Keep Your Children Close

Notes After seeing the stories in the news this week about the school shooting in Nevada and the murder of the high school teacher in Danvers Mass I decided to write a one shot in which a school shooting happens at Frederick and Joanne's middle school. My thoughts and prayers are with all those involved in these tragedies, I own no characters from Annie, Frederick and Joanne are my own creation. They are 11 years old by this point and in 6th grade. This is set the fall of Molly's senior year in college.

It was a typical Monday morning in the Warbucks household. Fall had arrived and Joanne and Frederick had recently celebrated their 11th birthday. Grace could not believe how fast her youngest children were growing up. It seemed as if it was only yesterday she rocked them to sleep in the nursery at the mansion as infants. While their intial adjustment to moving to Queens had been difficult they were very well adjusted now. Grace had started her fifth year of teaching at Northside Elementary School at the end of August where she taught 4th grade.

She walked Frederick and Joanne out to the bus stop at 6:45am that morning. "I love you both. Have a great day." she kissed her children on the top of the head,

"We love you too Mama." Joanne said. The bus came and they boarded. Grace walked up the driveway and went back in the house to finish getting ready for work.

Little did anyone in the Warbucks family know what kind of drama would unfold in school that day.

At around 10:45 am a phone call came to Grace's classroom. "Mrs. Warbucks, please come down to the office. There's an urgent call for you."

Grace rarely received any phone calls at work. She hoped nothing was wrong with Joanne and Frederick. Her students were in art class so she walked down to the office right away. When she got there she picked up the phone right away. It was her Mrs. Pugh.

"Grace, sweetheart. I'm so sorry to call you at work."

Grace noticed right away that her surrogate mother's voice sounded nervous. "What's wrong Mama?"

"We just got a call from the middle school. A student bought a gun to school today and started a rampage. The school is on lockdown."

Grace's heart rate quickened. 'My babies.' she thought to herself

"Why would anyone bring a gun to school?" Grace asked.

"No one has any clue of a motive."

"Are Frederick and Joanne alright?"

"As far as I know they are safe in their classrooms. No one is even allowed to go outside in the hallway because the gunman is still on the loose."

"Thank you for calling Mama. I'll see you when I get home this afternoon."

Grace went through the motions of the rest of the morning. At lunch she sat in the teacher's room staring blankly at the wall. Another teacher named Stacey Eriksson sat down next to her.

"Are you alright Grace?"

Grace shook her head. "My mother called me a little while ago and told me there is a shooter on the loose at the middle school."

"Are your children all right?"

Grace shrugged. "I have no idea. I hope they are safe. I am really worried about them."

Stacey put a comforting arm around Grace. "I'm sure they will be fine Grace. They must be really scared though. I can only imagine the thoughts that must be running though their heads."

At the end of the day Grace drove back to the apartment. The front door burst open and Joanne flew outside. Grace picked her daughter up immediately and hugged her close not wanting to let her go.

"Oh Mama, today was so scary." Joanne had tears in her eyes.

"I know baby girl. I am so glad you and your brother are safe. I have been worried about you two all day."

"I love you Mama."

"I love you too sweetheart."

That night as they were getting ready for bed Oliver pulled Grace into the familiar embrace that she loved so much. "Are you alright darling?"

Grace shook her head. " I'm certainly glad that Frederick and Joanne were not hurt today. I was so worried about them. This situation could have had a far more terrible outcome."

"That child should be locked up in juvenile detention!"

"Does anyone know who it is?"

Oliver nodded solemnly. " I dismissed Frederick and Joanne from school early today. Frederick said his friend's older brother was the one who had the gun."

"Which friend?"

"Casey Abramson's brother Darryl. He's in 8th grade. "

"What would possess him to bring a gun to school and go on a rampage to harm innocent people?"

Oliver shrugged his shoulders. " I haven't the slightest idea. The principal and the police are looking into that. Hopefully we will more details in the next couple days"

"Was anyone injured?"

" Yes, but thankfully not too seriously."

There was a tap on the door.

""Come in." Grace answered. Joanne peeked her head in the room. She didn't say anything.

Oliver took his daughter's hand gently. " Did you want to talk to Mom and Dad about what happened today darling?"

Joanne nodded.

"Come on, let's all sit down together on the bed."

Oliver, Grace and Joanne sat down on the bed. Grace pulled Joanne into her lap and kissed her forehead gently.

"I have never been so scared before." Joanne whispered.

"Are you scared to go to school tomorrow sweetheart?" Oliver asked.

Joanne nodded. "A little bit." she whispered

"You have nothing to be afraid of. The gunman was taken to the police station for questioning."

"I don't want him to go to jail Daddy!"

Grace was angry that this had happened and that her daughter was afraid to go to school. "We understand the gunman is Frederick's friend's brother. Have you ever met him before?"

Joanne nodded. "My friend Jasmine's older sister Anna dates Darryl. They've been dating since May. Darryl has been over their house a few times when I've been over there."

"Was he ever mean to you?"

Joanne shook her head. " No, he wasn't. That's why this is so surprising. I don't understand it at all."

Oliver looked at his daughter solemnly. " Nobody understands why this happened sweetheart. The police and your principal are investigating it."

"Two other people were shot today trying to protect groups of other people in the 8th grade hallway."

Grace was surprised to hear this. " Are they okay?"

Joanne shrugged. "The ambulance had to come to take them to the hospital. I don't know how badly they were injured."

"Did you want to sleep with us tonight angel?" Oliver asked.

Joanne nodded.

"Go on and get your pajamas on. We'll have a slumber party."

"Okay."

Joanne left the room.

"She's really shaken up by this." Oliver said to Grace.

"I am too. I think we should go to the school to talk to the principal and get more details about this Oliver."

"We'll have to wait. Who knows how long it will take the police to complete the investigation."

Joanne came back five minutes later.

"Let's all get some shut eye. Hopefully things will be a bit less confusing in the morning." Oliver said as he kissed his wife and daughter softly on their foreheads. "Good night my beautiful girls."

"Good night." Grace whispered.

After snuggling down under the covers Grace felt Joanne curl into her side.

"Mama, I love you and Daddy so much." Joanne whispered.

"We love you too baby girl. Get some sleep." Grace kissed her youngest daughter on the cheek.

A few days later there was a letter sent home to all the parents in the middle school about the shooting. Grace's heart broke when she read it.

Oliver came into the kitchen and noticed the distressed look on his wife's face. "What's wrong Grace?"

"Joanne and Frederick brought this letter home from the principal today. It's about the shooting."

"What does it say?"

Grace choked up. "It says that the police investigation revealed that Darryl had gotten into a fight with his mother the previous night about something related to his relationship with Jasmine's sister. I guess Jasmine's mother thinks that they are too young to date so she and her husband want them to break up."

"Does Darryl's mother agree with Jasmine's mother?"

"Yes."

" Well I suppose 8th grade is too young to date. I mean they are only 13. Annie and Molly waited awhile before they started to date."

"Is there any other motive related to the shooting?"

"The police are still investigating but I think that's something they are looking into further."

"How did he get the gun?"

"That wasn't really touched upon in the letter."

"Did they say who was injured?

Grace nodded. "Darryl fired into two groups of students in the 8th grade hallway. Jasmine's sister was in one of those groups of people but she wasn't seriously injured. Two teachers and two students were transported to the hospital with minor injuries. Anna was one of the students transported to the hospital."

"Did he shoot himself?"

Grace shook her head. " No. He's still alive. He's in police custody for a few days. He won't be back in school for at least another week."

Oliver was furious. " He's a punk Grace! He shouldn't go back to school. He should be locked up in juvenile detention!"

"It's not fair to pass judgment on someone we don't know that well."

Oliver scoffed. "I know him well enough. I saw him at all of Frederick and Casey's soccer games the past couple years. His father has been recently complaining that Darryl hangs out with a bad group of kids outside of school."

"Do you suppose this might be drug related?"

Oliver shrugged. "I wouldn't be too surprised."