Voiceless Screams | The Music Freaks

Chapter Three

      Milly pressed herself against a bookshelf, careful not to push books off the shelf and give herself away. One of the two gunmen was in the room. He'd been walking down the aisle, shooting anyone he saw as he passed.
      Running into the library was a desperate attempt to not get stranded in the hallway. She started to regret that decision, wishing she'd found an exit instead. She held her breath after every shot, telling herself she was next.
      Having been in the hallway would in a strange way be safer. If you could even be safe at all in the situation.
      Milly could see the jeans of the monster who chose to do this two rows down. She saw who he shot, and it dawned upon her that he was shooting to injure, not kill.
      He blasted the young boy who had been two rows ahead's arm. Blood spilled down his elbow. He screamed when he looked down at the wound he'd been given. The bullet had left a small hole in his elbow, and just by the way he covered it with his hand while untying the jacket around his waist with his other hand assured the look had bothered him.
      It was strange. Why would he only make an attempt to hurt his victims instead of killing them? He had to have been planning something else. Something they all couldn't escape with the injuries he was giving.
      Milly looked away when he arrived at the row she was hiding in. Pain surged through her whole body as the loud, blood-curdling shot rang in her ears. She couldn't tell where she'd been shot until she glanced down at her left leg. She winced seeing the blood spill down her leg. It almost denied she would be able to run if she had to, but she'd have to try.
      She could hear a gunshot behind her, a scream following. All the fear and despair that had filled the room was chilling. The worry and wonder for friends and siblings.
      There were two more shots, then a laugh. Milly was half expecting him to start saying something, but he never did. He just walked down the aisle, tapping the barrel of his gun against his leg. It almost seemed like he was waiting for something.
      He stopped at the row Milly was sitting in, smiled, and continued down. She thought for a moment she recognized him, but the thought disappeared.
      A shot sounded out the door, a scream so loud it sent a chill down her spine. The fear these boys held on the school was devastating. They owned the school when they had guns.
      The door creaked open, Milly's heart stopping. The pain in her leg made her dizzy, and the fear paralyzed her.
      The second gunman stood by the tables, the first not too far behind. It didn't seem like the most executive decision to leave hundreds of students in the hallway, fully capable of escaping, but she was glad they did. If Hailey, Zander, Luke, Sean, or Jake had been in the hallway, they'd been able to survive.
      One of the boys checked their watch, then smiled at the other. They both backed up to the door, their hands on the knob. Whatever they were planning to do, they didn't look like they wanted to be in the room when it happened. One of them nodded their head, pushed the door open, left, and shut it again.
      A loud, deafening bang erupted in the library. It almost sounded like gunshots, but a lot louder.
      Milly tried to stand, but her leg stung. Sparks and flames burned around her, and she knew she'd have to move. Despite the sharp pain in her leg, she stood. Gas and smoke surrounded her. This was a cruel disaster.
      She knew she wouldn't survive.
      Someone coughed. Another screamed. Another bomb blasted the room. Milly watched as a beam by the tables collapsed. There was a student underneath.
      Milly ran, reaching her hand out, but she hadn't made it in time. Burning pieces fell on top of the girl who'd been trapped underneath. She knew there was no hope in saving her now, the damage had already been done.
      Her leg was numb, and blood had trailed behind her. In an attempt to slow the blood flow, she slipped her socks off and wrapped them around her wound. Though she had layered her socks on top of each other, she could see blood soaking through.
      Other students were trying to break the windows to get out, but they wouldn't break. The injuries they'd been given were taking a toll on escaping. It was beneficial on the shooter's side to hurt them then bomb the room, but not so much for her or the others. With this major setback, the shooters had a chance for brutal success. That was the last thing she wanted.
      Milly pushed against the door, but it didn't open. She could hear the rattle of chains on the other side, and she realized they'd been locked in.
      Flames crackled around her. With the thick smoke, she couldn't see the others. It was getting increasingly hard to breathe, and her leg ached in a strange way. She could hardly feel it, but it was warm, then cold. She pulled her shirt over her nose. Trying to find her way to the windows, she could make out a fallen bookshelf.
      A loud burst boomed in the room, but this time, there was pain. Only pain and darkness. She couldn't feel the heat of the fire anymore. All there was a surging pain. Then, everything disappeared.