The Frozen School

Chapter 1 (Mark)

Hey everyone, I would just like to say this is my very first story. I have had this idea drifting around in my head for years now and I have tried many times to put it to paper but I always either lose motivation or get dissatisfied with my writing. So I figured if I posted this online it would give me more motivation to continue writing, while I'm satisfied with what I have written so far that may change in the future and if it does I'll make sure to let you all know. So without further ado please enjoy and feel free to let me know anywhere you think I could improve.

2:00 am, I shiver as I look at the time, the glow of my watch illuminating my face in the dark room. It's been fifteen hours since the school lost power. Fifteen hours of subzero temperatures with no heater, the only protection against the cold being our own body heat, our jackets, and our sweaters. It was about eleven in the morning yesterday when the school lost power and we started losing heat. At first, it wasn't too bad, we huddled together to try to stay warm longer, talking and joking among friends. We even played a couple games to help pass the time. Around 2:15 pm, we were told that the busses couldn't get to the school with all the snow. They told us that the only way we could leave was if a parent or family member came to pick us up. So, there we were waiting for the power to turn back on, the only thing is, it never did.

Eventually, a couple people got tired as the night wore on and decided to get some sleep especially since we would be here for a while. We didn't really think anything of it at first. In fact, it wasn't even until about midnight that we realized they weren't sleeping.

It was Susan who noticed it when she accidentally bumped into Craig's chair and he fell over without so much as making a noise or waking up. When she realized he didn't react she tried to wake him up to see if he was alright. Something was definitely wrong when he didn't so much as twitch in response, she quickly called out to the teacher "Mr. Trent, Craig isn't waking up!". Susan's panicked call rapidly alerted everyone else that something was wrong.

Everyone crowded around Craig and Susan as Mr. Trent called out "Alright everyone, back up, let me through. Now, what seems to be the problem, Susan?".

"It's Craig, he isn't waking up no matter what I do. Is he alright, do we need to take him to the nurse?". Mr. Trent bends down and starts to shake Craig's shoulder to see if he would wake up. When that doesn't work, I see him put two fingers to Craig's neck to check if he is still alive, only for him to jump back the blood draining from his face and his eyes wide in alarm.

As Mr. Trent leaps back away from Craig's body, he quietly whispers under his breath, "He doesn't have a pulse, there is no way, this can't be happening, how did he die, was it the cold? Did he get hypothermia?". As Mr. Trent starts rambling to himself under his breath most of the students in the room start panicking and trying futilely to wake up their sleeping friends.

Perhaps it's best if I get out of here before something bad happens a bunch of panicked people stuck together can go bad really quick, I think. Right as I get to the door, I hear Mr. Trent call after me, "Mark where do you think you're going? We all need to stay together especially after this I can't allow you to run off. Everyone needs to stay calm I'll call the principal, but I need everyone to stay here."

"But Mr. Trent, Craig probably died because he was too cold so if anything, me moving around might actually help increase my chances of survival," I say knowing it's a very weak argument. As I'm arguing with Mr. Trent, Katie runs up to him and distracts him by begging and trying to drag him over to another unmoving student to help.

I use this as my time to escape the classroom, looking back one last time before I shut the door, I notice Katie winking at me. Damn, I owe her one now. I manage to get away before Mr. Trent has enough time to notice that I left without waiting for him to finish our conversation.