(set: $outfit to 0)
*TIME: 6:30 a.m.*
...
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
...
...zzz...
*BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!*
...
...ugh.
As your alarm shrieks, you groggily open your eyes. Of course the alarm had to go off, ruining the perfect dream! Damn, and Max was just about to kiss you. Perfect timing.
You stumble out of bed, your mind still unsure whether it wants to work or climb back in and sleep. You think to yourself, "should I just take a sick day?" Before you can give yourself a solid answer, you jolt awake and remember- you've got an AP Chem test today. Fuck.
But, that doesn't mean the morning has to be unbearable, right? You unlock your phone and open the playlist titled "Mornings". You scroll through and find two enticing options to get the blood pumping.
You select...
[["Lovely Day"- Bill Withers]]
[["You Make My Dreams"- Hall And Oates]]As Bill Withers' soothing voice comes through the speakers, you fight the urge to crank the volume up to 11. *Damn*, you think to yourself. *Gone way too soon.* The song continues, and you go about your morning routine.
[[Choose your outfit.]] As the iconic intro starts with the Daryl Hall's iconic synth and simple drums, you fight the urge to crank the volume up to 11. The song continues, and you go about your morning routine.
[[Choose your outfit.]] You quickly shower and dry off. Coming back into your room, you're faced with yet another decision- your outfit. It's a test day, so you want to dress comfy. But, Max is *still* in your AP Chem class, so why not dress to impress?
You eventually decide to throw on...
[[Your AC/DC graphic tee.]]
[[A fancy button-up.]]With a deep sigh, you bite the bullet and throw on a fancy button-up shirt and some khakis. Taking a quick look in the mirror, you grin and touch up your hair. Everything about you screams "confidence", even if you feel like a sack of crap. Today's gonna suck, you know it. AP Chem is bad enough, but you *really* don't want to go to school today. Here's to a quick and speedy graduation season.
[[Looking good. Breakfast time.]]
(set: $outfit to 3)After running down the stairs, you check your phone.
*6:55 a.m.*
*iMessage: No new messages*
As if you didn't need to be reminded that you aren't in the popular crowd, now you're only 10 minutes away from getting on the bus! Ugh. This much closer to hell. Your stomach grumbles during these angsty thoughts. *Crap, I gotta eat!*, you think to yourself.
Dashing into the kitchen, you open the fridge and find nothing worth eating. Doing a bit more searching, you find some bread in front of the toaster next to a bowl of fruit. Your mouth waters.
You decide to...
[[Make some old fashioned peanut butter toast.]]
[[Grab some orange slices to go.]]You woke up feeling comfy, and damnit, you're going to school feeling comfy! You sloppily throw on your AC/DC tee and a pair of sweatpants. Taking a quick look in the mirror, you sigh and give a modest frown. Today's gonna suck, you know it. AP Chem is bad enough, but you *really* don't want to go to school today. Here's to a quick and speedy graduation season.
[[Looking good. Breakfast time.]]
(set: $outfit to 2)(if: $outfit is 2) [Your eyes turn to the bowl of fruit and you can't push the thought of a delectable orange out of your mind. Reaching for the bowl, you lose your step- nearly tearing your t-shirt- and accidentally knock it over. *FUCK*, you think, as you hurriedly try and scoop all the fruit back up, trying to save precious minutes. When you finally get an orange out without dropping anything, you quickly peel it and eat a few slices, saving the rest in a bag.]
(if: $outfit is 3) [Your eyes turn to the bowl of fruit and you can't push the thought of a delectable orange out of your mind. Reaching for the bowl, you lose your step- nearly tearing your button-up- and accidentally knock it over. *FUCK*, you think, as you hurriedly try and scoop all the fruit back up, trying to save precious minutes. When you finally get an orange out without dropping anything, you quickly peel it and eat a few slices, saving the rest in a bag.]
[[(click to proceed)]](if: $outfit is 2) [Even though time is of the essence, your mind can't escape the thought of a delicious slice of peanut butter toast. You turn up the toaster as hot as it can go and leave it in for the shortest time possible... and proceed to burn the toast. As it pops out, you hurriedly catch it and attempt to spread a thick glob of peanut butter on it, nearly ruining your graphic tee.]
(if: $outfit is 3) [Even though time is of the essence, your mind can't escape the thought of a delicious slice of peanut butter toast. You turn up the toaster as hot as it can go and leave it in for the shortest time possible... and proceed to burn the toast. As it pops out, you hurriedly catch it and attempt to spread a thick glob of peanut butter on it, nearly ruining your fancy shirt.]
[[(click to proceed)]]As you scarf down your food, you check your phone yet again.
*7:10 a.m.*
*iMessage: No new messages*
Damnit! You have a HUGE test today, and you decide to be late?! Nice going, genius. Furiously throwing on your backpack and slipping on a pair of untied shoes, you sprint out the front door. The bus is *just* leaving your stop. These shoes aren't the best for running, but you ran track in middle school...it's a possibility you can catch up. But, your friend Zach has a car and can easily give you a ride. Catch is, he's 15 minutes away. One thing's for sure: you're sure as hell not walking to school. What do you do?
[[Run after the bus!]]
[[Call Zach.]]
(set: $latetoclass to false)Even though it may have been smarter to call Zach, you can feel your blood pumping. Your adrenaline begins to course through your veins. *Man*, you think, *how cool is this shit gonna be?* At that, you take off at full speed after the bus!
The bus hasn't accelerated a ton, and you're quickly gaining steam- even with a full backpack. Eventually you start to get a bit winded. You haven't ran this fast since seventh grade, did you really think you could keep this up the whole time? As the bus starts to gain speed, you shout at the top of your lungs and wave your arms, praying that the bus driver sees you.
*"HEY!! SLOW DOWN!!**
Your prayer is answered! The bus driver slows down and pulls over. You've never been so grateful to hear the sharp hiss of the engine as it stops. Quickly you climb up and into the bus. As you look for a seat, you're able to slide into the last open one--next to Max! As you move, you hear a cheerful "Hey!"
(if: $outfit is 2) [Max remarks, "Wow, you look...uh...comfortable. But hey, I love AC/DC!" Well, it's not the compliment you hoped for, but hey, it's something. (set: $confidence to 0)]
(if: $outfit is 3) [Max remarks, "Wow, you clean up well! I love your outfit, what's the occasion?" The compliment takes you by surprise, and you can't help but blush a little bit. (set: $confidence to 3)]
You give an exhausted but genuine smile as you strike up a conversation. Turns out she needs help studying for Chem- as do you. Perfect chance. You open your textbooks and get to work, a much-needed pick-me-up after your morning.
[[(click to continue)]] Though it might've *looked* cool, you decide to play it safe and call Zach. Disappointed, you sit on your front step and wait for him to arrive. Suddenly, your phone buzzes.
*iMessage: (1) New Message from Max*
Your heart leaps out of your chest as you see their name pop up on your screen. You hurriedly unlock your phone and open iMessage, but your heart sinks at what you see.
*--Hey! I was gonna ask you for help studying for Chem on the bus, where were you?*
Ugh. You knew today was gonna be rough. First you're late to class, and now you've blown your chance to show up to Max! Dejected, you send a half-hearted reply.
*I'm so sorry, I had a rough morning. Catch you in class.--*
You can see Zach's truck from a mile away: if the neon-blue paint job didn't do it, then the various "Trump 2020" flags flying from it would. Zach hollers, "Come on! You're not the only one late to class!" You hop in, unprepared for what the day will bring.
(set: $latetoclass to true)
[[(click to continue)]]Your day doesn't start quite like Will Grant's.
While you were getting up and nearly ruining your clothes with your food, Will was preparing for a momentous occasion. His day had finally come. All those lies, all the bullying, all the beatings, all the disrespect from his peers. They would finally come to an end today.
The night before, Will had snuck into his dad's gun cabinet after his dad passed out from his nightly drinks. Upon his eyes lay his prizes: an AR-15 assault rifle, paired with his father's Glock 17. He was nearly giddy with excitement, knowing his opportunity for revenge- no, for fame- was close at hand.
Will dressed himself like any other "alternative" teenager would. Except this time, looks could- and would- kill. He grabbed his backpack and emptied it of all traces of his studies, filling it with the stolen weapons and spare ammunition. This was all he needed to make a name for himself. He stops and opens his notebook. Inside were scrawled memoirs and poems dedicated to his two biggest inspirations: Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold. *They would be so proud of me*, Will thought.
Today, Will joins their ranks.
[[...]]''FIRST HOUR: American History- 7:45 a.m.''
(if: $latetoclass is true)[You're nearly ten minutes late for Mr. Hepburn's American History class. Not that it matters, since you probably would've fallen asleep into your textbook by this point in class on a normal day. The door is wide open, and Mr. Hepburn is droning on about Communism during the Cold War...or something like that. You enter the class, hoping he doesn't notice. Mr. Hepburn immediately focuses his attention on you.
"I sincerely hope you weren't trying to sneak into my class. This is the third time you've been late this month, and I find that unacceptable. Please meet me after class." (set: $seeme to 1)
You slump down at your desk, exhausted from your busy morning, and pull out your textbook to feign the appearance of attention.]
(if: $latetoclass is false)[You walk into Mr. Hepburn's American History class with a few minutes to spare. The classroom is about as bare-bones as Mr. Hepburn. The combination of the pale white walls with the dull fluorescent lighting gives the room the same aura as a prison. That, plus the faulty cooling system, creates the perfect formula for a drowsy student to fall asleep. The whiteboard reads: "Communism during the Cold War." Jackpot-with such a boring subject, it's gonna be naptime! You slump down at your desk, exhausted from your busy morning, and pull out your textbook to feign the appearance of attention. (set: $seeme to 0)]
As your attention fades in and out during his lecture, you start to feel a bit drowsy. Pleasant memories of your warm bed linger in your mind. All the sudden, your eyelids feel like they have weights attached to them. It becomes harder and harder to...stay...a...wake...
....zzzzz....
....zzzzz....
''EXCUSE ME!''
You awaken in a daze, your heart racing. *Shit, was I caught?* Mr. Hepburn is staring straight at you.
"I *asked* you, which half of Germany became Communist as a result of the Yalta Conference?"
Your face was glued to the pages- albeit while asleep- so you should know this answer. But, your mind is completely blanking! You swallow your nerves and give it your best shot:
[[East Germany!]]
[[West Germany!]]You think, *Screw it, either I'm right or I'm wrong. Here goes nothing.* "East Germany!"
...
"Remarkable answer. The Yalta Conference split Germany into four zones, one of which would eventually become the German Democratic Republic- otherwhise known as East Germany. It makes my heart soar knowing that you're actually studying to make up for dozing in my class."
*Whew.* You managed to save yourself after that embarrassing episode. Time to keep focusing.
[[(continue with class)]]You think, *Screw it, either I'm right or I'm wrong. Here goes nothing.* "West Germany!"
...
"Incorrect. The Yalta Conference split Germany into four zones, one of which would eventually become the German Democratic Republic- otherwhise known as East Germany. Perhaps if you paid more attention to your textbook instead of using it as a pillow, you may have gotten that answer right."
*Damnit.* You hear quiet giggling from your peers in the class. You sink back into your seat and attempt to focus.
(if: $seeme is 0)[(set: $seeme to 1)]
(if: $seeme is 1)[(set: $seeme to 2)]
[[(continue with class)]]Falling asleep in class didn't make Mr. Hepburn's lecture any more interesting. But, you have to pay attention- you can't afford another slipup like that. Begrudgingly, you sit up in your seat and continue to to take notes.
...
*BZZ! BZZ!*
*BZZ! BZZ!*
*BZZ! BZZ!*
With 10 minutes left in class, you feel your phone start to go CRAZY. Your mind immediately leaves the realm of Communism in the Cold War and thinks of the possibilities. Did Zach get in trouble with security again? Is Mom chewing me out for making a mess out of the kitchen? *Is Max confessing feelings for me??*
You're about to check your phone when Mr. Hepburn shoots another glance your way. *Shit*, you think. *I can't risk getting caught not paying attention again.*
You decide to...
[[Check your messages.]]
[[Leave it be.]](if: $seeme is 0) [Since you fell asleep, you've been paying good enough attention in class today to not warrant any trouble. Let's not change that with a stupid mistake. You reach in your pocket, flip the ringer to "off", and continue taking notes.]
(if: $seeme is 1 ) [Class has already been rough enough for you today. Mr. Hepburn is probably going to want to see me anyways, so I shouldn't do anything to piss him off even more. You reach in your pocket, flip the ringer to "off", and continue taking notes.]
(if: $seeme is 2 ) [Class has already been rough enough for you today. Mr. Hepburn is probably going to want to see me anyways, so I shouldn't do anything to piss him off even more. You reach in your pocket, flip the ringer to "off", and continue taking notes.]
(set: $checkphone to false)
*BEEEEEEEEEEP!*
The electronic bell quickly dismisses these thoughts- and the class. You pack up your things and rush out the door.
(if: $seeme is 1)[As you exit, you hear Mr. Hepburn calling out to you. "Excuse me, but could you come see me for a moment?"
[[Meet with Mr. Hepburn.]]]
(if: $seeme is 2)[As you exit, you hear Mr. Hepburn calling out to you. "Excuse me, but could you come see me for a moment?"
[[Meet with Mr. Hepburn.]]]
(if: $seeme is 0)[[Leave for gym.]]]Caught off-guard, you slump into a desk as Mr. Hepburn sits down next to you. You ask, "How long is this gonna take? I have to be changed and ready for PE in 5 minutes."
(if: $seeme is 1)[Mr. Hepburn adjusts his glasses and sighs. "Look. The trouble you caused today isn't an isolated incident. My Communism lecture may have been too boring, but your behavior is a recurring trend. I have real faith in you and your capacity to learn, but when you pull stunts like this? It makes myself and other teachers disappointed. We know your brain has the power to take you far. Don't stop short just because it's boring."
You're shocked. You weren't expecting him to be kind, let alone hear that he believes in you. You mumble out an apology and promise it won't happen again. He motions his hand for you to leave. You hurriedly grab your things and make for the locker room.]
(if: $seeme is 2)[Mr. Hepburn adjusts his glasses and takes a deep breath. Now. I consider myself a lenient soul. I was fine with letting you be a few minutes late to class. You haven't had perfect attendance, but I figured I would let it slide. But, then you went and used my Communism lecture as nap-time- and it's blatantly obvious you didn't do the work outside of class. This is unacceptable!"
He sighs.
"Look. The trouble you caused today isn't an isolated incident. My Communism lecture may have been too boring, but your behavior is a recurring trend. I have real faith in you and your capacity to learn, but when you pull stunts like this? It makes myself and other teachers disappointed. We know your brain has the power to take you far. Don't stop short just because it's boring."
You're shocked. You weren't expecting him to be kind, let alone hear that he believes in you. You mumble out an apology and promise it won't happen again. He motions his hand for you to leave. You hurriedly grab your things and make for the locker room.]
[[Leave for gym.]]You hustle out the door as the bell music starts to play. *God*, you think, *I really can't catch a break today, can I?* Maybe some endorphins will do you some good. Nothing a little excercise can't fix! Plus, added focus for your Chem test. Score!
[[Click to continue.]]You decide that this can't wait. Your imagination already has the best of you. Let's see what's really going on.
8:20 a.m.
iMessage: (11) New Messages
(set: $checkphone to true)
It's all from a group chat of you and the boys. You quickly unlock your phone and see the latest message.
--Well, it's about time somebody shot this place. No tests for me today!
What the hell?? You quickly scroll back up to see what the fuss is about. It takes you a while to get through the paragraphs and laughing emojis. Finally, you see a screenshot at the top.
It's a screenshot of a Snapchat from a man named Will. You vaguely recognize him, isn't he a grade under you? That thought immediately sours when you see what he's doing. He's standing in the mirror and holding up what looks like an AR-15. Along the bottom of the screen reads an ominous line of text:
Don't come to school today.
Your breathing sharply stiffens. How the hell could he have gotten a gun like that? He's only a kid! Is this even true? Is this Photoshopped? As your mind races, your heart starts to beat faster. You start to sweat. You can't imagine the possibilities of what might happen later today.
BEEEEEEEEEEP!
The electronic bell quickly dismisses these thoughts- and the class. You pack up your things and rush out the door.
(if: $seeme is 1)[As you exit, you hear Mr. Hepburn calling out to you. "Excuse me, but could you come see me for a moment?"
[[Meet with Mr. Hepburn.]]]
(if: $seeme is 2)[As you exit, you hear Mr. Hepburn calling out to you. "Excuse me, but could you come see me for a moment?"
[[Meet with Mr. Hepburn.]]]
(if: $seeme is 0)[[Leave for gym.]]]As you proceeded throughout the rest of your day, studying for Chem and sweating it out in PE, Will was studying up for something else.
Pulling up to the school in his blue SUV, he parked and pulled out a piece of paper from his backpack. A map of the school, with a red line drawn that weaved through various classrooms and common areas: a plan of action.
Will sent that Snapchat out this morning, thinking nobody would see it. He's such a loser and a laughingstock, that nobody would care, right? Well. In a few minutes, they'll all care. ''They ALL will.''
Will grabs his backpack and steps out of the car, walking straight for the school. One of the security officers scans his ID and lets him through. After stepping past, he reaches into his backpack.
It's time.
[[Continue.]]''5TH HOUR: Lunch- 11:45 a.m.''
Exhausted from a half-day's work, you're relieved more than ever to see the cafeteria. You get in line for the kitchen, scan your school ID, and set off for lunch. Navigating an arena of unidentified smells and unrecognizable meat, you make your way to the salad bar and make a fresh chicken Caesar salad. Grabbing a bottle of water as you leave, you hear shouts of your name across the cafeteria.
"Get over here!"
"Come sit with us!"
"Settle some beef for us, will ya?"
You smile at your friends' jeers. Crossing the cafeteria, another empty seat catches your eye. Max is there, all alone, studying for their Chem test! If you can swoop in and help her, you'd be her hero!
You eventually decide to...
[[Sit with your friends.]]
[[Sit with Max.]](set: $sitwithmax to false)
*Sorry Max, I'll study with you later!* You cross on over to your friends: Gabe, Spencer, Logan, and Chloe. They're all bickering about some nonsense or another, and it's almost indecipherable until you get closer.
"I'm just saying, when you look at the facts, it's clear that *Hot Fuzz* is one of the greatest movies of all time!", remarks Chloe.
"Just because it's funny doesn't make it good!", Logan shoots back.
"Think about it: a quality message, great action, a well-written script, what more could you want?", counters Gabe.
"I got nothin'.", says Spencer, going to town on a peanut-butter waffle.
As you sit down, you're IMMEDIATELY sucked in. Gabe asks, "Can you settle a debate for us, please? You've watched *Hot Fuzz*, right?"
"Yes, I have", you say. It was one of the movies you watched when you and Zach were freshmen.
"Wouldn't you agree- unlike SOME of us here- that *Hot Fuzz* is one of the greatest movies of all time?", asks Chloe.
"It's okay if you say no! Join the good side", asks Logan.
Having made your decision, you choose to side with...
[[Gabe and Chloe.]]
[[Logan.]](set: $sitwithmax to true)
*Sorry guys, I've got more pressing matters on my hands!* You backtrack your way to Max's table. All of her Chem materials are scattered over the surface, and you barely have enough room to set your tray down without moving anything.
"Mind if I join you?", you ask.
"Oh, hey! I was hoping you'd stop by. Want to study for Chem?", Max cheerfully replies.
From then on, you pull out your Chem materials and get to work. Countless chemical formulas and balancing equations make the time fly by effortlessly. After you both get done drilling each other on the materials, Max leans back and smiles.
"Hey, thanks so much for helping me out. I feel so much more prepared now! It means so much that you'd help me."
You smile. "You're so welcome, Max! Seriously, ask me anytime and I'd be happy to drop whatever I've got and help you."
She blushes. *This is your shot*, you think, *don't waste it!*
"Hey Max?"
She looks up. "Yeah?"
[[Tell a joke.]]
[[Ask a question.]]"...Gabe and Chloe are right. I can't argue with their points- it hits all the marks of an Oscar-worthy film. *Hot Fuzz* made me cry just as much as it made me laugh, and I laughed a LOT. It deserves a spot among the greats."
Gabe and Chloe are taken aback. "At least SOMEBODY agrees with us, Logan!", Chloe remarks. Logan takes offense to it and begins shouting about how it doesn't compare to Forrest Gump, then Gabe shouts in her defense, and now EVERYONE's shouting about something or another.
During the commotion, Spencer eyes the entrance to the room. His eyes widen. Immediately he drops his food and starts tugging at Gabe.
"Uh, guys??" he desperately begs.
"Not now, Spencer!" Chloe shoots back.
"Guys, there's SERIOUSLY something I think you should-"
[[BANG.]]"...Logan's right. Sorry guys, it's a fun movie that I enjoyed, but there's no way it compares to the greats! It's no Kubrick or Tarantino film."
Gabe and Chloe are taken aback. "How DARE you speak poorly of Hot Fuzz!", shouts Chloe. Gabe almost has to hold her back, asking her to calm down. Now everyone's yelling about something or another. Logan leans over and whispers, "Thanks, I'm glad you have my back."
During the commotion, Spencer eyes the entrance to the room. His eyes widen. Immediately he drops his food and starts tugging at Gabe.
"Uh, guys??" he desperately begs.
"Not now, Spencer!" Chloe shoots back.
"Guys, there's SERIOUSLY something I think you should-"
[[BANG.]](if: $confidence is 3)[You think, *it's go time*. "A man walks into a zoo. There's no lions, no tigers, no bears, no nothing. Except, he walks up to one of the empty exhibits and spots a little dog. Out of all the exhibits, there's only one animal. It's a shihtzu."
Max laughs so hard they blow milk out their nose! Now YOU'RE laughing at them because of the milk! *Nailed it*, you think.
Finally coming back down to Earth, Max remarks, "It's kind of a minor miracle that didn't get on my-"
[[BANG.]]]
(if: $confidence is 0)[*CRAPCRAPCRAP, I CAN'T THINK OF A JOKE!* You sputter and stammer until you can think of the first one that comes to mind.
"Uh...why did the chicken cross the road?" Max looks confused. "..to get to the other side?", they reply. *Damnit, I blew it*, you think to yourself.
They let out a light giggle and say, "Don't sweat it. I think it's funny you get nervous talking to-"
[[BANG.]]]You think to yourself, *it's go time. Let them know how I feel.* After a bit of an awkward pause, you decide to go for it.
"Uh, Max, could I, uh...take you out on a date sometime, maybe this weekend?"
Max sits there, stunned. You take a deep breath. Your face becomes flushed, as does theirs. After a silence that feels like eternity, Max speaks.
"You know what, I'd love to! I thought you'd never-"
[[BANG.]](if: $checkphone is true)[A deafening shot echoes around the cafeteria. One of the cafeteria staff collapses, a deep red stain quickly forming on her bright blue apron. In the span of a few seconds as she falls, you're able to spot the culprit, almost in slow motion. He appears to be wearing all black, with a few tears in his jeans. He kind of looks like Will Grant!
...
The realization hits you.
The screenshot from History wasn't a joke.
That actually is an assault rifle.
He's holding it.
He killed somebody.
And he's going to kill more.
...
*"FUCKING RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"*
That scream of panic brings you back into reality. Shots continue to fire, mixed with the screams of your peers. Thinking quickly, you turn the table over and use it as a place to hide. You quickly scan your surroundings, and there's two hallways you can run- one to your left, and one to your right. Which do you choose?
[[Run to the left hallway.]]
[[Run to the right hallway.]]]
(if: $checkphone is false)[A deafening shot echoes around the cafeteria. One of the cafeteria staff collapses, a deep red stain quickly forming on her bright blue apron. In the span of a few seconds as she falls, you're able to spot the culprit, almost in slow motion. He appears to be wearing all black, with a few tears in his jeans. He kind of looks like Will Grant!
...
The realization hits you.
That actually is an assault rifle.
He's holding it.
He killed somebody.
And he's going to kill more.
...
*"FUCKING RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"*
That scream of panic brings you back into reality. Shots continue to fire, mixed with the screams of your peers. Thinking quickly, you turn the table over and use it as a place to hide. You quickly scan your surroundings, and there's two hallways you can run- one to your left, and one to your right. Which do you choose?
[[Run to the left hallway.]]
[[Run to the right hallway.]]]In a snap decision, you run into the left hallway. It's the history and science wing. You've had to stay after school enough times for Mr. Hepburn's class that you know this wing like the back of your hand.
The shots continue to get louder. You turn for a brief moment to look behind you.
*Will is at the end of the hallway.
He's getting closer.*
A familiar voice shouts to you.
"GET INSIDE NOW!"
Mr. Hepburn is screaming in a tone that you've never heard before. He's in his doorway, the door just barely open- he's keeping it open for you. It's a good distance away, but you make it there in record time. You hurry in as fast as you can. Mr. Hepburn grabs your backpack and nearly flings you into the room, shutting the door and turning off the lights.
[[What now?]]
(set: $left to true)
In a snap decision, you run into the right hallway. The hallway is full of the arts classrooms. The walls are lined with student works and art showcases. But, the students themselves are screaming and running, doing ANYTHING they can to protect themselves. You run as fast and as far as you can down the hallway.
The shots continue to get louder. You turn for a brief moment to look behind you.
*Will is at the end of the hallway.
He's getting closer.*
You sprint for the nearest classroom with an open door. You hear the teacher calling your name, telling you to "GET INSIDE NOW!" It's a good distance away, but you make it there in record time. You hurry in as fast as you can. The teacher grabs your backpack and nearly flings you into the room, shutting the door and turning off the lights.
[[What now?]]
(set: $left to false)(if: $left is true) [A hushed panic falls over the classroom. Some students are silently crying, one is in the corner hyperventilating. Most of them are staying silent, stunned by their surroundings. One of them asks, "Mr. Hepburn, what the hell do we do?" He calmly replies, "You've been trained for this. We do lockdown drills for this exact reason. We lock the doors, turn out the lights, and hide low for a drill, so we'll do the same thing now."
You have a gut feeling that this will go wrong. After studying school shootings in his class, you've sensed a pattern. *You can't be a sitting duck*, you think to yourself. *We need to act.* But there's already enough of a commotion outside, and you don't want to create more stress. You decide to...
[[Do what he says.]]]
(if: $left is false) [A hushed panic falls over the classroom. Some students are silently crying, one is in the corner hyperventilating. Most of them are staying silent, stunned by their surroundings. One of them asks the teacher, "Mr. O'Hara, what the hell do we do?" It's obvious he's a new teacher. He stammers, "Well, lockdowns hopefully have trained us to do the right thing. We gotta lock the doors, turn out the lights, and get low."
You have a gut feeling that this will go wrong. After studying school shootings in his class, you've sensed a pattern. *You can't be a sitting duck*, you think to yourself. *We need to act.* But there's already enough of a commotion outside, and you don't want to create more stress. You decide to...
[[Do what he says.]]]*There's no need to pour gasoline on the fire right now. Shut up and do what he says, and hopefully this'll be over soon,* you think to yourself.
You find a secluded and dark spot to hide near the front of the classroom. As you hide and try to keep quiet, you feel something's wrong. All at once, the emotion hits you.
Tears start to flow as you try and quiet your sobs. The only thing replaying in your mind is, *I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die. I don't wanna die.* Without thinking, you decide to look out the window and see if the coast is clear.
It's not.
Students are bleeding out on the floor of the hallway outside. Their faces are blank, their eyes empty. Horrified, you sink back down to the floor. Your sobs begin to intensify.
*"SHHH! HE'S COMING!"*
You bite your arm to stop yourself from making noise, biting so hard that you taste blood. Your feel your phone begin to buzz. You scramble to take it out of your pocket and check what's going on.
*INCOMING CALL: Mom (ACCEPT) (DECLINE)*
She's gotta be worried sick. *Damnit*, you think, *I have to let her know what's going on. I have to tell her I love her.* But, you don't want to endanger yourself and your classmates by making more noise. If you decline, you may have heard your mom's voice for the last time.
You decide to...
[[Answer the phone.]]
[[Text her.]]As the teacher lowers the blinds in a frenzy, you make your choice. It breaks your heart to do it, but you press the green (ANSWER) button and hold the phone to your ear.
*"Baby?? What's going on? I heard there was something going on at school, are you safe??*
You answer in a hushed whisper. "Mom. I'm safe at the moment. There's a shooter inside the school right now. I'm in a classroom with the lights off and the door locked. The shooter is close, so I gotta stay quiet"
*"I'm calling the police. They-They've gotta have somebody ready to-"*
"Mom, I can't stay on the line. I don't know how much time I have. Please know, no matter what happens. I love you so much, Mom."
*"I love you too. Don't you say that, the-the police has got-gotta do-"*
"I gotta go. I'll call you as soon as I can. I love you."
You shut off your phone.
The footsteps outside of the classroom begin to get louder and louder. Your heart is in your throat as a single tear slides down your face.
No matter what happens, Mom knows you love her.
The lock is shot off the door. The students begin to scream, but are quickly silenced by shots from an AR-15. Will Grant stands in the doorway and quickly turns his head. Your eyes lock. You can see the hurt, the pain, in his eyes.
''BANG.''
As the bullet enters your chest, your mind immediately rushes to thinking of your Mom. Remembering her face. Her laugh. Her smile. Her warmth.
Your consciousness fades and your breathing shallows, yet you're smiling.
Mom knows you love her.
[[You have died.]]As the teacher lowers the blinds in a frenzy, you make your choice. It breaks your heart to do it, but you press the red (DECLINE) button and open iMessage. You've never typed as quickly as you are now, especially not to Mom. But here goes.
*Mom, there's a shooter in the school. I don't know what's going on. I'm hiding in a classroom right now, but I think things should be okay. No matter what happens, please know this:
I love you.--
Sent 12:21 p.m.*
You shut off your phone.
The footsteps outside of the classroom begin to get louder and louder. Your heart is in your throat as a single tear slides down your face.
No matter what happens, Mom knows you love her.
The lock is shot off the door. The students begin to scream, but are quickly silenced by shots from an AR-15. Will Grant stands in the doorway and quickly turns his head. Your eyes lock. You can see the hurt, the pain, in his eyes.
''BANG.''
As the bullet enters your chest, your mind immediately rushes to thinking of your Mom. Remembering her face. Her laugh. Her smile. Her warmth.
Your consciousness fades and your breathing shallows, yet you're smiling.
Mom knows you love her.
[[You have died.]]What you have just experienced is something familiar to students around the country. Whether they've seen or heard it on the news or experienced it themselves, modern day students are no stranger to gun violence. According to the Washington Post's continuously-updating database on gun violence, over 240,000 students have experienced gun violence in their schools since 2009. The last few generations have seen some of the worst school massacres in history: Sandy Hook. Columbine. Stoneman Douglas. It appears that a rising tide of violence is happening in our schools.
In order to combat this, schools around the country began instituting lockdown drills, which are policies used to secure the school and safely prevent loss of life during a school shooting event.
However, the tactics on display in this story are what is known as "traditional lockdown procedures". In a traditional lockdown, students are encouraged to keep as low to the ground as possible, turn off the lights, lock the doors, and wait for law enforcement to arrive. A commonly used practice, but a deadly one.
This type of response actually *endangers* participants, instead of *protecting* them. Limiting choices turns participants into sitting ducks. A 2018 study conducted by researchers at Xavier University states that 74% of participants who utilized traditional lockdown procedures were shot, compared to 25% of participants who did not. Perhaps even more harrowing: During the 2007 Virginia Tech shooting, 57% of students in classrooms who used traditional procedures were shot and killed, compared to 6% of students in classrooms who did not.
To that end, there is a light at the end of this dark tunnel. More and more schools are realizing that every shooting is different, and therefore a response plan with multiple different options is needed to save as many lives as possible. FEMA labels these procedures as "multi-option response drills", an umbrella term which boils down to three essential options: ''Run, Hide, Fight.'' Multi-option response drills have been proven to save lives during shooting scenarios, and have been adopted in thousands of schools across the country. By expanding their choices, it forces them to get active and take initiative depending on the scenario, instead of sitting and waiting.
To put it bluntly: your story could've ended differently if your school utilized multi-option response drills instead of traditional lockdown procedures, as a still-too-large number of schools do across the nation. That's exactly why you'll have the chance to redo a portion of this story, in hopes that you'll get a different outcome. I urge you: use this newfound knowledge not just in the game, but your own school or workplace as well.
[[GO BACK TO THE CAFETERIA]]''5TH HOUR: Lunch- 11:45 a.m.''
Exhausted from a half-day's work, you're relieved more than ever to see the cafeteria. You get in line for the kitchen, scan your school ID, and set off for lunch. Navigating an arena of unidentified smells and unrecognizable meat, you make your way to the salad bar and make a fresh chicken Caesar salad. Grabbing a bottle of water as you leave, you hear shouts of your name across the cafeteria.
"Get over here!"
"Come sit with us!"
"Settle some beef for us, will ya?"
You smile at your friends' jeers. Crossing the cafeteria, another empty seat catches your eye. Max is there, all alone, studying for their Chem test! If you can swoop in and help her, you'd be her hero!
You eventually decide to...
[[Join your friends.]]
[[Join Max.]](set: $sitwithmax to false)
*Sorry Max, I'll study with you later!* You cross on over to your friends: Gabe, Spencer, Logan, and Chloe. They're all bickering about some nonsense or another, and it's almost indecipherable until you get closer.
"I'm just saying, when you look at the facts, it's clear that *Hot Fuzz* is one of the greatest movies of all time!", remarks Chloe.
"Just because it's funny doesn't make it good!", Logan shoots back.
"Think about it: a quality message, great action, a well-written script, what more could you want?", counters Gabe.
"I got nothin'.", says Spencer, going to town on a peanut-butter waffle.
As you sit down, you're IMMEDIATELY sucked in. Gabe asks, "Can you settle a debate for us, please? You've watched *Hot Fuzz*, right?"
"Yes, I have", you say. It was one of the movies you watched when you and Zach were freshmen.
"Wouldn't you agree- unlike SOME of us here- that *Hot Fuzz* is one of the greatest movies of all time?", asks Chloe.
"It's okay if you say no! Join the good side", asks Logan.
Having made your decision, you choose to...
[[Side with Gabe and Chloe.]]
[[Side with Logan.]](set: $sitwithmax to true)
*Sorry guys, I've got more pressing matters on my hands!* You backtrack your way to Max's table. All of their Chem materials are scattered over the surface, and you barely have enough room to set your tray down without moving anything.
"Mind if I join you?", you ask.
"Oh, hey! I was hoping you'd stop by. Want to study for Chem?", Max cheerfully replies.
From then on, you pull out your Chem materials and get to work. Countless chemical formulas and balancing equations make the time fly by effortlessly. After you both get done drilling each other on the materials, Max leans back and smiles.
"Hey, thanks so much for helping me out. I feel so much more prepared now! It means so much that you'd help me."
You smile. "You're so welcome, Max! Seriously, ask me anytime and I'd be happy to drop whatever I've got and help you."
They blush. *This is your shot*, you think, *don't waste it!*
"Hey Max?"
They look up. "Yeah?"
[[Tell them a joke.]]
[[Ask them a question.]](if: $confidence is 3)[You think, *it's go time*. "A man walks into a zoo. There's no lions, no tigers, no bears, no nothing. Except, he walks up to one of the empty exhibits and spots a little dog. Out of all the exhibits, there's only one animal. It's a shihtzu."
Max laughs so hard they blow milk out their nose! Now YOU'RE laughing at them because of the milk! *Nailed it*, you think.
Finally coming back down to Earth, Max remarks, "It's kind of a minor miracle that didn't get on my-"
[[BAM.]]]
(if: $confidence is 0)[*CRAPCRAPCRAP, I CAN'T THINK OF A JOKE!* You sputter and stammer until you can think of the first one that comes to mind.
"Uh...why did the chicken cross the road?" Max looks confused. "..to get to the other side?", they reply. *Damnit, I blew it*, you think to yourself.
They let out a light giggle and say, "Don't sweat it. I think it's funny you get nervous talking to-"
[[BAM.]]]You think to yourself, *it's go time. Let them know how I feel.* After a bit of an awkward pause, you decide to go for it.
"Uh, Max, could I, uh...take you out on a date sometime, maybe this weekend?"
Max sits there, stunned. You take a deep breath. Your face becomes flushed, as does theirs. After a silence that feels like eternity, Max speaks.
"You know what, I'd love to! I thought you'd never-"
[[BAM.]]"...Gabe and Chloe are right. I can't argue with their points- it hits all the marks of an Oscar-worthy film. *Hot Fuzz* made me cry just as much as it made me laugh, and I laughed a LOT. It deserves a spot among the greats."
Gabe and Chloe are taken aback. "At least SOMEBODY agrees with us, Logan!", Chloe remarks. Logan takes offense to it and begins shouting about how it doesn't compare to Forrest Gump, then Gabe shouts in her defense, and now EVERYONE's shouting about something or another.
During the commotion, Spencer eyes the entrance to the room. His eyes widen. Immediately he drops his food and starts tugging at Gabe.
"Uh, guys??" he desperately begs.
"Not now, Spencer!" Chloe shoots back.
"Guys, there's SERIOUSLY something I think you should-"
[[BAM.]]"...Logan's right. Sorry guys, it's a fun movie that I enjoyed, but there's no way it compares to the greats! It's no Kubrick or Tarantino film."
Gabe and Chloe are taken aback. "How DARE you speak poorly of Hot Fuzz!", shouts Chloe. Gabe almost has to hold her back, asking her to calm down. Now everyone's yelling about something or another. Logan leans over and whispers, "Thanks, I'm glad you have my back."
During the commotion, Spencer eyes the entrance to the room. His eyes widen. Immediately he drops his food and starts tugging at Gabe.
"Uh, guys??" he desperately begs.
"Not now, Spencer!" Chloe shoots back.
"Guys, there's SERIOUSLY something I think you should-"
[[BAM.]]A deafening shot echoes around the cafeteria. One of the cafeteria staff collapses, a deep red stain quickly forming on her bright blue apron. In the span of a few seconds as she falls, you're able to spot the culprit, almost in slow motion. He appears to be wearing all black, with a few tears in his jeans. He kind of looks like Will Grant!
...
The realization hits you.
That actually is an assault rifle.
He's holding it.
He killed somebody.
And he's going to kill more.
...
*"FUCKING RUN FOR YOUR LIFE!"*
That scream of panic brings you back into reality. Shots continue to fire, mixed with the screams of your peers. Thinking quickly, you turn the table over and use it as a place to hide. You quickly scan your surroundings, and there's two hallways you can run- one to your left, and one to your right. Which do you choose?
[[The left hallway.]]
[[The right hallway.]]In a snap decision, you run into the left hallway. It's the history and science wing. You've had to stay after school enough times for Mr. Hepburn's class that you know this wing like the back of your hand.
The shots continue to get louder. You turn for a brief moment to look behind you.
*Will is at the end of the hallway.
He's getting closer.*
A familiar voice shouts to you.
"GET INSIDE NOW!"
Mr. Hepburn is screaming in a tone that you've never heard before. He's in his doorway, the door just barely open- he's keeping it open for you. It's a good distance away, but you make it there in record time. You hurry in as fast as you can. Mr. Hepburn grabs your backpack and nearly flings you into the room, shutting the door and turning off the lights.
[[What do we do now?]]
(set: $left to true)In a snap decision, you run into the right hallway. The hallway is full of the arts classrooms. The walls are lined with student works and art showcases. But, the students themselves are screaming and running, doing ANYTHING they can to protect themselves. You run as fast and as far as you can down the hallway.
The shots continue to get louder. You turn for a brief moment to look behind you.
*Will is at the end of the hallway.
He's getting closer.*
You sprint for the nearest classroom with an open door. You hear the teacher calling your name, telling you to "GET INSIDE NOW!" It's a good distance away, but you make it there in record time. You hurry in as fast as you can. The teacher grabs your backpack and nearly flings you into the room, shutting the door and turning off the lights.
[[What do we do now?]]
(set: $left to false)(if: $left is true) [A hushed panic falls over the classroom. Some students are silently crying, one is in the corner hyperventilating. Most of them are staying silent, stunned by their surroundings. One of them asks, "Mr. Hepburn, what the hell do we do?" He calmly replies, "You've been trained for this. We do lockdown drills for this exact reason. We lock the doors, turn out the lights, and hide low for a drill, so we'll do the same thing now."
You have a gut feeling that this will go wrong. After studying school shootings in his class, you've sensed a pattern. *You can't be a sitting duck*, you think to yourself. *We need to act.* But there's already enough of a commotion outside, and you don't want to create more stress. You decide to...
[''~~Follow what he says.~~'']
[[Speak up.]]]
(if: $left is false) [A hushed panic falls over the classroom. Some students are silently crying, one is in the corner hyperventilating. Most of them are staying silent, stunned by their surroundings. One of them asks the teacher, "Mr. O'Hara, what the hell do we do?" It's obvious he's a new teacher. He stammers, "Well, lockdowns hopefully have trained us to do the right thing. We gotta lock the doors, turn out the lights, and get low."
You have a gut feeling that this will go wrong. After studying school shootings in his class, you've sensed a pattern. *You can't be a sitting duck*, you think to yourself. *We need to act.* But there's already enough of a commotion outside, and you don't want to create more stress. You decide to...
[''~~Follow what he says.~~'']
[[Speak up.]]](if: $left is true) [*Fuck it*, you think. *I am NOT dying here today.* You silently make your way over to Mr. Hepburn, who is trying to lock the door. His hands are shaking so much he can't get a good grip on his keys. You motion for him to come over to you. He slowly makes his way towards you, a fearful look in his eyes.
In a hushed tone, you say "Mr. Hepburn! We're sitting ducks if we just sit here and do nothing. Why in the hell are we doing this?"
"Well, it's school policy, and we must-"
You fight back. "It's school policy?? There are students DEAD outside right now and you wanna bicker about school policy. We HAVE to take action, or else we're gonna end up like them out in the hall."
Mr. Hepburn glances out in the hall. Students are bleeding out on the floor of the hallway outside. Blank-faced, glassy-eyed, and covered in blood. Horrified and disgusted, Mr. Hepburn nearly vomits on the spot. You pull him down.
"Listen. We gotta do something besides just sit here."
He takes a deep breath. "Okay. What do you propose we do?"
You ponder your decision for a moment. You don't want to do anything too rash, but you need to do SOMETHING to save yourselves.
"Mr. Hepburn, we need to..."
[[Barricade the classroom.]]
[[Fight the shooter.]]]
(if: $left is false) [*Fuck it*, you think. *I am NOT dying here today.* You silently make your way over to the shaken new teacher, who is trying to lock the door. His hands are shaking so much he can't get a good grip on his keys. You motion for him to come over to you. He slowly makes his way towards you, a fearful look in his eyes.
In a hushed tone, you say "Excuse me! We're sitting ducks if we just sit here and do nothing. Why in the hell are we doing this?"
"Well, it's school policy, and we must-"
You fight back. "It's school policy?? There are students DEAD outside right now and you wanna bicker about school policy. We HAVE to take action, or else we're gonna end up like them out in the hall."
He glances out in the hall. Students are bleeding out on the floor of the hallway outside. Blank-faced, glassy-eyed, and covered in blood. Horrified and disgusted, Mr. Hepburn nearly vomits on the spot. You pull him down.
"Sir, what's your name?"
He whispers "Mr. O'Hara". You can hear the fear in his voice.
You continue. "Listen. We gotta do something besides just sit here."
He takes a deep breath. "Okay. What do you propose we do?"
You ponder your decision for a moment. You don't want to do anything too rash, but you need to do SOMETHING to save yourselves.
"Mr. O'Hara, we need to..."
[[Barricade the classroom.]]
[[Fight the shooter.]]] (if: $left is true) ["...barricade the classroom so that he can't get in. With the combined weight of a ton of desks plus our body weight, there's no way that he'll be able to get inside."
Mr. Hepburn nods. "Good thinking." He slightly raises his voice so the scared students can listen. "Everyone: take a desk and push it against the door. We need EVERYONE's help. I know you're scared. I know you're unsure how this is gonna end. But what I DO know is if everyone does their part, we have the best chance of getting out of here alive."
The students rush to their desks and start to push them to the door. You and Mr. Hepburn take each end of the teacher's desk and shove it against the door. One by one, the weight of the desks begin to accumulate, forming a solid barricade of the door.
*"SHHH! HE'S COMING!"*
The footsteps outside of the classroom begin to get louder and louder. Your heart is in your throat as a single tear slides down your face.
All the sudden, you can hear the door get pushed. It doesn't budge. He continues to budge the door. No movement. You can hear him yell, ''"I KNOW YOU FUCKERS ARE IN THERE. OPEN THIS DOOR!"'' Your plan is working!
''BANG.''
*He shot the lock of the door off.*
One of the students yells, "PUSH THE DOOR!" You stand back as of the students shove their collective body weight against the barricade, providing extra force against Will's best efforts. However, it looks like they may be losing the battle a bit. Some of the desks have fallen off. You think it may be a good idea to help out, but you're unsure.
Do you help them push?
[[Help them.]]
[[Stay back.]]]
(if: $left is false) ["...barricade the classroom so that he can't get in. With the combined weight of a ton of desks plus our body weight, there's no way that he'll be able to get inside."
Mr. O'Hara nods. "Good thinking." He slightly raises his voice so the scared students can listen. "Everyone: take a desk and push it against the door. We need EVERYONE's help. I know you're scared. I know you're unsure how this is gonna end. But what I DO know is if everyone does their part, we have the best chance of getting out of here alive."
The students rush to their desks and start to push them to the door. You and Mr. O'Hara take each end of the teacher's desk and shove it against the door. One by one, the weight of the desks begin to accumulate, forming a solid barricade of the door.
*"SHHH! HE'S COMING!"*
The footsteps outside of the classroom begin to get louder and louder. Your heart is in your throat as a single tear slides down your face.
All the sudden, you can hear the door get pushed. It doesn't budge. He continues to budge the door. No movement. You can hear him yell, ''"I KNOW YOU FUCKERS ARE IN THERE. OPEN THIS DOOR!"'' Your plan is working!
''BANG.''
*He shot the lock of the door off.*
One of the students yells, "PUSH THE DOOR!" You stand back as of the students shove their collective body weight against the barricade, providing extra force against Will's best efforts. However, it looks like they may be losing the battle a bit. Some of the desks have fallen off. You think it may be a good idea to help out, but you're unsure.
Do you help them push?
[[Help them.]]
[[Stay back.]]]
(if: $left is true) ["...fight the shooter as soon has he gets in here. Let's face it- the lock isn't gonna do us any good. If we survive, it's gonna be because we fought."
Mr. Hepburn nods. "Good thinking." He slightly raises his voice so the scared students can listen. "Everyone: This is the only time I'm gonna call for this, but we need everyone to attack the shooter the MINUTE he enters We need EVERYONE's help. I know you're scared. I know you're unsure how this is gonna end. But what I DO know is if everyone finds a weapon and does their part, we have the best chance of getting out of here alive."
The students rush to every corner of the room, searching for classroom materials that could be thrown or turned into weapons. Students are finding them everywhere- scissors are becoming knives, books are becoming projectile weapons, and some are even preparing to fight with their own fists. Mr. Hepburn takes out his wallet and brandishes a pocketknife. You grab the nearest pair of scissors. You're ready.
*"SHHH! HE'S COMING!"*
The footsteps outside of the classroom begin to get louder and louder. Your heart is in your throat as a single tear slides down your face.
''BANG.''
*He shot the lock of the door off.*
You rally the students. "NOW! Go, go, go!" In an instant, the class is swarming the shooter. He fires a few quick shots, taking down four students. You jump in with your scissors, ready to defend yourself.
You attack...
[[His face.]]
[[His torso.]]]
(if: $left is false) ["...fight the shooter as soon has he gets in here. Let's face it- the lock isn't gonna do us any good. If we survive, it's gonna be because we fought."
Mr. O'Hara nods. "Good thinking." He slightly raises his voice so the scared students can listen. "Everyone: This is the only time I'm gonna call for this, but we need everyone to attack the shooter the MINUTE he enters We need EVERYONE's help. I know you're scared. I know you're unsure how this is gonna end. But what I DO know is if everyone finds a weapon and does their part, we have the best chance of getting out of here alive."
The students rush to every corner of the room, searching for classroom materials that could be thrown or turned into weapons. Students are finding them everywhere- scissors are becoming knives, books are becoming projectile weapons, and some are even preparing to fight with their own fists. Mr. O'Hara takes out his wallet and brandishes a pocketknife. You grab the nearest pair of scissors. You're ready.
*"SHHH! HE'S COMING!"*
The footsteps outside of the classroom begin to get louder and louder. Your heart is in your throat as a single tear slides down your face.
''BANG.''
*He shot the lock of the door off.*
You rally the students. "NOW! Go, go, go!" In an instant, the class is swarming the shooter. He fires a few quick shots, taking down four students. You jump in with your scissors, ready to defend yourself.
You attack...
[[His face.]]
[[His torso.]]](if: $left is true)[Given enough thought, you decide to help out. Adrenaline pumping, you fling yourself alongside the barricade, joining the rest of your classmates in strengthening the door. You see Mr. Hepburn throwing all of his might against the door as well (impressive for a 62-year old man), and the door continues to resist Will's pushing.
Eventually, you can feel the resistance from the hallway stop. You shout, "Someone check the windows! Is he still out there? Rest of you, keep pushing until we know for sure!" A student briefly peeks out the window, rushing back and giving his report.
"He's gone! We did it!"
The class begins to cheer and celebrate, but Mr. Hepburn immediately quiets them down. "STUDENTS! Quiet down, we don't know if he's going to come back. Begin looking for more things to barricade the door!"
The students immediately began to rummage the room for strengthening material. You push over the projector and the TV stand, providing crucial buffering weight. Students are throwing everything they can into the barricade: backpacks, textbooks, some students even moved a standing locker against the door.
The door begins to budge again.
"EVERYONE! BUFFER THE DOOR! NOW!", screams Mr. Hepburn.
You join in pushing the door once again, hopeful that your efforts will be successful again. Except this time, something feels different. The pushing is *much* stronger than before. You swear you can hear radio chatter coming from outside the door. *SHIT, did Will have help?*, you think. Before you can answer, you hear yelling outside the door:
*"THIS IS OFFICER MONROE OF CTPD! WE ARE HERE TO HELP! I REPEAT, WE ARE HERE TO HELP!"*
Mr. Hepburn opens the windows. You aren't being deceived; outside in the hallway is a whole station of CTPD policemen, escorting entire classrooms out of the building and assessing the crime scene. Never before have you actually been *grateful* to see a cop. You and the rest of your classmates begin to tear down the barricade, eager to get the *hell* out of this classroom.
[[Leave the school.]]]
(if: $left is false)[Given enough thought, you decide to help out. Adrenaline pumping, you fling yourself alongside the barricade, joining the rest of your classmates in strengthening the door. You see Mr. O'Hara throwing all of his might against the door as well (impressive for a man that couldn't weigh more than 90 lbs), and the door continues to resist Will's pushing.
Eventually, you can feel the resistance from the hallway stop. You shout, "Someone check the windows! Is he still out there? Rest of you, keep pushing until we know for sure!" A student briefly peeks out the window, rushing back and giving his report.
"He's gone! We did it!"
The class begins to cheer and celebrate, but Mr. O'Hara immediately quiets them down. "STUDENTS! Quiet down, we don't know if he's going to come back. Begin looking for more things to barricade the door!"
The students immediately began to rummage the room for strengthening material. You push over the projector and the TV stand, providing crucial buffering weight. Students are throwing everything they can into the barricade: backpacks, textbooks, some students even moved a standing locker against the door.
The door begins to budge again.
"EVERYONE! BUFFER THE DOOR! NOW!", screams Mr. O'Hara.
You join in pushing the door once again, hopeful that your efforts will be successful again. Except this time, something feels different. The pushing is *much* stronger than before. You swear you can hear radio chatter coming from outside the door. *SHIT, did Will have help?*, you think. Before you can answer, you hear yelling outside the door:
*"THIS IS OFFICER MONROE OF CTPD! WE ARE HERE TO HELP! I REPEAT, WE ARE HERE TO HELP!"*
Mr. O'Hara opens the windows. You aren't being deceived; outside in the hallway is a whole station of CTPD policemen, escorting entire classrooms out of the building and assessing the crime scene. Never before have you actually been *grateful* to see a cop. You and the rest of your classmates begin to tear down the barricade, eager to get the *hell* out of this classroom.
[[Leave the school.]]]You decide to stay back, hoping that the body weight of the rest of the kids proves to be heavy enough to stop him. Desks begin to fall from the barricade. One by one, the tower of desks fall, until it's just the teacher's desk in between the door and the rest of you.
It's not enough.
Will fires a series of shots through the door, piercing the desks and scattering the students. The teacher's desk is in shambles, and Will is easily able to push open the door.
As he walks through the door, you're able to lock eyes with him. His eyes are hurting, bloodshot from crying. You stare into his eyes, pleading with him to reconsider.
It's not enough.
''BANG.''
[[You died.]]Despite your best efforts, you have died. Remember: not every option is appropriate in this drill, so you must think as clearly as you can in order to properly save lives.
[[GO BACK TO THE CAFETERIA]]''AFTERMATH- 1:35 p.m.''
As you're lead outside by the police officers, something catches your eyes. Escaping the flashes of red and blue, you manage to get a glimpse of the crime scene. You can't possibly count the number of body bags being brought out of the school. Tears begin to stream down your face as you think of your fallen peers. Before long, your phone starts to buzz again.
*INCOMING CALL: Mom (ACCEPT) (DECLINE)*
You quickly take out your phone and answer it.
"M-Mom?"
*"Hey baby, what happened? Are you safe?? I saw the news, and I had to call because I-I-"*
"Mom, it's okay. I'm here. I'm alive."
You bust into tears. She busts into tears.
*"Honey, I love you so much. I'm on my way to you right now. I promise we'll be together soon."*
You manage to speak through sobs. "Of course Mom. I'll see you as soon as possible. I love you so much."
*"I love you too, honey."*
Your class approaches the pick-up area for students. Your eyes scour the crowd. You're able to sigh as you see your friends- Gabe, Chloe, Spencer, and Logan. All four of them are alive and well. Out of the corner of your eye, you see Max as well. Who do you comfort?
[[Comfort Max.]]
[[Comfort Gabe, Chloe, Spencer, and Logan.]]You manage to land a deep cut into the side of his cheek. You can hear him yell in pain, firing a few more shots to knock off some of the students that are covering him. As one of the students falls back, your scissors are knocked out of your hand. The shooter manages to escape his hold and begins to stand up again.
*DAMNIT! I gotta keep him down!*
You approach, waiting for the right time to strike with a left hook. Will stands up and readies his weapon. You get a running start and land a punch...
[[To his stomach.]]
[[To his...nether region.]]You manage to land a deep cut into his torso. You can hear him yell in pain, firing a few more shots to knock off some of the students that are covering him. As one of the students falls back, your scissors are knocked out of your hand. The shooter manages to escape his hold and begins to stand up again.
*DAMNIT! I gotta keep him down!*
You approach, waiting for the right time to strike with a left hook. Will stands up and readies his weapon. You get a running start and land a punch...
[[To his stomach.]]
[[To his...nether region.]]...You land a punch straight to his gut. Will keels over in pain and falls down onto the ground, his weapon still in hand.
"Now's our chance! Keep him down!", you yell, as the remaining students begin to swarm him again.
The students are doing everything in their power to hold him down, but Will continues to fight. You notice he still has his AR-15 in his right hand. It's a prime opportunity to remove the attacker from his weapon. But, you could also join in and help keep him down, so that law enforcement can take over when they arrive.
You decide to...
[[Kick his weapon away.]]
[[Keep beating him.]]...You land a punch straight to where the sun don't shine. Will crumbles over in pain and falls down onto the ground, his weapon still in hand.
"Now's our chance! Keep him down!", you yell, as the remaining students begin to swarm him again.
The students are doing everything in their power to hold him down, but Will continues to fight. You notice he still has his AR-15 in his right hand. It's a prime opportunity to remove the attacker from his weapon. But, you could also join in and help keep him down, so that law enforcement can take over when they arrive.
You decide to...
[[Kick his weapon away.]]
[[Keep beating him.]](if: $left is true) [You decide to take his weapon while he's still down. In a haste, you grab the AR-15 and kick it away to the other side of the classroom. Will continues to struggle against the weight of your classmates, and you can see their grip slipping. With all your might, you jump onto the dogpile to hold him down.
During the fight, you're able to lock eyes with him. Will's eyes are bloodshot, his cheeks seem to be tearstained. You can feel the pain in his eyes. As you hold him down, you remember seeing the countless times he was bullied in the hallways. The times someone laughed at him. It pains you to think of how many times someone could've helped him, including you, but didn't. It breaks your heart to see such a drastic cry for help.
*THUD.*
As you continue to hold him down, you're surprised by the door being kicked down. Immediately, radio chatter and harsh yelling fill the room.
*"CTPD! HANDS ON YOUR HEAD AND GET ON THE GROUND!"*
You quickly get off of Will, raise your hands and get on the ground. One of the officers asks where his weapon is. You point to the corner of the room, its final resting place after being separated from its attacker.
Will is led out of the room in handcuffs, with five officers surrounding him. The students line up, single-file and hands on their heads. With Mr. Hepburn at the front, you are escorted outside of the school.
[[Leave the school.]]]
(if: $left is false) [You decide to take his weapon while he's still down. In a haste, you grab the AR-15 and kick it away to the other side of the classroom. Will continues to struggle against the weight of your classmates, and you can see their grip slipping. With all your might, you jump onto the dogpile to hold him down.
During the fight, you're able to lock eyes with him. Will's eyes are bloodshot, his cheeks seem to be tearstained. You can feel the pain in his eyes. As you hold him down, you remember seeing the countless times he was bullied in the hallways. The times someone laughed at him. It pains you to think of how many times someone could've helped him, including you, but didn't. It breaks your heart to see such a drastic cry for help.
*THUD.*
As you continue to hold him down, you're surprised by the door being kicked down. Immediately, radio chatter and harsh yelling fill the room.
*"CTPD! HANDS ON YOUR HEAD AND GET ON THE GROUND!"*
You quickly get off of Will, raise your hands and get on the ground. One of the officers asks where his weapon is. You point to the corner of the room, its final resting place after being separated from its attacker.
Will is led out of the room in handcuffs, with five officers surrounding him. The students line up, single-file and hands on their heads. With Mr. O'Hara at the front, you are escorted outside of the school.
[[Leave the school.]]]
You decide to join the dogpile and keep holding Will down. He continues to fight back with every ounce of strength he has, even with his wounds. He manages to free his arms and take his weapon again, knocking down all the students that were previously on him- including you.
You could've taken his AR-15 from him while he was down, but now that it's in his hands, the regret was nothing more than a few seconds.
''BANG.''
[[You died.]]Without a second thought, you sprint towards Max, overcome with emotion. They hug you through streaming tears and sobs, collapsing into your arms. Overwhelmed with emotional catharsis, you start to bawl as well, holding onto Max with everything you have.
(if: $confidence is 0)[You remark, "I promise I'll never tell another bad joke again. If this is the price of bad humor, I don't want it." Max laughs briefly before hugging you tighter.]
(if: $confidence is 3) [You remark, "I promise I'll never tell another good joke again. If this is the price of quality humor, I don't want it." Max laughs briefly before hugging you tighter.]
You joke may have been a *bit* insensitive, but you don't care. Max is alive. Your friends are alive.
YOU'RE alive. And that's all that matters.
''END''Without a second thought, you sprint towards your group of friends and bear hug them. Everyone starts to sob, overcome with relief. You are all so incredibly happy to see each other. Putting the pettiness of the lunchroom argument aside, all 5 of you collapse into each others' arms.
Through tears, Gabe remarks, "I promise never to argue about *Hot Fuzz* again."
His joke may have been a *bit* insensitive, but you don't care. He's alive, they're all alive.
YOU'RE alive. And that's all that matters.
''END''