“Everyone stay calm! Please be quiet, and get under the desks for your own safety, but take something to do with you. We may be here awhile!” announced an exasperated Ms. Prewett. Her reply was a chorus of kids scrambling under the desks, with a coloring book, and a crayon in hand.

The floor was freezing and hard. I had to change my position to make myself more comfortable multiple times. Ms. Prewett turned off the lights, closed the blinds, slammed the door, locked it, and covered her window with a curtain.

A voice exclaimed “We’re all gonna die!” followed by an eerie silence. I started to pray to myself, “Please keep me safe Lord! Please Keep me safe!”
Ms. Prewett announced, “I need everyone to be quiet and stay away from the door and windows, in case the crazy man is nearby, so he won’t know we’re here!”
I whispered what we all had on our minds, “Where’s the shooter?” No one heard me though.

Kids started crying softly “I want my mommy!” and “I just want to go home!” as tears streamed down their faces.I wasn’t there YET, but I was on the border, of having an emotional breakdown.I started to worry. Was the crazy-man outside, lurking around the school? Was he hiding in the alley between the gym/cafeteria, and the school itself, which happened to be right outside our window? Was he trying to peer in our window? Was he inside the school, trying doors, looking into classrooms? Was he armed, and had he hurt, or even worse, killed anyone yet? Were the other classes and grades okay? Were the teachers safe?—What about Mrs. Delp? Would the crazy man try to enter the school at the front?—Would he shoot her?

All these thoughts went through my head, as the minutes ticked by too slowly, which scared me even more! Why was this taking so long! Where was the shooter?

Ms. Prewett was patrolling the room, in a silent, brisk, walk, gently shushing us, and warning us to be quiet, in a stern whisper, which wasn’t working very well.

A girl named Athena was crying. Andrew and David were looking around frantically. Lexi and Bella were frightened to silence. And, almost no kids were coloring their blank, stark-white pages with empty outlines.
Finally, the all-clear was given, Ms. Prewett sighed, as children charged over to her, forming a big group hug of crying, frightened, nervous, emotional children, and an exasperated teacher. I do not recall the exact length of the shooting, but it was at least a couple hours long.

Now, when I think back on it, I should’ve been scared out of my mind as a first grader in a lockdown. But, thanks to Ms. Prewett, I held on to hope! As an eighth grader, I admire Ms. Prewett for handling the situation so well. I will always remember this experience, and how frightening this school shooting was to me, as a first grader.I now understand that lockdowns are an actual reality and still happen across the nation, sadly. I also understand how scary and frightening lockdowns are, especially to young kids like first graders. As well as knowing NO one, especially not a young child, first grader, should have to go through the frightening situation of a lockdown.