When The Alarm Sounds

The Other Teams

We ready ourselves at the door, our separate teams defined by gaps and position. My team is at the back, crouching up against the gravelly surface of the wall. The team in front are also crouching, but are maybe a foot or two in front. Unlike us, the first two teams are standing, ready to run like crazy, weapons at the ready. The only sound to be heard is the shallow breathing of the people around me. The anticipation swirled around our heads, slowly suffocating us. Just breathe. Everything will be fine...unless- I don't allow myself to finish that thought. It's time.

"Phase two, go!" The first of the remaining teams stalk silently up to the door, peering out into the passage before slipping out one at a time and heading left. The last one to disappear sticks their thumb up to give us the all clear.

I look backwards to my team. They all smile weakly, but reassuringly before I turn back to the front. In my team, there is me, John, Georgia and a skinny boy named Dan.

"It's now or never," I whisper, taking a deep breath.

"On your marks..." My Heart pounds brutaly against my chest.

"Get set..." I lean forward, ready to run like the wind.

"Phase three...GO!"

Scrambling forwards, every last hostage sprints franticly towards the door. I leap to my feet with my group close behind, and follow suit. Blood pumps in my ears as my feet fall one after the other. The blinding light of the corridor doesn't slow me. One or two others falter in the sudden brightness, but soon recover, remembering what they are in the middle of. We are now on the run. Any minute now, the floating masks will appear. They won't hesitate to gun us down. The thought spurs me on.

I make a sharp right. Then left. Then right. Left. Right. Right. I jerk my head backwards to see my team a few feet behind me.

We are now in a long corridor, no shelter, no hiding spaces. I wait for the others. There are the doors along the length, but they offer little shelter, unless you can open one and get inside the classroom. But the doors at the end are the crucial ones. Essentially, they are the doors to freedom. If we can get through those doors, then all we have to do is get down the stairs and out the back door of the closest classroom. We're almost there, we're on the last stretch.

Trying to contain my excitement, I look for understanding and confirmation in my team mates faces. Georgia nods. I snap my hand forward, indicating that we run. I take off, tearing across the open floor. With every step, the door gets closer and closer towards me. Georgia follows close behind with John and Dan inches behind that; we're almost there. We're almost there!

The first bullet ripped through the air by my air and my small bubble of hope was obliterated.