After the Fact

I went for a jog with my boyfriend two days after the Paris atrocities.

We did our usual circuit around Victoria Park, stopping at times to catch our breath. I imagined semi-automatics drawn and people running for cover, nowhere to hide. Parents caught by life-saving decisions, children in hand.

The following day, we attended a talk at the Royal Festival Hall where the philosopher Slavoj Žižek and former Greek finance minister, Yanis Varoufakis, discussed Europe’s future. Julian Assange, white haired like a Christian God, made a surprise televised appearance.

Through the packed halls and staircases, I planned my exit routes.