Blue

Chapter Four

Every page they turned together dragged them a second closer to when it would all change. Becca sat before the class reading from a book whose every word was speaking against the violence and brutality that continued to plague the world. Each sentence struck home for her and there were few things she wished for more than to have her students be hit by the same impact. As they reached the last paragraph of their chapter, she placed her finger in between the pages and closed the book around them. The student who was reading aloud continued until the last period urged her to stop.

"Do any of you notice anything on how the author is developing Starr?"

The class stared at her for a few moments before one of them braved the spotlight. "Well, I think the author made Starr quite realistic for how she would react in this situation."

"And what brought you to this conclusion?"

It was a male student who spoke from the front row with, brows knitting together. "Starr witnessed the shooting. Her second friend to be killed in front of her. And there were many chapters where that simple fact seemed to strike her into silence. She was scared."

"Yes," Becca nodded. "She was very much scared, but fear can either take someone's power away or give them a fury that can do nothing but drive them to fight back. Which do you think Starr will choose?"

Valerie, a black student from the back row, said, "I think she is scared but will find her voice. If she doesn't, then what's the point in the story? No one wants to read about a coward."

"Cowardice does often make bad characters," Becca smiled. "But I'm not going to tell you! You'll just have to read the rest of the book with me."

When Becca opened her book again, a series of spines cracking to the same page fell through the classroom of stark white walls and bookshelves.

Flipping the page, Becca began reading the next chapter to her students, trying her best to keep a healthy bit of enthusiasm within her voice to keep them engaged. Sentences flowed through her lips, edging over into paragraphs until they reached a funny line of dialogue and much of the class laughed.

Seconds drew on, the melody of laughs falling away like a small bird soaring through the sky who had yet to learn the ways of its wings. It was almost as if something knew their voices had to drain away.

To make space for the horrible boom that felt as if it could've shaken the school from its foundations. It was like the first battle cry that fell from the mouth of an armored warrior in a fantasy film. The first gleam of what was to come. But they had no armor. They had no plan for a fight of anything other than the highest grade in a class. They were utterly bare and unprepared for a war within the ugliest depths of the world. The school enforced at least two lockdown drills a year, but no number of them could've ever equipped them for this.

Becca's book fell from her fingers and she knew it had to have made a thud against the floor but her ears only felt the absence of the monstrous sound that had come and gone so fast.

She knew what it meant. There was no doubt in her mind what had happened and when she cleared her daze, Becca peered into the eyes of each and every child in front of her. Because that's what they were. Children.

Children of flesh and bone and clothing. Of no metal plates guarding their chests and helmets hugging their heads. Despite her fear, Becca fought with everything within her to keep the quiver from her voice.

"Children," her nostrils flared.

Normally they would have objected to being called such, but in this moment, many of their personalities had fled. Instead tears gleamed in their eyes and absolute terror cupped their lips open in broken screams that hadn't quite made it past their throats.