12.-The Nightmare

After seeing the baby and how delicate it was, the walk home was silent until Mark spoke for the first time since we left the school.

-Thank you for doing this with me- he said a little calmer.

-We told you we are friends and friends support each other in everything- said Elian patting him on the back.

And after that a total silence nobody said or did anything except for me who was driving everything was going normal but something that bothered me was that Annah did not say anything and her look seemed lost just looking out the window she looked sad I thought it was logical because her childhood friend was suffering but it was best not to say anything but I was worried about the sad look she had but suddenly she smiled as if whatever she was thinking already had an answer I was relieved that she was no longer so depressed but I had the feeling that it was not something I should be totally happy about.

Back at school Annah and Briana went to their rooms and Elian and I took Mark to ours as soon as we got there he went to bed and fell asleep if it wasn't for the homework it was due the next day I would go with him, but instead, Elian fell asleep too, but what could you do? I started to do my homework, but I don't know-how from one moment to another the name Anya appeared all over the sheet that scared me I don't know anyone named Anya I tore the sheet off and continued doing my homework, but the sheet was still next to me and I give it a couple of glances every time I fretted about something regarding the dreams, the baby or the simple memory of Alice and Beck. When I finished my homework I left everything on the table and went to sleep. And the next day passed normally or so I thought Mark got up and went to school, saying he would be back the next day while Elian and I went to class we handed in our homework so now we only paid attention to the Physics class that was starting.

-Well guys, tell me what is the difference between these circuits- she said pointing to some drawings she had on the blackboard, but nobody raised their hands so the teacher continued explaining the difference between each one, and I was just taking notes until a very loud alarm sounded through the loudspeakers.

-All students are asked to take cover under their desks- said the voice over the loudspeakers -There is an armed student opening fire on his classmates-

Quickly everyone was under the desks or stuck completely against the wall and some of them even started to cry, not surprisingly Elian and I were stuck together against the wall.

-Dude, this is horrible- he said with a trembling voice -I broke my back studying to get into this school, and now my life is in danger-.

-Everything will be fine when this is over we have to look for Briana and Annah and we are going to watch some movies ok? - I said trying to reassure him, he nodded not very convinced, but at least he had stopped shaking.

While outside the hall we heard screams and gunshots the closer we got the more people began to cry or tremble, but luckily when he was in front of the hall where we were he did not open fire and continued on his way.

Until more footsteps and police sirens were heard.

Once their footsteps were heard far enough away everyone stopped holding their breath and then started to cry a little louder, some trying to calm the person next to them.

-The student responsible has already been detained, we ask you to go out to the courtyard in an orderly manner and look for your classmates from other classes in order to have an exact number of injured people- they said again over the loudspeakers.

Elian and I ran to the building where Briana and Annah were in different classes and when we arrived we saw Briana running towards us Elian hugged her warmly and tried to calm her down.

-The shooting started on the floor where Annah's class was, but they won't let me go upstairs and I can't find her- she said desperately while crying as soon as she finished speaking I ran to the entrance of the building and started to climb the stairs with Elian and Briana behind me. When we got to the floor where Annah's class was, there was yellow tape covering the entrance, I tried to pass, but one of the policemen who were there stopped me before I managed to do it, I struggled a little to try to see if Annah was there until I saw several very injured students coming out, they moved me to one side to let the stretchers pass.

-What's going on here? - said another policeman in civilian clothes, but with his badge hanging around his neck.

-They tried to pass, sir- said the policeman.

-May I know why? - said the policeman standing in front of me

-I think the shooting started in my girlfriend's class, I just want to know if she's okay- I said, and almost at the same time both policemen looked at each other, and then the policeman who was wearing civilian clothes ran his hand over his neck.

-Boy, you're not a kid anymore so I'll be honest with you- he said lifting the tape for the three of us to pass, we advanced and we were in front of him -There are 5 dead in that room according to witnesses the girl who opened fire first did it against the boy who sat next to the door and approached another student claiming that she had kept everything she loved the most 3 of the bodies are women and the other 2 are men we have not been able to identify any of them wait until they finish fixing them and come to identify ok?- he said to walk towards the classrooms.

I was very surprised and prayed that none of the bodies was Annah's while Briana fell to her knees on the floor crying while Elian hugged her, a few minutes passed in which there was only silence apart from the flashes of the cameras, the detective who had spoken to us before looked out and signaled us to go to him with trembling legs we approached, when we entered the room there were many blood stains and there were 5 stretchers covered by white sheets.

The paramedics took away two stretchers that I assumed belonged to the boys the detective mentioned earlier, leaving three others where I hoped she was not.

He lifted the sheet from the first one and it was as if part of my soul had returned to my body because it was not her I shook my head giving the detective to understand that it was not her he covered her again and continued with the next one he removed the sheet and I denied it again it was not her at this point I thought she was outside waiting for us and all this would become just a nightmare.

The detective lifted the last sheet and my knees failed and I fell flat on my back Briana screamed so loudly that I thought the whole school had heard us the tears were falling without stopping I felt arms around my back and then I noticed it was Briana with Elian at her side hugging her.

That's when I understood it was her. It was Annah