Chapter 13

The ten minutes it takes to get to the street near the school feels like an eternity. All I can think about is Joey, my Joey. I can't live without her I have to get to her, to make sure she's ok. I'm still sitting in Dougie's cruiser. He's on his phone, they're talking stategy. All I care about is getting to Joey and making sure my friends make it out alive.

"Alright Pace, listen carefully to me," Doug says leaning in his open door, "you have to listen to me and do everything I say. This is dangerous."

"I know Dougie."

I slowly get out of the car and we quietly shut the doors. We're entering the school on the backside through the maintenance entrance by the football feild. Doug has his gun at the ready. I'm close behind him. We make it to the door and slip inside without incident. We make our way up a narrow staircase that lead to the gymnasium and locker rooms. Doug slowly opens the door into the hall between the girls' and boys' locker rooms. It seems all quiet. The lights are off in the football coach's office. Doug tries the door it's locked. He knocks sofly on the door.

"This is Deputy Witter, Capeside Sheriff's Department. If anyone is in there open up." he says in low, but commanding voice.

I see the blinds on the door shift slightly. Then it opens. There are about 15 students huddled together behind the coach's desk and both the football coach and the girls' PE coach are with them.

"Coaches, please take these students down the maintenence stairwell and out of the school. There will be officers to meet you at the door to get these students to safety."

"Thank you so much Deputy." They quickly lead the students out.

"C'mon Pace, we have to find your friends."

I nod and follow him out into the main hallway. I can see many dark classrooms with doors shut, some doors open with desks everywhere as we make our way past the computer lab. The school looks like a war zone. There are two officers at the far end of the hallway beckoning us to them. We jog toward them and they meet us in the middle of the hall.

"We've had word that the leader of this group of gunmen is Matt Caulfeild." One of them tells us, "There's at least five of them. They're hold up in a classroom upstairs."

That's when I realize where we're at. The closet that Joey is hiding in is just through the cafeteria.

"Doug, that closet is just through the cafeteria, if the gunmen are upstairs I want to go get Joey, Jack, and Jen."

"Are you sure you know where its at?"

"Yes, I'll be fine."

"Ok, be careful. When you get them take them back out the way we came in and wait for me at the cruiser. I'll go with these officers and try to evacuate the rest of the school. Most are already out."

I hug Dougie and take off through the cafeteria. There are overturned tables and chairs all around. I see mine and Joey's bookbags on the floor near where we were sitting. It's hard to imagine that this was just a typical Thursday a few hours ago. I make it to the door and immediately head for the closet. I reach for the handle and have a hard time pushing the door open.

I get it opened enough to slip inside. Joey jumps into my arms before I can get completely inside. That's when I realize she's covered in blood. Then I see Jack, Jen is frozen next to him with her hands firmly on the bloody mass at his side. Jen seems to be in shock. Joey finally releases her death grip on me. I kiss her forehead.

"What happened to Jack?" I ask kneeling down next Jen and giving her a reassuring half hug.

"He was shot bringing Jen back here to wait."

"We gotta get Jack out of here," Jen almosts screams it at us.

"We know Jen, but we don't wanna take any chances with the shooters still being in the school. Doug told me to take you back the way we came in, through the hallway by the gym to the maintenence stairwell and back to the cruiser."

"How can we get Jack out?" Joey asked, reaching for my hand.

"I'll have to carry him." At that moment Jack groans and opens his eyes.

"Wh-what happened?" He tries to sit up, he groans out in pain again.

"You were shot, stay still, man, I'm gonna get you out of here."

"I was hoping this was all a bad dream. I think I can sit up, help me Pace."

I move into position behind Jack and slowly lift him up. The bleeding has slowed significantly and I think this is a sign it's time to move.

"Jack, do you think you can stand if I help you?"

"I'll try, we gotta get out of here."

"Joey, Jen stand on either side of Jack and help balance him as I lift."

Slowly we get Jack up and I help him over to the door. Joey and Jen work quickly to move stuff out of our path. Joey slowly opens the door, everything seems to be clear.

"OK, listen carefully, go straight through the cafeteria and the down the hall towards the gym. We'll take the stairs down to the maintenence door and out to the street, Doug's cruiser is a couple blocks from there and we'll take Jack straight to the hospital."

Here goes nothing...