An Unexpected Family Reunion: Book 1

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**TRIGGER WARNING: SCHOOL SHOOTING SCENES**

Stella found Kelly sitting on the ground leaning against the back tire of the squad truck. She joined him.

"Any news?"

He looked over, not realising she had sat down beside him.

"Trudy said that Swat is getting ready to go in."

They instinctively ducked as more shots were fired.

"God what's taking so long!"

Kelly yelled in frustration hitting the side of the truck. For him it feels like it's been forever since they got the call, but in all reality it had only been a few minutes.
Stella put her arm around him.

"Have you heard back from Sadie?"

"No"
He choked back tears
"She stopped responding."

Opening her eyes Sadie found herself laying at the bottom of the first flight of stairs, she had tripped trying to get away from the gunman.
Slowly lifting herself to a sitting position she quickly looked around to see if she saw anyone, it looked clear. Standing up grasping the handrail she became dizzy, her head throbbed with each beat of her heart. Her cheek stung, reaching up with her hand she found it was wet, grazed by a bullet.
She quickly limped down the rest of the stairs and to the first unlocked door she found. Going in the room a hushed murmur caused her to quickly turn around.

"I thought you locked the door!"
A boy in a green t-shirt quietly hissed at another boy wearing a Blackhawks hoodie. Sadie quickly locked the door behind her and crawled over to the rest of the students in the corner out of view of the door.
In total there were 5 of them, including herself.
"Did anyone follow you?"
A girl,crying she was so scared,asked

"No, no I don't think so."

There was a moment of silence before another burst of rounds fired. They all crouched further in the corner, until it stopped again.

"Is everyone ok? Anyone injured?"
Sadie asked, looking over the group, not seeing any obvious wounds.

"No, I don't think so. We've been here since it all started."
The boy in the green tshirt spoke up.

"What's your name?"
Sadie asked, not recognizing him.

"Collin"

"I'm Sadie"

"You're bleeding."

"Yeah, I know."
Sadie touched her face

"No not there, there."
He pointed

Sadie looked down, seeing a hole in the left side of her hoodie, lifting it up there was an entrance wound right below her ribcage.

"Shit."

She stood, putting pressure on the wound, oddly unable to feel it. Making her way to the teachers desk she found a roll of pink duct tape and a handful of lunchroom napkins.
She used those to make a makeshift patch over the hole, it was starting to burn a bit now. Inside she was panicking, but outwards she showed no signs of distress, knowing keeping calm was the key to everyone getting out safe.

"Are you going to be ok?"
Collin asked joining her at the desk

"For now...."

"You act like you know what you're doing."

"When you spend as much time as I do around Firefighters, you pick up a few things. Have yall tried the windows?"

She asked, trying to change the subject, trying to get her mind off of herself.

She limped over and peeked out of the blinds that covered them. First responders took up the entire street in front of the school.
Looking to her right, there were all engines of 51. She had an idea.

Outside Trudy approached Kelly with a wary look on her face.

"What is it?"
He asked coldly

"I just wanted to update you...SWAT is pulling back, they can't go in right now."

"What?! Why?!"

"Theres a propane bomb placed at the entrance of the school, they must have placed it after the first wave of students ran out. We have to wait for the Bomb Squad....its big enough to take out the entire front half of the school."

Kelly turned and kicked the tire he was just sitting against.

As Trudy stood there another officer approached her, showing her a picture.

"What does that even mean?"
She asked and the officer just shrugged

"1751 + 4, 1 yellow?"
She read aloud

Kelly swung around

"What did you just say?"

Trudy looked at him quizzically before repeating herself.
"1751 + 4, 1 yellow...why? That mean something to you?"

"1751....That's my badge number."
He smiled
"That's Sadie!"