Silence is Lethal | Teen Ink

Silence is Lethal

November 11, 2013
By Anonymous

Trudging through the gobs of people in the halls
like a zombie
with bloodshot eyes
it’s a one-way artery
and its getting clogged
uniform clad students about yay-high swarming and kicking amid the older veterans of the school

a shriek penetrates through the hallway
a scream
and a boom of gunshot

everyone stops dead in their tracks

the silence was so deafening you could hear a pin drop

suddenly one and all is sprinting and pushing into the nearest classroom, locking and barricading the doors with desks and tables

over the PA, administrators instruct the teachers to lock and cover all their doors and windows

“This is your principal speaking
WE ARE UNDER LOCKDOWN.
THIS IS NOT A DRILL.
NO STUDENTS ARE TO GO OUTSIDE OF THE CLASSROOMS OR BUILDING UNTIL I GIVE THE ALL CLEAR
I REPEAT THIS IS NOT A DRILL
WE HAVE A GUNMAN ON CAMPUS
THIS IS NOT A DRILL”

In the corners of the rooms sit children
the same children who act cool and tough around their friends
the same children who are to be our future lawyers, presidents, preachers, and educators
the same children who were talking about graduation in just a few months and college acceptance letters

The same children
who are afraid and want their mommies
no one laughs this time

tear-stained faces in every room
hands shielding their eyes though they know He’s not in there
I don’t want to die….
another boom goes off
worry intensifies
what if that was my friend?

the teachers
must stay calm for them
this can’t be happening
they’re just children

in the hallway
the fallen
takes their last breaths
only babies themselves

the gunman
eyes flickering wildly
high on meds
takes the last bullet
and collapses

school still under lockdown
the police arrive
to find
Him in the halls
splayed across another student with a note taped to his shirt
with a single word

Sorry.

He took some of his own.

No one speaks for the next two weeks outside of the classrooms
the silence
once again
is lethal…



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