The Gunman

Chapter 12: Anna

  I grabbed Ellie's arm and dragged her out of the open doorway. My eyes calmly scanned the area, and then I pulled her into no man's land. Every step I took felt like one step closer to my death.

            The hallway lights were on, lighting the way past all the closed doors fill with terrified kids no older than eighteen. I stopped as I heard many small footsteps filling the hall. It wasn't the gunman; it was too many footsteps at once to be him. So I stood there, Ellie behind me as a group of kids rounded the corner.

            The only person I recognized from the group was a football player named Peter. He smiled as he saw me, relief shown in his eyes that there were other people in the hallway. I had only talked to him once, and that was to ask what the homework was. Though, the feeling of happiness as I saw other people was over powering.

            As the group reached us, Peter came up to Ellie and I, "Where are you going? The exit is that way." He pointed back towards the way we were walking from.

            I nodded, "I know," My thoughts were set in stone now though, I wasn't leaving, "But there are so many other people in this school, not just us. Someone needs to help them."

            "What are you going to do against that boy? He has a gun; he'll kill you in a matter of seconds, if that. Just get out before you kill yourself." He looked down at me, and I shook my head. He didn't get it. All those people trapped behind those doors could die if the shooter came back this way. I was sure the gunman didn't have enough bullets to kill the whole school, but he could kill many more by the looks of the last glance I got at him.

            "I'm not going anywhere until that boy is good and dead. That I will promise you." I went to walk around him, Ellie behind me, when he stepped in my way.

            "Are you going to let her die to? Do you want to get you both killed? You go if you feel the need, but let her leave." He glanced pointedly at Ellie and I stopped. I hadn't thought about her in all this. All I had thought was that if I needed help, she would be there for me. But I hadn't thought that if I needed help, she would have to die for me. I looked at Ellie, who still looked a little bit taken aback by all of it.

            Then, her small voice said, "He won't kill me. He had the chance and he chose not to. For some reason, he doesn't want to kill me." She looked into my eyes, and shook her head, "Let me go with you. I can help."

            I thought about it. Just because he didn't kill her then, didn't mean he wouldn't kill her that time. Who knew what was going through his head. After a minute of thoughts like that, I shook my head, "Go with them, I'll be fine." Ellie's eyes widened and she shook her head,

            "No! No way am I leaving you here without me. What if you died? I'd never forgive myself if you died! You're my best friend, if you go I go." She said it so decisively, my I stood my ground stubbornly.

            "No, go with them. If I die it's not your fault, besides, I won't die. Anyways, what would be the point of us both dying? Besides, if he won't shoot you then he'd shoot me and leave you alive anyways. It's the same thing as letting you go outside. Just take this chance, run." I motioned for her to go with them, but she shook her head. She left me no choice. I looked at Peter and said, "Take her." Then, I turned and walked alone down the hallway as Peter picked Ellie up over his shoulder.

            The last thing I heard Ellie say was, "No! Anna don't go alone!"