Hold On

By: Kiana Shaffer

It’s said that when we see someone that catches our eyes we radiate towards them like magnets. I float across the room and gently step down, you grab my hand and all that we have in common at that point is our great smiles. You mouth begins to form the words “hello, whats your name” and then like a loud crash a gun goes off and I collapse to the ground. You have my hand but as I turn to look back at you time begins to slow down, your face displays emotions that I’m not aware of. Since it’s the first time I have met you I think you’re scared just like me, and was my hand just a hand or was it a mutual feeling? My ears are pounding as we crawl towards the dining room table you flip it over without letting go. We quiver as one as you shield me from this violent being, I feel your breathing in and out fast and then slow as you tried to calm yourself down. I imagine if this hadn’t happen if the last minute didn’t exist, what would we be talking about? When I turned to you to ask you your name I saw tears forming in your eyes. I felt my eyes and they were already wet, I didn’t want this to be the end of my short lived life, I had so many plans and dreams.

I was only 23 years old. I hadn’t heard the screaming until the gun started going off again, I screamed STOP STOP PLEASE STOP. I looked at you and your face turned white, now was the time to act or come up with a brilliant escape route. That is when time caught up and its said when this happens it moves extra fast to catch up. That’s when I felt your hand slip away as we jumped up and headed towards the door. You fell fast and hard like nothing I had seen before. I jumped over you and headed for the door but I looked back and that is when it was over. I felt my body concave and hit the wall behind me, as I slid down slowly, the last thing I saw was your hand reaching for me as we both closed our eyes together.