Aftermath

Ch 45: Alarm

Sang

When the fire alarm began to shriek, I was slumped down in my chair, trying not to count the minutes left in sixth period. Instinctively, I dropped my pen and pulled my palms over my ears, though I quickly noticed it was a different siren than the one we had all grown accustomed to. Instead of one continuous shriek, this one came in bleats of three, then a pause, and it would start again. It was just as loud as the old one, if not louder; covering my ears was of no help.

The substitute was useless. As she switched on the light, she patted the air as though to tell us to stay calm. "Stay calm!" she screamed out.

It was too late for that. The initial shock of the alarm had worn off, and my classmates were moving. Screams and shouts were barely audible over the siren as they grabbed their belongings and headed toward the door. Last week's events were too fresh in our minds, and as if it was some kind of cosmic joke, it was exactly a week later, almost down to the minute.

Above the substitute's head, the light on the fire alarm mechanism flashed. So it was a fire alarm, which at Ashley Waters could mean any kind of emergency or none at all.

Dread pitted in my stomach as I prayed for this to be a false alarm. I knew Victor was safe, but what about my other boys? What about Marie?

Victor was loading his bag as he kept a watchful eye. I followed suit, putting my notebook in my bag and pleading with myself to stay calm. Outside, the hallways were filled with students and disorder. With so many bodies frantically going in all directions, it had caused a logjam; very few were getting anywhere.

Suddenly, the alarm stopped. Those of us that were still here gave each other questioning looks. The newfound silence didn't alleviate my fears; I remembered all too clearly that last week the alarm had stopped long before anyone had declared the scene safe.

A few people filed back in from the hallway. The hallways were still so packed that they hadn't made it far, though about half the class had left.

I pulled out my phone, ready to text Mr. Blackbourne or Sean. The substitute obviously didn't know what to do. What if there was an emergency and we didn't know what to do? But Victor is already on it. Thankfully, I put my phone down and waited for Victor's suggestions.

The alarm began to wail once again. Everyone, including the substitute, went toward the door. Through the cacophony, the intercom sounded but I couldn't make out what was being announced.

"Wait!" Victor shouted over the siren.

Only about a quarter of the class heard him, but those that did stopped as though they were rooted to the floor. Victor's authoritative side didn't come out often, but when it did, people paid attention.

Victor went to the front of the classroom and raised his hands to get everyone's attention. "Listen up! There is nothing wrong. They are working on the alarm!" The alarm stopped once again, and his last two words rang out in the silenced room.

I was relieved. The last thing Ashley Waters needed was another emergency.

"They need to do that shit after hours!" someone groused.

"What about everyone that's gone already?"

The class, including the substitute, looked at Victor, who held up his hands in resignation. "I don't know," he said, looking out toward the mess of people in the hallway as two boys walked back in.

"Why'd you come back, Rob? I thought you'd be out of here!" Anthony asked.

"A teacher stopped us," Rob answered glumly. "I should have gone down the other stairwell."