Friday, February 11, 2011

Riot

My creativity has been on hiatus the last week or two and it's made the Red Dress Club prompts a lot trickier than they should be.

This week, we've been given the first and last line and have to fill in the rest. I don't know. I guess we'll see how it goes...




I could never have imagined finding myself in the middle of a riot, but there I was. 

At first, it seemed like nothing more than a large crowd of rude shoving concert-goers. It wasn't until a wayward elbow connected with my head that it occurred to me something was very wrong.

"This way!" Amy grabbed my hand and began tunneling through the crowd. We ducked to avoid the beer bottles that now flew freely and abundantly through the air.

Chancing a glance over my shoulder, I gasped. People jumped on top of one another, a sea of fists and kicking feet and then someone brandished what looked like a small knife. It was a guy who'd been standing next to me just a moment before.

Amy's hand released mine and panic overwhelmed me. There were people everywhere. Angry, scary, weapon-wielding people that seemed to have no other agenda than creating commotion. The band fled the stage. I'd almost forgotten they were even there.

I pushed on, weaving and ducking and dodging and desperately searching for signs of my friend. But she had vanished.

I burst into the open, gulping fresh air and heaving a sudden surge of sobs as I collapsed to my knees in a wave of relief and lingering fear and a sudden realization that I had no idea where I was.

"Amy?" I whispered desperately. Hundreds of screaming, angry people drowned out my pitiful plea. I could barely hear my own voice.

"There you are!" She found me then, relief and beer across her face.

"I don't know what happened," I said. "You were gone."

"I thought the worst when I lost you so I tried to go back, but there were just too many people." 

The shouts grew louder. We needed to get out of there.

"Okay," Amy said, "which way to the subway station?"

We looked up and down the square, searching for signs of something familiar. Which is when it occurred to both of us that we'd arrived from the other way.

The subway station was on the other side of the tumult which was still growing and inching closer to us.

Then the whole world shifted.

7 comments:

Valerie Boersma said...

I don't think any one could have made this sound any more terrifying than you did! It made me glad that I'm here at home sitting on my sofa. Great job!

And how have I not found your blog before? Well I'm glad I have now:)

{Stephanie}The Drama Mama said...

I want to know more. Why did the riot start? What happens next? Great piece of writing.

--The Drama Mama

Cheryl said...

That was scary. So scary to be in that situation, with no way out. I think you did a good job with this!

Anonymous said...

Terrifying how out of control the situation got. And how quickly!

You did a great job relaying the fear and the anxiety. And the sense of doom that they were no closer to escape.

(Visiting from TRDC.)

Jennifer said...

Oh lord to get out of that situation and realize you are still trapped. How terrifying!

Lisa @ Two Bears Farm said...

Doesn't seem like your creativity is on hiatis at all! Interesting piece. I think you did a nice job with creating the feeling of the situation through description.

J.J. in L.A. said...

"Then the whole world shifted."

Awesome hook! This could be the first chapter of a Steven King(ish) novel.