Eventide By Yu Lynn

Like a great fluffy blanket, night fell on Citta

Delle Tenebre removing any and all evidence of

light instantly. It was pitch black, they type where

one’s eyes can’t adjust to. Usually one can see

the piercing light of a flashlight, but a flashlight

was useless against the overruling darkness. The

last speck of snow had fallen to the ground.

Everything seemed to pause, even time. Nothing

moved, nothing stirred, no noise was made, and it

was as if the dark little city was listening

intently. But for what? What is everybody waiting

for? It was so silent you could hear a pin drop.

Seconds past„ minutes past„ the air was tense

and filled with uncertainty.

BAM! The sound of a door slamming filled the

tense air, but if one was to look around none of

the doors had budged or even made a sound.

Children pressed their cheeks on the surrounding

clear glass; the city was stuck in a big black box.

Must be them humans.

“Joshua, honey, its time for school!” the

voice of the lady human could be heard, and then

we heard the running footsteps. She woke Joshua

up, with a kiss on the cheek and the opening of the

curtains; this was their daily routine. Our city sat

on the bedside table; everyone in their places,

standing so still, smiling so hard, it hurt their

cheeks. “Wish me luck!” the city was picked up and

shaken around, snow flakes falling, drifting

down to the ground. It was like a safe, peaceful

earthquake that brought the world tumbling

upside-down.

As per usual, the city was left alone in

Joshua’s empty bedroom. Everyone was relieved

of stiff joints and sore cheeks, the sunlight

streaming through the curtains, creating a

spotlight on the hustle and bustle of life in the

city.

Joshua was the city’s cute little boy who

gets away with everything. Everybody loved him

unconditionally. His favourite book series was

Harry Potter, every night without fail the lady

human would sit on his bed and read to him at

least a page. The city was given to Joshua by his

granny,

The peaceful earthquakes seemed to happen

less frequent, and then stopped happening

altogether. The city started collecting dust;

citizens were growing older in their hearts, stuck

in their ageless bodies. How? Nobody knows. BB

guns replaced the city on the bedside table

Ironman replaced Harry Potter. The town was

relocated to the top shelf of the bookshelf. The

citizens usually took trips to the surrounding

glass to watch Joshua, see how he has grown,

and simply see the big changes in life. Nobody

could bear to blame him. Has it been mentioned

that Joshua was the cute kid that got away with

everything?

That was all before the city was lifted into

the shadows of the big black box. It was as if a

whale was swallowing them, sitting in its belly

for some sign of rescue. Uncertainty was starting

to seep into the bones of the citizens dark

thoughts were filling imaginations.

It was only a few days ago, but it seemed like

decades to the citizens. Footsteps were heard,

closer and closer, then the sound of a hand

moving side to side blindly, and then like a fated

car crash, the hand found the box holding the

city. Citizens gathered, family and friends, some in

bathrobes, some in suites. Everybody looked up

into the open darkness. What was happening? Then

as if something clicked, everybody rushed to his

or her assigned spots, it was like a visit to a long

lost friend.

The rumbling didn't’ stop for a very long time,

you could feel the ground bobbing up and down.

Then abruptly, it stopped. Muffled voices could be

heard, frequent words popped up “childhood

toy”, “you’re special day”, “10 years old”,

“birthday”, ”present”, “for you”. Then like dark

clouds dispersing after a rainstorm, the box lid

slid opened sunlight streaming in, blinding the

citizens for a moment. Removing any doubt in their

mind, clearing their senses, bringing warmth and

love to banish their uncertainty.

The high voice of a young boy filled the

citizens ears. “Oh My Goodness!! Your old snow

globe!! Thank you!!”