Code Red

Imagine having one fire drill a month
but only having one active shooter drill a year 
i’m sitting in my fourth period math class and i hear the concerning ring of the fire alarm
the sensors have slipped up for the sixth time this year
it’s fine whatever will get me out of class 
right?
we walk from the building 
not even in single file 
ignoring the warning sign
by talking to friends 
listening to music 
to block out the ear splitting noise 
people are laughing
smiling
holding each other’s hand 
But i see no seriousness in sight 
my eyes blinded by the ignorance
This is a drill to prepare us for a catastrophe 
A drill to prepare us for the worst thing that could possibly happen
Ring 
Ring 
Ring 
Isn’t it funny that I’ve heard that annoying ring  six separate times 
but only once have I heard 
attention this is the code red drill this is a code red drill 
the unrealistic expectation that everyone will tell us what to do where to go and how to do it 
not waiting until 945 for an announcement to come on 
telling me to lock the door hide and stay quiet
what if I’m in the bathroom 
what if I’m in the hall and no one will open the door
 realistically I would be eating lunch walking in the hall 
or waiting to go to class 
they teach us stop drop and roll before I ABC’s what do I do if there’s a shooter after me
why do we keep practicing things that are happening so inconsistently 
when we should adapt to the changes around us recognize things aren’t the same as decades before us
The last time someone died in a school fire was in 1958 
the last time a student died in a school shooting was November 26, 2019 
just a few days  ago another innocent life was taken at the hands of a monster 
its sad you never know when it’s going to happen next 
what’s worse than practicing only once a year is the fact we have to practice at all 
no what’s worse is 
is that you never know if your next 
you’ll never know if you’re going to be grasping onto life 
because
these monsters lurk in our halls 
our churches 
in our own classes 
we can never tell them apart until 
it’s too late.