Hello Monday

Part 4; 2:48 pm

So I don't think this is a drill. That must be everyone's thoughts when they heard the bang of the door that slammed open and closed their mouths for once. It was faint but loud enough to do what I had always wanted to do: get them to shut up.

I should be gleeful, celebrate the silence, but I couldn't. Whilst everyone's thinking about how to survive this threat, only one thing appeared in my head. More like a name.

Anthony.

Is he okay? I can't, for the life of me, remember what class he is supposed to be having now. Was it Mathematics Extension or Physics? Someone hit me on the head, now. Just when I need to remember, I can't. At this point, I can just hope that he's okay. That nothing's happened to him.

Please be okay.

Then, I hear the sound that shakes me to my core. Screams. Many, many screams. What was happening? I hate how I could only guess.

After that, more footsteps. Then another slam of a door, this time it sounds like it's coming from one of the classrooms across. Screams. More screams.

I remain in the corner of the room, hugging my knees closely to my chest. I close my eyes and rest my head on my knees, wishing for all of this to go away. I feel like crying, my eyes heavy with sleep. I am so close to getting my sleep, just two hours until class ends. Why do they have to do this now? Please, just come back tomorrow—when my head is not pounding and demanding for sleep.

"They are looking for something," Dr. Sanders whispers. That made me lift my head up.

"What?"

"They are here for something," she repeats calmly. Slowly, she stands up and walks to the window. She pulls down the already closed blinds and they spring back up, letting sunlight drown the once dark room. Like déjà vu, she finds fifteen pairs of curious eyes blinking back at her.

"Just what do you think you're doing, Dr. Sanders?" Mr. Emmett says out loud the question that is present in everyone's minds.

"Doing what anyone should be doing at a real lockdown, pretending like no one is in the room, hoping they skip this room," Dr. Sanders further explains, not once stopping. "I need you, and you, and you to open all the blinds, please. And everyone else, please be against the wall that is by the door. Stay as small as possible, if you will."

"Dr. Sanders, this is against the school's code of conduct. You can't just do this–this nonsense. Rules are made rules for a reason." I feel bad for Mr. Emmett. He doesn't know who he's dealing with. I wouldn't do that if I were you, Sir.

"You can save us all the trouble, scream to alert them there are people in this room, and endanger all our lives, yeah? Or you can take your rules and shove them in your mouth and swallow it for now, okay?" Called it.

Since I was not one of the you...s appointed to open the blinds, I sit against the wall adjacent to the door. I bring my knees close to my chest, hoping to look as small as I feel. I have never experienced anything like this nor have I ever imagined it. I never thought that I would be sitting ducks in what turned out to be a real attack.

One by one, my classmates and even the teacher who decidedly to oh-so-wisely shove the rules down his throat sit against the wall on either sides of me. They are being awfully quiet—not that I'm complaining. All it takes is a big scare to get them all to be quiet, who could have possibly knew?

I spoke too soon.

A curse word, a high pitched "Did anyone lock the door?", and another curse word later, the classroom is once again filled with—although quiet—unwanted noise.

Listening to them gossip was one thing, but listening to them fight? I would rather listen to the alarms all over again. If the alarms were unbearable, their voices against each other are excruciatingly painful. 

Not being the only one who loathes their pointless fighting, Dr. Sanders shushes them, "It does not matter who did not lock the door. We cannot lock the door now; the sound will alert them that people are in this room. Just stay quiet and stay as close to the wall as possible."

I don't know if it's out of fear or respect–not that it mattered–but noises stopped coming out of their mouths. They stay quiet while leaning against the wall, the room now heavy with pin-drop silence. I think they are even holding their breaths, afraid that if they breathe the wrong way, Dr. Sanders could unleash her hidden wrath.

Because of the silence, I can hear the shuffling outside, clear as day. I listen to the sound of the heavy footsteps that grows louder and louder, indicating that they are getting closer and closer to our classroom. Should be in five... four... three–

Bang.

I jump in surprise.

I counted down too late.

The wall that we are leaning on reverberates with the echo of the banging door in the room next door.  I can hear a scream, following with another, and another, until it becomes a chorus of fearful cries. Not knowing what they were doing to cause all those terrified screams made us tremble in fear. In fact, we trembled in such great magnitude that I fear it might be ruled out as an earthquake.

Not long after, I hear more footsteps; footsteps that sound awfully close to our classroom. I hold my breath. My heart is pounding against my chest, making me feel light headed. I am clouded with fear of the unknown. Am I going to die? Am I going to live to see finals? Should I just die then?

It's not like it's a choice.

Then my heart feels like it's about to stop. "Room's empty," a voice by our door says.

"What? Let me see that," another voice retaliates.

I hear the rustling of papers, a very strange item for them to have, if you ask me. Aren't they supposed to only be holding guns in their all black gear topped with combat boots?

"It says that there's supposed to be a class here."

"But it's empty," the first guy mutters loud enough for his voice to travel into the room.

I strain my ears to hear what the other man has to reply, but I hear nothing.

This suspense is killing me.

I cursed it.

"Check it."