That’s a somebody else,
god bless them,
situation.
Thoughts and prayers
on repeat
for 24 hours.
An innocuous
holiday trip
to the mall.
Thank you,
we’re just browsing
the belts.
Crowds of shoppers,
outside the store,
inside the mall —
We’re all inside
these four walls
now screaming.
Clutching the browsed belts,
we crouch and cower
inside the counter square,
Where the young cashier
holds hands
with us.
Shots were firing,
people were screaming,
fleeing the scene.
We stayed contained
behind our counter,
safe by mere chance.
We chose the right store
at the wrong time
situation.