WEEK 347
The crowd turned as one toward the sound of the...


...beating of the rotors high overhead. The helicopters were at first miniscule, bright points of light. Salvation, we thought. The first wave was now close enough that the massive churning blades whipped dirt and stones carelessly at our faces. Blinded by our greatest hope, we offered no resistence. The beginning of the end had surely arrived.

by Jeff Toth, Chicago, IL

...little girl's uncovered sneeze.

Immediately, fear swept across the crowd like an ocean wave assaulting a beach. Those closest to the girl began to pull away, jostling those next to them, sending a ripple of panic and shoving toward the outer boundaries of the crowd. Within minutes, sheer terror engulfed those assembled and people on the fringes took flight, fleeing with shouts and screams, which ignited the same in those still close to the girl.

As people fled the scene, leaving the park, their forgotten picnics and impromptu volleyball game equipment lying in disarray, they poured into the street, straight into heavy rush hour traffic. Squealing brakes and heavy thuds drowned the new screams as dozens were mowed down by cars, buses, and semi-trucks which were unable to stop in time.

Later, on the evening news, a survivor said, “It was terrible, but hopefully none of us caught the Swine Flu from that inconsiderate little girl.”

by Phillip Lynne, Knoxville, TN