CHAPTER 3: Bathed in Red

They were in. That meant that I couldn't take Dani downstairs and escape, well I could but I couldn't be completely certain of Dani being safe. The situation was bad, really bad.

"We need to evacuate, Samson did you bring a vehicle on your way here? If you di where is it."

asked Mr Clayton.

"I brought one but it can't take everyone."

I replied. Hearing that a couple of kids started to cry while saying they didn't want to die.

"No one gets left behind."

Mr Clayton reassured them.

"What about the school bus in the parking lot, It can take all of us."

Dani exclaimed. Well that was one problem solved but the real one was how to get to it. There's no way we can all March downstairs and try to make a run for the exits. At least two or three people will get caught or worse.

While I was pondering on how to escape Mrs Bradbury came up with a solution.

"If we have to get to the bus, we can go straight from this class without having to go downstairs."

So she wants us to jump down from the windows. It's feasible for me and a few of the sturdier looking students but I'm not sure about the rest.

"The catch is that we need a few of us to get outside to be able to catch us as we jump. While that group makes its way outside, the rest of us will barricade ourselves up here."

The next part now was who were the guys going to go downstairs. I thought it would be a debate as I it was basically a suicide mission but there wasn't even a discussion, the three male teachers immediately took the job. I was also a given, I couldn't be sure that these guys would make it. I really had one goal here, getting Dani to safety. Everyone else was secondary, call me heartless but I think of it as being driven. This isn't a storybook in which we'll all make it, some of us are going to die, I'm just making sure it's not her.

One of the teachers whose name was Steve had gotten some hockey sticks for us to use for self defense.

" Be safe."

Dani told me as we left the classroom.

"I will."

I muttered under my breath.

I was agonizingly anxious as we descended the stairs. Those guys had broken in but other than the sound of rustling wind, it was quiet. As we reached the ground floor my nerves relaxed, maybe they had thought no one was around and they left.

"The janitor's room is this way, hurry up."

said Mr Clayton who still looked very anxious.

We strode down the hall and as we were passing an intersection a lady jumped out at us. She looked to be in her late twenties and had raven black hair. I immediately sidestepped and grabbing her by her shoulders I slammed her face into one of the lockers in the hallway. I didn't like to hit people especially women but if the situation called for it, I would. That should be enough to put her out was what I thought as I turned away from her. Turns out I was wrong, she lunged at me and this time she caught me. Her nails stabbed into my neck as I tried to get her off until

[WHACK!]

Mr Clayton struck her off me with his hockey stick. The other two teachers started striking the lady until her body was mangled. I almost wanted to defend her except that she had been trying to kill me moments ago. The looks on their faces were full of remorse but there was still a glint in their eyes, if they had to do it again they would. What had these guys seen that had changed them so much.

My few moments of breath after being released from the now mangled lady's grasp were interrupted by the stampede of footsteps headed our way. They hadn't left, rather they were just on the other side of the building and our scuffle here had alerted them.

"Run"

I yelled as we made a dash for the janitor's room.

By the time we arrived there was already a dozen of them waiting there. We would have to fight our way through. They charged us with some of them wielding weapons. We retaliated in turn. After seeing the teachers kill the lady so easily, I still don't understand how they did it. Every person I strike with my hockey stick I subconsciously try not to be lethal. The other teachers aren't so nice. After whittling the attackers down to about 4 or 5 , I began to think that we'll make it, until we saw some more of the crazed attackers running towards us from the hallway.

"We're not going to make it from here."

yelled Mr Clayton as he turned around and barreled through the incoming mob. He had a point, it would take too long for each one of us to slip out from the janitor's window while the mob was trying to kill us.

Follow suit, Steve, Kumar and I ran into the mob. We had almost broken through while we minor injuries when a huge object swung right before me and hit Kumar right in the chest. He flew sideways and into the lockers in the hallway. He was broken, and I mean that literally, his chest had basically caved in and I could se some of his ribs sticking out of his skin while he coughed up blood. His assailant, a huge muscular (even bigger than Neil) lumberjack looking guy stood stood over him ready to strike him again with his sledgehammer.

I would be lying if I said that I wasn't mortified. Watching people get brutally killed right in front of you is much different from seeing it on tv or in movies. I took a step back and almost into the path of another crazed attacker wielding an axe. He almost capitalized on my error if not that he was struck down by Mr Clayton.

"This isn't the time to falter, everyone's depending on us."

He was right, I came here to ensure Dani's safety. It was my responsibility, afterall I'm the reason her life is as terrible as it right now. When our dad passed Dani was going to go into foster care but I stopped her. I was already eighteen at the time so I applied for and got custody for her. I did it because I'd already lost so many people in my life, my dad, Kiera, my mom, I couldn't bear to part with the last part of my family. If she'd gone to the foster care her life would definitely be much better than what she has now, living in a one bedroom apartment, eating takeout from my workplace for dinner everyday, not being able to afford the clothes she likes. If I can at least do one thing for her, it'll be to make sure she gets out of here alive, nothing else and none else matter.

With my mind made up I picked up the axe from the guy who tried to attack me. Together with Mr Clayton we charged the lumberjack. Mr Clayton swung his hockey stick at him, but he dodged to his right. I was expecting that as I had already began swinging my axe in that direction. What resulted was a huge spray of blood as my axe had sunk into his right arm. I had aimed for his head but he had blocked with his arm and it wasn't like in the cartoons where you could cut through people like paper. I should be happy that it at least dealt severe damage.

He then counterattacked with his hammer. Being light on my feet, I dodged his swing but Mr Clayton wasn't so fortunate. He got hit in the hips he jumped back. He fell down awkwardly. But that was the last attack the lumberjack would attempt as I sprung forward while he was still recoiling from his swing and I put all my strength into my swing and aimed for the head.

His head sailed through the air while his body toppled while spasming. We now had a clear path to the front doors, was what I thought until I looked back. Mr Clayton was basically using his hockey stick like a cane to stand. With the rest of the mob still behind us and chasing us after we went through them, there was no way he was going to make it. I could try to carry him but it would slow me down.

"Mr Clayton give me your hand. I can probably make it while carrying you"

I said to Mr Clayton. He smiled

"Go, I know a dead man when I see one, and believe me I've taught math to teenagers for the past five years."

He then made a gesture with his hands for me to leave.I turned and ran. I didn't look back but I can only assume they killed him quickly.

Making it outside, I ran to the spot beneath the window of the class where everyone was. Already there was Steven, he had a huge gash on his forehead but other than that he was pretty ok.

"How did...."

"When that big guy showed up, I went back and used the janitor's room to escape."

Well at least I wasn't the only one who made it out.

"Are you ready now?"

yelled Ms Taylor from the window.

"Yeah."

Steve replied. Then Ms Taylor jumped out the window and we caught her, albeit with some difficulty as she was a bit plus size. She then ran to the bus, most probably to get it started for us to hit the road once the last person was on board.

Then I heard the noises of the rest of the mob as they made their way outside and towards us.

" Continue loading everyone, I'll hold them off"

I said to Steve as I charged into the mob.

Ever since killing the lumberjack, my inhibitions were kind of gone, I think they say once you do it the first time it becomes easier to do it again. I split skulls, arms, torsos with no remorse, the adrenaline kept me feeling invincible as I couldn't feel the pain from the injuries I was getting.

From my periphery I could see Dani and some students, now outside making a dash for the bus when some of the guys who had gotten past me lunged at them. The attackers had almost struck them when they were hosed down with foam from a fire extinguisher. While they were reeling from the dousing Mrs Bradbury dealt damage not inferior to those from the male teachers on the attackers. She then began herding the kids to the bus.

[CLICK]

It was the sound up to now I was suprised I hadn't heard but now that I had heard it, I dreaded it. Somebody in the mob pulled out a gun and aimed for Mrs Bradbury and the kids. In a fleeting effort I threw my axe at him. It struck him too late. I could only watch in slow motion, due to the adrenaline, as the bullet left the barrel and dug its way into Dani's chest.