Until Dawn| One Shots

Protest x Josh

This is mostly based on my protest experience in my small town. May be different than others but we held a peaceful protest then all sat down to tell stories of how people of color in our community were oppressed. This one shot is made to spread awareness and of course... I love Josh.

     I packed up my bag, slid my mask on, and grabbed my skateboard I had decked out for the protest. I was scared, I must admit. The stories I've seen online of officers killing protesters and everyone starting fires... It all is insane. To what- Deny rights of human beings. We are all the same besides the color of our skin and skin color shouldn't matter. I hope today we can make a difference. I got a call from my boyfriend, Josh. He was supposed to show up to my house and we would catch the protest when they came by my house.

"Hey Babe!" Josh said as I answered the call.

"Hey Joshie, where are you?" I asked.

"Following the protest we are almost at your house," he responded.

"Alright I'll head outside."

      I took a deep breath before heading outside, hearing a women on a megaphone.

"No Justice!" She screamed.

"NO PEACE!!!" The whole protest screamed almost shaking the floor I stood on as I saw Josh.

     I ran up to my boyfriend and gave him a quick hug before holding up my skateboard next to his sign.

"No Racist!" The woman yelled.

"POLICE!!!" Josh contributed.

      We walked and chanted until we arrived at our town hall everyone began to sit down.

"Say their names! George Floyd!"

"GEORGE FLOYD!"

"Breonna Taylor!"

"BREONNA TAYLOR!!!"

        We repeated those chants a couple times before falling silent waiting for the woman to continue.

"Now I want us all to lay down for a moment, we are going to be completely silent and have our hands behind our back if you can."

          Everyone began to lay down and I found my spot next to Josh. He looked stressed as he laid down. I inched closer and gave him a reassuring smile as we sat for a couple minutes.

"That was five minutes," The woman stated as we began to sit up, "That was half the time George Floyd spent on the ground. Imagine that."

"Now we want to give the rest of this time for everyone to speak if they want," a younger girl stated.

(I'm going to share a paraphrased story from when I was at the protest. It will be anonymous then I will share another one based on a story that came up. This is meant to spread awareness.)

"Hello everyone," A woman stepped up, "I'm from another town over. I brought my son here today and I can't believe the turnout. Just seeing this... The mix of races and ages, it's amazing. I just wanted to share one story. One time I was at an event (Changed for the sake of being anonymous). After the event I was waiting for a Lyft and I was beat by some white men. I was called an n-word and beat up till I bled. No one at the event helped me, I had to take a Lyft home to my son while bleeding after being best because of my skin color. Seeing this now, all the support it makes me want to cry. I just want to fight so we have a world where my son and kids like doesn't have to experience what I went through. No one should have to experience that. Black, white, Asian, Hispanic- We shouldn't be seen as different. There is only one race and that's the human race."

      The crowd cheered as she wiped her tears and handed the megaphone back to the woman who was leading the protest. After a long line of stories Josh stood up, causing me to smile. They handed him the microphone and he slid his mask off his mouth so he could be heard.

"C-Can you hear me?" He stuttered.

"Yes!" People called out.

"Heh- Thank you. God I'm nervous."

"You got this!" People chanted for him.

       Josh turned to me and I smiled holding a heart out with my hands. Josh took a deep breath.

"Okay. Heh- Hi, I'm Josh. I wanted to tell the story of my friend Matt. He was too afraid to come out here today so my girlfriend Y/N and I came out here to support him. Matt, like myself, fears the police. I of course have less of a reason to fear the police they have just always set me on edge. Matt told me yesterday when we were talking about this protest, that he feared he would die showing up here. He was too afraid of all that his mom would tell him. 'Don't go out past 7pm', 'don't wear your hood up', 'if you get pulled over by the police comply the whole time and be extremely polite.' That's not something you should have to experience. I'm a Washington, from a rich white family, I can't fathom the pain people of color experience and I'm so so sorry. My family has donated to multiple fundraisers for BLM."

     The crowd interrupted him to cheer and he froze up a little before giving an awkward chuckle.

"I just want to say, I know we can make a difference together- And everyone protesting everywhere. We are all making a difference already. And I personally will never give up until my friend Matt and everyone like him won't have to walk out in fear at night or fear the police. I will never stop fighting until everyone sees people of color as equals because that's what you guys are. You guys are my brothers and sisters too and I will never understand your pain but I will fight along side you till the day I die!"

Thank y'all for reading if you want more stories tell me and I can post them on my board. Coolio.