Aftermath

Ch 59: A Harsh Blow

A/N: Previously, this was labeled Push & Shove, which probably fits it better. But since there's another, more important Push and Shove, it got retitled.

Kota

This morning's spurt of energy had long since passed. I had just enough left for lunch, and then I hoped someone would drive me home. It would be a relief to get the school day over--not my day entirely, as there were still several appointments and tasks on my calendar, but at least it would be away from this school.

I had been the subject of gossip and whispers everywhere I went for most of the day, though now that it was time for lunch, the discussion about the nerdy bluecoat and the bomb had slowed in favor of everyone's appetites. Now, I went mostly unnoticed, one among many amid a throng of students in an overcrowded hallway. Throw a little makeup and fake blood on us, and we could be extras in a zombie movie.

"Oh, shit! Watch out!"

A shriek ran out. "You dumbass!" someone shouted out. "That's why you're not supposed to have drinks in the hallway!"

The crowd began to slow, then back up. Several indignant stomps and shrieks sounded as toes were stepped on and people were pushed and shoved.

Fortunately, on some level, I was always aware of my surroundings because I only had seconds to react. I set my goal on a nearby men's room as I darted out of the way just as the others were shoved into each other like bowling pins.

Somehow, I made it untouched to the edge of the hallway, mere feet from my destination as several people around me were knocked to the floor. Someone stomped on my foot. While I was trying to move, someone else stumbled and accidentally headbutted me. The hit landed right in the middle of my bruised ribcage, knocking the breath out of me, and as I took a second to pull my sling-encased arm across my abdomen, another student was backing up, trying to get his balance, and his wide girth knocked me and a few others into a nearby locker.

Every combination of profanity that I had ever heard and some that I hadn't came to mind, all simultaneously.

More shrieks and shouts rang out, reminding me of the chaos right after the bombing.

"Sorry, man," the person said as he moved away from me.

Still breathless, I couldn't manage a response.

"Who did that?" a guy called out somewhere ahead of me. "Just you wait—I'm going to get a piece of you!"

"Oh, yeah? Bring it on!"

Within seconds, everyone began to readjust, getting back to their feet and collecting dropped books or bags as others inched forward to where the confrontation was breaking out.

"You asked for it!"

Normally, it was my job to stop situations like this, but I was in no shape to do so. For that matter, I was surprised I was still on my feet.

"Hey, are you okay?" a girl asked.

So I hadn't gone completely unnoticed. "Just stunned." I couldn't show any weakness at this school—well, no more than was obviously apparent.

She gave me a second look, though as everyone began to circle up in the nearby corridor, she left without saying anything more.

A chant had begun. "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

Shaky and off-balance, I seized the distraction. This men's room was seldom used, as the door had a habit of dragging against the floor and sticking, and the fixtures inside were almost always in disrepair.