THE SOUND OF SILENCE

After the storm, everything was still— but not peaceful. Just... wrong. Shingles scattered like leaves. Walls torn open like someone needed to look inside. A tricycle, flipped over. Bent. One wheel spun, slow. It kept going like it didn’t notice the end of the world. A child sat near the wreckage. Barefoot. Silent. Mouth open—but no sound. I watched. Wanted to speak. But silence had teeth. And it bit down hard. Note: Grateful for a 1ST place finish in the "Silence Listens" Contest.