Disclaimer: See first chapter
Rating: PG-15
Chapter Four: Lucas
"Thanks, Z. I'll see you after school." Lucas called out to his favorite teacher as he shouldered his backpack and left the science room. It was the beginning of the lunch period and he had decided to stop by Professor Zachary's room to drop off his homework from that morning which he'd forgotten to do the previous night. Zachary had no qualms about turning in late papers. He always accepted them, happy enough with the assurance that the students were at least learning something – and there was no doubt in the teacher's mind that Lucas, one of his brightest students, was learning the material.
Lucas heard Zachary return his greeting and then the teenager continued down the hall on his way toward the cafeteria where his friends were, no doubt, waiting for him.
He stopped to get a drink at the fountain outside of the school store, where some students were milling around inside, buying snacks or pop or just hanging out. At the front counter, some older students Lucas didn't know very well were buying food. A senior girl whose name, if Lucas remembered correctly, was Hailey Eisen, turned, laughing at a joke her friend made. When she saw Lucas staring at her, she smiled back, giving him a small wave. Lucas grinned and waved back, but the moment was broken when a student dressed in black nearly ran into Lucas as he rounded the corner.
"Hey, watch it—"Lucas said to the boy, whom he recognized as a fellow junior named Chris Ghent. Chris snarled something in reply and yanked open the door to the boy's bathroom to Lucas's left, disappearing inside.
Muttering something about rude people, Lucas picked his backpack up once more and decided that he might get his lunch from the school store today... He grinned again as he walked past Hailey on his way to the deli counter. Deciding on a turkey sub sandwich and a Mountain Dew from the pop cooler, Lucas walked timidly up to the check-out counter and stood in line behind Hailey.
It was Hailey that turned first and noticed him. She bit her lower lip idly as she leaned against the counter, staring at him. She was at least three inches taller than him, Lucas noticed, cursing his foul depth- perception. Having to look up at her just seemed to make the whole situation all that more awkward.
"Hi—"Lucas began, gesturing to the candy she was purchasing. "Skittles, those are my favorite candy." He laughed nervously. God, I'm terrible at this!
"Oh yeah?" Hailey smiled. "Mine too."
"I'm, uh, Lucas." Lucas announced, holding out his hand. "Lucas Randall."
"Hi Lucas, I'm Hailey—"
"Eisen, Hailey Eisen right? I've, uh, seen you around..." Lucas scratched the back of his head idly.
"Yeah. That's right." Hailey folded her arms, still smiling. You idiot, Lucas thought to himself. Way to strive for the hard-to-get look... Girls like mysterious guys, remember? As Lucas berated himself for his poor social skills in general, he looked out into the hall and thought he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Chris Ghent carrying a duffel bag and setting it down on the ground.
Absently, he turned back to Hailey and was about to go for good ol' Round Two when the boy next to Hailey took her by the arm and turned to face Lucas. "Hey, Hailey, I'm gonna go head off to talk to the coach now. I'll see you after school, OK?" He gave Hailey a lingering kiss – on the lips – and backed away, still holding her hand.
Hailey laughed, "OK, Nick. I'll see you at three. Bye." She loosened her grip and waved as her boyfriend dashed out the door, not even noticing Lucas was there. Slowly, Hailey turned back to Lucas who was now looking completely out of place.
"Oh, wow, I didn't know that you... And I—Crap. I'm sorry, I gotta go. I'll, uh, I'll see you around then? In class? Or in the halls... Or wherever. Uh, bye..." Hailey began to protest but Lucas was already making his way across the room, pretending to study the magazine rack. He picked up the nearest one abruptly then smacked his forehead. Oh yeah, Seventeen Magazine makes you look real cool, Lucas. Way to go, Romeo... Not like it matters anyway, she clearly has a boyfriend.
At that moment, Lucas's thoughts were interrupted by a loud stuttering blast outside in the hallway. He immediately ducked behind the magazine rack, covering his head as broken glass from the panes separating the store from the hall shattered down on top of him.
He huddled this way behind the magazine rack like a frightened creature until the noise stopped. In the brief silence that ensued, Lucas pulled in ragged, shallow breaths, trying to calm his soaring nerves. Nearby he thought he heard people screaming, but he couldn't be sure. Realizing that he'd lost his glasses, Lucas couldn't even be sure of the ground underneath him anymore. His head was spinning with terror as he recognized the sound as gunfire.
After a few stunned moments in which the world began to right itself and feeling returned to the teenager's hands and knees, Lucas dared to move from the position he was in, giving himself one quick push and leaning against the wall in the corner of the room. He laid his head against the wall's hard surface and rested a hand on his rapidly beating heart, as if it might help to calm him down some more.
Tears brimming at the corners of his eyes, Lucas tried to maneuver his sights so he could see what was going on, where all the broken glass had come from, where all the screams were coming from... But he could see nothing. The magazine rack was in his way, and past that, a vending machine barred the way. He was reduced to the range of the blind, knowing only what he could sense with his own two ears... and he didn't like what he heard.
Lucas pressed the palms of both his hands into his ears, trying to block out the screams. It should be easier to do, he thought to himself. The screams seem so far away... But I know that they're right here, right outside my range of vision...
The noise of gunfire slowly diminished in the background and it took all of Lucas's willpower to convince himself that he wasn't just hearing things, that the sound really was retreating into the background. Taking a deep breath, Lucas removed his palms and began to look around for his missing glasses, being near blind without them.
He fumbled over the broken glass, crawling on his hands and knees across the floor, fingers searching carefully. When he felt something sharp pierce his palm he hissed and pulled his hand close to himself. He couldn't see well, but he did see the trickle of blood coming from the cut on his palm, and he cursed lightly, pulling his sleeves over the heels of his hands as he continued his search.
Finally his fingers touched something familiar. He pulled his glasses on, adjusting them until they seemed fitting enough, and groaned immediately upon realizing that he'd broken one of the lenses. Oh well, he thought to himself. At least now you can see a little better.
Lucas examined the cut on his hand and winced. He squeezed his hand shut to stop the bleeding and when it didn't stop, he looked around for the nearest piece of cloth, band-aids, anything. His eyes rested on a tattered piece of his blue jeans that was hanging loose and he gripped the pant leg as best as he could while pulling with his good hand. After a few quick tugs, he jerked loose a strip of blue jean and tied it around his palm.
There, Lucas thought to himself. That ought to do for now. He turned around, still engaged in a ready-to-spring squatting position, and looked under the magazine rack toward the front of the store, almost crying out loud when he witnessed all the blood that had been spilled. At least three people that Lucas could see were lying out in the open, bleeding openly on the floor, one of them – he noticed with a horrified gasp – was Hailey Eisen.
The blonde girl lay in front of the check-out counter, hands at her sides, blood pouring from a wound in her thigh. Lucas couldn't tell whether or not she was breathing. On the other side of the counter, Lucas could see the store clerk, a man in his sixties named Bert that had worked there for over twenty years. Seeing him now, lying motionless on the ground, a puddle forming around his injured head, Lucas knew instantly that Bert was dead, and that he wouldn't be working even one more day at Blake Holsey High...
All this, in less than fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes. A lousy quarter of an hour to change someone's life forever... or to take it.
Lucas wanted to run, he wanted to bolt for the nearest door, regardless of the danger, and run as far away from Blake Holsey High school as he possibly could, but he knew that would be foolish. He was about to settle for hiding in the corner until it was all over when he thought he saw Hailey move...
It was only a slight move, just a shift of the arm, but when he heard her groan lightly, Lucas knew that she was very much alive... and very much in need of help.
He looked across the room at some other students he hadn't noticed before, hiding along the walls like Lucas was doing, and he appealed to them to help him get to Hailey, but they just shook their heads. They were too scared, Lucas realized. He was too... but he wouldn't just sit there and watch as someone he knew bled to death on the floor, alone.
Mustering his courage, Lucas moved into a sprinting position, hesitating just a moment before he dashed out into the open space and kneeled by Hailey. Without wasting another beat, he grabbed her under the arms and dragged her back into the space he'd been hiding before, trying to avoid the broken glass. Kicking random shards out of the way, Lucas lay Hailey down gently and leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily. Glancing back at where he'd come from, Lucas noticed first the faces of the shocked students who couldn't believe the actions of this usually shy, timid junior, before he noticed the trail of blood across the hardwood floors that had come from Hailey.
The echo of gunfire in the background warned Lucas that he had taken a big chance just then, for someone he hardly knew, but it was over now... And Hailey still needed his help. He looked down at her pale, sweaty face and slowly moved his hand to her neck to determine the strength of her pulse. He had barely put two fingers in place when Hailey woke with a jerk, startling the already jumpy Lucas. She looked up at him with a panicky expression, obviously confused and in grave pain.
"Lu—Lucas?" She gasped between breaths. "What's going on? What happened?"
"Shh, just lie still." Lucas instructed in a low voice. "I'm taking care of you, but you have to be quiet." He threw an involuntary glance toward the door, which Hailey followed, becoming more frightened.
"Lucas, it hurts." She groaned, tears streaming freely down her flushed cheeks. "I want to know what's going on, please, I don't want to be here."
"I'm sorry." Lucas said sincerely. "I don't know what's happening, and I don't want to be here either... But I'll try to help you the best I can. Everything'll be OK, Hailey. It'll be alright." Lucas couldn't tell whether he was telling her that more for her benefit, or his own, but he figured it couldn't hurt to allow comfort for both sides, given the current situation they were in, and the lack of answers they were receiving.
Lucas looked to the girl's wound, almost throwing up at the sight of the blood that seemed like it wouldn't stop pumping.
What could I use to stop it? He asked himself frantically. I highly doubt strips of blue jean would be effective here...
Lucas spotted a Blake Holsey High sweatshirt on a rack and scurried over to snatch one. Crawling back over to Hailey he crumpled the sweatshirt and pushed it gently onto her thigh. Hailey bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain, but she couldn't stop the tears, or the clenched fists.
God, why can't I help her? He asked himself frantically. I need to get to a phone, to call for help... But shouldn't it already be on its way? There are plenty of phones in the cafeteria where everyone—Lucas stopped mid-thought as a thought struck him head-on.
The cafeteria. Where everyone ate lunch. Where Lucas's friends ate lunch. Every day.
"Oh, God." He muttered to himself.
"What is it?" Hailey asked him fearfully. "Is it that bad? Oh God, please tell me it isn't—"
"Oh, NO—no, you'll be fine." Lucas grinned half-heartedly. "Trust me. I was just... I just realized that, my friends... they... they're out there somewhere. I really hope they're OK."
"So is Nick." Hailey bit her lip. She seemed to have calmed down some, which Lucas thanked God for silently. She seemed more afraid now for her boyfriend than for herself. "Who do you think is doing it, Lucas?" She whispered quietly.
"I don't know—"Lucas answered hesitantly, but no sooner had he said the words than the memory of Chris Ghent setting down the duffel bag in the hallway moments earlier hit him and he gasped. "Chris Ghent."
"Who's that?" Hailey asked.
"Uh, a junior. A guy in one of my classes. I saw him out in the hallway, just before—... I think he's the one who's doing this." But why? Lucas asked himself even as he spoke. Why would Chris – why would anyone – do such a horrible, hateful thing? He let the thought sink in no longer than a few moments. Same reason anyone does these things. Attention. Hate. Loneliness. Pain... This was his last resort.
Lucas looked back down to Hailey, noticing that the blood was already soaking through the sweatshirt. Need something to stop it with, he thought to himself. "Wait here." He crawled back over to the clothes rack and found a lanyard meant to hold keys. He snatched one and went back to Hailey, carefully removing the sweat shirt. Hailey's eyes were as wide as saucers when she saw the state of her wound, but she remained silent, an agreeable patient, Lucas thought appreciatively.
He moved to wrap the lanyard around her upper thigh but stopped when he moved close and, blushing furiously, handed it to Hailey. She took it wordlessly and wrapped it around her thigh, as high as she could go above the gunshot wound, and Lucas took over, tightening it to act as a tourniquet. When he was finished, he found another sweatshirt and covered her legs with it.
Sitting back on his knees, the two teenagers sat face to face in the dimly lit store. The sudden realization hit them both at the same time. "The shooting's stopped." Lucas muttered aloud. He looked over across the room. Some other students were looking hopeful, perhaps wanting to move, wanting to call for help, but no one dared to do so first. There was coarse silence.
"Someone should call for help – just in case." Lucas said to Hailey. "I where there's a phone. They always have one behind the counter—"
"No." Hailey said suddenly. "Don't go out there, Lucas. Just stay here, please. I don't want to see you get hurt." Her voice was small, afraid. She reached out and snatched Lucas's hand, pulling it close to her. "Stay with me."
Lucas stared at her steadily. "OK." He said after a moment, moving to sit next to her. He helped her sit up and lean against the wall and still held her hand on her lap, watching her silently as she shut her eyes, probably thinking of home, and breathed in and out slowly. There was a calm, almost serene expression on the girl's face, but it couldn't hide the fear that pervaded it. Lucas wondered how he must look himself.
As they sat there, each lost in their own thoughts, Lucas wondered if his friends were OK. He'd been trying not to think about them since the thought had occurred. It was just too much to have to worry about and worry about saving Hailey at the same time. He feared for his friends. Josie, Marshall, Corrine, Vaughn, Professor Zachary... were they all OK? It was an agonizing thought and the best he could do given the predicament, was to just convince himself that they were all OK, and concentrate on the people around him first.
It was then that he heard the sound of shouting in the hallways again. Oh, God please say it's not happening again... he thought. It had been about fifteen minutes since the shooting had stopped, and no one in the store had heard a word since from the rest of the school. They were cut off from the stem of knowledge and awareness, and it left them in the dark and terribly alone.
The voices grew closer, voices Lucas thought he interpreted correctly as adult voices. Near to the store the voices died down and there was silence... then the crunch of glass. Someone had come into the room. Lucas held his breath, noticing that Hailey, her eyes now open, was doing the same. She held his hand tighter and started breathing quickly again. The crunching continued as whoever it was came closer and Lucas started to move, ready to run or tackle or block Hailey's body with his own if necessary, but then a man appeared suddenly, from behind the counter that had blocked their sight, a fully-uniformed police officer, his gun out and at the ready. He moved to aim the gun at them when he saw them, causing both teenagers to gasp in fright, but he soon lowered it, realizing they weren't a threat, and spoke to them.
"Are you kids OK?"
Lucas looked into the serious eyes of the officer and was unable to speak for a few moments but finally found his voice. "Y—yeah, I'm OK... but she isn't. She got shot in the leg, and she needs a doctor." The officer looked at her leg briefly, and Lucas thought he saw him wince then he called out to the rest of the room. "Anyone else in here need medical attention?"
Several students answered and the officer called in the number on the radio pinned to his lapel. When he had finished, he spoke to the frightened kids, "Alright, you kids just stay in here. We have to clear the rest of the school, but the paramedics will be in here shortly. Just stay put, and don't leave this room until they come, OK?" Several students nodded; very few spoke aloud.
The officer disappeared out into the hall and Lucas turned back to Hailey. "See? I told you it'd be alright. The paramedics'll be here soon. They'll take you to the hospital, fix you right up..." And I can go look for my friends, Lucas thought, suddenly not sure if he was ready to see what he would find.
They didn't have to wait long. Less than five minutes later, three paramedics came into the room, checking on the victims, deciding which ones were the most injured. A woman in her forties came over to check on Hailey and Lucas. "Did you put this tourniquet on her?" She asked Lucas sternly.
Lucas, suddenly afraid he'd done something wrong, answered timidly, "Uh, yeah. I did. Is that OK? I didn't know if—"
"No, no son, you did well. You stopped the bleeding. You probably saved her life." She looked over her shoulder. "Thompson, this one goes next, after the boy." The student closest to the door had been shot several times. Lucas couldn't remember his name, but he knew the senior's younger brother, David Voorhies, from some of his classes. They took him first, David too, and two other girls followed. As other students cleared out of the room, huddling in groups and looking frightened, and a stretcher was brought in to put Hailey on and take her away, Lucas finally stood up and was able to survey the whole room.
It looked like an explosion had happened. The glass wall separating it from the hallway had completely shattered. Glass shards covered almost every inch of the floor. There was blood all over, among other materials. Behind the counter, the third paramedic was checking on Bert, the cashier. "This one's dead." She called to the others. "One GSW to the head. He'll have to wait until later."
While he stood there, shocked and stricken senseless, the paramedics began to take Hailey out of the room. She called out to Lucas as they passed, "Lucas! Lucas!" He turned to her, snapping out of his trance. "Aren't you going to come with me?" She asked quietly.
Lucas was set aback. He hadn't planned on going to the hospital. He was going to look for his friends. Despite the disappointed look on Hailey's face, he began, "Actually, I—"
The younger female paramedic, a kind looking black woman, took Lucas's hand and inspected the cut on his palm. "This may require some stitches. You should come with us. You can ride with your friend in the ambulance, if you want."
Lucas looked down at his palm, then back to Hailey's distressed, hopeful face and relented. "OK, I'll come with you."
As he walked with her out the door to the waiting ambulance, Hailey addressed him quietly. "Thank you, Lucas. I don't think I could do this alone."
Lucas grinned, catching a few futile glances down the crowded hall before he exited. "No problem." He told her. "I told you I'd stay with you."
It was nearly forty-five minutes later before Lucas was left on his own. He rode with Hailey to the hospital and waited while they took care of her in the emergency room. A nurse took care of his hand not long after he arrived, suturing it in a nearby room. Four stitches and a small amount of medical tape later and Lucas found himself in the waiting room. He saw other students he knew there, but the whole scene was all so congested and so utterly jumbled that he felt easily lost in the fray, and he still hadn't seen any of his friends...
When Hailey finally emerged through the double doors, carried toward the elevators on a stretcher, Lucas followed alongside her. "Lucas!" She called out. "I can't thank you enough for staying here with me all this time... You didn't have to do that."
Lucas smiled warmly. "I wanted to."
Hailey returned the gesture weakly. "They're taking me up to surgery now. They said I'll be just fine; they said that you helped." She reached out to take his hand again, clasping it lightly. "I hope all your friends are OK. Thank you for everything. You don't know how grateful I am—"
"Hailey!" A male voice yelled from the end of the hall. Lucas turned around to see Nick, her boyfriend, running toward them. He caught up with the stretcher just before it got on the elevator. "Hailey, oh my God, I didn't know if you were alive. I didn't know if—Oh God, they wouldn't let us leave the school and they wouldn't tell us anything and I didn't know if you were hurt. I'm sorry I would have been here sooner, if I had known." Tears brimmed at the corner of his eyes.
"It's OK, Nicky." Hailey smiled. "I had Lucas there to help me. He saved my life. And I haven't thanked him yet for it."
Nick turned to face the shorter teen and gave him a huge hug, surprising Lucas. "Thank you for helping her." He said, pulling away. "I was so worried about her. Thanks, Lucas."
Lucas felt himself blushing again. "You're welcome. Glad I could help." He watched as the doctors took Hailey onto the elevator and Nick followed. Hailey gave him one final smile and wave before the doors closed and Lucas found himself standing alone in the hallway.
Wondering just what exactly his next move should be, he was decided he ought to head to the phones to call his parents and was surprised at who he met there.
"Corrine?"
The teenage girl turned around abruptly, hanging up the phone she'd been holding. "Lucas!" She ran up to him and threw her arms around him. "Lucas, thank God you're here. We've been looking all over for you. We didn't know where you were or what had happened to you, and we were afraid you'd— God, I'm so glad you're OK."
"Who's 'we'? And what are you doing here, anyway?" Lucas asked, suddenly fearing the worst. "Nothing's happened, has it, Corrine?" The teen didn't answer; Lucas's trepidation and anxiety deepened. "Corrine?"
"You don't know yet." She said with a quiet sigh. She looked to the ground briefly before returning her friend's penetrating gaze. "It's Marshall."
Rating: PG-15
Chapter Four: Lucas
"Thanks, Z. I'll see you after school." Lucas called out to his favorite teacher as he shouldered his backpack and left the science room. It was the beginning of the lunch period and he had decided to stop by Professor Zachary's room to drop off his homework from that morning which he'd forgotten to do the previous night. Zachary had no qualms about turning in late papers. He always accepted them, happy enough with the assurance that the students were at least learning something – and there was no doubt in the teacher's mind that Lucas, one of his brightest students, was learning the material.
Lucas heard Zachary return his greeting and then the teenager continued down the hall on his way toward the cafeteria where his friends were, no doubt, waiting for him.
He stopped to get a drink at the fountain outside of the school store, where some students were milling around inside, buying snacks or pop or just hanging out. At the front counter, some older students Lucas didn't know very well were buying food. A senior girl whose name, if Lucas remembered correctly, was Hailey Eisen, turned, laughing at a joke her friend made. When she saw Lucas staring at her, she smiled back, giving him a small wave. Lucas grinned and waved back, but the moment was broken when a student dressed in black nearly ran into Lucas as he rounded the corner.
"Hey, watch it—"Lucas said to the boy, whom he recognized as a fellow junior named Chris Ghent. Chris snarled something in reply and yanked open the door to the boy's bathroom to Lucas's left, disappearing inside.
Muttering something about rude people, Lucas picked his backpack up once more and decided that he might get his lunch from the school store today... He grinned again as he walked past Hailey on his way to the deli counter. Deciding on a turkey sub sandwich and a Mountain Dew from the pop cooler, Lucas walked timidly up to the check-out counter and stood in line behind Hailey.
It was Hailey that turned first and noticed him. She bit her lower lip idly as she leaned against the counter, staring at him. She was at least three inches taller than him, Lucas noticed, cursing his foul depth- perception. Having to look up at her just seemed to make the whole situation all that more awkward.
"Hi—"Lucas began, gesturing to the candy she was purchasing. "Skittles, those are my favorite candy." He laughed nervously. God, I'm terrible at this!
"Oh yeah?" Hailey smiled. "Mine too."
"I'm, uh, Lucas." Lucas announced, holding out his hand. "Lucas Randall."
"Hi Lucas, I'm Hailey—"
"Eisen, Hailey Eisen right? I've, uh, seen you around..." Lucas scratched the back of his head idly.
"Yeah. That's right." Hailey folded her arms, still smiling. You idiot, Lucas thought to himself. Way to strive for the hard-to-get look... Girls like mysterious guys, remember? As Lucas berated himself for his poor social skills in general, he looked out into the hall and thought he saw, out of the corner of his eye, Chris Ghent carrying a duffel bag and setting it down on the ground.
Absently, he turned back to Hailey and was about to go for good ol' Round Two when the boy next to Hailey took her by the arm and turned to face Lucas. "Hey, Hailey, I'm gonna go head off to talk to the coach now. I'll see you after school, OK?" He gave Hailey a lingering kiss – on the lips – and backed away, still holding her hand.
Hailey laughed, "OK, Nick. I'll see you at three. Bye." She loosened her grip and waved as her boyfriend dashed out the door, not even noticing Lucas was there. Slowly, Hailey turned back to Lucas who was now looking completely out of place.
"Oh, wow, I didn't know that you... And I—Crap. I'm sorry, I gotta go. I'll, uh, I'll see you around then? In class? Or in the halls... Or wherever. Uh, bye..." Hailey began to protest but Lucas was already making his way across the room, pretending to study the magazine rack. He picked up the nearest one abruptly then smacked his forehead. Oh yeah, Seventeen Magazine makes you look real cool, Lucas. Way to go, Romeo... Not like it matters anyway, she clearly has a boyfriend.
At that moment, Lucas's thoughts were interrupted by a loud stuttering blast outside in the hallway. He immediately ducked behind the magazine rack, covering his head as broken glass from the panes separating the store from the hall shattered down on top of him.
He huddled this way behind the magazine rack like a frightened creature until the noise stopped. In the brief silence that ensued, Lucas pulled in ragged, shallow breaths, trying to calm his soaring nerves. Nearby he thought he heard people screaming, but he couldn't be sure. Realizing that he'd lost his glasses, Lucas couldn't even be sure of the ground underneath him anymore. His head was spinning with terror as he recognized the sound as gunfire.
After a few stunned moments in which the world began to right itself and feeling returned to the teenager's hands and knees, Lucas dared to move from the position he was in, giving himself one quick push and leaning against the wall in the corner of the room. He laid his head against the wall's hard surface and rested a hand on his rapidly beating heart, as if it might help to calm him down some more.
Tears brimming at the corners of his eyes, Lucas tried to maneuver his sights so he could see what was going on, where all the broken glass had come from, where all the screams were coming from... But he could see nothing. The magazine rack was in his way, and past that, a vending machine barred the way. He was reduced to the range of the blind, knowing only what he could sense with his own two ears... and he didn't like what he heard.
Lucas pressed the palms of both his hands into his ears, trying to block out the screams. It should be easier to do, he thought to himself. The screams seem so far away... But I know that they're right here, right outside my range of vision...
The noise of gunfire slowly diminished in the background and it took all of Lucas's willpower to convince himself that he wasn't just hearing things, that the sound really was retreating into the background. Taking a deep breath, Lucas removed his palms and began to look around for his missing glasses, being near blind without them.
He fumbled over the broken glass, crawling on his hands and knees across the floor, fingers searching carefully. When he felt something sharp pierce his palm he hissed and pulled his hand close to himself. He couldn't see well, but he did see the trickle of blood coming from the cut on his palm, and he cursed lightly, pulling his sleeves over the heels of his hands as he continued his search.
Finally his fingers touched something familiar. He pulled his glasses on, adjusting them until they seemed fitting enough, and groaned immediately upon realizing that he'd broken one of the lenses. Oh well, he thought to himself. At least now you can see a little better.
Lucas examined the cut on his hand and winced. He squeezed his hand shut to stop the bleeding and when it didn't stop, he looked around for the nearest piece of cloth, band-aids, anything. His eyes rested on a tattered piece of his blue jeans that was hanging loose and he gripped the pant leg as best as he could while pulling with his good hand. After a few quick tugs, he jerked loose a strip of blue jean and tied it around his palm.
There, Lucas thought to himself. That ought to do for now. He turned around, still engaged in a ready-to-spring squatting position, and looked under the magazine rack toward the front of the store, almost crying out loud when he witnessed all the blood that had been spilled. At least three people that Lucas could see were lying out in the open, bleeding openly on the floor, one of them – he noticed with a horrified gasp – was Hailey Eisen.
The blonde girl lay in front of the check-out counter, hands at her sides, blood pouring from a wound in her thigh. Lucas couldn't tell whether or not she was breathing. On the other side of the counter, Lucas could see the store clerk, a man in his sixties named Bert that had worked there for over twenty years. Seeing him now, lying motionless on the ground, a puddle forming around his injured head, Lucas knew instantly that Bert was dead, and that he wouldn't be working even one more day at Blake Holsey High...
All this, in less than fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes. A lousy quarter of an hour to change someone's life forever... or to take it.
Lucas wanted to run, he wanted to bolt for the nearest door, regardless of the danger, and run as far away from Blake Holsey High school as he possibly could, but he knew that would be foolish. He was about to settle for hiding in the corner until it was all over when he thought he saw Hailey move...
It was only a slight move, just a shift of the arm, but when he heard her groan lightly, Lucas knew that she was very much alive... and very much in need of help.
He looked across the room at some other students he hadn't noticed before, hiding along the walls like Lucas was doing, and he appealed to them to help him get to Hailey, but they just shook their heads. They were too scared, Lucas realized. He was too... but he wouldn't just sit there and watch as someone he knew bled to death on the floor, alone.
Mustering his courage, Lucas moved into a sprinting position, hesitating just a moment before he dashed out into the open space and kneeled by Hailey. Without wasting another beat, he grabbed her under the arms and dragged her back into the space he'd been hiding before, trying to avoid the broken glass. Kicking random shards out of the way, Lucas lay Hailey down gently and leaned back against the wall, breathing heavily. Glancing back at where he'd come from, Lucas noticed first the faces of the shocked students who couldn't believe the actions of this usually shy, timid junior, before he noticed the trail of blood across the hardwood floors that had come from Hailey.
The echo of gunfire in the background warned Lucas that he had taken a big chance just then, for someone he hardly knew, but it was over now... And Hailey still needed his help. He looked down at her pale, sweaty face and slowly moved his hand to her neck to determine the strength of her pulse. He had barely put two fingers in place when Hailey woke with a jerk, startling the already jumpy Lucas. She looked up at him with a panicky expression, obviously confused and in grave pain.
"Lu—Lucas?" She gasped between breaths. "What's going on? What happened?"
"Shh, just lie still." Lucas instructed in a low voice. "I'm taking care of you, but you have to be quiet." He threw an involuntary glance toward the door, which Hailey followed, becoming more frightened.
"Lucas, it hurts." She groaned, tears streaming freely down her flushed cheeks. "I want to know what's going on, please, I don't want to be here."
"I'm sorry." Lucas said sincerely. "I don't know what's happening, and I don't want to be here either... But I'll try to help you the best I can. Everything'll be OK, Hailey. It'll be alright." Lucas couldn't tell whether he was telling her that more for her benefit, or his own, but he figured it couldn't hurt to allow comfort for both sides, given the current situation they were in, and the lack of answers they were receiving.
Lucas looked to the girl's wound, almost throwing up at the sight of the blood that seemed like it wouldn't stop pumping.
What could I use to stop it? He asked himself frantically. I highly doubt strips of blue jean would be effective here...
Lucas spotted a Blake Holsey High sweatshirt on a rack and scurried over to snatch one. Crawling back over to Hailey he crumpled the sweatshirt and pushed it gently onto her thigh. Hailey bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain, but she couldn't stop the tears, or the clenched fists.
God, why can't I help her? He asked himself frantically. I need to get to a phone, to call for help... But shouldn't it already be on its way? There are plenty of phones in the cafeteria where everyone—Lucas stopped mid-thought as a thought struck him head-on.
The cafeteria. Where everyone ate lunch. Where Lucas's friends ate lunch. Every day.
"Oh, God." He muttered to himself.
"What is it?" Hailey asked him fearfully. "Is it that bad? Oh God, please tell me it isn't—"
"Oh, NO—no, you'll be fine." Lucas grinned half-heartedly. "Trust me. I was just... I just realized that, my friends... they... they're out there somewhere. I really hope they're OK."
"So is Nick." Hailey bit her lip. She seemed to have calmed down some, which Lucas thanked God for silently. She seemed more afraid now for her boyfriend than for herself. "Who do you think is doing it, Lucas?" She whispered quietly.
"I don't know—"Lucas answered hesitantly, but no sooner had he said the words than the memory of Chris Ghent setting down the duffel bag in the hallway moments earlier hit him and he gasped. "Chris Ghent."
"Who's that?" Hailey asked.
"Uh, a junior. A guy in one of my classes. I saw him out in the hallway, just before—... I think he's the one who's doing this." But why? Lucas asked himself even as he spoke. Why would Chris – why would anyone – do such a horrible, hateful thing? He let the thought sink in no longer than a few moments. Same reason anyone does these things. Attention. Hate. Loneliness. Pain... This was his last resort.
Lucas looked back down to Hailey, noticing that the blood was already soaking through the sweatshirt. Need something to stop it with, he thought to himself. "Wait here." He crawled back over to the clothes rack and found a lanyard meant to hold keys. He snatched one and went back to Hailey, carefully removing the sweat shirt. Hailey's eyes were as wide as saucers when she saw the state of her wound, but she remained silent, an agreeable patient, Lucas thought appreciatively.
He moved to wrap the lanyard around her upper thigh but stopped when he moved close and, blushing furiously, handed it to Hailey. She took it wordlessly and wrapped it around her thigh, as high as she could go above the gunshot wound, and Lucas took over, tightening it to act as a tourniquet. When he was finished, he found another sweatshirt and covered her legs with it.
Sitting back on his knees, the two teenagers sat face to face in the dimly lit store. The sudden realization hit them both at the same time. "The shooting's stopped." Lucas muttered aloud. He looked over across the room. Some other students were looking hopeful, perhaps wanting to move, wanting to call for help, but no one dared to do so first. There was coarse silence.
"Someone should call for help – just in case." Lucas said to Hailey. "I where there's a phone. They always have one behind the counter—"
"No." Hailey said suddenly. "Don't go out there, Lucas. Just stay here, please. I don't want to see you get hurt." Her voice was small, afraid. She reached out and snatched Lucas's hand, pulling it close to her. "Stay with me."
Lucas stared at her steadily. "OK." He said after a moment, moving to sit next to her. He helped her sit up and lean against the wall and still held her hand on her lap, watching her silently as she shut her eyes, probably thinking of home, and breathed in and out slowly. There was a calm, almost serene expression on the girl's face, but it couldn't hide the fear that pervaded it. Lucas wondered how he must look himself.
As they sat there, each lost in their own thoughts, Lucas wondered if his friends were OK. He'd been trying not to think about them since the thought had occurred. It was just too much to have to worry about and worry about saving Hailey at the same time. He feared for his friends. Josie, Marshall, Corrine, Vaughn, Professor Zachary... were they all OK? It was an agonizing thought and the best he could do given the predicament, was to just convince himself that they were all OK, and concentrate on the people around him first.
It was then that he heard the sound of shouting in the hallways again. Oh, God please say it's not happening again... he thought. It had been about fifteen minutes since the shooting had stopped, and no one in the store had heard a word since from the rest of the school. They were cut off from the stem of knowledge and awareness, and it left them in the dark and terribly alone.
The voices grew closer, voices Lucas thought he interpreted correctly as adult voices. Near to the store the voices died down and there was silence... then the crunch of glass. Someone had come into the room. Lucas held his breath, noticing that Hailey, her eyes now open, was doing the same. She held his hand tighter and started breathing quickly again. The crunching continued as whoever it was came closer and Lucas started to move, ready to run or tackle or block Hailey's body with his own if necessary, but then a man appeared suddenly, from behind the counter that had blocked their sight, a fully-uniformed police officer, his gun out and at the ready. He moved to aim the gun at them when he saw them, causing both teenagers to gasp in fright, but he soon lowered it, realizing they weren't a threat, and spoke to them.
"Are you kids OK?"
Lucas looked into the serious eyes of the officer and was unable to speak for a few moments but finally found his voice. "Y—yeah, I'm OK... but she isn't. She got shot in the leg, and she needs a doctor." The officer looked at her leg briefly, and Lucas thought he saw him wince then he called out to the rest of the room. "Anyone else in here need medical attention?"
Several students answered and the officer called in the number on the radio pinned to his lapel. When he had finished, he spoke to the frightened kids, "Alright, you kids just stay in here. We have to clear the rest of the school, but the paramedics will be in here shortly. Just stay put, and don't leave this room until they come, OK?" Several students nodded; very few spoke aloud.
The officer disappeared out into the hall and Lucas turned back to Hailey. "See? I told you it'd be alright. The paramedics'll be here soon. They'll take you to the hospital, fix you right up..." And I can go look for my friends, Lucas thought, suddenly not sure if he was ready to see what he would find.
They didn't have to wait long. Less than five minutes later, three paramedics came into the room, checking on the victims, deciding which ones were the most injured. A woman in her forties came over to check on Hailey and Lucas. "Did you put this tourniquet on her?" She asked Lucas sternly.
Lucas, suddenly afraid he'd done something wrong, answered timidly, "Uh, yeah. I did. Is that OK? I didn't know if—"
"No, no son, you did well. You stopped the bleeding. You probably saved her life." She looked over her shoulder. "Thompson, this one goes next, after the boy." The student closest to the door had been shot several times. Lucas couldn't remember his name, but he knew the senior's younger brother, David Voorhies, from some of his classes. They took him first, David too, and two other girls followed. As other students cleared out of the room, huddling in groups and looking frightened, and a stretcher was brought in to put Hailey on and take her away, Lucas finally stood up and was able to survey the whole room.
It looked like an explosion had happened. The glass wall separating it from the hallway had completely shattered. Glass shards covered almost every inch of the floor. There was blood all over, among other materials. Behind the counter, the third paramedic was checking on Bert, the cashier. "This one's dead." She called to the others. "One GSW to the head. He'll have to wait until later."
While he stood there, shocked and stricken senseless, the paramedics began to take Hailey out of the room. She called out to Lucas as they passed, "Lucas! Lucas!" He turned to her, snapping out of his trance. "Aren't you going to come with me?" She asked quietly.
Lucas was set aback. He hadn't planned on going to the hospital. He was going to look for his friends. Despite the disappointed look on Hailey's face, he began, "Actually, I—"
The younger female paramedic, a kind looking black woman, took Lucas's hand and inspected the cut on his palm. "This may require some stitches. You should come with us. You can ride with your friend in the ambulance, if you want."
Lucas looked down at his palm, then back to Hailey's distressed, hopeful face and relented. "OK, I'll come with you."
As he walked with her out the door to the waiting ambulance, Hailey addressed him quietly. "Thank you, Lucas. I don't think I could do this alone."
Lucas grinned, catching a few futile glances down the crowded hall before he exited. "No problem." He told her. "I told you I'd stay with you."
It was nearly forty-five minutes later before Lucas was left on his own. He rode with Hailey to the hospital and waited while they took care of her in the emergency room. A nurse took care of his hand not long after he arrived, suturing it in a nearby room. Four stitches and a small amount of medical tape later and Lucas found himself in the waiting room. He saw other students he knew there, but the whole scene was all so congested and so utterly jumbled that he felt easily lost in the fray, and he still hadn't seen any of his friends...
When Hailey finally emerged through the double doors, carried toward the elevators on a stretcher, Lucas followed alongside her. "Lucas!" She called out. "I can't thank you enough for staying here with me all this time... You didn't have to do that."
Lucas smiled warmly. "I wanted to."
Hailey returned the gesture weakly. "They're taking me up to surgery now. They said I'll be just fine; they said that you helped." She reached out to take his hand again, clasping it lightly. "I hope all your friends are OK. Thank you for everything. You don't know how grateful I am—"
"Hailey!" A male voice yelled from the end of the hall. Lucas turned around to see Nick, her boyfriend, running toward them. He caught up with the stretcher just before it got on the elevator. "Hailey, oh my God, I didn't know if you were alive. I didn't know if—Oh God, they wouldn't let us leave the school and they wouldn't tell us anything and I didn't know if you were hurt. I'm sorry I would have been here sooner, if I had known." Tears brimmed at the corner of his eyes.
"It's OK, Nicky." Hailey smiled. "I had Lucas there to help me. He saved my life. And I haven't thanked him yet for it."
Nick turned to face the shorter teen and gave him a huge hug, surprising Lucas. "Thank you for helping her." He said, pulling away. "I was so worried about her. Thanks, Lucas."
Lucas felt himself blushing again. "You're welcome. Glad I could help." He watched as the doctors took Hailey onto the elevator and Nick followed. Hailey gave him one final smile and wave before the doors closed and Lucas found himself standing alone in the hallway.
Wondering just what exactly his next move should be, he was decided he ought to head to the phones to call his parents and was surprised at who he met there.
"Corrine?"
The teenage girl turned around abruptly, hanging up the phone she'd been holding. "Lucas!" She ran up to him and threw her arms around him. "Lucas, thank God you're here. We've been looking all over for you. We didn't know where you were or what had happened to you, and we were afraid you'd— God, I'm so glad you're OK."
"Who's 'we'? And what are you doing here, anyway?" Lucas asked, suddenly fearing the worst. "Nothing's happened, has it, Corrine?" The teen didn't answer; Lucas's trepidation and anxiety deepened. "Corrine?"
"You don't know yet." She said with a quiet sigh. She looked to the ground briefly before returning her friend's penetrating gaze. "It's Marshall."