I’m in history class
when we hear the alarm.
It’s a drill, but not for fire,
tornadoes, or natural disasters.
The doors slam shut,
the locks click into place.
I know it’s just a drill,
but I keep thinking
my desk is too close
to the door.
I want to pretend
it can’t happen here,
but it has occurred
at countless other schools,
and not one of them
wanted it to happen, either.
I wish I didn’t have to go to school.
The walls, the door, the lock
don’t seem like enough
to keep out evil
when it’s carrying
an assault weapon.
It’s a relief when the drill ends
and we can go home.
At least we’ll be safe…
until tomorrow.
Sarah M. Prindle received an Associates in English from Northampton Community College. She loves reading everything from historical fiction and memoirs to poetry and mysteries. She hopes to someday publish her own novels and poetry collections and has already had her work published in several literary magazines and websites.