| TORMENTED The shotgun went off, and she saw her best friend flung like a doll into the wall, her left shoulder area gone with only blood and torn peices of flesh where it had been. She ducked into a classroom, crying and in shambles, the shooters were killing left and right, not going after anyone, but not letting anyone go. "Heather!" she turned quickly, shrieking in fear, and seeing her boyfriend Aaron standing there. She ran to him, embracing him. "Listen, we're not safe in here. We're only on the second floor, you can jump down from the window easy enough, ok? We'll go together." he tried his best to calm her as they walked to the window. They opened the window, and broke the screen from it, Aaron helped her to the ledge, and they heard another gunshot. The locked door to the class swung open, Aaron pushed her, and as she fell, she heard the shot that must have ended Aaron's life... She wasn't even thinking when she landed, her mind was blank, she didn't think of the people around her, tending to her, or even that she had broken her leg. Everything went by blurred and mute. Then, as if she had been hit by a frieght train, everything surged to life, and all she could do was scream... Then blackness... "How long has she been asleep?" Heather's father asked. "About a day and a half, Mr. Scharp. We're assuming it's traumatic stress, but she should be fine when she wakes up, the leg is bound and we've casted it. It was a clean break, it should be fine in about two months I belive. Your daughter is very lucky, Mr. Scharp..." The doctor explained. "Yeah... I know, thank you." he said. She woke with a start, and sat straight up in the hospital bed. Her leg was held up by a harness and there was a large white cast around it up to almost her hip. She looked around, it was the middle of the night, the only sounds were the humming of equipment, and someone walking down the hallway. She was breathing fast, her heart was beating almost out of her chest. Nobody there... She was in a hospital, it must be a nurse, she thought, attempting to rationalize her own fears. The footsteps moved harmlessly past her door and continued down the hall. "It's over... Stop this shit..." she said out loud. She layed back down on the bed and closed her eyes. All that was seen were friends and classmates being killed. She cried through the night... "I belive she can go home any time," the doctor said, "but make sure she keeps that leg up, whenever she's sitting or laying down." "Of course, Doctor." Heather's father said, "Well, you ready to go home, Heather?" She had already gotten dressed, and got up from the bed with her crutches, not saying a word. Then she limped her way out of the room. "Thanks again, Doctor." Mr. Scharp said. In the car on the way to their home, Mr. Scharp debated on what he should say. Nothing seemed right. "Heather...?" She didn't say a word. "I... I don't know what I can say, I know that I can't make things better, but belive me when I say I love you and will do anything to help, ok?" She stared out the window, watching the scenery pass, as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Hey Heather! What's up girl? We goin' to party tonight or what?" Shiela exclaimed. A year had passed, a new school, new home, new friends... "No, I don't think so, Alex wants to go out tonight." ...and new boyfriends. "Aww, you spend an awful lot of time with that guy, come on, let's go have some fun! Erica's parents won't be home for like three days, we'd have the place to ourselves." "Sorry Shiela. I'd rather just be with Alex tonight." She said, almost in a melancholy tone. Shiela sighed, "Alright, you go, ignore your friends!" she said joking, "Just kidding, have fun. You look down, cheer up!" Heather nodded slowly, then turned to leave, bumping right into Alex. "Hey Heather, wait, where're you going so fast?" "I have to go to class..." she said, cracking a smile. "Oh come on, stay and talk for a little while." He kissed her, then let her go. "How're you doing today, Shiela?" "What's wrong with Heather today? She's unusually down." Shiela asked. "What? You don't know?" "Um, no? Why else would I ask?" "Alright," Alex said, "but keep it to yourself, ok? You remember like a year ago, when those kids killed everyone in that school?" "Yeah..." she replied. "Heather was there... she watched her best friend get killed... She acts like she got over it, but I don't think she did..." "Oh my god..." Shiela said, she was almost in tears herself, "I never knew... Damn..." She walked quickly to her next class. She bumped into someone, making them drop all of their books. She couldn't even apologize. She went into the classroom quickly. Crying, she locked the door and sat at her desk. She was breathing hard, she was scared, but she didn't know what she was scared of. She jumped out of the desk as she heard someone trying to open the door. Something sounded like a gunshot. She crawled into the corner of the room, and sat curled up against the wall. She heard the sound again, but this time it was more like someone hitting something... The door, they were knocking. She wiped her eyes quickly, and unlocked the door as her classmates came into the room. "What's wrong, Heather? It's friday, you shouldn't be so down." She sat down, the world becoming numb around her, before she knew it, the day was over, and it was time to go out with Alex. She waited inside her house, she was alone, her father was working late. It wasn't long before she heard Alex's car pull into the driveway. She stayed on the couch, with her head in her lap. Alex knocked, and slightly opened the door, "Hello? Heather? You here?" He saw her on the couch. He walked over, and knelt down besider her. Suddenly, she jumped to her feet, "Aaron! You go first, please! You have to go first!!" Alex stood up, "W... what? What are you talking about? Who's Aaron?" "Please, go Aaron, they'll kill you!" She cried. He had no idea what she was talking about, she'd never said anything about someone named Aaron. "Aaron, go! I know where my dad's gun cabinet is, I'll take care of them!" "What?? No! Heather," grabbed her by the shoulders, "quiet, listen, we're fine, there's nobody here but us. Just you and Alex, ok? It's over, it's over Heather." Her knees buckled, but he held her up, hugging her. They sat on the couch, and he held her as she cried. If she had died, Aaron would be alive. She knew that. It went through her head again and again, she felt as though she was there again. Everything went by in slow motion, people being shot. Her best friend being flung into the wall from the shotgun, everything. She didn't know why they did it, she didn't even know the people who did it. All she did know was that she could have died, but she didn't... Why? Why did everyone she knew died, but she didn't? Why did Aaron push her out the window. She could have done the same, and saved him... If she had died, Aaron wouldn't have... Why did he do that? Why?? Alex woke up, by himself on the couch. He jumped up with a start, and saw Heather walking up the stairs. "Heather! What are you doing?" "... I have to save him..." He ran up the stairs after her, "NO!" she screamed, "I have to save Aaron!!" As he reached the top of the stairs, she turned, revealing the baseball bat. She hit him in the temple of the skull. He was thrown sideways from the blow, and his vision went red. His entire body seemed to hurt. Finally he opened his eyes, he was at the bottom of the stairs, he had fallen. She was gone. He got to his feet as quickly as possible, which was hard. He struggled up the stairs, and made his way to Heather's father's room. He opened the door, and saw her sitting in the corner of the room. "...saved..." she said simply, as the shotgun went off. Alex dropped to his knees, "Heather..." Blood covered the wall behind her as she went limp, and the firearm dropped from her grasp... Alex struggled to the phone, and called an ambulance, then sat against the wall. "... Now he's safe, Heather..." he said quietly as the sound of an ambulance siren could be heard in the distance... |