The Thinning AU

19

Both of us knew what the bang was, but where on Earth was it from? And why? Was Mr. Sarden okay!? We both started for the door, I put myself in front of Ellie as we looked out. On the ground was Mr. Sarden holding his stomach with blood flowing from beneath his hand. Ms. Little was behind her desk crouched down in fear, she looked at us and tried to wave us back into the room. But who shot Mr. Sarden? I looked around and didn't see anyone else so I rushed over to Mr. Sarden. I made Ellie stay in the door way as I knelt next to Mr. Sarden.

"No.. Max..." He said in a scratchy low voice.

"What happened!?" I lifted his hand to see a large gunshot wound. I looked around for something to stop the bleeding, I didn't know what I was doing so I began to panic.

"Max.. No. Leave-" He said and began to cough, blood escaping from the corners of his mouth.

"I-I can't I don't know how to help-" I was cut off by the creak of a door. I turned to Ellie who hadn't moved. I looked to the entrance and saw the girl from the bus.

"Shawna!! Help! Get help please!" I said to her. She didn't move or seem fazed by the principal laying on the floor with a gunshot wound. Instead, she smiled.

"Sorry it took me so long Maxy. I needed to reload." And with that she pulled out a gun and pulled the trigger so fast I couldn't react. I felt a heavy pain in my leg. And then another BANG! Now my right arm stung and I fell back words. My vision was clouded and my head was pounding. I breathed heavily and quickly, my leg and arm were useless and I couldn't move without pain flowing through my body. It all went black and I went out cold.

Ellie's POV

"MAX!!! NOOOOO!!!" I screamed. I was filled with a mixture of fear, shock, and anger. Right now looking at the smile on this "Shawna's" face, it was mainly anger.

I lunged at her while she was trying to reload her gun again and pinned her to the ground. I ripped the gun from her hands, emptied the bullets out of it, and threw it across the room in Ms. Little's direction.

"Why would you do that!!!!" I was basically kneeling on her stomach now with her hands pinned down.

Her legs kicked wildly and she didn't respond. "Answer me!!" She gasped for air and I let off her stomach just enough for her to talk.

She chuckled a little, "You're a b**ch." With that I slapped her hard in the face. I could feel the sting in my hand and in seconds her face was turning red.

"If you hadn't been there, I could have been with Max and he wouldn't have known a thing!! You could be dead right now and my mother could've gotten the money from your stupid parents!! But you had to step in and now my mother is in prison and we have no money!!"

My grip loosened a bit as all these thoughts ran through my head. I quickly tightened it again. "Ms. Little, grab that gun and put one bullet in it." I could hear shuffling behind me and eventually Ms. Little came to my side and offered me the now loaded gun. She had a horrified expression on her face, "No you hold it, and make sure she doesn't move." I said gesturing to Shawna.

I slowly got up, Ms. Little pointed the Gun at her shakily and I shoved the girl next to a wall. "Make sure she stays still okay?" After that I rushed over to Max who was laying unconscious next to Mr. Sarden. "Maxy.. No.. You're okay right? You have to be okay." I whispered. I laid his head in my lap and hurried my face in his chest sobbing.

I heard a faint whisper, "Ellie" it as Mr. Sarden who has his eyes still closed, "In the basement. Th-theres a button pad to get down there. You have t-to find a potion in Jasmine's lab. Take Max with you, he's w-weak and he doesn't have much time. Hurry." I jumped up and found the button pad in Mr. Sardens office. I began to pick Max up draping him in my arms while holding the button pad in one hand. I walked into Mr. Sardens office and pushed the button.

The floor began to open up revealing a set of stairs. Carefully I walked down each step, my arms getting tired from holding Max. I saw a table and I laid him down on it. I saw shelf after shelf of potions and needles and any medical and torture device you could think of. I started with the what looked like drinkable potions, not wanting to give Max a shot.

The viles of liquid each had a little white sticker, drawn on them was a symbol that represented what it was. Water drops, no... Dog, I don't want to know. I scanned the shelves until I found two viles. One with a red plus sign on it and the other with a heart on it. Both looked good but I decided quickly that with all the things down here, the heart could be a love potion.

I sat Max up and his mouth was already open so I slowly poured the vile with the red plus sign on it into his mouth. With a little cough he woke up and swallowed it. He looked at me in shock and when he realised where he was he looked scared. He winced in pain from his wounds so I laid him back down carefully. He closed his eyes and he breathed slowly.

I walked back over to the shelves, no more health viles. I looked at the needles and a shiver went down my spine. I found the same red plus sign and began to walk out to Mr. Sarden.

"Ellie!" Max grunts, "No, don't leave me down here..." I walk back to him and set the needle down. Cupping his face in my hands I say, "I would never leave you Max. I'll be back I promise. I love you" I pulled him into a sincere and soft kiss.

I took the needle back upstairs and belt down next to Mr. Sarden. I looked and saw that Ms. Little still had Shawna against the wall, she was holding the gun a bit more confidently now. I tapped Mr. Sarden, he didn't move.

My grandmother was a nurse so I knew how to do some things from when she taught me. I checked his pulse on his wrist to see if he was unconscious.  Nothing. I panicked but quickly calmed and checked the pulse on his neck. Nothing.

Behind me I heard Shawna snicker, "He's long gone by now, if you hadn't taken so long with your precious Maxy maybe  would've lived. That needle on heals people that are still alive, nine of them will bring him back to life."

"Shut up!" I yelled I frantically found the spot to put the needle and cringed as I put it in his skin. I pushed the liquid in and pulled the needle out. I waited. Nothing happened. I shook him, "Mr. Sarden... Mr. Sarden! Get up! Please!"

Shawna snickered once again, "Told you b**ch."

I got up off the ground and walked over to her. "You have quite the sailor mouth don't you?" I grabbed her shirt and slammed her against the wall. "All of this for money!! You're family is sick! I hope you have fun in prison with your mom." I punched her as hard as I could in the center of her face. I felt  her nose crack under my fist and blood on my knuckles. She passed out against the wall. I told Mrs. Little to call the police to come and get her.

I heard her tell them to send an ambulance too and she told them about Mr. Sarden. I choked up as I walked past Mr. Sardens body. I looked away and headed back downstairs.

Racing down the stairs I saw Max was sitting up on the table holding his head in his hands. I ran  and hugged him he held me weakly in his arms. He told me his wounds were very slowly starting to heal over. He looked at me in the eyes, his deep hazel eyes kept me in a trance and we smiled. He brushed some hair out of my face making me realize how stupid and out of breath I probably looked.

As if he read my mind he said, "You look beautiful. I love you so much Ellie, Oi mean the world to me and I'm so great full that we can be together now."

We kissed as I cupped his face in my hands and he pulled me closer. This kiss was everything I needed and more.

"I love you."

"I love you too."