A free bird leaps on the back
Of the wind and floats downstream
Till the current ends and dips his wing
In the orange suns rays
And dares to claim the sky
It was a bit surprising, but quickly, although she'd just fallen asleep, Sanaa's mind found its way into dream mode. Phantasmagoric colors faded in and out of sight like a flag waving in the breeze, she saw beautifully illustrated storybook pictures of lions and tigers and bears. Soon, however, her dreams of peace and wonder changed; now she was alone on a hill, it's grass dead and withered, almost black; there was no sun in this place, she noticed. Everything was dull and dry, other than the sky. It was a burning red, a blood red that chilled her to the bone. She wheeled around, startled by a sound; birds, crows, ravens, all cawing a melancholy song, a song of death and despair. What she saw next horrified her more than anything she'd ever witnessed. There, lying mangled and bloodied on the ground...No, it couldn't be; this was a dream, it wasn't real. He'd just been with her a moment ago, hadn't he?Sanaa screamed and turned back around, collapsing, sobbing. She'd seen him, it was real. Markus, on the ground, dead and cold, holding her teddy bear...Stuffing was strewn everywhere, fluffy and white, some turned red from the blood. What had happened to him? A voice called to her, a voice very familiar, a voice she hated with every ounce of her being.
"Suffering. Hatred. Pain. It's war, Sanaa. And how did it all start? Wipe that startled look off your face this instant, missy!" Her father yelled, threatening to hit her. Where had he come from? She cowered, taking cover by placing her hands on her face.
"You and I both know the answer. Keep smiling, girl, or this is gonna be your future. Just pretend everything's alright, that's the way to prevent this unfortunate event. I'll be watching you, girl. Smile. Oh, and, I don't want to ever see you talking to this monster again. I'd be happy to make sure that the next time you see him, he looks like this." He was gone, just like that, after kicking Markus' body and smiling.
Sanaa bolted upright, making the tent tip over, and screamed, her eyes glazed over with tears. It was a nightmare, followed by a night terror; the worst possible combination of subconscious processes that could ail her that night. She screamed and cried and yelled and sobbed, not fully conscious, not realizing what was going on. She was forced to sit there, reliving her worst experiences, living a possible future, watching the one person she actually slightly cared about be treated like a dog - being treated like...like...No. He was back, tormenting her.
"Daddy, no, please, please! Daddy! I will, I will, I promise! Just don't hurt him! Please, don't hurt Markus! I'll do anything!" She yelled, her body going limp although she still screamed, on and on and on.
The caged bird sings with
A fearful trill of things unknown
But longed for still and his
Tune is heard on the distant hill
For the caged bird sings of freedom.