"Hey babe," I whisper to Ben. "Yeah?" He asks. I look at him as I smile, "I love you."
"I love you too," Ben says, smiling at me. I smile back and turn to look at the clock in the front of the classroom.
"11:59 AM"
"It was almost lunch time," I thought to myself and then that's when I heard a boom, following with more, one by one.
I look at Ben, who had a scared look on his.
"Go to the other side of the room," our teacher, Mr. Jetson demanded.
Students jumped out of their seats and did as Mr. Jetson told us.
The horrifying screams and gunshots flooded the hallways of Harrison High.
I grabbed Ben's hand and held onto him tight.
The teacher had finally turned off all the lights and came over to us.
"It'll be okay babe," Ben says, trying to calm me down. Although there was fear in his voice, I knew that I'd be okay around him.
As the shots came closer, students in our room began to panic. The teacher tried to calm the class, but I think he eventually began to realize that nothing could calm us down.
As we waited for our fate, the gunshots stopped and the next second, the door was smashed open.
Everyone began to scream and cry for help as the shooter walks in. I grasp Ben's hand tightly.
I look at the shooter to see a heavy machine gun in his hand and his face covered with a mask.
He points the gun at us but before he could shoot, the teacher sacrifices his life and throws himself at the shooter, screaming at us to leave and run.
We all began to run as we heard the gunshots going off. I look behind me to see Mr. Jetson on the ground, dead.
Ben and I run into the library and hide. There were other students hiding under tables and behind book cases.
As the time goes by, we continue to hear screams and gunshots. It felt like we were in the library for hours but were really on in there for minutes.
"I'm gonna go and try to find some type of help," Ben says, kissing me. I feel tears sliding down my face. I nod and he runs off.
It was about half an hour later when Ben came back. I look at him and notice blood pouring out of his stomach.
I gasp as I cry out and tears flood out of my eyes. I pull him down and try to apply pressure.
Ben's blood began staining my jacket as he begins saying his goodbyes to me.
"Mark. I love you. Please, believe in yourself. You're gonna make it out of here alive. It's not your fault," Ben says, barely being able to speak.
I kiss him over and over. "You're gonna make it. You have to. It's been us against the world. You're the only reason I take my medication. You're the only reason why I come to school. I love you so much. I need you. You can't leave," I cry out.
I spend Ben's last moments alive with him. The gunshots had finally stopped when Ben took his last breath.
I had trouble letting go but when I finally did, I got up and ran. I found a fire exit and I bolted out the door as the sirens began going off.
I ran and ran until I reached my house. I unlock the door and slam it behind me. I was finally home and safe.
"Mom. Dad?" I called out as I begin walking around my house. No response. I called out several more times and still no response.
I make my way up the stairs, figuring my parents were asleep. I knock on the door and call for my parents. No response. I slowly open the door and see red on the floor.
I look at the bed and there lied my parents, dead, blood everywhere.
I fell to the floor crying, as I crawled over to my parents bodies.
I sit there for hours as I sulk in sadness.
The room started getting darker, indicating that night was approaching. I gain strength and stand up. I look out the window to see police cars outside the house and SWAT.
I run out of the house, screaming for help. I notice that al the cops were pointing their guns at me.
"PUT YOUR HANDS IN THE AIR"
I was confused but obeyed their command. 5 cops came to me and began to handcuff me.
"You are under arrest for the deaths at Harrison High," one cop said.
"No you have it wrong. I'm not the shooter," I scream out, crying.
40 YEARS LATER....
As years went by, I began learning the true story of what happened that Monday at Harrison High.
Ben and I had apparently gotten into a fight on Friday night and he broke up with me. I got really mad and stopped taking my meds. I had went to a gun store and bought guns and that Monday morning, I killed my parents in their sleep. I tried killing Ben that day and when I did, the police couldn't find me. So they went to my house and that's when everything like this happened.
My therapist and I have talked through this ongoing problem for the past 20 years and I've recently only accepted it.
I get out next week.
1 WEEK LATER....
As I stand outside the old Harrison High, I began to remember that day.
A nearby neighbor told me that the school shut down 18 years ago and rebuilt a couple blocks down the road.
I walk into the old school as I walk down the familiar hallways of Harrison High.
I walk into Mr. Jetsons room and sit down at a desk. I look up at the clock as it read 11:59 AM.
I could hear the horrifying screams that occurred 40 years ago. The screams got louder and then... stopped.
I got up and left the room, beginning to make my way up to the roof. The school was 4 stories high.
I reached the ledge of the front of the school as I look around the city. I take a deep breath as I feel a tear stream down my face.
It was time to do justice as I walked off the school roof and fell down. As I fell, I saw my life flash through my eyes.
