Strangers

Isabella: A School with 3 Gyms

November 8th, 2015, Isabella:

  I was a very different girl two years ago. I was happy, most of the time. Little could upset me or bring me down. My life was perfect, and happy. I had two loving parents, and younger sister, named Amber, whom I could always talk to. I'm telling you this so you could understand that my life wasn't always so crazy. If I must choose one single day that changed it all, it would have to be November 8th. 

  To explain this, I must go back, to the very last car ride with my mom. I was sitting in front of my mom's Ford Escape, we were singing along to the radio, my mom and I, so happy and... innocent. That night my school was having an assembly, and since my sister was sick and my dad was taking care of her my mom was taking me. During the car ride we didn't really talk much, we spent most of the time singing. As we arrived, she asked which gym the assembly was taking place and I told her gym 3.

  Once we got to the school we walked around to the back and came in the open fire exit door. As I walked in, I saw two, maybe three hundred people. All of them were talking, trying to find their seats. I was so nervous. I went to a seat in the front row, with the rest of the students as my mom found a seat near the back. The principal came on stage and started going through awards. Every grade nine teacher was giving an award. It was part of an effort to raise kids' confidences or something. The principal called many names none of which are important to this story. After about ten or so names mine was called, for the French student of the year award. My heart skipped a beat. I got up and was overwhelmed by all the people looking at me. I went up to the stage and almost fell, but I caught myself. I stood on the stage so joyful, so full of pride. The principal shock my hand, and my French teacher handed me the award. I held it in my hands and looked out to try and see my mom. 

  That's when the explosion came, the back wall of the gym came crashing down. Two big men thundered in, one with hands of fire the other with hands entrapped by lightning. People started diving for cover or running away. I was stuck, not by anything but my own fear. My mom, all I could think about was where she was and whether she was okay. "Isabella! Isabella!", my mom cried. "Mom! Where are you?", I screamed. The gym was almost empty except for the few people trapped under bits of wall. To this day I can still hear their cries of agony. The two men who crashed in were still standing at the back of the room. I was still on the stage, desperately scanning the gym to see if I could spot my mom. I watched as a girl no older than I, stepped out front of the men. The girl tried fighting the men off, but I didn't watch I was too busy scanning the gym for my mom. I saw her! I watched in horror as the man with the fire hands threw a fireball at the roof which exploded into the roof of the gym. Within seconds the ceiling exploded into the floor of the gym, and a large chunk of the roof hits the base of wooden stage. 

  The next thing I know I'm falling, then hitting the gym floor. The last thing I see is a girl approaching me. Then the quiet, impenetrable black void of unconsciousness.