Home (Sciles AU)

Chapter 23

Scott POV

"Mr McCall. Hayley was in the bathroom when this all started to happen." Chloe whispers to me, sounding frightened. My stomach drops as she says that, fear and dread coursing through me. I guess I was in too much of a panic to realize that she was missing. Thank god Chloe pointed it out to me. I would have realized eventually, but the sooner that I know about it, the better. I'm scared for Hayley, as the shooter would surely be checking out the bathrooms first. That'd be the easiest place for them to find kids. That and the library.

"Okay. Okay, I'll go get her. Stay here, all of you. Lock the door as soon as I leave. Don't leave this room until myself, another teacher or a police officer comes and gets you. Alright? Keep quiet and stay down." I tell my class under my breath, trying to be brave.

"You can't go out there, sir. It's too dangerous! What if he's just around the corner?" One of my students closer to me hisses. They raise a good point. I am putting myself in danger, as well as the rest of the class, but my instincts tell me that I need to go and find Hayley. It's better if I do it rather than one of the students.

"I'll be fine, Sam. I won't let the shooter hurt you guys. I have to go make sure Hayley is okay, and help out anyone that is hurt." I reply to them as I slowly turn to face the door. I stare at the handle for a few moments, listening to the silence on the other side before I take a deep breath and start to open the door. I make sure to not make any noise and try to open the door the least that I can. I slip out of the room swiftly and then I quietly shut the door behind me. I move along the walls, looking around the corridor. I can't see anyone around here, but I can see blood splatters in a few places. I start heading towards the closest female bathroom. I can still hear people screaming and the faint sounds of footsteps all around me. My breathing is shaky, as well as my body as I continue to walk, my heart wanting to leap out of my chest. I'm terrified right now. I wish Stiles were here with me. Being with him would calm me down. However, he isn't here, and that's probably a good thing because it means that Stiles can't get hurt.

I close my eyes for a moment and take a deep breath to calm myself down a bit, reminding myself that I have to be brave. I have to make sure that Hayley is okay and get her to somewhere safer. I start walking down the corridor again, towards the bathroom. Suddenly, the screaming gets louder and I see people turning a corner, running towards me. I stop in my tracks and stare in horror as students and teachers alike run towards me with sheer terror on their faces. Some of them look like they are bleeding and injured. That's when I hear more gunshots ring out and I gasp in fear as I watch people stumble and fall to the floor, blood spraying up into the air. I press my back against a wall and let the majority of people run past me. Finally, I see the attacker with his gun walking towards me, with an eerie smile on his face. He looks no older than 18. I suddenly realize that I recognize this kid.

"Connor Anderson?" I ask in disbelief as he continues to walk towards the group of people trying to get away from him by going into bathrooms or empty classrooms. I decide that I need to buy them some time. Besides, I know this kid. I taught him in Biology last year. Smartest kid in the class, actually. Maybe I can talk some sense into him.

"Mr McCall. It's so nice to see you again." Connor laughs at me in a sinister way as he starts to reload his gun, aiming it at me. He has stopped walking now and is only a few feet away from me. I raise my hands in the air. I'm terrified, but I try not to show it.

"Connor. Please put the gun down. Let's talk about this." I tell the teenager calmly.  I glance around me to see that everyone has found a place to hide, or are curled up on the ground in fear in between lockers. Bodies litter the hallway now, which is a horrific sight.

"There's nothing to talk about, sir." Connor tells me, that sinister smile still on his face.

"Connor, listen to me. I know you. I taught you last year, remember? Top marks for my class. You're a good, smart kid. You don't need to do this. Put the gun down." I try to reason with the boy.

"You don't know me at all! You don't know how much I was being bullied! Everyone at this stupid school hates me and people beat me up almost every day! None of you teachers cared!" Connor screams at me angrily.

"Connor, I'm so sorry. I didn't know about the bullying. If you had told me, I would have tried to help you." I apologize sadly, realizing once again you really don't know what is going on in someone's life unless you ask because they can be very good at putting up walls.

"Don't use that bullshit on me, McCall. You're only saying this stuff to save your own ass, and every other asshole in this stupid school!" Connor hisses at me.

"No, Connor, that's not true. I want to help you." I reply, taking a very tentative step forward. I see Connor hesitate with the gun slightly. I really do want to help Connor, and I don't want him to shoot anyone else, so I'm really hoping I'm buying us all enough time until the cops show up here. I really hope someone did call the cops.

"I know high school isn't easy, alright? I know that high school can be shit. I was in high school once myself, you know? But the thing about high school is that it's only a few years of your life. Then you're done. You don't have to see any of the people here again. You can go and prove them all wrong by getting an amazing job and be successful. I know there are some assholes at these school, and I would love for you to prove them wrong by getting a more successful career, and have a loving and caring family." I try to explain to Connor, trying to calm him down. Connor looks really hesitant now, tears forming in his eyes.

"Life really does get better, Connor. Trust me. Just let me help you." I promise him truthfully with a reassuring smile.

"I like you, sir. I really do. You are definitely my favorite teacher here, Mr McCall. No one else here even tries to understand me. I don't want to hurt you." Connor sniffles.

"I care about everyone in this school, and I really do try my best to help them. You're not an exception. Just... Just put the gun down." I tell Connor calmly, wanting to take another step towards him, but I decide against it, not wanting to scare him.

"How can this get better for me? I... I've killed people today! Lots of people! Things can't get better! I can't take this back! This will live with me for the rest of my life as I rot away in a prison cell!" Connor shouts back at me after a few moments of silence as I see the emotions in Connor's eyes change, tears falling down his face.

"Connor, it's okay, calm down, you'll be okay. We'll work it out, alright?" I try to reassure the teenager in front of me. I glance to my side for a second to see a girl trying to move further away from us. Connor notices this too and shoots her without a second thought. Her screams echo around the hall along with the gunshot. She stills only after a few moments, a pool of blood surrounding her.

"No!" I scream out in horror as I turn back to Connor with a few tears in my own eyes.

"Please stop this! You're better than this, Connor! Don't let anyone else die!" I plead with him desperately, my hands still raised in surrender. I watch as Connor's teary and emotional face hardens and becomes cold, void of any emotion or guilt.

"The pain will never end for me. You think too good of me. You can't help me, McCall." Connor tells me in a cold voice. The next thing I know is that I hear the sound of a bullet being fired, I can hear the terrified screams of students around me and then all I can feel is an agonizing pain in my stomach. As another gunshot sound rings through the air, I feel another terrible pain, this time in my chest, sending me slamming into the ground, blood already soaking through my shirt.