Comfort

I sit upright in bed and look outside at the foreboding clouds, hoping to see the sun again. I step into my slippers and drag myself down the stairs. I flop down at the kitchen table and stare at a wall, gathering the energy to make myself breakfast. Outside, the road is empty of cars, but people are scattered in yards and on the road. I look at the clock and see that it is almost noon.

Time has lost its power. People have nowhere to go, so they spend their days outside or inside playing games. They kill time until they no longer know what to do, waiting for the hour that they can lay their heads on their pillows and release the burden of the day.

My mom has developed a bad cough and a fever. Even though the majority of people survive, I am uncertain and anxious. Before my mom got sick, I was aware of the growing pandemic, but not horrified. I took precautions but I knew that everything would be fine. Now that someone I love so dearly is sick, I can’t think that way anymore. I feel trapped in so many ways. I want to live my life, but I know I can’t. I must constantly wash my hands, and I can’t see anyone outside of my house. I can’t go to the store to get food for my parents, and that only makes me want to do it more.

Living like this is hard for me, but it is hard for everyone. We are all going through this together. Having everyone in it helps me to think positively and stay strong. It powers me to assist my family and enjoy my time with them. Hearing encouraging words from around the globe motivates me to stay healthy and aware of everything that I may have taken for granted before.

I stand up and walk into the pantry. I find the waffle recipe and gather the ingredients. I place the waffle iron on the marble countertop and plug it in. The stainless steel shines in the light, and it beeps as it heats up. When the waffles are done cooking, I slide them onto plates for my family. We sit down and begin to eat, and the only noises I hear are those of approval and comfort.

---

Isabel Blair is a student at Quest Montessori in Narragansett, Rhode Island. She is a 2019 Write Rhode Island winner.