Chapter 1: Artie
Bravery is by far the kindest word for stupidity, don't you think?
-Mycroft Holmes
Rolling down the crowded hall is never easy, especially when everyone purposely gets in your way. The day was almost over, just one more class until glee club. I quickly stopped by my locker to get my books for History class. During my freshmen year the school was stupid enough to give a top locker. Thankfully my arms were barley long enough to reach so I could put in the combination. It took them 6 months to give me a bottom locker but by then I had already mastered the height. I was quite proud of that accomplishment, I felt like I had adapted to my new hostile environment. Kinda like the animals on Animal Planet. God knows this school is full of them. Animals I mean. Scientists should do a documentary on this school comparing it the how animals act in the wild, I'm sure it'll be identical. Especially considering how many Neanderthals are reside in McKinley. Speaking of Neanderthals here they come.
"Hey wheels! Going for a walk?" Called out Azimio. Did he really think that was funny? Sure it may sound like a shit insult but it really hurts, it's not as if I can change what happened to me. I sure as hell wish I could but what's done is done. I still can't comprehend how these kids can be such dicks. "Oh thats right, you can't." This brought up more laughter from the football players and some of the passing hockey players. Why do we even have a hockey team anyway?
I glared at them but otherwise didn't give them a second glance as I wheeled past. I had maybe two more flicks of my wrist before I made it to the door to my classroom. Apparently someone had other ideas. Just before I had my hand on the door Puck came up behind me, rolling me in the opposite direction. Now I may like being a bad ass but I draw a line when it effects with my schoolwork. Being a model student is just who I am. I want to get into a good collage so I can leave this stupid town but I can't do that when large men with Mohawks are making me skip class. Not that I have a problem with Puck, no he's a great guy and has helped me in more ways then one. I consider him a friend and I hope he feels the same. I don't however, take kindly to kidnapping.
"You do realize kidnapping is illegal." I stated putting on some sass Kurt taught me.
"Keep your pants on Professor X, I'm borrowing you not kidnapping." Puck had the nerve to roll his eyes. Its not like I could do anything either.
"Puck, do we really need to skip class? You're already failing the class you can't afford to miss anymore?" I said in one last feeble attempt to persuade the jock into changing his mind. I am a model student and want to keep it that way. Also my parents would kill me if my grades slipped and being six feet under was not on my agenda for the foreseeable future.
"No way. Besides, you're tutoring me in math anyway so missing a lesson or two shouldn't make a big difference." Puck quickly blew it off. He turned corner slightly sharper than necessary making me hold tight to the arms of my chair so as not to tip over.
"I'm tutoring you in History class not Math."
"Whatever same difference." Puck shrugged continuing down the deserted hallway. By this time everyone had gone into their designated classrooms, no one even gave them a second glance. I kind of wished someone would stop us and make us go to class but at the same time I felt relief that Puck and I weren't caught. This school seriously needs better parental guidance all the teachers here couldn't care less about the student body. Except Mr. Shue. He cared, at least enough to stick with the glee club through thick and thin.
"There's a big difference. Do you even know what we do in History class?" Its astonishing that Puck has made it this far in school to begin with without getting held back or at least having some kind of special help. Although I shouldn't be surprised, the Lima school system was crap to begin with i shouldn't have expected more. Wishful thinking was quite a dangerous state of mind.
"Sure, who the Presidents were, Columbus, dates 'n shit."
"There's a lot more to it then that." At least he knew what we did, even if that stuff was almost elementary.
"Sure thing Steven Hawking, I'll leave to thinking up to you. " I've got to give Puck credit for that one even if it was a bit offensive. I'll have to get Puck to sit down and watch the documentary about Steven Hawking, the one with the guy who has a weird name. I'm so glad my parents didn't name me anything that would leave permanent damage. Arthur James Abrams isn't too bad.
"Puck I'm being serious, what if we get caught?" This was starting to get frustrating, I really hated it when people blew me off like my opinion was irrelevant. The chair was a benefactor in that accusation helping me in no way whatsoever.
"Jeez stop being such a buzz kill. If someone sees us I'll just tell them I'm taking a special out for a walk in the sunshine. Not like the Teachers here are all that bright."
"I'm paraplegic Puck, not mentally challenged. And your one to talk," I mumbled the last part hoping Puck wouldn't hear. Luckily he didn't and kept walking ignoring my correction.
"Where are we going?" I sighed in defeat. If you can't beat them join them right?
"Outside where all the freshmen are."
"Why?"
"I wanna get my mack on." Puck replied in a very Santana esc fashion. He needs to stop hanging out with her so much, he'll probably learn more Spanish from her than Mr. Shue. It won't be nice Spanish but Spanish nonetheless.
"The freshmen are so easy to play just a few sweet words and they'll make out with whoever." Oh wow that sounds horrible though it's probably true.
"That sounds great and all" not really "But I still wanna get Brittany back." I am so not over her. I lost Tina I don't wanna loose another girl I love. Did I just say love. Huh, I love Brittany. Then again I was sure I loved Tina. No, this time its different. At least I hope so.
"Still hung up on her? Wait, I thought you guys got back together." Puck actually looked concerned, that's nice.
"We did." I grimaced. Just thinking about the break up made he hurt. I feel so bad about what I did to Brittany but at the same time I'm mad at her for believing Santana. Most of all though I'm pissed at Santana, how could she do that to me. I mean I knew she didn't like me but did she really have to manipulate my girlfriend to cheat on me? That's a bit extreme.
"What did you do?" I'd have felt more offended if I wasn't wallowing in self loathing.
"I...I called her- I called her stupid." I hung my head in shame wanting the floor to swallow me up. I can't believe i said that to such a sweet innocent girl.
"Is that it?" I turned around sharply giving Puck my best 'Bitch Glare' which Kurt also taught me.
"Why would you do that?" Puck backtracked surprised by my anger. Good, it works. I'll have to thank Kurt later.
"Its all Santana's fault, she told Brittany it wasn't cheating if you had the same parts. I was just so upset and I-"
"Dude what do you expect. It's Santana, she's known for her tricks as well as breaking up couples. You should have seen it in Sophomore year -it was great- there was this Christian guy and he had a-What the hell?"
"What?" I looked around frantically searching for anything to cause Puck's outbreak. Call me a gossip but I wanted to know how the story ended.
"What is it Puck?" He was staring at something off to the side by the back door but I couldn't tell what. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary except-
"Oh. Oh that's not good." On the door leading to the outside cafeteria were thick metal chains wound around the door handles. In the middle of said chains were two old style padlocks holding and locking the door shut.
"This is bullshit!" yelled Puck clearly outraged. I cant blame him I mean who the hell padlocks a door inside a school during school hours.
"Maybe the janitor did it?" Wow that sounded unsure even to me.
"We don't even have a janitor do we?" Now that he mentions it I'm not sure we do have one. If so its one hell of a job what with all of the slushies thrown.
"Well they could be doing maintenance outside and don't want anyone to go out there. Safety hazard or something." That ones worse than the first.
"Whatever, lets try the front door." I swear I heard an uneasy undertone in his voice. This is making me mentally freak out.
We doubled back taking a few different turns and on the way I tried distracting myself with the posters on the school walls. Most of them were on prom although there were a few on miscellaneous stuff like the chess club was holding a tournament next Sunday in Westerville. Some others held signs with scholarships available for footballers, and of course the Glee Club sign up sheet was still there on the hallway billboard. No one else had wrote their name down. Well, if you count Pussy Galore, Randy Ride-her, Dickhead Deapthroat, and Penis then.
In no time we reached the front door much to my displeasure. The sight we were met with was the same as before, long thick chains and padlocks holding the doors closed.
"Fuck!" Puck ran to the door pounding on it furiously shaking the door handles trying with no avail to open them.
"Puck, you're freaking me out." I said meekly. Why were the doors locked, no why were the doors chained shut. Scratch that who chained and locked the doors shut. I took off my glasses quickly cleaning then to see if what I saw was wrong, it wasn't but I already knew that.
Puck continued to rattle the door handles making a loud chinking sound that echoed through the halls. It almost sounded like a gunshot. I've only ever heard them on television before so I can't be certain.
Puck gave one more halfhearted blow to the door before slumping forward defeated. In that moment "China Girl" erupted from the small speaker of my mobile phone. I instantly knew who was calling, only one person had that ring tone.
I could escape this feeling, with my China Girl
I feel a wreck without my, little China Girl
I hear her heart beating-
"Hey Tina, what's up?" She never called me during school hours or all that much anyway for that matter. It was weird, this whole day so far has been weird.
"Artie?" Tina whispered back after a short time. I heard a poorly concealed sob on the other end of the line
"Yeah? Tina what's going on, are you ok?" Puck's head shot up swiveling to look at me, he clearly registered the concern in my voice. He mouthed something but I couldn't work it out so I just shook my head at him giving a slight shrug in response.
"T-t-there's a- he was t-there and he had a... I didn't even k-know him and then- it- it was just loud, it was s-so loud and they f-fell and i-it- it was everywhere! He s-saw me! He saw me and we ran and oh god! I don't-" Tina broke off with loud unmistakable wail. I could barely understand what she said but what I did hear was her stutter. Tina's stutter couldn't be back, it was fake to begin with. None of this made since but all of it gave me this terrible knotting feeling in the bottom of my stomach.
There was another voice in the background saying something along the lines of 'you need to be quiet' then the line fell silent. Silence is a scary sound in this situation.
"Tina!" Please be ok, please be ok, please be ok, please be ok, please-
"Artie." The other voice called when it was clear Tina wasn't going to.
"Sam?" Puck had moved over kneeling down pressing his head close to the phone attempting to make out the conversation.
"Artie where are?" Where am I? Where the hell are you?
"I'm at the front door, where are you? What was Tina talking about, are you guys ok?"
"You have to leave, go and get help."
"What?" Puck grabbed the phone from my grasp with much protest by me, he quickly put it on speaker. "No way in hell, tell us where the fuck you are and what the fuck is going on."
"Puck? What are you-" He was cut off by a soft almost inaudible voice.
"Theres a shooter in the building." Tina seemed to have recovered, at least little bit. "We're in a closet on the second floor, you need to get out and call the police." Did she say shooter? Like someone with a gun killing people with a gun? A real gun? I gave Puck a look that he clearly mirrored. Terror.
"W-we cant leave. The doors are chained shut."
"What do you mean chained?" Sam's voice broke but he quickly turned it into a whisper as not to alert any unseen people.
"As in a metal chain with pad locks preventing us from leaving the building from any main exits." Wow, that actually sounded smart. I couldnt dwell on Puckermen's sudden brain function at the moment, much pressing matters were at hand.
"What do you mean a shooter?" I finally asked after what felt like hours of silence from either end but was barely 2 seconds.
"A boy, I-I don't think I've ever seen him before. H-he-oh god- he sh-shot Azimio and Karofsky. T-there was so much blood, I didn't think someone's head could have so much blood but it went everywhere, a-all over the walls and- He saw us, he saw me and I ran." Tina started mumbling and undoubtedly crying if the sniffling and hiccupping were anything to go by.
So many thoughts ran through my head but the main one was this is really happening. Someone, some guy is killing people in our school. In the school I have been going to the past two years. In my school. This cant be right. Sure I've heard about stuff like this happening but, this kinda stuff doesn't happen here. Not in some bum fuck town where everyone knows everyone. Well, everyone knows the popular people at least.
"Please help me Artie, I-I don't know what to do. Please."
Oh god. She just broke my heart again.
"Don't move. We're coming to get you. I wont let anything happen to you, I promise." A wave of bravery and dare I say it courage pulsed through my veins, there was nothing I wouldn't do at this moment.
"O-ok, please hurry Artie."
"Artie, are you sure? I can go up there and-"
"No," I cut Puck off knowing full well what he was implying. Anyone in his situation would have too but I will not back down. I loved Tina once and might still and Sam is becoming a good friend to me. I wont- I can't leave them. I may not be much help but I will try with everything I've got.
"Tina can you hear me?"
"Yeah?"
"I need you to stay on the line alright. Can you do that for me?"
"Yeah I can-" Silence. The phone went dead. I looked down in disbelief, my cell read 'no signal'. How could I not have signal? I had signal a second ago. I haven't even moved.
"We need to go. Now." I nodded in agreement letting Puck steer me in the direction of the stairs. McKinley didn't have an elevator. Thankfully all my classes were downstairs, the school was at least considerate enough to do that much. Focus, now is definitely not the time for stuff like this.
It would have been faster for Puck to carry me up the steps but we didn't have time to unfold and refold my wheelchair up so he just propped me up like a moving trolley. Things were going fine we kept up a steady pace, granted I would have like to get up faster but I take what I can get. In that moment I heard, soft like a whisper a slight humming. I recognized the tune but couldn't place where it was coming from. Whipping my head around I began looking for the source of the hum. Puck caught on to this and stopped moving once we got to the first landing. In the corner of my eye I saw movement.
A boy, slightly older than me but younger than Puck stood at the very top of the steps. Right then the humming turned to a echoing whistle. He was the cause, he was the one singing. I have no idea who this guy is. I feel like I should but I don't. His lips turned into a wicked smirk sending shivers up my spine. No. He couldn't be. This guy, this boy barely looked a hundred pounds. Looks can be deceiving.
I registered the sound before anything else. It all happened so fast. One moment Puck is questioning the boy the next a loud cracking sound is heard along with several thuds. Then I'm falling. I didn't even realize until my head connected with one of the steps. Then another, and another, and another, and finally the cold cement floor. It should have hurt but I felt no pain, at least my brain hasn't sent it to me yet. I'm thankful. But then again not.
Puck. He's bleeding. I cant tell from where, when I try my vision blurs. Tunnel vision is what its called I think. Everything goes black, the last thing I saw was a bleeding Puck.
Whistling, I hear whistling. Then screaming, two sets of screaming. A girl and a boy. Screaming and everything is black once again. I saw red, then I saw white.
Tell me what you think and review!
What song do you think the shooter is humming/whistling to?
