The biting wind howled through the cracked windows of Fatima’s house, mirroring the icy chill creeping into her heart. It was another day of the gas shortage, the kitchen a desolate wasteland, the aroma of freshly baked roti a distant memory. Her children shivered in their thin jackets, their eyes pleading for warmth.
Fatima remembered a time when winters were a time for cozy gatherings, the warmth of the hearth radiating comfort. Now, it was a constant struggle for survival. The gas cylinder, their lifeline, had run dry days ago. The thought of a hot bath was a luxury she couldn’t afford, let alone the flickering warmth of a gas heater.
“Ammi, when will the gas come back?” her youngest, a boy of five, whimpered, his breath misting in the frigid air. Fatima had no answer. The government’s promises were as hollow as the empty gas cylinder.
Every winter brought this despair. The power outages, the water shortages, the air thick with smog – it felt like a constant battle against the elements, a battle they were destined to lose. The government, oblivious to their plight, resided in their ivory towers, their lives cushioned by privilege.
Fatima recalled the news reports – surplus electricity, the government boasting of its energy prowess. Yet, they offered no solutions for the people. No subsidies for efficient electric heaters, no incentives for solar panels, no support for a struggling populace.
Frustration simmered within her. Why couldn’t they see? Why couldn’t they understand the daily struggles of ordinary people? The constant drain on their meager resources, the gnawing anxiety of uncertain futures.
That night, huddled under a mountain of blankets, Fatima dreamt of a different future. A future where winters brought warmth, not despair. A future where the government served its people, not its own interests. A future where hope wasn’t a distant mirage, but a tangible reality.
But as the wind howled outside, a chilling reality set in. Hope, like the gas, seemed to have vanished, leaving behind only a bitter taste of discontent.
