Tears in the Sky

a poem by Sandhya

(Based on Indian Airline Hijacking)

Head down, seeing only blackness
A tight cloth covering my eyes
As I sit, I wonder what,
The outside world things, what it feels
I don’t want pity, no sympathy
I want to be free, to escape
From the clutches of evil.

Unable to stretch, my body feels weak
I’m no longer scared, but tired and irritable
Feeling an urgent need to go home, to feel safe
My mind races through peace and tranquility
Where my body feels weak and insecure

I feel my head being lifted, as I look up
I see evil, evil holding a blade to my throat
My heart beats loudly, pounding like,
A hammer hitting a nail,
Pounding because of fear of death

I wonder desperately why I’m being threatened
Though my curiosity does not take over my fear
And so, I remain silent.

Suddenly, I feel a huge pain in my neck
I can’t breathe; I’m struggling for air
I take small breaths, trying to fight off,
The exhilarating pain
The more I try to relieve the pain,
The sharper it becomes
Striking each part of my body like a bullet

I see red, my hand reaches out to touch it
I feel it to be blood, my own, sweet young blood
I don’t try to fight off the immense pain
I know too well that this is the feeling,
The feeling of torturous death
Torture – this is my last thought
As I plunge into blackness – death.