Everyone hit the floor

Bang! Bang!! Bang!!! Bang!!!! Bang!!!!! ?????

Everyone hit the floor.

It was an ordinary Friday evening. ?

I was waiting to enter a store at a suburban mall.

I was there to get my watch repaired.

But then, gunshots erupted.

Sheltering on the ground, I contemplate.

Stay on the floor in the open, or hurry into the nearest store?

I stay low and run into a store.

There, employees and customers rush to hide in a storage area.

I follow. ??

The fire alarm siren is blaring.

I feel like I’m in a movie.

In the storage area, I reassess.

The gunshots sounded close.

Is there an active shooter?

In the storage area, I feel cornered.

I look for alternatives.

A fire escape.

I make a split-second decision.

I run down the stairs, not knowing where it will lead.

At the bottom, there’s an exit.

Am I safer in the building or outside?

I take my chances and run.

There are others outside, hiding behind dumpsters and vehicles.

People are panicking. ? ?

I keep moving.

The further from the mall, the better.

Emergency vehicles are speeding onto the scene.

My car is in the parking lot.

Do I get it?

What if the shooter is there?

I leave the car.

I wonder, is anyone injured or dead?

Away from the mall, I feel safer.

I incessantly check my phone for updates.

An hour later, the story hits the news.

The incident was isolated.

It happened on the first level, right below where I was.

But one person is dead, and another is injured.

I’m reminded of the power of decisions and the fragility of life.

Did I make the right moves at the mall?

Why did this happen?

The smallest decisions can change your life forever.

I ponder, am I living the life I desire?

Tomorrow isn’t guaranteed.

Give it your all today. ?

Q – Do you believe in power of decisions and the fragility of life?