The Blue Bracelet

UNO (IV)

The gunshots suddenly stopped. Relief poured over the entire room. Everyone's shoulders slumped down gratefully. "The gunshots stopped." I whispered to Elly on the phone. I didn't dare move an inch. The shattering of glass from the classroom could be heard as hundreds of pieces of glass touched the ground. " Where are the students Captain?" A female voice asked. " Can you see if the police are coming through the window?" I asked Elliott with my voice being barely audible.

"Umm…yeah. They're going through the windows in some classrooms. I guess other students did the same as your class." He in formed me. "The door." The female said outside in the classroom. "Stay away from the door." A man voice said this time. A gunshot made everyone in the room jump. The door slowly open to show three police officers in uniform. "Don't worry. You're safe now." The officer said with a braided beard. I raised my eyebrow at him but I was to terrified to even question it.

The officers gently carried us safely out of the school and into the field. The sun was shining brightly upon us. I look around the field to see if I can get a glimpse of Elliott or Luna anywhere. I stretched my neck as high as I can reach to see over the large year groups. They have to be together. "Do you see them?" I asked Nia who was besides me. I had hung up the phone as soon as we met the outside world.

"No." She answered with sympathy. "But they're supposed to be out here-" I paused myself when Luna ran up and hugged me from behind. I turned around and hugged her like my life depended on it. "Oh God. Thank Lord you're okay." I cried with a tear running down my cheek. I ran my hand up and down her back while hearing her cries. "Emby!" Elly said running towards us. I hugged both of them very tightly and I didn't want to let go. "Thank God you guys are okay." I said.

" We're going to have to go home. They're evacuating the entire compound." Elliott explained. "Okay but does Mom and Dad know?" I asked him. "Yeah. Luna called them while I was on the phone with you. I still have to drive us home." He said. "Okay. The quicker we get out of here is the better." I sighed.

I pulled away from both of them and turned to Nia," Who are you going home with?" I asked her remembering she takes the bus. "I'm not sure. Mom is trying to come off work and dad is in heavy traffic down south." She said. I turned to Elly to ask him if Nia can go with us. Nia lives a good way from us but she lives on the back road. Sometimes we pick her up if the main road, where we drive to school, has traffic.

With the nod of his head I turned back to Nia," You're coming with us and that's final. " I said to her without even asking. "Fine by me sis." She gratefully said. We walked towards the school's parking lot with a few other students and teachers.

Nia and Luna walked ahead of Elliott and I. I looked around to see students still crying and some shaking. Glass was shattered on the outside of the school at ground level and the police came in and out of the school. There were ambulances with students who got injured. I couldn't help to see Aviel standing by his brother who was on a stretcher. His brother was around my sister's age and I couldn't help but feel bad for him. It seems that his brother got shot and pretty badly too. Oh my prayers go for that kid.

Paramedics brought out three body bags one after the next. I gasp with my hands over my mouth," oh God." I said. Elliott turned to me and saw what I was watching. "One is the shooter. The police shot him and the other two is a kid and a teacher." He informed me softly. "I'm really sorry for the teacher and the student. They died too soon." He shook his head in disappointment.

"My respect goes out for them." I said. "I heard the principal talking about giving us a week off and he has to meet with all parents because the school needs to be repaired so we'll have to transfer this term." Elliott said. "Transfer?" I asked him to make sure I heard clearly. "Yeah. Information travels fast. Other schools are reaching out to our school already. They are accepting students. " He said.

We walked towards his black Nissan wingroad and got in. Nia and Luna sat in the back while I sat in the passenger seat. " Everything of ours are still in there."  Luna reminded us. "How are we going to get it back?" She asked. This little girl just came out of a school shooting and before she thanks God for her life she wants to get back her material things?

"Why don't you thank God for your life first Luna?" I turned around to ask in a very rough manner. "Emby." Elliott called. "What?" I answered angrily. "Calm down..." He trailed off. I turned back around to face front and buckled my seat belt before he pulled off. "Sorry Luna." I muttered under my breath but Luna still heard. "It's okay." She said before looking out the window.  Elliott wrapped his fingers around mine to show his support for me. "You're okay now. If you have to take out anything take it out on me." He told me willingly.

If there's one thing I love about my brother is that he'll sacrifice himself for him to be my punching bag. He's the bestest friend I can ask for and I honestly don't know what I'll do without him in my life.

I leaned back and watch the world pass besides me while the fresh air kissed my cheeks so gently. The trees and cars matched so well together and the sun shining down upon us was peeking through the puffy, white, cotton like clouds above.

After dropping off Nia we headed straight home. Mom was patiently waiting for us to drive into the driveway before bursting the door open. "Oh my little babies!" She screamed while running to the car. Luna and I ran out to hug her followed by Elliott who had to cut off the engine. "Thank God you kids are okay." She cried. The tears fell on my sister's and my head.

I didn't know how long it was that we stood hugging outside but I felt grateful to see my mom again. " Let's go inside. I made lunch for you. Your father will be home in a while. There's just a lot of traffic to come home." She said before pulling away from us and instead grabbing Luna's and my hand. She pulled us inside while Elliott walked behind us.

School shooting. Who would have guessed that this would happen to us? I hope no one else got killed. It's already harsh that we had to be traumatized by the sounds of bullets, far less for our own dying. Right now I'm just glad that my own wasn't hurt in anyway.