Teacup and Bullets

 

The sharp droan of the bell stopped everyone in their tracks, Even Miss Keith, bent over someone else’s work. It was like we were all paralysed, time stopping at the call of a school bell.

 

But of course this wasn’t any school bell.

 

Everyone in senior art new what the bell meant, new what we had to do. But still we stayed still, the improbability of the event freezing our minds and our bodies.  “What the hell” Joe whispered, his voice breaking the unbearable silence. My brush stopped an inch away from the canvas, frozen their in silence. “Everyone,” Miss Keith’s voice, usually so sure and responsible, wavered a little at the end, giving away the fear underneath. That more than anything, sent chills up my spine. “Please remain calm and hide behind your canvases.” Bummer about the art room, there aren’t any desks. Quietly, everyone hid behind their pictures, the half-finished paintings giving the room a touch of paranormal. The wooden beams dug into my back and I heard the click of the lock being pulled on the door. Whispers carried across the room as we waited. I fiddled with a strand of my hair, knees resting under my chin. “You scared?” I looked at Joe, about to punch him in the face. “No? Ok then.” He turned back to making faces with whoever it was opposite him.  There was a knock on the door, loud and cocky. It made the already silent room quieter. I looked at Miss Keith, her expression not exactly reassuring. “Ok.” I whispered to Joe. “Now I’m scared.”

 

***

 

The ostentatious lockdown bell echoed through the school, that more than anything else giving away to the intruders that we knew they were here. You would think that being in a possibly life threatening situation would manage to shut people up, right? You would think that maybe the general population of the school would have enough common sense to make that assumption? Turns out that the people in my class were even stupider than I previously thought. Which I had thought impossible. As the panicked cries filled the room and people stumbled under desks, I seriously thought of throwing myself to whatever mad men with guns were out their just to get me away from my peers. I swung myself under the desk and was immeadiantly banged on the head for my trouble. Millie was next to me, her slender arms wrapped around her legs, eyes sparked with panic. “Daman?” She whispered as the room settled into a less ‘look-at-me-students-in-here’ state. I looked at her, her face shadowed in the desk. “What?” I immeadiantly regretted being that blunt. She dropped her face to her knees. “Do you think we’re going to die?” I thought it was very good of me not to roll my eyes.  “No.” I answered honestly. “I think it’s just some drunken weirdo running around the school.” Even in the shadowy light I could see her shoulders relax and her hands de-fist. She gave me a smile. “Thanks.” She whispered. I nodded and turned back to looking at the grey plastic of the chair legs. I wondered where the Professor was. “Shit!” I heard someone say to the room. “Guys, who locked the door?” I heard sniggers in the vicinity of the speaker and I bashed my head against the top of the desk. Stupid, jocks. “Who wants to turn them off?” More laughter and a mumbled ‘you already do that, mate.’ I heard Millie snicker beside me. This time, I rolled my eyes.  “No, seriously. Someone has to do it.” After the initial snigger from the immature idiots, (Shifty look) there was silence, no one wanted to risk being shot or whatever it was they were worried about. “Oh, I’ll lock the door.” I said, choosing my words carefully. There was whispered cheers from the jocks and raised my eyebrows as I made my way to the door. I could feel the trail of eyes on me when I crossed the squeaky floors. I passed where the jocks were hiding and when one of them mumbled ‘my hero!” I gave him the one fingered salute. I reached the door my hand just about to touch the metal knob that locks the door. Then there was a knock on the door and the rooms was filled with screams.

 

***

 

“What the hell was that?” I asked Jonny, the echo of the bell faded out. He was laughing as he hid under a desk. What the hell. “Dude, it’s the lockdown bell.” He replied, voice muffled by the wood on top of him. I sniggered and joined him under the shadow of the desk. I heard the clunk of the door being shut. “F***k, man. We’re gonna die or something?” He snorted, a little louder than the buzz of chatter vibrating around the room. “Yeah, totally. Our deaths are inevitable; say your last prayers, Hudson.” I was about to punch him in the shoulder when the shadowy knock on the door shocked us to silence. Holy. Shit.