Salience (Will be posted on Ao3 maybe)

I| Bon Voyage Gone Awry

June 11, 2012

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"This just in; in a statement released on his social media accounts, former congressman and candidate in the upcoming Presidential Election, Matthew Ellis, has already pledged to donate over half that pledged to his campaign to those affected by the Incident," said the newswoman, voice ringing throughout the studio. "He plans to fly in from his D.C. residence to meet with families and coordinate with local authorities on where his funds would best be spent. More on Candidate Ellis and his presidential campaign at midnight." The newswoman looked at her co-anchor, who began to speak.

"The time is currently ten-forty-five; I'm David Everson, joined here by Josephine Cruz. Now we go to a story that comes from within this very newsroom." The newsman pulled the script into his hands and cleared his throat.

"Two days ago, reporter Marie Rivers and cameraman Vince Landon, survivors of the Incident and proud members of our news team, were filming at Columbus Circle at at the intersection of Central Park South and West, when several anxious citizens came running toward them. After consideration, the network has decided to release the full footage. I'm told this is raw tape and I must issue a warning for graphic content. This is what our brave news crew captured."

"Can you tell us your first and last name, please," said Marie Rivers, instantly recognizable as the one standing on the left, with her icy blue eyes and her brown hair pulled into a tight bun on the top of her head. She was speaking to another woman, who looked ready for a session at a gym, dressed in athletic wear and wearing brand name shoes and accessories.

The young woman nodded, taking the microphone Rivers had extended to her. "Andrea O'Donnell. I live in upper Manhattan with my sister Lucy." The camera panned back to Rivers, who looked right back at it for a moment, before continuing.

"Ms. O'Donnell, could you tell us, the viewers, what you're doing out at Columbus Circle this afternoon?" O'Donnell nodded then smoothed her hair back from her face.

"I sure can." The more O'Donnell spoke, the easier it was to hear her accent, signaling that she did, in fact, live in the city that never slept and had for some time. "There's something going on back there," she said, waving her hand back in the direction of Central Park. "See, my sister and I, we walk down to the middle of the park every afternoon from the entrance at Eighty-fifth. We were to, you know, to calm our nerves after yesterday, but they wouldn't let us pass."

Rivers raised a single, thin eyebrow. "Ms. O'Donnell, what do you mean? Who wouldn't let you enter the park?"

"I don't know," O'Donnell replied, throwing her arms in the air in exasperation. "Some guys in suits. Looked like government if you ask me." Rivers gave a quizzical look that spurred O'Donnell into explanation. "Standing there all big and intimidating and wearing some kind of earpiece. You just know it."

Rivers looked back to the camera. If there was any sign of the reporter being uncomfortable with the woman's surety, it was impossible to see. "Anyway, they told us we could come down here and get in, but everything north of seventy-second was closed." O'Donnell's brow furrowed, showing her annoyance with this. "What a bunch of bullshit if you ask me. People in this city need the park, especially when we're all dealing with—"

"Hey. Hey!" O'Donnell's rant was swiftly cut off by the yelling of the stranger. The camera quickly found the source of the disturbance, zooming in on a man waving his hands in the air as he approached. He clutched a mobile phone in hand, still flipped open from use. "My daughter's in that park! What's happening? Is it another attack?"