Why Us?

The Screams

Chapter 5: The Screams

   Everyone froze in their spots as the screams and the sounds of the machine gun continued to echo in the hall. The footsteps from people running, the bangs of the classroom doors and the screeching of the chairs could also be heard from down the halls. Lance felt chills wrapping around his body. He was afraid. He took his arms and wrapped them around himself.

   “It’s just a prank guys. You shouldn’t even be worried about this,” Jodi said with a half-heartfelt laugh.

   “Can you honestly say that the screams and the sounds of a real freaking gun is a prank? What is wrong with you?” Lance yelled, glaring at her.

   “Other people do this all the time from other schools, so why not this one?” Jodi yelled back.

   “Look, let’s just get out of here.” Lance calmly said.

   A few classmates nodded their heads in agreement to Lance’s idea. Mr. Howl stood up from his desk and began to walk towards the classroom’s door. The rest of the students and Lance followed behind him. They were on the third floor, so climbing out of the windows was not a good option. The only good, but dangerous option was to go through the hallway, down the stairs, and out the main door for freedom. When Mr. Howl opened the door, the muffled sounds that were caused by the door being shut became louder and clearer.

   “This is so messed up…” a guy’s voice said from behind Lance.

   Lance decided to ignore the guy’s comment. He knew that it was messed up, but thinking on it would just distract him from escaping. Mr. Howl stepped out into the hall to see if the coast was clear. He turned side ways facing the right side of the hall and keeping his back to the left. He looked over towards the students and motion for them to come out when shots rang out in his direction. Mr. Howl fell down like a log, faced down, not uttering a sound. Blood appeared in the middle of the back of his shirt and the back of his head. His head was facing the wall, not towards Lance and the others and Lance was glad, because he didn’t want to see the last expression on Mr. Howl’s face.

    All of the girls screamed and the guys just yelled in horror at the scene. They all scampered back to the back of the classroom at the big windows with the girls behind the guys. Patty and Jodi were stationed behind Lance, clutching on to his shirt for dear life. Slow steady footsteps walked towards the classroom. When the footsteps stopped, there stood a figured in the shape of a guy dressed in all black from his head to his toes with a hood over his head and a machine gun in his right hand that had a strap that was holding the machine gun up on his right shoulder.

The guy stood over Mr. Howl’s body, looking down at him. He wasn’t paying any mind to Lance and the others, yet. He took his foot and pushed Mr. Howl onto his back. A groan escaped from Mr. Howl’s bloody lips. He was still alive, but not for long. The gunman took the gun and aimed it at Mr. Howl’s head and fired it. A short scream came from some of the girls as they watched Mr. Howl get murdered.

    The gunman turned his attention to their direction, letting everyone see his face. Lance stared at shock at the gunman. It was Rick Chadman, the student who wasn’t in class earlier and the same guy whose handwriting Lance couldn’t figure out. Rick scanned the room and locked eyes with Lance.

   “I’ve been looking for you, Lance,” Rick said with his husky voice.

   Lance didn’t say anything, but just stared at him. He just couldn’t understand why Rick would do all this. Lance thought Rick was a very well-mannered kid with a lot potential. Rick had a future ahead of him and now it’s all blown away.

   “You better get away from the other students. You don’t want them to die with you, right?”

   Lance gulped and looked behind him. The other students wouldn’t meet his eyes. Patty and Jodi even let go of his shirt. He knew that they would rather for him to die then for them all to die. Still Lance didn’t move.

   Rick aimed the machine gun at Lance and moved it from side to side. He placed his finger on the trigger.

    “I will give you three seconds to move away from them.”

    Lance still didn’t move.

   Rick smiled and started to count down. “One…Two…”

   “Okay!” Lance yelled and moved forwards away from the others.

   He walked forward until he reached the teacher’s desk. Rick walked into the classroom and walked until he reached Lance. He aimed the gun into Lance’s face.

  “Get down on to your knees, Sinner.”

  Lance stared at Rick and shook his head no.

  “Are you trying to be a tough guy? Get on your knees or they will die!” Rick screamed, pointing the gun at the other students.

   Lance heard the girls whimper in fear while some of the guys were yelling at him to just do it already. Lance sucked in a needed breath and slowly lowered himself onto his knees.

   “Yea, that’s how you like it, right?” Rick said with a twisted smile on his face.

   Lance lowered his head in shame and in embarrassment. Everything seemed to fall onto him. He was just bad luck walking. He took his hands and placed them over his eyes as he felt his eyes watered up. He unwillingly started to cry.