04/14/14

We are in a sunbaked parking lot, dry heat steaming up from the cracks in the pavement as the bright bright concrete reflects the glaring sun into my eyes. I breathe deeply, wishing there was moisture in the air, before ducking into a large, metal gym. The heat is almost worse inside, the air staler, but the glare is gone at least. No windows. I hear a metal cage descend over the building (structural reinforcement?) but ignore it and push open a series of heavy, hot, metal doors. I finally find the roller derby game, and drag myself up onto the metal bleachers which are burning hot, despite being in the shade. I watch with heavy-lidded eyes. I could do this. Be a roller derby girl. I could. "THE DOORS ARE LOCKED." I hear a scream. The metal cage. I was so blind. I see my brother from across the gym--how did he get here? No. God no. Not Joseph. I run to doors and began delivering blows to the thinnest section of the thick, hot metal. It does not bend. There is no glare, because there are no windows. I lift my head, sweat rolling down my neck and stinging in the creases of my skin. The metal cage will crush us. Slowly crush the whole gym like a giant wad of paper. Will we all be forced into the center, alive, pressed together in a giant fleshy, writhing, sweating, screaming glob of humans before being crushed into each other to death? Or will some die on the outskirts, crushed in the folding bleachers? Between doors? Someone shouts "IT GIVES" and we all start moving towards some doors that have been blown out, letting in the scalding sun and dusty, heavy air. Some of the kids are in basketball uniforms and linger in the gym. "Ha, while everyone is out we will stay in and have a REAL game of basketball." My throat is dry. My eyes are wet with dried up tears. No liquid, just stinging salt. "Joseph...please," I choke out, in the most pleading voice I have ever heard. He looks up, wide-eyed and terrified and begins moving towards me as I start shaking in relief. We will live to see another day out in the sun that will burn off our skin. I take his hand. We walk through the door as I fight the urge to run away screaming. We are free.

Awaken.