The Truth in the Ring

Prologue

This was the sixth time. The sixth time a gunshot was heard.

Seventh.

And eighth.

The school was on lock down for half an hour, all lights turned off and doors locked. Amberlynn Reynolds pushed herself in the corner of the classroom by the chalkboard. She sobbed heavily while tightly grasping my hand for some type of comfort. I looked at her and pulled my hair behind my ear. I opened my mouth to speak, but she beat me to it.

“He’s going to kill me.”

I tried to convince her otherwise, but all she could do was shake her head in denial.

“He’s not going to hurt either of us.” I hoped.

“You. He’s not going to hurt you, Andrea.”

Several loud pounds at the stained wooden door left my best friend and I speechless and frozen in fear as she dropped my hand.

Silence.

No one knew what to think. Well shit. Neither did I.

After at least a minute of silence on both sides of the door, I felt a quiet sigh of relief escape my lips. Heavy footsteps in the opposite direction of the classroom was the only noise audible. In the hopes of everything just being a vivid nightmare I closed my eyes and whispered holy phrases that hasn't left my mouth since the third grade.

Nothing made sense and that’s how it’s been for too long.

Barely another thought was able to cross my mind before a six-foot man burst through the door. That was him. My boyfriend, Joseph Michaels. The captain of the football team with  a promising future. The one guy who promised I’d always be in his future.

I’m not to sure he realized he was demolishing everyone’s at this very second.

With a nine millimeter in his grasp and a well thought out plan in mind, Joey released several rounds into the nearby crowd of classmates. Screams reached octaves never heard before and Amberlynn could no longer contain the terror she tried to hide inside. The man I didn’t recognize drew his attention to the blonde beside me.

“Oh, this will be great.”

He carelessly shot another victim before starting in our direction. Aiming at Amberlynn, Joey glanced at me with his green eyes. She begged and pleaded just as I did. There was no sign of remorse on his face before and after he pulled the trigger four times, but not before he called her the filthiest slut on earth. I cried out as I felt blood splatter on my face and in my mouth. I pulled my knees to my chest and lowered my aching head.

“Shh… don’t cry,doll.” Joey said as he calmly grabbed my face. “Everything is gonna be…” He looked at my best friends body that was slumped over on her side. “...it’s gonna be great.” he finished with the beautiful smile that always drove me over the edge. He pressed his lips on my forehead. Realizing there was crimson red now on his lips, he simply licked it away as if it were whipped cream. He must have seen the disgusted look in my eyes before his next comment. He shook his head and laughed.

“I always loved that look on your face. It’s beautiful.”

I had no response. I couldn't think. I felt nothing just as he had. His smile quickly faded while he stared into my eyes with pure frustration. The sound of quick, heavy footsteps came down the hall. Joey yanked my arm and pulled me to my feet. He dragged me across the once lively classroom shooting an injured person in the process. Out in the hall we saw a man in a police uniform. Both men stopped dead in their tracks. When the older man held up his gun in defense, the other swiftly put his to my temple and wrapped his tattooed bicep around my throat.