silence silence in the heart of a thousand cries all alone among those whose hearts cry out in agony the silent pitch gains volume and she has to press her hands to her ears she wakes up and stumbles along through the rubble her dress is tattered, she is covered in white dirt she is numb and feels no pain in the wound on her left leg the picture of her mother laying motionless... she blanks it out and now limps among wailing souls she feels a hand upon her shoulder but walks on half unconscious, her arms hanging loose at her sides she can hear her heartbeat now in this virtual silence someone dressed in white steps in front of her and stops her holding her by the shoulders she stops walking, she stops thinking she longs to stop breathing; mother... and she is in front of her, her mommy her smile comforting as she looks into her eyes she involuntarily hiccups a stifled sob; oh mother.. it will be all right, her mother says mom, she calls out and the lady in white embraces the little sou...