Survival

Chapter 18

That terrific sound assaulted my ears once more. It pierced deep in my ears, that I couldn't hear a thing except the tingling sensation that made my body shake...in fear. My legs were trapped underneath a heavy desk, I couldn't move them. Footsteps were getting nearer. My chest was pounding furiously. Was this how people felt when they saw or felt death up-close? Because I was having this strange feeling of fear. I gulped hard. Whoever it was, was now near to me. A malicious, devious laugh boomed in the silent classroom. "there you are!" He said, as he pushed the table I was hiding under.

I awoke with a start, breathing heavily. The nightmares seemed to be back. I thought the reason was because I was scared. My doctor said that fear could bring them back. I pushed my head back on my pillow and remembered what happened the previous day. Strange... stranger things were occurring. I chuckled thinking of Stranger Things, before quickly scolding myself to be serious. I needed to think alone.

In situations like this, we were supposed to stick together. That was the first rule. I thought of quickly showering and informing my friends, so that I wouldn't forget. These days, I forgot things easily.

I showered and put on a light pink Abaya with my pink veil. I looked at myself in the mirror, and saw how scared I looked. Quickly, I dabbed on my concealer and put on kohl, then smeared some pink lip-gloss on my lips. Better, I thought. I didn't want someone commenting on how scared I looked... even though I knew I was very scared deep inside.

I sat on my bed for a while. Since I woke up, i was alone in the room. I felt so grateful because sometimes I was an introvert. I loved my space. I knew I had to think about it - remember what happened two years ago.

It all began on the 21st of May, 2015. I woke up with a happy mood, as always. I remembered washing my oversized cream, fluffy bear in my bathtub, because my youngest brother had poured soup on it. Then, I put it in the backyard to dry. Quite funny, right? Well, I know that sometimes I am weird. I remember not eating much, because that day was sports day for our school. I met my friends outside waiting for me, and we all trooped to our first class, English.

After first period, we were supposed to eat and troop to the assembly hall, where a speech, questions, answers about Sports would be asked. Everything went smoothly. If you don't know that you would almost lose your life few minutes later, you would be as enthusiastic as ever. You would be as normal as you ever are.

That was what happened. I sat between Ibraheem and Drew in the large hall. That was when it started. Our Principal was giving his opening speech, the students pretending to listen while secretly tapping on their phones, the guests sitting on the high table, each waiting patiently for their turn to give a speech. I was bored and tired, hoping the session would finish. A loud sound erupted from the hallway behind us. As if in motion, we all turned.

One of the security left in what I guessed was to find out what the ruckus was all about. He came back...bloody. His white uniform all soaked up in blood, his mouth convulsing, his whole body shaking. He managed to enter the hall and close the door. What a hero he was and will always be. Immediately he staggered into the hall, everyone went helter-shelter. Most of his students went to the door on the right, which led directly to a small yard. A bloody stampede took place right before my eyes.

The teachers and guests were trying to keep everyone in order, as the police were frantically called. I was shocked and scared. My friends and I decided to go with the right door, since less people were going through it. The door led to the hall, then the cafeteria. I ran, with all my strength. About thirty of us, went through the door. A big mistake. Unbeknownst to us, "the killer" had planned everything smoothly. The only door at the end of the long hallway had been blocked. We all pushed with all our might, but to no avail. I remember one girl, I think her name was Adama, suggesting for us to go back to the hall, where everyone was running into each other. I quickly asserted the hallway-a place I had known all my life but seemed strange all of a sudden.