Shots Reported Poem by Kurt Beard

The phone dances its normal trill
Click and swipe I unlock the screen
The message screams out
"Shots have been reported at West Middle School"
My heart sinks
then stops frozen in my chest
Only my eyes move focusing on each word
"Shots...
Have...
Been...
Reported...
At...
West...
Middle...
School."
My heart thumps a solitary beat
My internal voice crackles out "your kids are safe"
But they are close.
Too Close.
4 miles away
3 years away
as I refresh the news site

The phone dances its normal trill
this time it's terrifying
"Police are onsite and school is on lockdown. Stand by for more info"
My heart and mind struggle between comfort and freight
as they ingest the words
"Police...
Are...
Onsite...
And...
School...
Is...
On...
Lockdown..."
But my neighbor's kids are there
are they alive?
My coworker's son is there are
is he alive?
My friend's kids are there
are they alive?
My friend is there
is he alive?
as I refresh the news site

My phone bleats out a heartchurning buzz
A harbenger of plague.
"hey man, your kids okay"
I forced myself to type
"They are safe"
The words hard to type
The power of shots fired to powerful
There are more trills
more heart stopping words
2 victims
new threat
lockdown
standby
cleared
released
safe
as I refresh the news site