• Josh walked into the library and sat down and at a table near a window. He reached into his brown back pack and pulled out his history book. He set it down on the smooth table top and opened to the first page. He sighed and closed the book. He knew he should study but he couldn’t focus. Something felt off about this day. He wasn’t quite sure what was wrong but he got a bad vibe.
    His friend Trey walked in and sat next to him. “Hey Josh!” He said but was quickly shushed by one of the librarian assistants. He leaned over and whispered into Josh’s ear. “Hey are you going to that party tonight?” He asked.
    Josh looked at Trey and shrugged. “I dunno, maybe.” He mumbled. He brushed his strawberry blonde hair out of his eyes. He looked around and saw a few kids browsing through books. He noticed a kid at the table next to him studying the same book the Josh should be studying.
    “Hey is something wrong?” Trey asked. Josh was usually more hyper and exicted.
    Josh shrugged again. “Something feels off.” He mumbled.
    Trey chuckled. “Just try to relax, you’re probably just stressed about the Geo test tomorrow.” He said and put his hand on his friend’s shoulder.
    Josh smiled. “Yeah you’re probably right.” He said and tried to laugh. He turned serious when he heard some soft popping noises coming from outside. “Hey, do you hear that?” He asked his friend.
    Trey shook his head. “Hear what?” He asked.
    Josh listened some more but he didn’t hear anything else. “I must have imagined it…” He muttered and scratched the back of his head.
    The art teacher came running into the library. She looked panicked. Her curly red hair was messed up and her brown eyes were wide and full of fear. “Everyone, get under the tables. Two students have guns!” She shouted. “They’re shooting students, hurry, get under the tables and be quiet!” She ordered.
    Josh got under a table. He motioned for Trey to come under and Trey sat next to him.
    “I bet it’s only a prank.” Trey whispered. “It’s probably just some seniors with fireworks.”
    Josh nodded. Yeah that was probably it. Teachers always over react so they probably just assumed it was a real gun. Josh froze when he heard a pop come from the hallway. He swallowed, his throat was dry. He widened his eyes as he heard footsteps in the library. He felt a cold sweat drip down when he heard a loud gunshot. This was not a joke. This was real. Real people were shooting at other people. Real people were getting shot and probably dying.
    “Hey I got someone over here!” A voice said and laughed. Josh wanted to scream when he heard a gunshot. He looked at Trey who had his folded together close to his face. He was praying. Josh couldn’t hear what he was saying but he copied him. He heard another gunshot followed by the same cruel laughter. Josh felt a tear fall down his cheek as he whispered a prayer.
    “Oh what have we here?” A different voice asked.
    “Please, don’t hurt me, I never did anything….” A man’s voice whimpered.
    “Oh but you did!” The voice screamed. “You hurt me! You made fun of me!” It said.
    “N-n-no I-I-I never” The man argued but was cut off by a gunshot. Josh heard him wheeze and gasp for air.
    “I want you to suffer like I did!” The shooter said and laughed as the man gasped his last breaths.
    Josh cried and cried. He was going to die. He knew it. He looked at Trey who dared to take a peek at where the shooters were. “Quick, go hide behind the librarian’s desk, they went behind a book case.” He whispered to Josh.
    “What about you?” He asked.
    “I’ll be fine, go!” He ordered and looked back to where the shooters were.
    Josh crouched and ran towards the librarian’s desk which was a few yards away. He hid underneath it and it had a wall on one side so no one could see him unless they went behind the desk.
    He heard a girl scream. The murderers must have found her. “Why are you doing this?” The girl screamed.
    “You caused this! You made fun of us our whole lives!” One of the shooters shouted.
    “I don’t know you!” The girl argued.
    “Here take this.” One of the shooters said to the other.
    The other shooter laughed. “I’ve always wanted to stab someone to death!” He said evilly. The girl screamed and Josh heard fast footsteps race towards the door. He heard a gunshot and a loud thud. “M-m-my leg!” The girl screamed.
    Josh heard laughter and the girl screaming. He heard what sounded like punching as the girl shrieked. He heard a gurgle as the girl gasped. “I-I-I hope y-y-you burn in hell….” She gasped. Then there was laughter and silence.
    “I’ve been living in hell for the past four years.” One of the shooters chuckled.
    Josh shook with fear. He wondered how many people they had killed.
    “He check this out, I gotta jock over here!” A shooter shouted.
    Josh was confused. He didn’t see any athletes in the library. He almost screamed when he realized who it was. It was Trey! Trey was on the football team!
    He heard one of the shooters laugh. “Any last words punk?” He asked who Josh assumed was Trey.
    “Yeah, I’m going to finally see my mom.” Trey said fearlessly.
    Josh knew Trey was a foster kid, he never knew what happened to Trey’s parents though. He heard a gunshot and then a soft thud as a body hit the ground. Josh felt a tear run down his cheek. His best friend was just gunned down. He froze when he heard footsteps near him. The noise stopped for a bit.
    “I got another one over here!” A shooter laughed and fired a bullet before Josh even heard the kid speak.
    “Hey sweetie,” One of the gunmen began. “Do you believe in god?” He asked.
    “W-why do you want to know?” A high pitched voice asked.
    “I don’t want to see a cute girl like you burning in hell with me.” The gunman said.
    Josh never heard the reply. All he heard was another gunshot. He closed his eyes and prayed. He wanted to live, he wanted to live so badly. He heard multiple gunshots. He didn’t even bother counting how many there were.
    “Hey Zack, I’m outta rounds.” The gunman said.
    Zack. Josh had at least one name now incase he made it out alive.
    “Yeah I’m out too.” The man Josh assumed was Zack said. “I’ve got more in the truck.” He said.
    Josh heard footsteps get farther away. He heard the soft sound of shoes on carpet transfer into the squeaks and clacks of shoes on tile. The shooters were in the hallway now.
    Josh stood up. He looked and knew that the shooters were gone, for now. “Hey guys, they’re gone, get up we need to leave.” He said. He looked around and saw a few kids with bullet wounds get up and head for the door. He saw a petite girl with large bullet wound in her leg lying on the ground. Josh wanted to puke at the sight of her injury. You could see her bone sticking out of her skin. “Help me…” She moaned.
    Josh took a deep breath and picked her up. “Can you get on my back?” He asked.
    The girl nodded and crawled onto his back and put her arms around his neck. He felt her tears on his neck. “Thank you…” She mumbled. He looked around and saw no one else in the library. Well, no one that was alive. He walked out into the hall when he heard a door open. He glanced over and saw the shooters coming back. Praying that they didn’t see him he ran to the closest room. It was the janitor’s room and he saw a young boy, a freshman, crouched behind a bucket. The boy motioned with his finger to be quiet and Josh nodded.
    He heard more gunshots and then glass breaking. He heard police shouting at the gunmen to drop their weapons. He heard the gunmen shoot some more. Josh heard them speak again but he could barely make out the words.
    “Dylan….we gotta do it…” He heard one say.
    “I’m with ya man, it was nice knowing ya Zack, see ya in later.” The other said and Josh heard a gunshot.
    “See ya in later brother.” The first one said. Josh heard another gunshot and all was quiet except for the police outside.
    Josh looked into the hall. No one was there. He motioned with his head for the freshman to follow him out of the school. He walked as fast as he could with the girl on his back and went outside. He saw the police who motioned for the kids to come over to them. There was an ambulance waiting and the paramedics immediately took the girl. She smiled at Josh; her eyes were wet with tears but full of gratefulness. “Thank you…” She mouthed before the paramedics put an oxygen mask over her mouth and put her into the ambulance.
    Josh smiled. He was safe. He shouted in surprise when he felt arms around him.
    “Josh! You’re alive!” He heard his mother sob.
    Josh smiled and hugged his mom. “Yeah, I know.” He said and tears just poured out of him.
    His father hugged him next. “I’m so happy….” He mumbled and Josh also hugged his father. “Trey is dead…” He mumbled when his father released him.
    His mother broke out in tears. “He was such a good kid….” She whined and Josh’s father hugged her to comfort her.
    A police man walked up to Josh and his family. “The shooter shot themselves.” He said glumly. “I’m sorry you had to go through this but it’s over, go home.” He said and walked away to inform other families.
    Josh nodded. He wanted to sleep and try to forget about this horrible nightmare.