The Shooting

The Shooting

Part 1: A Normal Day?
I walked out the door of my home. Tuesday morning. Not as bad as Monday but still a weekday. I hopped onto my skateboard and rode toward school. The same routine that I always went through. The rising sun came up on the sierra vistas to the east of the city. The sky was painted orange as the sun overcame the peaks beyond the bounderies of the city.
"Pretty," I said to myself.
I rode down to the end of my street. Took the usual right turn and headed down Brewer Avenue. I rode along the side of the rode ocasionally weaving in and out to avoid people and other objects.

I rode by my buddy Spencer and gave a low five behind the back. Spence, as we often called him, was walking to school with his girlfriend Emilina. I rode up the road some more and stopped to wait on the light. I could see the school up ahead only a few more blocks away.

After the light turned red and the sign read walk I went on. I kickflipped onto the sidewalk again. Partly showing off to the other kids heading to school. They were only freshmen so what could they do.

The school looked very majestic in the sunlight of the dawn. The glass arch making the entry way was glistining in the morning light like it never had before. The scene looked like something out of an artists collection.

Then an unusual sound came to my ear. Three distinct pops sounded in my ear. I stopped and kicked up my board. I was still a block away from school. Another pop. Then two more of the same pops. Then I heard people screaming. I ran toward the school and out of the front door poured those who had already come to school. They were covering their heads in terror. Girls ran by their boyfriends who kept one hand behind their heads and another on their girl's back. Everyone came running out of the building frantically. More pops came but this time much faster.

Part 2: Sick is Just the Start
I walked into the school that morning not feeling well. My stomach hurt and my head ached badly. But no, I couldn't miss another day or I would get detention. I headed to my first period 15 minutes early. I walked in and the usual people were their. Greg, Cindy, Jackson, Brandon, and Andre.

I sat by Cindy all the time so we just picked up where we left off last time.
"Hey Clarissa," Cindy said as I sat down.
"Hi Cindy," I said moping that I was at school sick and aching.
"What wrong girl? You look sick. You got that Swine Flu?" she asked jokingly.
"I wish. Then I would have a reason to stay home," I said disgruntled.
"Aw come on cheer up. We got-" Cindy suddenly stopped and looked out the classroom door. I did too. Everyone in the class did.
"What the fuck?" Jackson said slowly.
"Thats a gunshot! I know it!" Andre yelled.

We all lept out of our seats and ran to the door. Every other classroom had someone looking out the door. The shots came again. This time only one them. And they were close.
"Fuck it. Run!" Jackson yelled as two more shots rang out.

All the classrooms emptied out and began a frantic run to the front door. On the way I looked to the back end of the school. In the hallway was a guy. He was in a hoodie and worn out ripped jeans. In his hand was a pistol. It looked like a 9mm but I couldn't tell the difference between it and any other gun at the moment. All I wanted to do was get the hell out of there.

I turned and started a frantic sprint for the door. All of sudden bullets were flying by my head. People behind me were falling down at my feet. I began to couch and wheeze. I couldn't run much longer. Then a sharp pain hit my leg. I fell and realized I had been shot.

Part 3: Why Must We Kill?
I sat inside Mrs. Johnson's classroom and waited for the bell to sound the start of class. Only me and 3 other kids were in the class. Anthony, Cole, and Shelby. I sat in the middle of the room with everyone else. Except Anthony. Anthony sat in the back of the class. In his black hoodie and all he sat just glaring at us.

Three other kids walked into the class. Ian, Kim, and Alex. They all sat down in their seats around us. We all began to talk and chat amoungst ourselves. Anthony tried to enter the conversation but was nonverbally shunned. Anthony then got up and walked through our conversation and to the front of the class. As he walked out of the row of desks suddenly he stopped.

Everyone shut up and looked out the doorway. We had all heard three distinct popping sounds come from down the hall. Gunshots? We heard footsteps coming down the hall.
"I'll go check," said Anthony.
He walked over to the doorway and stuck his head out. Then we heard what we had all feared.
"What the-" and then a gunshot. Anthony had been shot point blank in the head.

In the doorway stood a boy. He had a black hoodie on similer to Anthony's and old worn out jeans. He had a pistol in his hands and a large bulge in the pocket of his hoodie. He then turned the gun on our group. He shot at two other people and hit his mark. He hit Ian in the forehead and hit Cole in the arm and the bullet exited his arm and hit Shelby in the stomach.

The shooter then pulled his gun and ran out of the doorway.

Part 4: The Eyes of a Killer
"This is it. This is the day my life ends with a bang. No one will forget it. No one."
I stood over the sink of the boys bathroom. I glared at myself in the mirror. All I could see was hatred and anger.
"No one will make fun of you after today. They will only hate you. Hate you even more."
I pulled out the pistol inside of my hoodie. I looked at it will lustful contempt. I admired the beauty of the Beretta U22. I had stolen the pistol from my fathers gun collection and now I was going to use it for my body collection.

I also had taken my fathers Mac-11 and had placed it inside my backpack which was empty knowing I would be excused from class. I walked away from the mirror and out into the hall. I walked back to my classroom with a growing want to fire the pistol. Just to fire a single shot from its barrel. I walked into Mr. Hayes' class and headed back to my desk.

I sat down and acted like everyone else in my class. Which was only 2 others. Billy and Jake. Both were idiotic jocks that only lived for sports. Their lives were useless. They always got Cs and Ds. Not even close to smart. I myself didn't make straight As but at least Bs and Cs. I waited a few more minutes and after no one walked into the classroom I decided to start now.

I headed up to Mr. Hayes' desk. I asked him "Can I go to the bathroom?"
He responded "I don't know can you?" which I knew he would say. He was after all an English teacher.
I pulled out my Beretta and shot him point blank in his head. "Yes I can," I said. Then I turned to Jake and Billy.

They were paralyzed with fear and staring at me wide eyed like deer in headlights. I aimed and fired at Billy and hit him in the head on his right cheek. I then turned to the left. Only one desk away was Jake. I fired at him. Just above his left eye.

I walked to the back of the class and pulled the Mac-11 out of my bag. I then walked out into the hall and down to another classroom. I reached another familier class. Mrs. Johnson's class. I walked to the door and out came Anthony. I pulled my pistol to his head and had it perfect on his forhead.
"What the-" was all he could get out before I ended his life.

I walked into the doorway and fired twice at a group of students in the middle of the class. I didn't care who I hit but I know it hit someone because two people yelled in agony. I walked into the end of the hall where I could see the front of the school. I saw groups of kids runnning to the door. I locked eyes with one girl and saw the fear in her eyes. And I love it.

I pulled out the Mac-11 and fired randomly into the crowd. I saw one by one kids began to fall and die on the floor. I laughed. I loved every minute of it.

Part 5: Escape or Die
I layed down on the ground motionless hoping that the shooter would pass me by. I thought of all the news stories I had heard and about all the kids in those schools who had been killed and wondered who exactly was shooting. I had fallen to a position that my had was looking to the side and beside me was another student who had been shot.

I tried looking behind me to see the shooter. I couldn't see him but I could see the other people who had been shot and fallen down behind me. Then I saw him. He walked over to one of the kids behind me and kneeled down beside them. He put two fingers on their neck and checked for a pulse. He then quickly stood up and unloaded on the helpless individual. He continued to walk around and shoot at anyone he felt like shooting.

He then continued casually down the hallway. I took my chance at escaping and got up. I tried to run but my leg was in too much pain. I could only hobble to the front door. The trip seemed longer and harder than ever. I limped my way to safety and freedom. I was closer and closer as I tried. I looked back and saw others getting up to try and leave but one got shot in the leg again. He yelled in pain as he fell to the ground once again. The shooter came running back down the hall. I raced for the door. I was near safety. I could see other students outside. I was so close. So close.

Part 6: This Isn't Real
"What just happened. Nothing. Nothing happened. Anthony is back at his desk and Ian and Cole are still alive and breathing and Alex is O.K. He's just got stomach cramps. Nothing is wrong. Nothing."

But no matter how many times I repeat this in my head it will not go away.
"Everyone out of the class now!" Mrs. Johnson yelled.
We all got up and flooded out of the doorway. The school began to smell like death. We all knew someone else had died. We headed for the back exit when we heard shooting somewhere else down the hall. We looked back and saw no one. But we all heard screaming and knew he had found more students.
"Out out out. We have to leave now," Mrs. Johnson said frantically.
We all ran out the back door of the school. Except for Alex. He looked back toward the end of the hall still. I knew what he was thinking.
"Alex! Get out here now!" Mrs Johnson ordered him.
"No," Alex said defiantly.
"Alex its not safe in there get out here now!"
"No," he said walking down the hall. We all knew he was going to stop this all.

Alex walked toward the gunshots with a tall and commanding stride. Mrs. Johnson couldn't say anything else to stop him. She knew he was long gone.