Chapter 8
Gabriel woke up and realized that he was still in the Hospital. His parents were slumped on chairs on either side of him and Anna was sleeping in their Dad's lap while Michael was in a bed beside him sleeping. He looked around and spotted a digital clock, it was 4:30 in the morning, Sunday. Mother Annabeth will probably have a special sermon in store for today, he glumly thought. He then noticed that there was a TV above him and said, "On, channel seven, volume 6." The TV turned on to the News where a black female reporter was with the remains of Christopher Miller High School behind her as she reported, "Rescue workers continue searching for survivors in what is easily the worst school shooting in American history when the newly declared terrorist organization called the Purifiers engaged the Archangel Twins during their Lunch break. Reports indicate that after two of the Purifiers were defeated they blew themselves up, causing the devastation behind me, leaving 52 people, mostly students, still missing even after heroic efforts to search for them. Latest reports indicate that Gabriel and Michael Fenton are currently being hospitalized for their injuries from the fight with the Purifiers. Sadly, due to the weakened structural integrity of the school halfas are unable to safely search for anyone, leaving only human rescue workers to do the job."
The reporter then put her free hand to her ear mic and said, "I have just received a report for the casualties of the Purifiers' attack." Oh God, please, don't let my friends be dead. They don't deserve to die for my mistakes. The reporter then started telling the list of casualties: "Brenda Antonovsky, Charles Brown…" and so it went, name after name of people who had died, then he heard, "Kory Farmerson." No, not Kory, but he wasn't anywhere near the…no… The next name hit him hard as well, "Pamela Grant." Mrs. Grant too!? He paid closer attention, praying that no more people he knew had died.
It wasn't long after that the reporter said, "Lily Monroe," and Gabriel felt tears swelling in his eyes. I should have stopped this from happening! Gabriel gripped his hands in anger and started breathing harder, making his ribs flare up in pain. As he listened his rage grew, then he heard more, "Mike Pi." "No, no more…please no more. Please stop," Gabriel begged. On the list of names went, and Gabriel's rage was replaced with the feeling of helplessness at all the people he failed to save. Finally the reporter said, "Lucas Ryefeld," and he screamed. He didn't care who he woke up, he screamed. He screamed in rage at the loss of innocents. He screamed in pain as his sore body hurt even worse with every breath. He screamed most of all in sorrow for his friends.