Reality Reaction
Sly grins, loose laughter
Nike's stacked up on the desktop
Eyelids sagging as pop melodies melt through the tunnel in my head
That coveted lunch period almost at its fatality
The door to our clandestine escape of a classroom clicks open
The pleats of a skirt swish their way into liberation
Casual conversation,
Contractions,
Youthful molding of the English language flows too easily from her mouth
"Did you hear...?"
A common question.
The secret universe surrounding my resting heartbeat continues
The chatter
Laptop blaring auto-tuned noise
Life-or-death gossip I am barely giving the attention it begs for
Assumptions
And then,
Tapping
Low, but definite- familiar
Almost soothing to the mind...
Dub-step cuts off mid-song
"Shhhhhh!!"
"Just watch"
Girls unmoved
"This is CNN broadcasting live from Newtown Elementary School..."
Newtown? Why Newtown?
Confused glances.
Stephanie lives in Newtown...
"So far there have been no confirmed fatalities"
Relief and curiosity...
More rapid clicking
"This is Fox News..."
White collared shirts huddled tightly in front of the minuscule Dell screen...
"There are parents searching for their children..."
This just in..."
Something about a gun.
"...reportedly 12 have been shot..."
Hearts too still for wet eyes.
Bell rings. No movement in the parkway on the other side of the glass.
A twisted handle and pulling motion expose our hideout
Ginger steps about the lockers, now feeling foreign
Everything- empty
Room 315- clear
Library- nothing
Hide-and-go-seek
Eyes peek into the chapel
Find people, but no faces.
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