Page 13--Bomb Scare During Fantasia 2000--Taegan Harker

The announcement comes quietly in the last twenty minutes,
of seventy, right in the middle of the Firebird Suite.

We stay where we are. Mom and I say nothing to each other,
but lean a little closer.
The other few members of the audience murmur,
but still face the screen.
We watch the Firebird. We watch the credits.
We watch them graciously re-run the reel for us.
Gershwin plays again.

What’s happening out there?
I’m twelve, and the youngest here.
Preoccupied with numbers, counting up, counting down.

Even after three hours we sit in silence.
There must be silence for the screen.
There must be silence, phones must be turned off.
We watch the Carnival of the Animals again.
We watch the inappropriate yo-yo.
We say nothing. Am I the only one who can’t buy escapism right now?
What’s happening out there?
Maybe I’m the only one here wondering
if eight-foot dancing flamingos will be the last thing we see.