Code Red

"Theo, you're next! Did you remember to bring something?"

The young girl, dark curls bouncing, jumped up with an excitement that only children possess, a red plastic bag in her hand. She waddled to the front of the class and stuck her hand in, procuring a worn pocket compass.

"Can you teach the class what that is, Theo?" Alexander asked, although he recognized the compass, having seen it in her father's possession years ago.

"It's a compass!" The girl responded, beaming at her peers, "If you're lost it can help you find your way!"

Alexander smiled, brow knitted as he thought of the compass's original owner. He swallowed nervously, knowing he would have to ask Theodosia the same questions as all the other children. "Where is it that you got that compass?"

"My daddy gave it to me for my birthday," she answered. "He said that somebody really special gave it to him when he was fighting so I should give it to somebody I love a lot one day too!"

Trying not to let his nerves show, Alexander nodded. "That is lovely, Theo. I'm sure you're excited to find 'the one.'" He laughed a bit to himself for the girl was very young and surely had little chance of finding "the one" at such an early age. Then he blanched. If this girl found love before he did, what would that mean for him? He shook his head of such ridiculous thoughts. It didn't matter anyway. "Is-is that all you wanted to share??"

Theodosia opened her mouth, but never had a chance to answer. A sudden sharp sound exploded in the room. Alexander experienced war; he knew what gunfire sounded like. But here, in an elementary school of all places, it was beyond wrong.

The instant, frozen stillness of the room was interrupted by the large wooden door swinging open, pushed by the weight of the school's largest administrator, Hercules Mulligan.

"It's a shooter, Hamilton!" He was breathless, in more of a panic than Alexander had ever seen him, "In the library. We have to lockdown!"

Just as he'd said it, Principal Washington's voice boomed through the intercom. "Attention students and staff; Code Red, Code Red. " He managed to speak steadily for the sake of staying calm, but Alexander could hear the slight shake in his voice, even through the speaker. "This is not a drill."

"Okay guys," Alexander turned back to the class, his heart already doubling its speed in his chest, "We all know the Code Red drill right?" The children nodded dumbly, and Alexander could already see the beginning of tears in a few eyes, "You all have to hide in the cubby, and we're going to play the quiet game, but it'll be alright, I promise." He smiled at the group, "I'll tell you what. If you stay silent until this drill is over, you can get a candy bar as a prize."

When he finished coaxing the children into their cubbies, he rushed to lock the door, fumbling with his staff keys until he secured the latch. Then, he turned and flipped the light switch before striding towards the windows, locking them and tugging down the shades with shaking hands.

He retreated back to his desk, and took a seat. As his heart drummed in his ears his eyes flickered back and forth between the door and the where the children were hiding. His nerves getting the better of him, his leg started shaking. A distant gunshot startled him into a near panic. In need of some relief, he pulled a scrap piece of paper and a pen from his drawer. Throwing caution to the wind, he turned on his desk lamp and began to write.

"Hamilton, what are you doing?" hissed Mulligan from the cubbies.

"It doesn't matter," Alexander whispered. His hands were still shaking, and his handwriting was not as legible as usual. He held himself back from cursing in front of the students, "I'm writing. It'll only take a minute." Another gunshot. A few words slashed over in Alexander's flinching reaction. He was already on the back of the page. How long is a goodbye letter supposed to be?