The Shooting

Hallways and Sisters

The day I will never forget.. It was the 13th of October Friday.

Fall break was next week, the bell had rung for 3rd period and hallways were booming and filled to the brim with loud voices and my classmates making plans for parties and vacations.
Everyone laughing for the most part by lockers and classes.. not knowing what was coming

My name is Lillian Garza I am 17 years old and this is what I did in a situation nobody is truly prepared for.
People always say they'll do something or they'll run off campus if a shooting ever happened but it never occurred to me what I would do in this situation.. I just never thought about it.

I was in history class and more then excited to go to lunch and plan what to do all fall break with my friends. I had been needing to use the bathroom since 1st period and figured I mine as well go now as history was covering our review for the test which I had turned in yesterday afternoon and I didn't wanna go during lunch, I wanted to help plan.

"Sir can I use the restroom?"

"Of course, make it quick" and he points to the giant wooden pass,

I hate it, it's like 10 pounds and feels as if it's a brick.
——
5 min.

—-
At this point I'm already done with washing my hands and walk out the bathroom, I check my phone and see I haven't been in there too long so I'm planning to walk around for a couple minutes then head back,
My eyes scanning the halls for anything that can peak my interest when I see that the glass entrance all the way down the long hall at the entrance of the school has been kicked in and the once crystal clear glass is now in shards, I think nothing of it as kids were usually out of hand around the last day before break.

That's when I hear it..

"Students And Teachers, this is not a drill I repeat this is not a drill" there's distant screaming in the speaker and the principal's voice is laced with a certain shaking base and he's breaking down throughout his sentence,
"This is a lockdown" I hear him say.

I look around looking for a nearby class seeing the blue and yellow lockers lining the halls that was just filled with my excited and laughing classmates. Hearing screaming and gunshots I stand by the closest wall to my left seeing the entrance and swat swarming the outside of the building. Nobody looking prepared to handle what was gonna happen for the next 54 minutes..

After looking and speed walking for 3 minutes which felt like an hour- I find my classroom and practically beg to be let in- I try persuading them and tell them that it's me Lillian but the teacher already barricaded the door with desks and explains that I need to find a safe place.

"I'm sorry kid" I hear my teacher say his voice breaking as I hear my classmates crying softly in the background.

I guess I understand now why he turned me away but I still couldn't believe what I was hearing, I couldn't believe any of this was happening I just wanted to go home. All that was going through my mind was my friends, my sister- and it clicked my sister Leanne's class is in B hall. B hall in class 103. The gunshots and screaming was coming from what seemed like B and A hall.

Before I knew it I was sprinting down C hall and ran over to A hall to make my way towards B hall when I saw blood all over the once sunny yellow and royal blue lockers.. crème white tiles now stained with students blood and two blobs wearing clothes? My mind wasn't comprehending what I was seeing with my eyes, I walked down A hall searching for anyone- any survivors.. I went blank for the next 20 minutes.

——
Lillian dragged the two students to the entrance of the school and called attention to them before running back in and found 3 other people hidden, she walked them out, one being hidden in a locked another hidden in a broken desk, he had caught a stray bullet to his left forearm and the other in the bathroom crying her eyes out. This took a while as she walked around almost like a walking shell shocked soldier.
——

I then remember I ran to B hall hearing screaming and dense gunshots hitting lockers while metal sprayed from the bullets and lockers. I peeked my head from around the corner when I saw a class door laying on the floor another wooden class door hanging off its bottom hinge people sobbing loud enough for the world to hear.. that's when it clicked its like the world was moving in slow motion.

103. B hall. Leanne.

Two doors are down and there's a man who looks to be around 5'9 he's heavy set and he's shooting any movement he sees. The man's working on the 2nd door to the right of the hallway. 103.

He blows bullets through the door and starts pushing the desks out of his way. Before I realize my legs are even moving

I run

I ran towards him faster then I ever believed my legs could carry me bracing myself for the hit I was about to take I slam into his side knocking him over.
Im 5'6 and around 170 lbs and I just knocked this man into the wall so hard he actually collapsed but not without showering everything with bullets.
My world was at a halt hearing my sister screaming my name I grabbed the gun.

I tried beginning to turn this gun on him when he grabs me and starts causing a hassle. More bullets are sprayed.

After what seemed like 10 minutes i finally get just enough space to shoot him in the upper right chest.

I begin to stand after he stops moving, the only thing keeping me going is my sisters screaming of my name.

It didn't last though.. I fell back down facing the once royal blue lockers and crème white tiles them now being covered with deep red liquid. The smell of metal filling my senses feeling myself get warm and my eyelids getting heavy.

I was sprawled out over the shooter and along the sides of the door way/ hall when my world went black.

Now I'm stuck replaying what happened everyday in my "sleep" for who knows how long..

——
I'd be lying if I said this ended with a happy ending..
3 kids are in a coma and there was in total 13 victims the others are either paralyzed or healing from injuries, no deaths except for the shooter but he wasn't a victim just a student that became a terrorist.

"Lillian is now in a rough stated coma for who knows how long, nonetheless she saved countless lives and did what a big sister is always trying to do, protect their family and she protected her sister Leanne.

The Garza Family will forever be memorialized here at Kian Highschool thank you to Mrs. and Mr. Garza for raising an exceptional daughter.."
The principal announced..

~~~

I wonder what she's seeing and thinking of right now..
I miss my big sister and I thank her everyday for tackling Jayden Henderson from entering my classroom, he always made some horrible jokes but I never though he would go through with them..

I finish writing in my journal when I hear my mom and dad call my name, we get to visit Lillian today the doctors say she's regaining her consciousness and I'm now 18 while shes 20.

HIIII SHOULD I ADD ONTO THIS? IF U CAN LEAVE ANY TIPS THANK YOUUUUU ♥️♥️