Just your Wingman

Swirls of Breaths

It was last period. I sat in English class slowly tapping my pencil to the desk. I remembered them thinking there was actually a dog. They're so dense. It made me happy, because I didn't want them to worry about me. It made me sad, that they couldn't figure out that I was hurt. It was just a few hours ago, yet it tore at my mind.

The teacher went on and on talking nonstop about whatever she was teaching. I hated this class. It bore me. Then, the sirens blew.

RUNG RING RING RING RING!!!

I closed my ears, "What's happening?!" I yelled in confusion. My heart beat started up again. It became hard to breath again. Suddenly metal doors went down the school windows.

The room was in chaos. Everyone was all in confusion. People yelled and cried for answers. The teacher tried to calm all of us down while we all screamed.

The intercom came on, "Hello students. Please settle down." Everyone went into silence to hear the intercom. "This is not a drill. Please get to the gym immediately. I repeat, this is not a drill. Please get to the gym immediately. A minor tornado has struck the city. Everyone please remain calm. We have everything under control."

Everyone started an uproar. Children screaming everyone getting up and running around. I would have screamed if I could. I would have ran if I could. But I couldn't do it. My breathing started to get ragged. My heart beat was unnatural. Stress. Anxiety. It filled my body.

The teacher yelled to us, "Everyone go to the school gym! Everyone hurry!" They all ran out the classroom. Everyone ran out without a single thought. The halls were a mess, everyone trying to get to the gym. Everyone pushed and shoved to get there as fast as they could.

Everyone frantically ran for the gym...except me. I couldn't, I was traumatized. My legs wouldn't move, it hurt to breath. I watched everyone leave as I was glued to my seat. No one had a second thought about me. My breathes were weak and my heart was unsteady. Stress built up. Gram, Tornado, Friends....Erick.

Then my mind started thinking of one thing....one thing only. Gram. Was she okay? Was she hiding in the house? Has she fallen over again?!?! I clawed at my palms with my finger nail, "Shut up Wendy!" I yelled to myself. Tears streamed down my face.

I looked to the hallways, they were empty. Everyone must have made it to the gym already. The sirens stopped. Everyone was probably safe. "Please Charlotte, Mayla, Matt, Tess, " I hesitated, "Ryan....and Erick....please be safe." I worried about them. I knew I was a goner, I just wanted them to be safe.

"I...I'm probably....probably going to die of...of stress.." I tried to say. It hurt to breath, hurt even more to talk. I'm pretty sure my life would have flashed before my eyes by now, if I haven't lost so many of the memories.

I sat at my desk, paralyzed. My inhaler was in my bag but I couldn't reach out for it. It hurt to move. I heard the wind through the metal. I could the the tornado was close. I could sense it. The wind was ragged and a mess, like my breaths.

Then I heard it. My name. The intercom went on. The lady's voice sounded urgent, "Excuse me students. Please settle down. We have took role of the students and are missing one. Wendy Rose Castro. I repeat, Wendy Rose Castro. If you have seen Wendy Rose Castro, please report it to one of the teachers. They will go out and look for her. Wendy Rose Castro."

"So they've finally noticed..." I thought to myself. I heard the gym door open. I heard a crowd of people yelling. I heard the teachers' footstep. They were looking for me...finally me. My existence was finally noticed.

Then I heard it. Tess' huge screech. Mayla's yells. Charlotte and Matt arguing. I managed to smile. I knew what they were arguing and yelling about. They wanted to look for me. They yelled to be let out too, to help search, to help find me. My heart filled with joy. For a second, it didn't hurt.....

BAAAAM!!

CLATTER!!!

The metallic door burst out of the window. Shatters of glass filled the air. I couldn't hide. I couldn't shield myself. All I felt was pain. My heart stopping. My breaths held. It all hurt. A single glass cut my cheek. Blood spilled.

The tornado.... Was right outside the window. The winds were strong. It pushed everything, pulled everything. Desks, chairs, pencils, papers, everything moved and flew everywhere. "Its over...I'm going to die like this..." I thought to myself. Tears streamed down my face even more.

I heard the teachers' yells to get back inside the gym...they were abandoning me... The intercom came on, "All student and faculty, go to the gym immediately!! Go to the gym!! The tornado has hit five of our windows in the classrooms." I was not important anymore. They were going to let me die for their own life. No more rescue mission. No more miracles. No more hopes. It was over.

I heard uproars and cries. My eyes started to get blurry. I lost all hope in living....until I heard the shouts... The shouts for me.

Mayla, Matt, Tess, Charlotte, Ryan, even nonchalant Erick...they were yelling and screaming that I was still out there. That they couldn't give up. That they had to keep searching. By their grunts and efforts I could tell someone was holding them back from looking for me.

"No! They can't look for me!! They'll get hurt!" I yelled in my head. I had to do something I couldn't just sit there. But my heart kept skipping beats and my breaths were ragged. I still pushed myself. I know I'm weak, I know I'm not good enough, but I kept trying. Trying to move, trying to get up, trying to finally help for a change.

"Move! Move! Move! Right leg! Left leg!" I ordered myself in my head. Suddenly I stood up. It hurt to stand. My legs wiggled unstably. I tried to walk....then

WHOOSH!!

The tornado got closer. It blew me off my feet. I hit my head on the desk corner and fell to the floor. It was over for me.

"AAAAAAGGGHH!!!"

I heard a shout. Then I started losing my vision. I started losing my hearing. I started losing it all.

The last thing I heard were footsteps. They were running footsteps, heavy footsteps, footsteps from a person that was determined.

And the last thing I saw....were green crystal eyes. Eyes of concern. Eyes that yelled, "Are you okay?"

And my last thought was, "Thank you."

Darkness....