Chapter 3

Haley could still feel Peyton's hand holding hers. She didn't let go, so Haley thought, no, hoped she wasn't shot. But if she wasn't shot, and Peyton wasn't shot, then there was only one person left, Brooke. No, Brooke can't be shot, she's alive, Haley told herself.

Slowly, she opened her eyes, scared of what she might see. But she didn't see Brooke's body. She was still holding onto Peyton, shocked. Before the three upset and terrified girls stood Brian Durham, Coach Whitey. Holding a gun in his hand.

The boy and girl who were about to shoot them were lying on the floor, blood flowing from their bodies. They stared at Whitey, he had a bad cut on his forehead, a black eye and he seemed exhausted.

"You girls okay ?" Whitey asked them as he looked from Haley to Peyton to Brooke, he saw Brooke was bleeding.

"What happened ?" Peyton asked, perplexed at what she saw. She had closed her eyes when she thought she was gonna die, and by the looks of it, Haley and Brooke had done the same.

"I was able to overpower on of the shooters in the gym. Got some kids to safety. You're bleeding pretty bad, we need to get you out of here." Whitey said, he wasn't one for small talk, he was a man of action. He could have left with the surviving students in the gym after he had overcome the shooter there, but he felt responsible for the other students in the school, so he stayed.

So far, he had hid about 20 other students in safe, unnoticed, dark places. Getting them to the exits were too dangerous, since they were most likely garded. He didn't know how many shooters there were, he knew there were at least 2 in the gym, but one of them left after a few seconds, leaving his 'friend' alone to take care of the rest. So, that was one shooter down, then these two, so that were three already. And since he could still hear screams and gunshots and see frightened students run past them, he knew there were more.

"We need to move. Follow me." Whitey said as he started to walk, Brooke thought walking was a stupid idea, they should be running.

"This isn't safe. We need to run, hide, anything but just walk here!" Brooke yelled after she heard yet another scream and gunshot.

But before she could ask for an answer, she realized why they hadn't run. Whitey had stopped before a door, he opened it, the inside was pitch black.

"It's too dangerous to get you out now, hide in here. I'll come back." Whitey said, by the look on his face, they saw he was serious. Brooke didn't understand why he didn't take them to an exit, but she stepped inside with Brooke and Haley anyway.

As soon as they were inside, Whitey closed the door, leaving them in the dark. Peyton locked the door, so no one could come in.

"What about the tutor-center ?" Haley asked as she turned on the light of what appeared to be the eraser room.

"I saw it, inside. They were all dead." Brooke said as she sat herself down on the floor. She was so angry and hurt and scared. She didn't know what to do anymore. The strength she had had just minutes ago, was gone again. No one replied to what Brooke had said, they were just gratefull.

-X-X-

Lucas was looking around, trying to find an exit, but knowing it was no use since this was a closset. Nathan was holding pressure on Jake's wound, as Jake struggled to hold on. They all jumped when they heard a knock on the door.

"Help! Please! They're coming! Help Me!" They heard a girl cry, Nathan looked at Lucas, they were both aware of the fact that this could be a trap, but then again, Lucas couldn't let anyone just die.

He opened the door to reveal a scared girl rushing inside, he quickly closed it again. Looking at a girl he recognized, but didn't really know.

"OMG, thank you so much." She cried as she hugged Lucas, it felt strange, but then again, in times like these, it felt comforting.

"I couldn't run anymore. I'm so so tired." She said, before she passed out, since the closset was so small, she fell right untop of Jake. Lucas quickly lifted her up, to see she was bleeding on her lower back. It looked like the bullet had gotten stuck in her body, because there was no exit wound.

Lucas layed her down next to Jake, using up the little space they had left.

"Do you know here ?" Lucas asked Nathan and Jake, Jake shook his head, but Nathan nodded.

"Yeah, I used to go out with her, before Haley. Her name is Shelley Simon. Is... Is she still alive?" Nathan asked, it seemed so unreal that people they knew or even cared for were dying right where they stood. Lucas checked her pulse.

"Barely. We need to get out of here." Lucas said, Nathan sighed.

"Yeah, we've been over that. But how ? We're stuck here." Nathan said, he was so frustrated and angry.

"Yeah, I know, I..." Lucas started to speak but stopped when he looked up.

"The ceiling, off course." Lucas said, Nathan looked at him questioning him, as did Jake, who was barely holding on. Lucas started to explain his plan.

-X-X-

"Why aren't they doing anything ?" Karen Roe, Lucas's mom, who was standing in the gym next to Keith Scott, her fiancé.

"I'm sure they're trying." Keith said, he didn't know what else to say. The boy he saw as his own son, helped raise as his own and his nephew and so many other people that he cared about were all unacounted for, missing. Trapped in that school, maybe even dead. What was he supposed to say ?

"I can't loose him Keith. I can't. He's my entire world." She cried in Keith's arms, she was falling apart. It was well known by now that many students were dead, others running for their life. The shooting was still continueing, it hadn't stopped yet.

"You won't, okay ? Luke's strong, he'll make it out of this." Keith said, trying to comfort her, but he couldn't help but think that Lucas was lying in the school somewhere, shot to death. It was the most horrible thought he had ever had. He prayed it wasn't true...

-X-X-

A/N : I know, short chapter, but the next will be longer, I promisse. I hope you liked this and please do review.