Two Rungs Below

06 • Extreme Couponing

I was quite busy today and was unable to submit the chapter to my editor on time :( If you encounter any errors while reading, or something is worded incorrectly please let me know. If you would like to read without errors the edited version should be up later today. Thank you!

Despite what I had done, I felt too afraid, or maybe even ashamed, to leave the closet. It was not because I was worried about the trench coat man, I knew he would flee once the lights came on. He could not risk anyone seeing his face, especially myself.

I was afraid of seeing the people I could not help. . . No matter how hard I tried I heard the same thing over and over. The cracking sound as the bullet whipped through the air, and the silent sound of her lifeless body falling to the floor. I used to hide from monsters under my bed, but now I hid from myself.

I knew it was only a matter of time before they realized whoever turned off the lights must have come from the closet. After awhile I gathered my bearings and opened the door. I could see police wrapping crime tape around the rotunda, I saw families being reunited, and people being ushered out of the building. But no matter what I saw, all I could only think of the people I could not save.

If this is what being a "hero" felt like no wonder Deadpool tried to kill himself. Not that I had any attentions of following his lead, if I did I would not be writing this right now.

In all of the commotion the police were fairly occupied, so the police did not seem to notice me. But I knew that if I was recognized I would be questioned due to the fact that the killer was repeatedly asking for my name, and I was not in the mood for interrogation. So before I left I snuck into the guys locker room and grabbed the master key from coach's office.

I opened up a random locker, and the clothes inside looked like they would fit me. I guess they did not smell too bad... put them on and left the clothes I was wearing in my locker. Now you could add stealing to the list of crimes I had committed today, all with good intentions however.

After changing clothes I searched the other lockers for a hoodie I could wear. I eventually found a Keystone High one and grabbed that as well. When I had become as unrecognizable as I could possibly be, I left the locker room and went out the exit in our gym and began to head to the football fields.

I'm not a big fan of football myself, but anything beat being stuck in an interrogation room, and considering that the perimeter was most likely on lockdown it seemed like the best option.

Our football feild was in okay condition, but it could be a lot better. It was in the middle of the woods, which I found odd, and the only way to get there was a path from the gym exit, but if you were a decent driver you could get down there on a four wheeler.

When I reached the field I was relieved to see there was no one else in the bleachers. I took a seat on the bleachers and just stared at the field. It was pretty chilly outside, so I was glad I made the call to grab the sweatshirt.

For awhile I just sat there, thinking. After about two hours I heard twigs cracking behind me. It seemed to loud to be a deer, or squirrel so I turned around to check out the sound.

Ben.

The same person who probably turned in the photos of me dropping flowers on Lila's porch.

"They're out there lookin' for ya pretty boy," he remarked as he neared the bleachers.

"Come to take some more photographs of me I see." I replied sarcastically. The last person I wanted to see was Ben, it's beyond me how Lila put up with him for so long.