Fragments of Silent Street

The first time Em saw a zeppelin it took her breath away. It must have had the same effect on everyone standing in that crowded London street – because it stopped still. Nothing could have been more uncanny – the horses stopped pulling the carriages and carts, the hawkers stopped shouting their wares – lovers and friends stopped conversations mid-sentence and even the birds became silent. People stopped where they stood and universally threw their heads backs to gaze at the sight – like sunflowers faced towards the sun.

The zeppelin itself blocked out the sun – drifting slowly above them almost silently. It was so low that Em felt that she could almost have hit it had she thrown something, but as the sinister shadow fell over them coldness and fear filled their hearts – Em and the people around her were being sized up by a giant predator – but were paralysed and powerless. It moved with such heavy grace. On that occasion the zeppelin had moved on and the street started up again with a collective sigh – but other London streets had not been so lucky.