The Riot

I look to sky. The wonderful, calming sky. The sky that I knew would help me wait, just by gazing at the clouds. But as I open my eyes to the wondrous sight that awaits me, I see not the weirdly shaped clouds that would help my impatience. No, I see dull grey clouds that were all clumped together. And to make everything worse the clouds started spitting water. I tore my eyes away from the dripping sky and looked to the others who were experiencing this torture with me. Except they weren't. As far as my eyes could see, people had umbrellas and phones to keep their beastly impatience at bay. I sighed trying to move closer under someone's umbrella. Who knew it would take this long to- 

"HEY!" I shouted, someone interrupted my thoughts as they barged in front of me.

"I have been waiting for hours you can't cut in front of me." I yelled not caring about all of the stares directed my way. The guy turned around to face me, thinking that because he is old I would let it go, but I didn't back off. He was tall, but skinny and had a long wispy beard that made his sharp eyes, that held an unwavering confidence in his superiority, stand out. Guys like him sometimes needed to be told off. And I was not someone who was afraid to do it. So what I was a 20-year-old man, I would care if an elderly man cut in, I don't care about respect for the elderly when they don't deserve it. Definitely not when that old man needed to learn some manners.

“Excuse me young man but my feet are starting to hurt and-" I cut him off. No way was I going to let the old man get away with making excuses just so he could cut.

“Surely one person isn't going to make a difference!” My voice rose in tone as my anger released. I had been waiting for HOURS and my patience and tolerance levels were diminishing.

“Look please my tolerance level is getting dangerously low and I don't know what I will do when it goes all the way down and I don't want to end up hurting you.” I said calmly trying to control my temper. I knew that I had a bulky appearance that was likely going to scare anyone when I threatened them, so I thought that the man would surely back off if I did. Unfortunately, he didn't. 

“Are you trying to threaten an elderly man!” Now that got everyone's attention.

“No sir, I just would like to have my spot in line back. And we all have sore feet. I know you may have it worse, but I was here first so don't make me call security.” I started pushing my anger back down again.

“You're threatening me! Well I may as well call security on you!” He replied obviously not quelling his anger like I was trying to do.

I tried a different strategy, but it didn't get very far. “Ok sir, how about I-”

“NO! I am not moving.” 

I sighed glanced around at the faces of the people watching us and give up. 

“Ok.”

I go back to studying my surroundings, staring at others who were still staring at me until they looked away, when suddenly the man lashed out at me and pushed me to the ground, almost knocking over the whole line. That was enough for security to come marching over to questioning everyone about what happened. They came to me first, seeing I was the one on the ground. I started to explain what happened. 

“The man pushed in front, I tried to ask him to go back to his place in line, but he didn't listen. Since I was tired, I didn't want my anger to get out of control, so I let him stay. Then out of nowhere he pushed me to the ground.” Once I had finished recounting my side of the story, they moved on to the old man who made up a lot of things.

“Well you see here officers, this young man pushed in front of me. Claiming that I was moving too slow, I tried to sort it out calmly but he started yelling and threatening me so I tried to move him back to where he was and he pretended that I pushed him!” The old man was trying to act innocent, but he forgot that there were tons of people who saw the spectacle and could vouch for me. After Security verified my story with the onlookers they took the old man to the back of the line. I could hear people behind me celebrating and some even speculating ways to get other people to the back of the line. I shook my head and finally started studying the area. I was busy looking at the tavern across the road when something caught my eye. The old man had come back and was trying to run to the front of the line. The Security wasn't far behind him. But, I was surprised they hadn't caught him; I mean he was an old man! After a few minutes I thought that they must've caught the man and banned him from coming back, because there was no sign of him being dragged back to the end of the line. So of course, I went back to studying the tavern. Naturally, another disturbance happens as the elderly man comes running back the way he came. “Oh, COME ON!” I shout at him, until I realise that he is shouting something too. I try to lean closer as he is still too far away for me to hear him. And then I hear it, a few syllables. 

“He di. Cam ies.” He must be one crazy old man to say something like that, much less yell it out to the whole line. I see him coming closer and try to listen harder this time and I finally hear a full word. 

“Dies.” Oh no. I cover my ears as fast as I can hoping to block out his raspy voice, but I wasn't quick enough.

“HE DIES! CAMERON DIES!”

“NOOOOOO!” I hear the millions of fans join in my scream of anguish. That crazy old man just spoiled the ending of the last Hunters movie! The very movie that everyone had lined up for hours to see! I had no idea how he knew the ending. I didn't even question that he could have been making it up. All my anger burst out at once and I started smashing the cones that kept us in line. Many more followed my lead and started demolishing and throwing everything they could get their hands on. I hadn't realised it in my blinding anger nor did the old man. We had just started a riot.