The room went silent.
Lips like magnets, held together with
a force so difficult to pull apart.
Fists clenched together, sweating palms,
fingers cramping.
Anxiety filling the room like a scent.
A gust of smoke devoured the classroom,
Throats of students began to itch.
A boy with a flashback
Knew the exact taste of the breath
of flames.
He began to cough.
Breaking the silence like sheets of ice dropped upon by a pin.
Attention was brought full-on to what the future held,
Are you okay?
I think a fire is starting.
That's a harsh accusation to make.
Smoke dancing through the nostrils of
each person in the room
Finally, the fear became visible.
Feet scattered the floor outdoors,
Men in uniforms
Clunking through the halls with heavy feet,
A fire had taken over the school,
With a hose like an elephant's trunk,
Splashing throughout the building
like a wave.