H U N T E D ~ T H

37

T R I G G E R   W A R N I N G

The same pop sound a gun makes.

My heart was beating a thousand miles per hour, the blood freezing in my veins as I stiffened up.

My lungs emptied of oxygen as my hands shook at my sides. I couldn't hear Tom breathing either, with how still he was standing I'd think he was a statue.

It was so silent, too silent. You could hear a pin drop with how quiet it was.

I opened my mouth to say something but nothing came out. I took a deep breath as I gathered what little thoughts I had right now.

"Tom" I spoke.

As the words left my mouth the echoing of screaming came from far down the hallway, mixed with another two gunshots.

Me and Tom jumped, he stepped back so his body was now covering mine.

"Tom, we need to hide" I gripped the sleeve of his flannel shirt. My fingers trembling as he held his hand over mine.

He turned to face me, holding a finger over his mouth. Our feet lightly tapped over the floor as we snuck over to the nearest class room which happened to be Kenners class.

Tom turned the handle but it was locked. He shook it a couple times for good measure. "Doesn't he have a class today?" He glanced back at me, his voice quiet that I could barely hear him "Why the hell is his class locked?"

I pushed past him, pearing in the small glass window but all the lights were off. I turned back to Tom, fear plastered over both our faces.

"We can't stand out in the open" I told him, my breath stumbling, i couldn't believe this was happening "We can't— We— god."

"It's going to be okay" Tom kissed the top of my head as he took my hand in his, he dragged me down the hall.

We turned the corner and Tom stopped abruptly, I walked into his back. Tom let go of my hand and raised his first.

"It's me! It's me!" Nick.

I jumped out behind Tom to see Nick, his hands in the air. I would have hugged him and thanked god that he was alive but i frozen to the spot.

His shirt was covered in blood and his cheeks were splattered with the red roses of pain. "Nick" I gasped, eyeing him for an injury.

"It's not mine" He fisted his shirt, looking down at his red stained hands. "it's not mine."

"Nick" My voice was laced with tears "Nick, Who's— Who's blood is that."

"We didn't see them coming" He shook his head, pressing his palms to his eyes to hide the water pooling from his sockets "I— He jumped in front of me— I told him to run."

"Who Nick" Tom gulped.

"I—Isaac" Nick broke down, falling to his knees "They killed Isaac, Isaac's dead, they killed him. I ran— I left him— I left him to die." He looked up at us, his gaze focusing on me "I'm so sorry, Mack. I'm so sorry."

I covered my mouth with my hand, muffling my screamed sobs while I held my stomach. The look on Nicks face said it all, id never seen him vulnerable and weak before.

Tom gritted his teeth, punching the lockers beside us. He rested his head against the metal, letting out short heaved breaths.

Compose yourself. Focus. You have to focus.

I wiped the tears from my eyes, sniffling as I swallowed the lump in my throat. "Nick, get up" I walked to him, holding his shoulders as he stumbled to his feet.

Tom lifted his head also, running his hands threw his hair as he paced the empty hallway. "We need to find somewhere to hide before we end up like Isaac" I said, my lips pressed together as I tried my best to stay serious and not break.

"What about the kitchen?" Tom said "It's not far from here and there has to be a lock on the door."

I looked back at Nick but he was in too much shock to even think right now. His face pale as his body shook with fear.

"Nick, how many of them are there" I asked, walking straight in front of him so he would focus "How many shooters Nick."

"A— a group" He stuttered, his eyes dancing around the hallway "Two— no, no. Three, I think— I think it was three."

We all jump when we hear another shot. Tom storms up to me, grabbing my hand and pulling me down the hall in the direction of the kitchen without another word.

"Nick!" I whisper-yell, he flinched but quickly follows us.

When we get to the cafeteria it's completely empty, Tom walks ahead while me and Nick hang back. I walk forward only to trip over something.

I feel like Iv just fell into a puddle, I look down at my forearm seeing it's stained red. I look at my feet, seeing Dylan Manettie lying at my feet.

A bullet right between his eyes as his pale, cold face looks up at me. I open my mouth to scream but a hand covers over it.

I hear Tom's voice in my ear telling me to stay silent. His hand muffles my heavy breathing, I nod, squeezing my eyes shut to not see the horror in front of me.

Tom turns me around so I'm not longer facing it. "It's okay, open your eyes" He finally removes his hand, holding my shoulders as he bends down to look in my eyes "We are going to be okay."

I nod, but I'm barely listening, Dylan's face keeps playing in my head. The strange kid who I pretended to steal $20 off of now lifeless on the ground.

Tom grabs the back of Nick's collar who's standing over Dylan's body just staring down at him. We follow him over to the mental door which leads into the kitchen.

We walk threw only to jump back when two pots get thrown at us. "Annie run!" I hear Kit yell.

"It's us for fuck sake Kit!" Tom yells, dodging another pot.

I walk to Kit, wrapping my arms around him, he hugs me back. "It's Isaac" I sobbed "They killed Isaac."

I heard Annie gasp then feel her arms around me and Kit, we all hugged each other as we cried.

There was a scream from outside in the cafeteria. Then a gunshot. Then laughter.

We all froze and looked to the door.

The door swung open.

___________

Thoughts so far?