From Childhood Joy to Hurricane Hell

Mallikarjuna
2 min readJan 10, 2024

--

“If you were to ask me what my favorite thing in this world is, I used to say, 'it’s rain' 💦. From my childhood, whenever rain came, I would play with my friends and brothers, enjoying my favorite coffee while watching the rain. I developed a habit of sleeping near the window during the rainy season for a peaceful sleep.

A few years ago, on a typical Sunday, rain started pouring in my city. People were happy as it meant better crop growth. I, too, was delighted to see the rain, a familiar joy from my childhood. However, now as a grown-up with a child of my own, my shyness kept me indoors, still cherishing the climate I loved since childhood.

That night, I slept warmly under a blanket, undisturbed until morning. Upon waking, my father urged me to watch TV for hurricane updates. After the news, we discussed our crops. If the rain persisted for three days, we might lose this year's crop and face financial difficulty.

The following day, despite being daytime, it was as dark as night. Looking at the sky, I saw dark clouds covering it like a menacing devil 😈, instilling fear of the rain for the first time. For two days, we didn't leave the house, exhausting our food supplies.

No one was visible outside, and that night, we slept in fear. The next day, people in my village started evacuating to higher ground as water slowly crept into our houses. Our fear heightened each day, like a rising temperature.

That morning, an announcement advised us to leave low-lying areas, creating a painful choice. My father, after 40 years of struggle building our home, faced the heart-wrenching decision to leave our belongings and fellow villagers behind.

My father and I tried to salvage as much as possible, but water entered our house. Fortunately, we shifted remaining family members to a safe place. Saving lives took precedence over belongings, despite their sentimental value. I lost my educational certificates, my pet, a collection of old coins, my mother's first gift, my grandmother's only picture, and much more.

With the help of neighbors and rescue teams, we reached a safe place. It took many days to return to my collapsed house and months to rebuild our lives. In this hellish hurricane, I witnessed people suffering without food and water, tears of pain for lost loved ones and wealth.

Until that point, I was unaware of true hunger and pain."

Follow to unravel the symphony of words, where knowledge meets emotion, and untold tales find a voice. Let’s traverse the pages together and explore the world woven through ink. Join the journey – every word a step, every follower a companion. 📖

--

--

Mallikarjuna
Mallikarjuna

Written by Mallikarjuna

Aspiring writer crafting stories and poems to evoke emotions and spark imagination. Transforming thoughts into words, weaving tales that resonate with the heart

Responses (1)