Flashback

“Look, Mummy. There’s an airplane up in the sky.”

Details remain. Red interior, broken CD case, confusing album artwork.

“Did you see the frightened ones
Did you hear the falling bombs”

Daddy hums along as the black truck backs out of the driveway.

“Did you ever wonder
Why we had to run for shelter
When the promise of a brave new world
Unfurled beneath a clear blue sky”

The words drift about not completely understood, yet with a feeling of inexplicable sadness. Inexplicable, at least, to the mind of a five year old.

“Did you see the frightened ones
Did you hear the falling bombs”

What’s a bomb? And why are those monsters trying to break through the brick wall in the little picture book?

“The flames are all long gone
But the pain lingers on
Goodbye blue sky”

Glittering stars dot the darkening twilight and Daddy’s black truck speeds across the bridge. Still he hums.

“Goodbye blue sky
Goodbye
Goodbye”