The Shooting

A short story about a school shooting and the causes of bravery

                “Did you know Sean Michaels before the incident?”

                “Everyone knew Sean. Just not how everyone wants to be known. He was an outcast, someone that no one really wanted to get to know.”

                “Did this come as a surprise to you?”

                “Not at all.”

               

 

                This day, like any other day, was met with me hitting my snooze alarm one too many times. School was such a drag and I so did not want to get up. Good news was, today was Wednesday and there were only a couple more days left and then I would be off camping in the woods with my amazing girlfriend.

                I groggily got up, standing at my 6’3” height as I made my way to the bathroom that was down the hall. Oh my goodness! I thought to myself. What the hell is that looking back at me in the mirror? I looked ragged with purple bags underneath my light brown eyes, my shaggy dark brown hair sticking up in odd spikes around my head. I hurriedly turned on the shower and prepared to get ready for school.

                Running down stairs, I grabbed a bagel with some cream cheese that my mother left out for me and headed for the door.

                “Damn. I forgot my keys!” I muttered to no one in particular. Taking the steps two at a time I crashed into my room and scooped my keys off of my nightstand.

                “Jimmy! Don’t miss the bus or me and you will both be dead!” I yelled to my younger brother who was still asleep down the hall.

                Being a senior meant that I was able to drive which in turn made me the babysitter for my fourteen year old brother who was more than capable of watching himself. My father was a Marine during the gulf war so we were under his strict rule  which was dealt by use of mass punishment. Since I refused to take my little brother to school every day, I was responsible for getting him up in the morning and making sure that he got his butt to the bus stop in time.

                Throwing the driver’s door open, I hopped into my ’75 black chevy nova that my dad found at a police auction. I was still taking out the trash and mowing the lawn to pay him back. It was a standard transmission so I left off the clutch and took off out of our driveway to my high school that was just a few miles down the road. Finding a parking space was easier said than done though. I went to a pretty rich school so that meant tons of spoiled kids had their dads buy them beamers and Mercedes for their sixteenth birthday. Luckily I was able to squeeze next to my buddies F-350 and this punk of-a-kid’s SKL.

                “Hey Matt! When are you going to trade this piece of junk in for something more new?” My friend Stephen said jokingly as I was grabbing my backpack from the passenger seat.

                “You know I don’t have the money for that man. Besides, I could smoke any of these pretty boys in a street race.”

                “Yeah we will see about that bro. Let’s just head to class and get this week over with. You ready for this camping trip man? Just the six of us, me, you, your girl, my girl, Jack, and Sarah. It’s going to be awesome!”

                “You know it! I still can’t believe that my parents are letting me go.”

                “Me neither! Your old man is insanely strict.”

                “Yeah you’re telling me.” We made small talk about what we planned on doing on the trip as we made our way to our first period. Stephen has always been around. He is that friend that you always have around. We met on the soccer field in second grade and have never been separated ever since.

               

 

                “How did you know Matt Schaffer?”

                “He was that guy that always had a smile on his face. Tall, but still had a baby face about him. I remember he would always try to help kids that were getting picked on. Even Sean I believe. I just don’t know why he was one of them.”

                “What about Stephen McCall? Was he someone that was mean?”

                “Oh no. Stephen and Matt have been attached at the hip since I could remember. Matt would always solve a problem diplomatically while Stephen was on the side doing things more…. Physically. But not in a bad way. Those two just meshed together and no one ever really had problems with them.”

                “Thank you for your time.”

 

 

 

                Lunch was finally here and I was ravished. Being someone with a 6’3” and 210 pound exterior definitely deserves some inner attention. Unfortunately the school cafeteria was horrible with accommodating the needs of teenagers so I was stuck with a piece of cardboard-like pizza and French fries.

                Looking around the lunch room I spotted my friends sitting at our usual table at the far end of the cafeteria. It was hard to hear the warning being called out throughout the loud cacophony of high school kids enjoying lunch to tell me that a hamburger was being thrown into my direction. Thankfully it was a horrible throw and it barely missed hitting my back.

                “Hey nice throw Nick! You should try out for quarterback with that arm!” I catcalled to one of the popular kids that lobbed the greasy meat product.

                His face was contorted into a sneer that did not make him menacing at all but rather someone that was trying to poop but was having a difficult time.

                That’s when the real noise was heard. Was it my imagination but was that a gunshot? For once, the cafeteria was dead silent as we all suspected the same thing. Time stood still seeming to take forever until the screams resounded throughout the halls. Tammy Greenwood came smashing through the double doors, covered in blood and limping from what looked like a gun wound on her upper thigh.

                A blood curdling scream was sent from her lungs as she collapsed on the floor, exhausted and in shock from what had just happened to her.

                Panic set in to every single kid in that cafeteria. It was shear pandemonium as everyone was trying to get out the front door to safety. More gun shots were heard in the second story landing where the library was. Why does everyone go straight for the library whenever they attack a school? Do they have a vengeance against the nerds who dwell there during their time of break?

                Looking around, I found Stephen who was standing just a few feet away from me. I was a stone in a sea of moving, screaming bodies seemingly unnoticed by the passersby as they only cared for their safety.

                “Stephen! Stephen man I need you to come with me!” I tried shouting over the noise of the crowd. Fortunately my oldest friend spotted me and we headed out of the current of pushing bodies and stood off to the side.

                “What is it Matt? What are you thinking?” A look of concerned was painted across his face.

                “Stephen, I don’t expect you to understand but we have to stop whoever is shooting. I don’t want anyone else to get hurt and if I can do something to prevent that, I’m going to try.”

                “Matt that is a suicide mission! What if there is more than one person? Obviously they don’t want to listen to reason since they are shooting aimlessly throughout the school. Seriously man please think this through. This is a death wish and you know it.”

                “I know that’s why I need your help. I need you to tell Jean that I love her and if I don’t see her then we will meet again soon. Can you do that brother?” My face took a stern and serious look to it and I knew that I was going through with this. What could I do though? I didn’t want anyone else to get hurt.

                “No. I won’t tell her because I’m coming with you. You are going to need someone that can drag your crazy a*s out of there if you get hurt. Let’s do this.”

                I looked into his eyes to see that he wasn’t lying. Without thinking I grabbed him into a tight hug and held him close. This was the greatest friend anyone could ask for.

                We pulled away and headed toward the stairs, making our way to the library where the last shots were heard. Turning around the corner we nearly ran smack dab into the first victim. Blood was smeared on the walls and the floor was slick with the life-water. I almost hurled as I saw a freshman sitting up against a desk with his intestines spilling out of his stomach. I could tell he had suffered before he finally faded.

                My father had taught me all about combat since I was a little boy and we would always go to the paintball course to freshen up my skills. I was no stranger to what I had to do. Slowly we made our way through the library following the trail of bodies out into the west corridor where classes were still taking place. That is when I spotted the assailant. Clad in a red jacket, blue jeans and a wool knit cap on his head I could hardly believe my eyes. Sean Michaels! He was the one shooting everyone?

                Throwing my training out the window I shouted out to him.

                “Sean! What the hell did you do?! What are you doing man!” I could tell I startled him because he whirled around, aiming his gun right at me. He was shaking and nervous. Not really sure what to do.

                “Matt Shaffer? Wha- What are you doing here? I thought you would have ran like everyone else.”

                “No Sean I came to stop you. You can’t do this Sean. You can’t take your revenge on people like this. I mean seriously what did that young freshman do to you whose guts are spilling out of his stomach? What about the people in this library? All of the smart kids that came here to study, what did they ever do to you Sean?”

                “Everything! Everyone in this school is guilty! They all stood by and watched as I was tormented day after day. They are just as guilty as the people bullying me. I may not know any of these people but they are all a part of it.”      

                “That isn’t how this works Sean. You can’t blame people who are too scared to stand up for someone they don’t know. What is this going to do though? How is this going to help anyone Sean? You don’t believe that you killing innocent people is going to make things better for you do you? You are going to jail Sean. That is going to be much worse than high school could ever be. But if you just set down your guns now, I will come with you to the police and we will work something out.”

                “No Matt. I know what you are trying to do. You are trying to get me to stop shooting people. But I will tell you, that is not going to work. You think I expected to walk out of this school and just go into custody? I may be a fool but I am not stupid. No this is where I planned to end my road of suffering.”

                “Sean! Listen to me! It doesn’t have to be this way man. You can give up. We can get you help and make things better for you. You don’t need to do anything drastic Sean. Remember when I stood up for you? Nick was being his normal self and picking on you and I told him to shove off? There are people who care Sean. I care. Please Sean.” We both stood there, grounded to our spots as decisions raced across our minds. I had no idea if this was helping at all and I didn’t want to do anything that would make him jumpy.

                “I can’t do this Matt. I can’t go through this life like I have been.” Tears were racing down his face and I could see the defeat that was splattered in his eyes.

                “Come with me Sean and you won’t have to do this alone.” Sean looked up with a look of sobriety and sternness.

                “No. You can’t stop fate.”

                The pressure was immense. Something I had never felt before. Then the heat came. White hot feeling as lead bb’s punched through my chest at an alarming rate. Blood rushed to fill the void in my lungs, causing me to slowly drown in my own life. There was someone screaming. Close but sounding so distant. Hands were grabbing me trying to hold me up as I felt my legs go out. Did I really get shot? I thought I was finally getting to him. Oh man I’m really going to die here.

                “NO! What the f**k Sean?! He was trying to help-!” The deafening roar of another shot was heard throughout the hall. I felt blood splash against my face as my closest friends muscles loosened and let me drop to the floor. Laying there, I felt the pressure of Stephen laying still against me. Tears were leaking out of my eyes uncontrollably to the realization that we had failed.

                The unmistakable sound of another bullet flying through the barrel of a shotgun was heard once more as Sean sighted in on his next victim. I couldn’t do anything but lay in a heap with shot in my chest. Where had we gone wrong? Sean wasn’t that bad of a kid. Sure he got picked on but that was normal.

                “I’m so sorry Stephen.” I was able to choke out through the pain and sobs. It was all my fault that he was dead.

 

 

                “Breaking news: Southwest High School was faced with a horrific tragedy today as twenty-two students and faculty members were shot down in the hallways by one teenage boy. Sean Michaels came to school late and proceeded to open fire on the high school library leaving no one left alive. When confronted by another student, one Matt Shaffer who he ended up shooting after some discussion, Sean Michaels took his own life after killing Stephen McCall who was known to be Matt's best friend. There are no leads as to why Sean would even do such a thing.”

Author's Note

Just something that I had on my mind and wanted to put out there. I've always been interested in mass shootings not in a sadistic way but just to understand how someone could do such a thing. Tell me what you think I should improve on and whether you like it or not!