Concrete Delusion

Breaking News

Chapter 8 Elliot

I was beginning to get this awful feeling. Something wasn't right. Sage hadn't texted back in many minutes, and she had been listing the wonders of her new car. I looked around the small cafe, feeling out of place and rather uncomfortable, burning my tongue due to lack of attention. I tried to focus on the conversation Sam was having with the others, but I couldn't. I felt like I should be interested, but I couldn't find the attatchment that I needed. My mind fell into a pit and all I could see were the blotches of red and white and gray on the back of my eyelids, which had somehow fallen closed.

I was wondering about her when I heard it. A small television sat across the room, where it remained on a regional news channel that never seemed to say anything important. "Breaking News: In Marietta, Georgia, police have been chasing a Mustang around the high school neighborhood where it drove by and shot two fourteen year old students who were early on their way to school. Authorities are not currently releasing any information on the shooters who are operating the vehicle, but we will continue to update on the situation. Hopefully it'll soon be under control..."

My heart sank to my stomach, and I immediately put its contents in a nearby wastebasket. The guys watching me were freaking out. As members of the same team, it was their job to stay back and watch me vomit up coffee and waffles. Later, however, I definitely would not hear the end of their disgust. As I deposited my donations, I calmed myself. Two fourteen year olds. Sage was seventeen today; it was her birthday. I needed to contact her soon, but I could not send her another text until I was by myself. My teammates would be watching me very closely for the next few minutes.

The old man who ran the cafe brought me a rag and a glass of water. After seeing that I was fine and okay, he apoligized for anything that may have been wrong with his products and thanked me graciously for using the trash can. I assured him that it must have been my mother's cooking. It took a while, but Sam and the guys finally left believing I was cutting class to go back home and use this as an excuse to be a slacker.

As soon as the car was out of sight, I pulled out my phone. I sent Sage a message asking if she was okay. I stared impatiently at the screen for moments, waking it everytime it went black. Several minutes passed, and I received no reply. What was I going to do? I needed to talk to her. If I didn't... I couldn't even think about that.

"BREAKING NEWS" Scrolled across the bottom of the screen on repeat, as a woman with golden hair spoke in an urgent voice. I was almost too upset to understand her. "The wild chase around Marietta has finally come to an end, after three Marietta high students were pronounced dead and two others were immediately hospitalized along with a local sherriff. The shooters were shot down by the police, and one of the three is believed to be dead. The identities of the shooters are still in question. The affected students include Martha Jennings, Emma Meadows, Ian Stallings, James Marcum, and Sage.."

My mind went insane. Before I realized what was happening, I was punching walls, shouting at the top of my lungs, and tears were rolling down my cheeks. Sage could be dead.