Lunch Hour

Lunch Hour

Seconds seemed like hours as the class silently took their quiz. Mr. West sat at his desk in the corner of the room, his eyes scanned for signs of students cheating on their test. Samuel held his head up with his hand as he finished up his quiz. He finished last, English was his worst subject, and they had been studying Hamlet. He phrase “Tb be or not to be” bounced within his skull. To him the meaning was evasive; he finished and turned it into the desk. “You may now speak,” said Mr. West and the students all began to converse with their friends.

Tina turned to Sam and asked, “Have you heard anything from Rob lately?”

Sam shook his head, “No the last rumor I heard claimed that he was expelled.”

                “Him, expelled?” Tina asked in shock. “What for?”

                “As I understand it he and a few others got caught cheating on some test.”

                “That seems out of character for Rob. Are you sure we’re talking about the same guy?”

                “Trust me I wish we were not, but that’s what I have heard so far.” Sam quickly changed the subject and the continued talking through the rest of the class period. The bell rang and the students rang left the class to go to lunch. Students poured into the enclosed hallways and rushed to the cafeteria. Sam and Tina got into the lunch line and got their lunch.  Sam searched the room for his friends; Kirk, Dan, and Maria, at their usual table in the corner of the room.

“I can’t for the year to be over already. After I graduate this year I can finally leave this boring city and go somewhere I can have some fun!” remarked Kirk.

                “Yea three more months of this hell and we’re free for life,” said Dan.  He then turned to Maria and continued, “Well, that is everyone but you. You get to graduate next year.”

                Sam laughed, “Dude quit whining, it won’t make this dismal year pass by any faster. Besides after we graduate I leave for the military. Don’t you want to spend as much time with me as you can?”

                “Let’s change the subject,” said Tina. “Let’s talk about how Kirk’s favorite football team lost, again!”

                Kirk’s eyes narrowed as he growled, “Curse you.”

                “On that note I will be back in a minute,” commented Sam, “the last thing I need is to watch you two fight again.”  Sam left his backpack at the table as he left the cafeteria, but took his lunch with him. He walked through the corridor in the 100 block of the school and disposed of his garbage there. Then something caught his eye, he quickly turned his gaze to see it clearer. A man wearing dark clothing passed quickly by, almost as if in some sort of rush. ‘Strange,’ thought Sam. Thinking little about the subject, Sam returned to his own business and used the restroom. Feeling relived He began to return to the cafeteria when suddenly a loud gunshot rang through the halls. Screams could be heard originating in the direction of the cafeteria.

                Terror struck Sam’s heart as he came to realize that someone was shooting in the room where his friends were eating. ‘I need help’ he thought as his mind raced, ‘I should call the cops.’ He quickly reached for his cellphone and dialed 911.

                “What’s your emergency?” asked the operator.

                “There is a shooter at my school,” responded Sam.

                The operator’s voice changed as she asked Sam, “Sir Can you tell me where you are?”

                “Yea, I’m at Simon Edward’s High school.” Sam answer, his voiced filled with terror.

                “Sir Can you tell me your name?”

                “My name is Samuel”

                “Alright, now Sam what I want you to do is remain calm and find a safe place to hide. Don’t try to save your friends; there is nothing that you can do to help them.”

                Sam closed his phone. “You’re right; there is nothing that I can do. My friends are in the room with a gun in their face and there is nothing that I can do.” Sam closed his hand into a fist until his knuckles turned white. “To hell with that if I’m going to be a soldier I need to start now.”

                Sam returned his cellphone to his pocket and began to walk back to the cafeteria. Another gunshot echoed through the halls followed by the screaming of those stuck in the room. The thought of one of his friend’s lying dead with a bullet wound crossed his mind and his fear turned into a raging anger. Sam reached the cafeteria, he heard a man from inside screaming, “ you all deserve this! All of you stood by and watched as this bastard here bullied me into stealing the answers for the test. Because of you my life is ruined!” Another gunshot echoed through the hallway followed by a blood curdling scream of anguish. “While the principal thought it would be best to suspend me while they considered expelling me from the school, none of you cared enough to tell him that Craig forced me to do all of his dirty work.”  Sam slowly peaked inside the room and scanned the room for the shooter.

                Inside the students hid themselves underneath the tables protecting themselves from danger. Sam found his friends hiding underneath their regular table. Keith had his arms wrapped around both Tina and Maria; Dan covered his head with his arms as he watched the shooter brandish his weapon.  The shooter was standing in the center of the room, beneath lied Craig gripping his legs in pain. Both of Craig’s legs had been shot and were bleeding badly.

                “Robby please,” Craig begged, “Please don’t kill me. Your too nice do that, Right?”

                Robby laughed manically. “Do you really think that I’m going to let you live? After everything that you did to me you really expect to just walk away like this is some kind of fairy tale? Your stupidity is only challenged by your cowardice.” Sam watched in terror as he witnessed something he had never seen before, hatred within Robby’s eyes. Robby had been so kind before, but now they were filled with a deep resentment for Craig. At that moment Sam knew that he would have to act quickly.

                Sam moved cautiously toward Robby. Dan noticed Sam’s approach and shook his head. His eyes filled with terror as he tried to stop same Dan mouthed the words “Don’t do it, you’ll get yourself killed.” Sam brushed off the warning; he knew that no one else would take Robby down before he killed Craig. As Robby continued to monolog Sam kept moving toward him.

                His heart pounded, his body began to sweat, and his mind raced with endless possibilities of what might go wrong with his plan. He pushed his doubts aside and pounced upon the unsuspecting Robby. The gun fell to the floor as Robby attempted to catch himself as they fell to the ground. Sam landed on top of Robby and tried to pin him to the floor so he wouldn’t cause any more damage. Before Sam could put Robby into a full nelson, Robby slipped from his grasp and kicked Sam in the stomach. The breath left Sam’s lungs, but he grabbed Robby’s ankle and pulled with all of his might.

                “Let go of me you bastard,” shouted Robby, but Sam knew that his life would end if Robby was able to get ahold of the gun.  Sam lifted his fist and punched Robby in the inside of his leg just above the knee. Robby clutched his leg as the numbing pain filled his leg. Sam saw his chance, he sprang to his feet and kicked Robby in the head knocking him unconscious.

                The students were amazed as they watched Robby fall unconscious, the treat was lifted and they all left the building as quickly as they could, meeting the police and newscasters outside. The police checked for any injuries, but found that the only one injured was Craig. They quickly took him to an ambulance to seek medical attention for the bullet wounds in his legs. His injuries were found to be nonlethal, but he would still need physical therapy until he was able to walk upon his own.

                Sam found solace among his friends, they all had had remained together until their parents arrived to take them home. But before Sam could leave the media had learned of his heroics and flocked to him for answers to their questions.  They crowded around him like wild dogs attacking the same animal no allowing him to leave and pushing his family and friends away from him. “Samuel, why is it that you attacked Robert? Why did you act and not hide?”

                Sam looked at the cameras and answered simply, “I chose to be a hero, because it would have been worse to live in the regret that I had an opportunity to save a life, and chose not to be a hero.” The media, with their questions answered, let Sam leave with his family.