Office Hours

33 | the r e f o r m e d

| C A D E N |

      THE BLAZE OF GUNFIRE was so loud, it left a ringing in his ear.

Watching his classmates scream, seek cover and fall like flies, was a scene so traumatic, it'd be permanently etched in his memory.

He always thought growing up in the hood would make him not easily frightened by gunfire, but never in a thousand years would he have thought school would've become a deadly playground. It was supposed to be a safe place.

Knowing he still had a life to live, Caden dropped to the floor.

Survival instincts kicked in and he used a body to shield his. Caden was smart, he knew this wouldn't be like the movies. If William shot at this dead body, it would tear through and lodge in him.

Caden had never been much of a believer in God or whichever higher power was out there, but in that moment he prayed. To whoever or whatever would listen.

I don't want to die.

From his position on the floor, he glanced around the scene and almost threw up. The once white tiles were painted crimson. A boy he'd known all his life, had lifeless eyes boring into his frightened ones. A shaking girl was hiding behind an overturned desk.

And William.

William was breathing heavily, tightly clutching the gun. His eyes searched the floor before he nudged a body with his foot.

"William-" said a boy Caden recognized as Asher.

"You laughed," William said, voice breaking. "You laughed when he tripped me."

Asher held up shaking hands. Caden couldn't see the boy's face, but by the crack in his voice, he knew Asher was crying. "I didn't mea-"

Ash's words died off at the back of his throat.

Caden tightened his grip around his dead classmate.

William looked over in Caden's direction.

For a moment, he stopped breathing. He tightly closed his eyes and struggled to slow his breathing, hoping William hadn't seen his eyes when they were opened.

But he must have.

Because the sound of approaching footsteps signaled his impending doom.

"If anyone tries to run, remember you can't outrun a bullet!" William angrily exclaimed.

There was movement at the front of the class. Against better judgement, Caden's eyes snapped open. It was Coach Pikes, stepping from behind a cabinet with his hands in the air.

"Son-"

William angrily spun around and fired at the ceiling. "Stop calling me that!"

"Sorry. William. You don't want to do this."

"I do. They always laugh at me and-"

"William-"

"Shut up," he hissed, pointing the gun at Coach Pikes despite his shaking hands. "You never stopped them."

"I can't control them," Coach Pikes said. "But I always reprimand my students for their bad behavior. Please, William. Don't let this get any worse-" he said, taking slow steps towards William until he was close enough to put a hand on the weapon. "Please put down the gun."

William faltered.

Coach Pikes captured the moment to tackle William to the ground. "Run!"

Caden's eyes widened as he watched William toss beneath the stocky Coach Pikes. His classmates were running out the classroom as fast as their terrified bodies could carry them. He could hear some begging not to leave them here to die and their pleas were unanswered.