"Attention Chief Davis, turn around and go back, now! You are in danger, turn back now!"
The kids and I listened to the vice principals voice ring out of the intercom system warning the officer. She must have been watching them and saw something they could not. I could imagine the older man's expression as he scrambled back to his hiding place. I hoped he and the other officer hadn't strayed too far from the closet. The rumbling we heard was the combined foot falls of the who knows how many infected running the length of the hallway outside. The noise from the speakers was bouncing and they weren't able to pinpoint where it was coming from, which was causing a sort of frenzy. I watched the shadows under the doorway as they zipped back in forth in front of our door trying to find the noise. They cried out with an awful sound. I could only describe it as some kind of screech.
"While I have everyone's attention, I am trapped inside the office and have been in contact with everyone I've been able to reach through email. I have eyes on most of you through the security camera's though so I know where you are if we haven't spoken. Miss Hart and I are working through an escape plan so please sit tight. Please do not try to leave where you are until instructed. Chief Davis, that means you too. It isn't safe. I'll be in touch."
The speaker shut off with the crackle of old electronics and I wished the old Chief good luck in my mind. He was not the type to wait for rescue. I turned to the group, their eyes all on the doorway as well. Part of me longed for a window to the hallway and part of me was thankful we did not have one.
"Okay everyone, we'll have to wait for things to settle down, but let's get suited up. Emma, if you don't mind, will you start taping the armor on everyone?"
She nodded and I turned back to my map, making a few adjustments. The nurse's office was about halfway between us and the trapped police officers. We would still cut down to the back stairwell and be near the gym, but we could stop there and meet with the officers. I shot an email to Glassberg to make sure it was clear. She hadn't mentioned anyone being in there, but better safe than sorry. I liked the idea of having the officers as part of our group. I know these kids were capable, but having more help to keep them safe would put my mind at ease. I also felt like I owed Davis. I sat at my desk and waiting for a return email while Emma started to apply the armor to my shoulders and forearms. I looked around the room. The boys had on their goggles already and were mimicking combat scenarios. We all looked a bit ridiculous, but if it kept us alive, I didn't care. I took the tape from Emma after she was finished and applied her armor for her. I instructed everyone to load their backpacks and split supplies. I dumped all the non-essentials out of my purse and loaded mine with a few meager supplies. I was thankful it was a sling backpack style purse. I think it lessened the chance of me getting caught on something while we ran. I put my bag and goggles on my desk with my homemade shield and looked around my classroom for a weapon. The kids all had improvised clubs from the desk legs and chair legs, but I wanted something with a little more oomph. I planned on grabbing the Glock, but it was a last-ditch weapon. If I really had no other options. I knew if something were to happen, I would want to deal with it for my student's. I scanned the room and my eyes fell on Mr. Bobby Bones, our anatomy skeleton. While he wasn't a real skeleton, his bones were made from a tough plastic. The femur bone would give me more reach and hopefully more power in my swing than the shorter clubs the kids were carrying. I snipped the strings holding the femur in place and weighed it my hands, lightly swinging it.
"Dude! I call dibs on the other leg!" I heard Jackson call out when he saw what I had done.
I motioned to him that it was all his, handing him the scissors to cut his own away. Jeremy approached too, trying to decide if he wanted to switch. The girl's watched and waited for the boys to finish up before deciding if they wanted to switch too.
Glassberg got back to me, letting me know that the nurse's station was clear. I let her in on my plan and we agreed on a signal I would give her through the camera once we were safe inside the nurse's office. We would no longer be able to communicate when we left this room. I can't access my school's email from my phone and our servers kick out messages from unknown email addresses because of the threat of a virus. Once we're inside, she will call to the officers over the intercom, telling them where to go. To distract the infected in that hallway, she will call the phones in empty classrooms to lure them away, not foolproof, but we didn't have a lot of options. I checked in with Jessica and it took her longer than normal to respond, causing my heart to race. I rubbed my sweaty palms on my slacks before I could type a response back. She was still safe inside with Earl. No other incidents at our little farm house, or so she says. I know if there was anything crazy, she probably wouldn't tell me. She wouldn't want me to worry, but I had been nauseous since all this started thinking about her being alone. I tried in vain to call her once again, but no luck. Phone calls still wouldn't go through. She said the news was still being vague. No real answers yet, but that the station was down to only one reporter, I guess the others had abandoned ship to be with their families. The reporter left was a young girl who hadn't been with the station long, if I remembered right, she was from out of state originally, which probably explained why she was still reporting and the others were not. I wrote a pretty lengthy and sappy message to Jessica. We were leaving this room soon, and I had no idea what was going to happen and I needed her to know how I felt. I knew she would roll her eyes at most of the sappiness, but I needed to say these things to her. I might not be able to say them to her face ever again. I told her I loved her and what our plan was. I hoped I would see her on the other side of all this. I checked my phone again to make sure it was on silent and slipped it into my pocket.
"Okay everyone, here's the plan." I motioned everyone to gather round the whiteboard and pointed out our route and explained where we were going before we went to the classroom closest to the backlot.
"Okay, once we meet up with the officer's if they don't have any news of help coming, we're still heading to the back lot. Does anyone have a vehicle parked back there?"
Jackson and Alex both did. That was two options, which was good. My grandpa's farm truck had to be hot wired to crank it, but I wasn't sure if I would be able to hotwire anything on the fly so I was glad we had two vehicle options.
"Alex, Jackson put your car keys in your pockets incase you lose your backpacks somehow."
I walked to the classroom door and pressed my ear against it, listening for feral people. I laid on the floor, proud to see the Glock where I had left it. I saw no movement. I pulled my phone out, reading the response from Jessica which caused an ache in my chest. I gave my personal email to everyone in the room in case we were separated and they all did the same.
"Gather your things, I want your goggles on and phones on silent. Everyone put anything you can't afford to lose in your pockets. Text your loved ones. Tell them you love them. I want you to stay together. We're going to stay low and quiet. No hero shit, got it?"
The atmosphere at the room had changed drastically and everyone nodded. Alex adjusted her shield and exchanged a look with Emma.
"If things get bad, I'm sorry I let you down."
I took a deep breath and reached for the doorknob.
YOU ARE READING
Room 204 (#OpenNovellaContest2021)
General Fiction[Round Two Ambassador Pick] & [Shortlist]*** Sam, a teacher at the local high school is confronted with what she thinks is one of her biggest fears, an active shooter. As events continue to unfold she realizes that she and the students taking shelt...
