Chapter 6

I hear Jen lock the door behind me as I look up and down the hall. Leaving her in there was so hard, but if I can get to the parking lot and get my car I can find Sheriff Witter or maybe Doug and get this whole situation fixed.

It's eerily quiet in this particular hallway. Maybe Jen will be safe if she just stays put. I can hear shooting, but it sounds like it's coming from upstairs. I keep walking quickly down this hall. There's a classroom ahead of me. It's dark inside. I peek through the narrow window on the door. The desk are all shoved in front of the door, smart teacher. They should be safe. I keep walking I turn down the hall leading to the main entrance to the cafeteria. Are the shooters still in there? Maybe not, I hope not.

The door is wide open. I don't hear anything. I walk in. It's looks like a war zone. Bodies everywhere. Tables and chairs flipped over. I step over the debris making my way to the other door. I get out into the hallway again. I try the exit, it's locked. I hear someone running. I see a janitor's closet to the left. I'll hide in there.

I get to the door. I try to open it. It's hard to open. There's stuff pushed in front of it. I hear a scream from inside the closet. I get he door open in time to see Joey picking up a broom. I think she's going to hit me. She realizes it's me. The running is getting closer. I shove my way inside the closet and help Joey push things back in front of the door.

"Jack!" Joey says, collapsing into my arms.

"Are you ok?" I ask still holding her.

She nods. "Where's Jen?"

"She's in the bathroom down the hall. I told her to lock the door. I was trying to get to my car, but someone was running down the stairs by the cafeteria and I ducked in here. All the exits are locked, we can't get out of the school." I tell Joey.

"I called Mrs. Leery's restaurant. I talked to Gretchen. She was suppose to call her dad, but they should've been here by now." she tells me.

"Where's Pacey?" I ask.

"We got separated running from the cafeteria," she's starting to cry.

I wrap her in a hug again. "I'm sure he's fine." I tell her.

We sit down on the floor. My mind keeps drifting back to Jen. Then I think of Andie, where is she? Probably in the library. Were they shooting in there? Where's Dawson, I wonder. I wrap my arm around Joey, she's shaking.

"Where's your phone? Maybe we should try calling the restaurant again." I tell her.

"Here," she hands it to me, "I can't get it to connect a call."

I dial the number, call lost flashes across the screen after about 30 seconds. I try again. Same thing. I stand up near the door and try one last time. Oh shit, it's ringing. "Joey, it's ringing!" I yell. She jumps up to stand next to me.

"Hello?" It's Mrs. Leery, she sounds frantic.

"Mrs. Leery..."

"Oh thank heavens, Jack. Are you alright?"

"Yes I'm ok and Joey's right here too. A little shaken up, but we're alright." I hear her tell some one, "It's Jack and Joey's with him."

"Where are you at? What's going on? Hang on honey, Sheriff Witter would like to speak to you."

The sheriff gets on the phone and I tell him everything that I had seen and then he talks to Joey and she recounts her side. She hands the phone back to me, "Grams wanted to talk to you," she tells me.

"Grams?"

"Oh Jack, thank the Lord you're alright, but where's Jennifer?"

"She's locked herself in a bathroom down the hall. I was going to try to get to my car, but I heard running and ducked into the janitor's closet where Joey was hiding. I'm going to go get Jen."

"Oh Jack, please be careful. I've called your father. He should be here any minute."

"I will. Has anyone heard from Andie, Dawson, or Pacey?"

"Pacey is here now. He arrived earlier with Drue Valentine, they made it to Drue's car. Dawson called, he's locked in the film lab. But Jack no one's heard from Andie. I'm so sorry. But the Lord will watch over her. She'll be fine. I'm sure of it."

"Thanks, Grams. Joey wants to talk to Pacey now."

I hand Joey the phone. I try not to listen to her conversation with Pacey. She hangs up after a few "I love you"'s and sits back down. I sit next to her.

"Pacey said his dad and Doug are working with the rest of the officers to figure out a plan to get into the school. Apparently the shooters have it locked down and they're staked out around the outside. Drue and Pace were lucky they didn't get shot running to the car. We're just suppose to stay put." she tells me.

"I have to go get Jen. I can't leave her alone in that bathroom. What if they find her?"

Joey looks panicked. "I know, Jack. Go get her, but please be careful, and do it quickly."

I get up again and start moving things from in front of the door. I've got to hurry.