A loud shower of rain disturbs Ameer's concentration, causing his finger to twitch. The carefully balanced screw Ameer is about to insert in the rear wheel of the model Lamborghini he's constructing slips from the tweezers, rolls around a few times before falling over the side of the desk, landing with a tiny plink somewhere under it. “Hell's bloody bells!” Ameer swears in frustration. “How am I supposed to retrieve that screw now?” he asks aloud. His pet cockatiel, Cassiopia, looks sternly at him from her perch in her cage before she screeches loudly, “Be quiet!”. His last strand of patience shattered, Ameer snaps at her in response. “You be quiet, birdbrain! Don't make me throw your cover over you and turn your day into night!” he threatens her, but only light-heartedly. He loves Cassiopia too much to ever be mean to her. As if the bird knows this, she chirps back bossily, “You and what army, hombre?” In spite of his annoyance, Ameer can't help but to laugh at the bird's sarcasm. Just as Ameer is about to bend down to look for the lost screw, his bedroom door opens. His brother, Rafeeq, stands just at the threshold, knowing he dare not set foot into Ameer's domain unless invited. “What d'ya want, shrimp?” “Mom's looking for you. She says you need to go to Uncle Ebie to fetch the vacuum cleaner,” Rafeeq blurts out, afraid of Ameer's temper. Tsking irritably, Ameer says, “Fine. I'll be down soon. I need to find a loose screw that fell under the desk.” “Oh,” Rafeeq says, then smiles mischievously. “I always knew you had a screw loose, Ameer.” Then Rafeeq runs for his life as his brother's fury explodes. From the bedroom, Cassiopia shrieks petulantly, “No loose screws here. Be quiet, I say!”

Flowers and Silences The dim darkness-the diffused light-dimness of one merging into the other-imparting more length to the long trees that are standing like stretched out shadows wearing stars in their hair- silence is imparting more depth to the darkness in this advaita where darkness is merged into silence, my mind wakes up, now not only sound but even a ray of light is a violent disturbance to the profoundness of peace- in such moments deep truths unveil themselves-now I realize it is not sound but in silence melody lives- I am born out of flowers and silences- while passing my hand brushed against a flower, I asked 'are you bruised? ‘‘Me or you' smiling, the flower questioned back- the heart of my pen broke and split blood; - I do not know which paper can bear this pen- In the gigantic silences of forests, which touch the blue skies, the carpenter bird pecks at the trunks of great trees which echo, far reaching sounds-what can he do among the tiny crotons? I ate days like fruits-now I eat drops of tears like grapes- frightened by the sun took refuge under shades-sitting on the pavement eating dreams from eyes like ice cream with spoons- measuring my life with dark evenings- I distributed my wealth once with metres, now I scatter with handfuls my future letting it fly in all directions-I washed my heart in tears and dried it over poetry- walked past wearing people on my body like shawls-in the assemblies of flames; in countries abroad I raised my gypsy voice and sang mixing earth and sky- this country is the graveyard of my genius- however fast I walk the distance remains the same. This land is thirsty for my blood, it is snoring in the little shades of pigmy trees- I picked my pen and dipped it in the sun to write a summer song for my nation- - Seshendra Sharma http://seshendrasharma.weebly.com

At the end of 2019, an unknown storm of virus hit our mother Earth, for we had never ever seen before, emergency and hospital are working day and night. The shop was shut, the school was shut, everything in the whole world seem stop to me, the time is frozen outside, no one was even out, no dogs are barking, no cars are honking, everything is just so quiet and peaceful, but we human beings felt like we are falling into a deep black shadowy night. A night we may never came out or never end. In the early of 2020, once the red and noisy street turns into silent, mysterious and foggy old towns, what can we say? The virus are keep on spreading and corrodes people's heart, defeating the psychological defense, breaking our down into pieces and eaten our all, but we are keep on standing up, we are keeping on fight them, unsung heroes are trying their best to fight back, to break the fog in front of us, to end this terrible and horrible night...... We as Chinese been the first people to guarantee and stay at home, always wear masks, the unbreakable cage locked us down in this situation and trying even to break into it, "Boop, boop, boop." Every heartbeat in my life at this time is hard, quick and strong, even nervous, willing to come out. But I keep it inside me, I try to let myself com down, because life is brutal, life is unforgiving, if at this this very very dark and shadowy night, you say:"Nope, I cannot handle this anymore, I cannot, I feel so down, I feel so upset, I just want to give up."Well, that is how I start to feel at the middle of the pandemic, I want to go out, I am desire to feel the nature, to explore the life, and not just spent days in my home, taking online lesson, I feel desperate and many of my friends are also feeling so, but this is very true and very actual. So bring this feeling I made it to the March, when I finally relief and understand, I start to don't care about when the pandemic is going to end or not, and I start to not wishing that there will be an end for this pandemic, and I think it is kind good for me, because I start to do more and more new things, drawing, exercising and thinking on or a better way. After the relief in my heart, it is kind of weird, the pandemic seem end, the light of the sun shine, symbolized the end of the long and silence night, people are congratulating and showing happiness, but I think the silence night ends.

'It's been a good year for the roses', by George Jones is playing loudly through the cassette player. As I toss and turn lying nervously alone in my bed. Praying that I can fall asleep before everything gets bad. Before my dad gets shit-faced wasted. Before my mother gets her ass beat again. This same routine happened every single day. As if I were an actual re-run playing on my t.v. But this night was different from all the rest. I didn't just lay there in fear. Dressed in my well worn Barbie night gown, down the hallway I fled. Attempting to help mommy, afraid if I didn't then soon she'd be dead. "Daddy stop", I screamed. And low and behold, he actually listened to me. Suddenly a feeling of peace came over me. And just as fast as it came, he took it right back. I was told to sleep between mommy and daddy that night. Is this my reward for being so brave? Although I finally knew what it felt like with being content with my surroundings, it only lasted for a very short time. It was within thirty minutes when I felt daddy's hand caress me. He was being nice but yet it still just didn't feel right . After playing like I was asleep for so long, I started to actually doze off.. But daddy's hand wouldn't allow me. I wake up at the sound of an alarm clock and literally sit straight up. Startled at the memory of last night's despair. Frightened at the thought of what may happen next. Although I probably should have cried, I didn't. I didn't have time. Emotions are running wild. The school bus would be here soon. Relieved to be leaving home but at the same time I'm not ready to face the mean black kids at school. When I was at school I wanted to go home. When I was at home I wanted to go to school. But never did I want to be where I was at . 'I just wanna go home' I spoke aloud. Lying alone in my bed. Tears soaked my cheeks. Feelings of confusion and loneliness consumed me. On so many occasions I recall lying in bed alone and scared thinking out loud to myself. I guess you could say I was praying. Crying out for help. Though no one could hear me if I wanted them to with the loud music that was always playing.