FINAL HOURS
I hold my head up high into the lunch room at 10.07am. The room went silent, all eyes were on me. I stood over Mark.
“well look who decided to show up, so come on let me have it” he laughs “what are you going to do to me.” He grins and his friends laugh
I broke to my senses and went to walk away but he got in my face “you’re not leaving until you give it to me... weirdo, weirdo” he started singing
All of a sudden the room filled with chants of ‘weirdo’ and I was moved by all the attention and bounced my head in time.
“Well then Mark why don’t we get started”
I dropped my backpack and reached inside, I felt him grab me and when I faced him, his eyes bugged out at the sight of two guns pointing at his head.
The chants stopped, huh funny that. I caught out the corner of my eye someone rushing to do door and I turned a fired a few shots. It hit the student bringing him down. There were screams, tables turning over.
Another shot rang out “will you all just shut the fuck up.” I scream
The room went silent. “thank you”
I face Mark and looked at his friends “ok now its my turn and this is what you are going to do”
Mark stripped naked and stood on the table in all his glory, tears stained his face. “I said dance flipper, dance. You know boy...do that little flipper thing”
Mark stood paralysed in fear. “Oh you need some encouragement”
I go around the table to his friends and point to one with gun. “weren’t you the one who was giggling while I was being dragged to the pool.”
The girl started to cry and I scoff at her “oh please” a shot rang out followed by more screams.
“MARK how many more people are going to die until you dance.”
Mark wasdancing, I was laughing and I said at him
“say your sorry”
Mark still crying “I’m sorry, I’m so sorry”
“Say my name Mark and I’ll let you live, and if anyone gives him a clue you will all die”
I drop my jacket to reveal homemade bomb attached to my vest, more screams.
Outside the lunch room Claire was creeping up, she could hear the sirens in the distance and knew if she didn’t get Rachel to give up she wasn’t going to get out alive. She heard the screams and moved closer to the door, Peering in sees Mark naked on table and cowering students.
Back inside
“Mark tell everyone my name and I’ll let you live, get it wrong you die.” I look around as the sirens got louder “hmm almost home time. Any of you help this creep and you will all die. Some of you mathematic geniuses work out the right answer I’m sure.”
I crack him in the nuts with my gun “Mark I’m waiting what is my name.”
Mark cried and I jumped away as he pissed himself “oh that is eeewww so grosses, do you do that in the pool.”
I tapped another student on the shoulder “ok this is phone a friend time, Timmy, it is Timmy right”
The student nodded
“Good, we know each other, we often get detention together, so really out of everyone here you should know my name. Tell Mark my name.”
“Your name is Sarah” he said confidently
“wrong, you lose” bang the gun goes off and Timmy falls to the ground dead
“tch tch your friends are not much help. MARK WHAT IS MY NAME” the gun points at his head
“STOP THIS RACHEL, please just stop” begged Claire as she bursts in
Mark drops to his knees and cries “It’s Rachel, I’m so sorry Rachel please”
I look at Claire “why can’t you ever do what I ask of you. I then turn to Mark
“You had help, so it doesn’t count” bang the bullet went right through his head, almost taking it off.
Claire turn away and screamed
I stood over Mark’s dead body and looked at the students, the bloody mess that littered the floor. I started to shake
“All I wanted was for someone to tell me my name, someone that knew I existed other than you Claire.” I cry
I stepped back and hit Claire and faced her “I’ve done a bad thing” I raise the gun to my head but Claire grabs it and pulls it free just as the police come in yelling different commands. Students were running out , screaming, I was dazed as I saw red dots covered my body from various gun sights.
“NO DON’T SHOOT HER, she’s not armed” Claire yells and put my gun down “It’s over...” Claire faces me “its over” and goes to give me a hug but I was grabbed in different directions and slammed to the ground. I think it hurt I couldn’t remember. I do remember the cold feeling guns in my face and them ripping my vest off. I could hear in the distance Claire yelling at them not to hurt me, it wasn’t my fault.
CLOSURE
I ate my chocolate biscuit and looked up at Claire. I hadn’t had her biscuits since high school, 14 years ago. I tried to wipe the crumbs from my face but my hands, feet were shackled down. Claire smiled and wiped my face, although it was against rules to touch prisoners.
Her eyes went sad so I changed the subject “so about the twins... Reagan and Donna, must be 7”
Claire laughed “they’re 8, yeh they love school, got lots of friends”
“popular girls, just like their Mum.”
“Rachel, I just” Claire jumped as she heard my shackles pull up suddenly.
I dropped my head so my finger could reach my lips “shhhhh happy thoughts Claire”
The guard walked in “times up.”
Tears started to gather in her eyes but I remained braved “Claire you need to go now”
I found two hands either side of my face and her lips take mine in a kiss, something I had not received from her in 14 years.
I blushed “well that’s just great, you going to leave me with wet panties... you are so mean Claire Stevens” I joked
Claire half laughed and went to leave
“Claire...”
She faced me with her usual upside down smile “please, don’t be there... there is no need, just remember now.”
Claire finally smiles “ok Rach”
I walked down the corridor pegged between 3 guards. We walk slow, not cos we have time on our hands, it’s hard to walk in heavy shackles that only go the length of your stride. I get to the end of this corridor and faced with another door
“Rachel, its time to take the shackles off” said the male guard
I offer out my hands and he removes them and from my feet. “I'll pray for you tonight Rachel” said the guard with the shackles “you have been a model prisoner”
“thanks” I face the female officer who seemed genuinely sad “hey thanks for letting Claire bring those biscuits in for me. I hope you don’t get into trouble”
The woman smiled “It’s all good”
I face the door about to walk in “well time for this bad girl to get what she deserves.”
I was bought back around by the female office “Rachel, you’re not a bad person... you’re a good person who just did a really bad thing.” She squeezed my hands
“thanks”
I step through the door, the room was unusually cool and white as a hospital. I looked at the equipment on the wall. I step towards it but an officer already in position blocked me
“I was just looking... no like I’m going to get another chance” I joked
He didn’t budge “ like ever again” I continued
“Rachel over here please”
A guy in a white coated called me to the bed “you need to lie down here”
I climbed on the bed and looked at him “you took an oath doctor to do no harm, and yet here you are about to stick me with stuff that is going to kill me. Doesn’t that bother you.”
He looked at me “lie down Rachel”
I calmly did as I was told. I raised my head to the curtain drawn. “Do they have to see me like this?”
“It’s the victim’s families right to see this.”
“well we won’t want to disappoint.” I closed my eye and sat up quickly causing the guard to come over.
The doctor ordered him back “Rachel, it’s going to be ok. We talked about this remember”
“I know, it’s not going to hurt... I’m just going to go to sleep”
“yes”
“deep sleep”
He nodded
“forever...ouch that hurt”
“sorry I was trying to find your vein. Ok we are good to go now lie down please”
I close my eyes and drop back down wondering what my last thoughts would be when the curtain started to pull back
“its show time” I breathed out and felt the reassuring pat of the doctor on my shoulder.
“you are going to be here, you will make sure”
“dead as a dodo Rachel, I will make sure, even if I have to strangle you myself”
“I love your bed side manner, its suits you grim reapers”
I couldn’t make any further comment when I saw the crowd in the gallery. I felt light headed, sick. I recognised Mark’s parents, some of the students although aged I recognised them all. They needed closure, we all did
I locked eyes with Claire, she was sitting far right corner with a calming smile. I thought to myself 'why can you never do anything I ask'
My eyes started stinging, my head was groggy. I was tired but my eyes stayed on Claire until...
Claire watched Rachel’s life disappear and her body still. The doctor nodded confirming she was indeed dead and the silent audience left.
The end