Long Way Down — I Want Out

09:09:09 a.m.

I WANT OUT.

The door opened slowly,

the cloud of smoke

rushing out of the elevator,

rushing out of me like an angry wave.

I caught my breath as

Buck,

Dani,

Uncle Mark,

Pop,

Frick,

and Shawn

chased behind it.

The L button no longer lit.

I stood alone

in the empty box,

face tight from

dried tears,

jeans soggy,

a loaded gun

still tucked in my waistband.

Shawn

turned back toward me,

eyes dull from death but shining from tears,

finally spoke to me.

Just two words,

like a joke he’d been saving.