The crowd swelled and billowed out
a thousand panicked footfalls
pushing, stamping, trampling

Some one had set off firecrackers in the foot tunnel
on the 4th of July
and they even had a friend fall backward
so it looked like a gunshot
hell, it sounded like a gun shot

The wave of [people]
fled for their lives,
as if they had ever been in danger

A man broke his leg
someone fainted
and people vomited, screamed, fought

But me?

I saw the kid who did it.

Some laughing ringleader
starting **** all night
Fight or flight response- in an adrenaline haze,
they had all chosen to flee
but me?
I almost reached out
and broke his nose