CHAPTER 2
Brittney
I’m moving up the street, picking up my pace. My dad called earlier and told me he didn’t want me in the parade area when it started. I stayed a little too long and now the parade’s just about to get underway.
I’m not worried, but I am concerned. There have been too many terrorist attacks lately and my dad’s right…even with a huge police and military presence today, bad guys can slip through the cracks.
It breaks my heart too because I love what our armed forces stand for. I love it so much that I finally discovered my calling my last year in high school. Now I’m starting my first year at college. My grades were good enough to get into CUNY - John Jay College of Criminal Justice. I’m doubling up in criminal justice and political science. I want to go into public service. That’s my dream.
I can just feel the presence and the power of all being surrounded by all these men and women in uniform today. Out of respect I even dressed up to come here. I knew they’d be dressed to the nines, so I should be too. It’s good practice. Soon I want to be on the other side, and not necessarily just working with them as a civilian government service employee. Maybe I’ll be a police officer or military member. A civilian working in the sector is just as appealing. There are so many choices, and I’m looking forward to my studies teaching me about all of them.
Right now the only choices I have are which people to try and maneuver in-between. It’s a jungle here. Paradegoers are packed in like sardines, which raises my nervousness a little. I don’t have anxiety, but I think I’m about to develop it if I don’t get out of here real quick.
I’ve got a tiny bottle of pepper spray in the palm of my hand. I’ve got my fingers wrapped around it making sure it stays concealed, but if anything unexpected and threatening does happen, at least I can buy myself some time.
Why am I so worried? A woman’s intuition is real, and something just doesn’t feel right at the moment. I don’t like this one bit. I hear a car engine start just in front of me. Are there floats in this parade? I listen more carefully. That’s not a car engine. It’s something bigger. That must be one of those big machines that pulls the floats.
I keep walking toward it. Maybe it will move forward, opening a path for me that I can follow behind. That would be extremely lucky timing, and perfect.
People start stepping back, allowing the float to turn around. It give me more space to move toward it. If I can make it right in front of where he’s heading it will be perfect. He’ll make a big sweeping turn, and then I can follow him out. I just need to get in front of him, in regards to where he is right now. With everyone moving out of the way, that should be a piece of cake.
I hear a woman scream and I freeze in my tracks. Shit! What’s happening?
Think Brittney. Think. What does dad always say. “Assess the situation.”
It’s hard to assess when people are running in every direction.
I hear the engine on the float rev as he redlines the RPMs. I’ve got to get out of here, now!
I wait for the float to turn, but he doesn’t. He’s coming right at me!
I turn and the only thing behind me is a wall. I don’t have time to get out of the way.
Only one option. Wait until he’s right in front of me, stay centered, and hit the deck!
I brace myself.
Suddenly a blue blur comes shooting out of nowhere and smashes into the side of the passenger’s side of the float. I hear metal on metal and glass break.
The body pulls himself inside the window and lunges on top of the driver.
I’m preparing to get down, and the last thing I see is the man in blue’s arm reach up, as his hand takes the wheel, pulling it to the side where everyone has run from, and just inches from me.
I hear the brakes engage and a loud screeching as the tires lock up and slide across the pavement. The float fishtails and changes course into the abandoned portion of the parade route. It slides sideways a good fifteen feet before crashing into the side of a building.
I’m terrified like never before. I take off running in a dead sprint. I see an empty side street. I cut down it as I hear sirens behind me.
I keep running, and running, and running.
No way a car’s getting near here. The police will have this place locked down. I have to get out of foot, and fast.
I run until I can’t run anymore. I’ve gone at least a mile on adrenaline alone. I see a cab and raise my hand belly button high to flag him. I can’t raise it any further. I’m completely drained. I’m a sweaty mess, panting. My chest is heaving.
“Get in!”
I open the door and collapse into the back seat.
“Are you okay?”
“Yeah. What happened?” I ask the driver.
“Terrorist attack. Buckle up. We’re getting out of here.”
He floors it and I feel my body collapse into the seat. I feel lucky to still be alive.
The man in blue saved my life.