, I’ve seen the beginning of the end of the nuclear winter.”

Written for Sadje’s What Do You See prompt. Photo credit: Mohamed Almari @ Pexels.

23 thoughts on “#WDYS — A Hole In the Sky”

  5. newepicauthor December 5, 2022 / 5:20 pm

    The third World War was fought with exploding nuclear warheads, but the fourth one will be fought with clubs.

    Liked by 2 people

  6. Sadje December 5, 2022 / 9:54 pm

    A good story of the dystopian times Fandango. Thanks for joining in.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. Nope, Not Pam December 6, 2022 / 12:10 am

    Very powerful

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Maria Michaela December 6, 2022 / 2:19 am

    I hope we don’t have to come to that. Beautiful story, Fandango

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango December 6, 2022 / 7:38 am

      Thank you so much. 🙏

      Like

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