The slain animal

She sat scratching the earth
beneath her feet
with a toe,
nervous;
her eyes staring into a deep silence.
She pulled her petite body up
with great effort,
as if encumbered
with centuries of baggage,
dragged across the courtyard,
dragging it back
before slumping back
into desperate dejection.

'Have you heard from him?'
'from any of them?'
Asks a neighbour.
'His phone is switched off'
she said,
before breaking down into tears!
Centuries of silence and suffering
flowing down her eyes!

'What is it?'
I ask,
'they were to slay the animal today',
'there's news of a raid in the village'
I am told.

It was only yesterday
that they were together!
That handsome young boy,
in a skull cap!