Not a Drill

At my 13-year-old’s school, phones are supposed to stay in backpacks or lockers unless there’s an emergency. So I’m surprised and a little alarmed to see several texts from her at 11:40 in the morning, even before I see why she sent them.

the police are here
there are rumors that there’s a shooting threat
we’re in shelter lockdown

I’ve had nightmares that begin with texts like this. Part of being a parent of school-age children in America. It’s all too easy to believe her messages, yet even after I read them two, three times, I can’t accept what they could mean. My fingers start typing a response before my brain can catch up.

we love you. it’s going to be okay.

I don’t know if it’s going to be okay. I do know the rumor of a threat isn’t the same thing as