The School Shooter

Published in The Avalon Review.

And on a night like any other night,
when the barkeep cut him off
when the girlfriend cut him loose
when his only option was a razor under
a flickering florescent light—

On that night like any other night,
he made his way to the gun show
where no-one really cared,
where he bought what he needed
to become whole again.

And then, on a day like any other day,
when the sun hurt too much
when breathing tore him apart
when the sharpness in his chest told him
everyone else had everything he wanted… 

On that day like any other day,
he got his bag from the show
he went to the school— 

and for 32 families, no day
would ever be the same again.