Silent Hallways

(This item was written for The Outlaw Poet's Weekly Poetry Contest.)

Silent Hallways

The halls are empty now.
The air is thick with silence.
Not so long ago,
Hundreds of footsteps
Echoed throughout the school.
Youthful laughter filled each corner.
Life was good.
All was as it should be.
And then the shots rang out.
Anger rolled through the hallways.
Anger born of pain.
Anger that returned agony
For every slight,
Every jeer.
Laughter died on that sunny afternoon.
Frivolous glances
Became empty stares.
Idle conversation
Became frightened whimpers.
Death danced through the hallways
Killing innocence,
Killing the laughter.
And then,
There was nothing but silence.
Quiet descended on the darkening hallways.
It filled the vacant stairwells
And cloaked the windows
That still stared in horror.
An uneasy peace
Gently
Wrapped itself around the wounded edifice
And Life stood still.