Staying awake in geography class was always one of my toughest battles. My teacher resembled a Leprechaun and he continued to drone on in a mind numbing tone about tectonic plates. Smirking, he called on me to answer a question I didn’t hear him ask. It was like he enjoyed seeing me squirm and search for an answer I didn’t know.
Frantically, my eyes searched the room; begging my fellow classmates to at least give me a hint what the question was. My pleads were ignored with the exception of a few snickers.
“Ava?” the old man prompted; the underlying hint of mocking in his tone.
My lips fell open as I tried force my voice to co-operate. A cold sweat lined my neck as the speed of my heart began to pick up. I hated attention. Clearing my throat I began to speak when I was interrupted.
Bang!
My heart stopped.
My spine went rigid and my ears twitched as panic coursed through my veins. Curious murmurs broke out around the classroom; spreading like a wild fire.
“Quiet, my question hasn’t been answered yet. Ava?” the old man asked again, his full attention on me but I didn’t respond. I couldn’t respond.
Silence filled the classroom but it didn’t bother me this time. Racking my mind for answers I tried to control my body. I couldn’t panic. Not now.
Just as I started to calm down and believe it was nothing it started up again. Bang! Bang! Two shots this time.
The curious murmurs changed to panicked ones as people realised the noise was gunshots. Loud sobs and panicked cries filled the classroom whilst old Leprechaun tried to get everyone under control.
“Alright everyone stay calm, move over to the far side and I’ll try to find out what’s going on.” He spoke up, trying to seem calm and reassuring but there was no missing the fear in his voice.
Screams and shouts could be heard from the ground floor as the classroom erupted. I could practically taste the trepidation rolling off my classmate’s bodies. Someone tried to grab me but I didn’t move. I couldn’t. I racked my brains harder, trying to figure out where he was. What classroom was Jax in? I didn’t care what was going on; my younger brother was in danger and I would die before letting him go.
Pushing myself up from my desk, my head began spinning and my weak knees trembling as they tried to support my body. My breathing was laboured as my shaking hand opened the door leading to hell. Voices cried my name, shouting at me to get back but it felt like I wasn’t even there anymore. I had no control over my own body; I just needed to get to Jax.
Footsteps sounded behind me as someone decided to try to stop me from leaving. I pushed my unsteady legs to move as I broke into a full sprint to the ground floor. The person behind me didn’t follow. No one followed.
The screams increased in volume as I got louder and the putrid smell of blood burned my nose. Every classroom I passed was barricaded, the odd face peering out to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
I pushed myself to run faster down the empty staircases until I landed on the ground floor. That’s when I heard it.
“No, stop. Please.” Jax begged in a voice that nearly caused me to break down. Pain was evident in his hoarse voice and I knew it would forever haunt me. New found anger and adrenaline pumped through my body as horrible thoughts of what was happening whirled through my mind. I was so close and whoever was doing this was going to pay.
Finally, after what seemed like forever I located the room Jax was in. Blood stained the floor and all the lights were out. Shadows lurked in dark corners; ready to pounce. Taking a deep breath, my weak hand grabbed a knife from the floor. As soon as the cool metal hit my skin reality hit me hard. I had no clue what I was facing. I didn’t know what was happening or how I was going to save Jax.
Reluctance seeped into my bones as my breathing quickened. What was I doing?
“Ava.” Jax whimpered and that’s all it took. All I could see was red and all my doubts were pushed aside. No one hurt Jax.
Barging through the door, I clutched the knife tighter in my hand. People screamed and swore in shock. My red hair was clinging to my sweat covered face and my eyes crazed as I charged towards the black figure holding a gun towards Jax.
No thoughts entered my head as I sunk the knife deep into the darkness. All I saw was Jax’s face. His innocence taken as he witnessed his sister kill. Blood leaked slowly to the floor, staining my hands.
“Jax.” I whispered, dropping the knife to my side. I wrapped him up in my arms and clung to him like a lifeline. Tears ran down my face as the bitter taste of salt entered my mouth. I didn’t know whether it was me crying or him. Maybe it was both of us.
I shouldn’t have let my guard down. I shouldn’t have even run down to save Jax in the first place.
“Ava, what have you done?”
“I’m so sorry but I’d do it again to save you.” My voice broke as more tears fell down my face. All the adrenaline left my body. The door slammed open as another dark figure entered the room. Anger oozed out of its body as it saw the blood and the knife.
My eyes darted around the room, searching for an escape but all I could see were my schoolmates’ terrorised faces. Angling my body in front of Jax’s I prayed, pleaded that we would somehow get out of this alive.
I should have seen the gun.
My body flung to the side like a rag doll as my head spun. The breath was knocked out of me as my knees buckled. Cries, screams, shouts filled the air but it felt so far away. So distant.
Grey eyes so familiar to mine appeared in front of me as rough hands cradled my face. Tears that didn’t belong to me mixed with my blood. Reality was leaving and I couldn’t grasp it.
Warm blood pooled beneath me as I lifted my hand up to brush Jax’s hair away. A faint smile played at my lips as a sob broke out of his chest. Darkness consumed me.
And then,
I was gone.
