“MY NAME IS KAY! I AM THE SON OF GABBY NOPUENTE AND KEITH WATSON SMITH! AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!” I say it loud enough that the media scrum shifts its focus to me. Microphones. Flashing cameras.
Bahadur looks at me, tears welling in their eyes, then looks forward with bravery. “MY NAME IS BAHADUR TALEBI! I AM THE CHILD OF FATIMA TALEBI. AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
We continue north on Yonge Street. The media following us. The circle of allies unbreakable. The twins holding hands, crying. Each one of us calling out our names. Perhaps for the last time. Perhaps so that the world will know we existed. We call out our names.
“MY NAME IS ISABEL RODRIGUEZ! I AM THE DAUGHTER OF MARIA AND ISADORO RODRIGUEZ. AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS ALAN SCOTT! I AM THE CHILD OF VIRGINIA SCOTT. AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS FIRUZEH PASDAR!” Firuzeh’s voice shakes, overwhelmed with emotion. “I AM THE DAUGHTER OF AYESHA AND MOSTAFA PASDAR.” She swallows again. “AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS GRACE CARDINAL. I AM THE GRANDDAUGHTER OF ELEANOR THUNDERCLOUD. AND WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS BENJAMIN HUXLEY! I AM THE GRANDSON OF TEDDY COOMBS. AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS MARTHA GREER! I AM THE MOTHER OF ANTHONY AND JESSICA GREER, WHEREVER THEY ARE. WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE!” Sobs.
“MY NAME IS ARTHUR YEBUGA! SON OF REGGIE AND SARAH YEBUGA. AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS GILBERT LEFRANCOIS! CHILD OF LOUIS AND MAUDE LEFRANCOIS! AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS ZAHRA MOHAMMED! MOTHER OF MY BABY ALI, WHEREVER HE IS. WE ALL DESERVE TO LIVE!”
“MY NAME IS CHASE KWAN! SON OF ELIZABETH AND RICKY KWAN. AND I DESERVE TO LIVE!”
We march to the horizon of asphalt, heat mirages snaking into the air, not knowing what awaits us. We march in our runaway clothes, our hiding clothes, our disappearing clothes, our working clothes. We march to the sound of our own names. We march for those who cannot march. Some of us without our families. All of us older. All of us surviving. We march north on Yonge Street calling out our names to the sky.