Don’t Tell

I give the little radio a push. Watch it fall down into the water with all the dirty dishes. I just stand there watching it drown, making loud, crackling noises. I hate that song. They shouldn’t play songs like that. What does it really mean anyway? Annoying words placed after each other like that. I hate it.

“Are you okay?”

I turn towards mum. She can’t see what I have done to the radio, it is covered with water now. Later she will get mad that it’s gone. It’s the only radio we have.

“Yeah, I’m fine.”

She doesn’t go, just stands there behind me.

“Worried about tomorrow?” she says.

“No, should I be?” I don’t look at her.

“Of course not,” she sighs, “no one is more prepared than you.”

She is still standing there. Did she hear the music stop? Did she hear the radio fall into the…