It was a beautiful fall day, the trees around my school were a beautiful orange and
yellow, my favorite time of the year. The air wasn't too hot, or too cold, sweatshirt weather
as we called it. The beautiful day was ruined by having to wake up for school. Now I never
hated school, all my friends were there but this day was different. I had woken up with a
headache. The pounding so harsh it felt like a wrecking ball slamming against the wall of an
old building. I complained at breakfast about it to my faithful boyfriend Dante, who just gave
me some asprin, a kiss on the forehead, and sent me on my way to our seperate classes. At
first the asprin felt like it was working, the hard pounding ceased into a low hum that made
it almost tolerable. The day progressed, I went to classes like normal, and I had nearly
forgotten about the skull splitting headache I awoke with. It was between lunch and my
fourth class that I remembered.
Dante walked beside me holding hands as we headed to Computer Animation class,
despite all the school administration always getting after us about 'PDA' or Public Display of
Affection. We always just ignored them, as did any other couple in the school. As we
walked the headache from this morning returned. Only, this time it felt more like someone lit
my skull on fire, and decided to repeatedly bash it in with a sludge hammer. My hand
slipped from Dante's, and moved quickly to my forehead. My forehead was hot, like the
smoldering embers left after a fire, but that wasn't the worst of it. I felt sick, dizzy, almost
like a hot flash woman sometimes get. Dante stayed by, looking at me and I could tell he
had genuine concern in his eyes. The next thing I knew, I felt the crack of my head against
something hard, like that feeling when hitting something with a metal bat, as my head hit the
hall floor. I heard footsteps running in my direction and the sound of someone, I couldn't tell
who, shouting for help.
When I came back to my senses I awoke to a soft steady beeping sound to my left.
My eyes opened to see nothing but blurry shapes. I grip the hard metal railing at my sides,
the metal chillingly cold, and tried to sit up.
"Thank God you're awake, whoa, stay down." It was Dante, I knew that voice
anywhere. My sight returned and I looked at him as he pushed me gently back into the bed.
I lift my hand and placed it upon my skull, the pain was no longer there, but my hair was
shaved and I could feel the rough bumps of stitches. I wanted to know what happened. I
asked, and when I asked I saw Dante turn his gaze down upon his lap, as if ashamed to
make eye contact with me. He didn't speak for a while, the couple seconds of silence feeling
like years as I waited for his voice.
"You passed out and hit your head against the floor, so we brought you here. The
doctors did some XRays
and something showed up. Riley you have a brain tumor." I
remember Dante's cracked voice as he told me this. I was voiceless as I watched him lean
forward and place his face in his hand. "They say with its size you only have maybe six
months." I figured he was hiding possible tears because his voice jumped up and down like
my heart beat on the heart monitor to my left. I was scared out of my mind. I didn't want to
die, but all I did was stare blankly into space, until Dante was forced to leave. I spent many
weeks in the hospital, going through test and scans, it was miserable. Dante came everyday
and tried cheering me up with cream soda and a game of Uno. Flowers littered my room
from friends and family though none came in person to see me.
The day came when they told me I could go home, two months after I was
admitted. Dante drove me home and still stayed with me, in case I had another one of my
episodes. My hair started growing back, which made me slightly happy. I've been out of
school the past two months and I was allowed to go back tomorrow which was a Monday.
I was actually nervous about returning, almost more worried then dying. Maybe it was
because no one came to see me during my time in the hospital, no one cared. Dante and I
sat watching Family Guy but while he was laughing at one of their many stupid jokes, my
mind was else where, I was distracted. Soon I went to bed and Dante went home. I didn't
sleep, I hadn't since I learned I was going to die. In the morning I hesitantly got out of bed at
six, showered, ate breakfast and sure enough there was Dante to pick me up. Standing at
the doorways that lead inside, I look up at the large brick building that towered over me.
Dante opened the door and ushered for me to enter, breaking me from my trance. Entering I
looked round the hall, seeing nothing but a few kids walking in and out of the office that sat
by the doors. I felt disappointed, its not like I imagined a welcome party but normally my
friends always greeted me when I'd walk into school. We head toward first period, no one
noticing my return except my teachers who'd see me walk in. Lunch time came and Dante
and I carried our trays of food to my normal table, to find the table full.
"Hey guys," I started to say as I looked around at the group. I noticed a couple new
faces I've never seen before, and figured they must be new people that came when I was
gone. The table group looked at me and Dante, some waved and one of the new people,
Denis, looked at me and laughed.
"So this is the one you were talking about, the one with the brain tumor?" He looked
me up and down and I became uncomfortable as his eyes ran over me. I tensed up when his
eyes looked at the scar on my head from the surgery. He kept that disturbing smile on his
face and my gut churned with a horrible feeling. Turning to Dante he made a jeer. "And this
must be your boyfriend." Denis said keeping his eyes on Dante, but he slowly turned back to
me.
"This is proof, you know that right." He said, and I could see he had a spark in his
brown eyes. "Proof God hates faggots like you and wants them all to die. You'll die a
miserable death and then you will be next." He pointed a finger at Dante. His cronies
laughed with him and stated their agreement. I looked upon my friends quickly for support
but they all didn't give it, instead they started laughing and agreeing as well. My heart sank
and I quickly turned from the table and walked away. I didn't even eat, I tossed the food
into the trash cans, put the tray up to be cleaned and quickly left the room, my 'friends'
laughter still echoed in my ears.
"Don't let them get to you RyRy. They're just trying to get under your skin." Dante
tried to comfort me, but it didn't help like it usually did. Well they accomplished their goal
because I felt terrible and, all of a sudden, sick. I toughened out the rest of the day, though I
had Denis jeering at me in a couple classes. At the end of the day when Dante was taking
me home, I didn't really say anything to him, and he accepted my silence, knowing I was still
upset. When I opened the door as I returned home, my mom and sister greeted me but I
walked past them and went upstairs to my bedroom, shutting and locking the door. I sat on
the edge of my bed, staring out into space. I didn't know what to do, so I went to bed early
my homework forgotten, it was the least of my worries. I was awoke to my mother shaking
me awake.
"Dante is here, you're going to be late for school." She tells me, but I roll back over
putting my back to her without speaking. She was quiet for a moment, then I heard her
calmly speak again. "I'll tell him you're not coming." She said, then I hear the sound of her
footsteps as she left my room.
I slept most of the day since I didn't want to go to school, but later that day I
decided to go for a walk, maybe to clear my mind. I leave the house, and today was a little
colder then normal so I had my coat and scarf on. I made my way down the street when on
ahead I spotted Denis and a couple of his cronies. I froze, not wanting to meet them but
before I could go across the street to avoid them, Denis called out.
"Oh boys look who it is." I turn around slowly to look at them, seeing them get
closer. "Well Riley, didn't see you at school." Without realizing it, I noticed that suddenly
they all were around me and I looked around at them all, feeling my heart beat pick up. I
turned my blue eyes back to Denis, and as I did his fist connected with my cheek, and I fell
onto the hard concrete. Putting my hand to my cheek I looked up at him with wide eyes. I
watched Denis smirk then his cronies took their turn.
Once more I ended up in the hospital, though I was unconscious most of the time so
I didn't know a whole lot. When I woke up, Dante told me I was out for several days. I had
broken ribs, bruises, a concussion thanks to that encounter, and the side of my brain was
red and in flamed. I had to waste more time in the hospital until the CAT scans showed I
was back to normal.
Back home I sat in my room, my dad's old revolver lay in the palms of my hands as
I stared down at it, so many thoughts floated around my mind as I did. Taking in and letting
out a sharp breath, my thumb ran over the bumps of the bullet chamber and carefully pushed
it open. Inside held at least four bullets, I counted them with my eyes. More sat in a case
next to me. Before I could act, a small tapping sounded on my bedroom door. Quickly
shutting the chamber I shoved the revolver and bullet case in the drawer on my nightstand
beside my bed.
A few weeks later I went to school once more and walking through the doors I took
in a deep breath, needing to reduce the racing of my heart. I walked to first class, not even
waiting for Dante, I didn't want him to know what I was planning. I didn't want him to be a
part of it. Walking into first class I calmly sat down. Denis noticed me and made a few jokes
about my bruises, but luckily his cronies weren't there so no one really laughed. I smiled
because I knew what was going to become of dear Denis, I had a idea all planned out. I
looked across the room at another kid, Ron Moore, and he looked back at me and nodded.
At the nod I quickly raised my hand, confidence suddenly spiked. Turning from the board
Mrs. Fiver looked at me and put her hand on her hip.
"Yes Riley?" She asked and I blinked at her, requesting to go to the bathroom. She
agreed though she didn't see too happy about it. I walked out of the room and headed down
the hall, placing my hand on the walkietalkie
that was on my hip. Instead of heading to the
bathroom like I said, I veered into the direction of the office and pushed open the door.
When I entered the nice office ladies smiled kindly at me. Seeing that made my stomach
churn, I'd miss those kind smiles.
"Hey Riley, what can we do for you today?" One of the office ladies said. I smiled
back, though it was sort of a pity smile. I requested the principal, and when she told me to
go round back to his office I walked the back hallway and put my hand on the knob, took a
deep breath and opened it. He sat in his chair, typing away at his computer.
"Hey Riley, what can I do for you?" I give him a fake smile as I did with the office
ladies and put my hand on the holster on my hip then calmly looked at him and asked him to
walk away from the phone. Confused he asked what I meant by that, and when he didn't do
as told I pulled the revolver from the holster and pointed it at him. He jumped from his chair
and held his hands up. I told him to get over against the wall away from the phone and he
listened. I walked over to the desk and cut the cord to deny contact outside this room. I
took some rope and tied him to the desk with his hands behind his back and taped his
mouth. I put the revolver back and walked from the room and did exactly the same to
everyone else in the office, putting everyone in the principal's office with him, tied up. My
goal wasn't to harm them. At this I took the walkietalkie
from my hip and spoke into it.
"Green means go, over." And at that shots fired throughout the school as a student
working with me in each class takes out the teacher, and holds the students hostage. I pulled
the shades down on the office windows and, using the principal's keys, locked the office.
Walking slowly I entered the first class, all the students were cowering on the floor to one
side. The almost metallic stench of blood was strong as I walked further inside. The students
stared at me with big eyes as if hoping maybe I'd do something to help them. I walked in
with my hands up to make it seem like I too was a prisoners.
"Riley what are you doing? Get down." One of the girls whispered, and as I came
closer I dropped my hands and pulled the gun from the holster again and pointed it at
Tommy Tom, one of Denis's cronies. Some of the kids cringe, gasped or remain silent.
Tommy pleaded with his eyes but I wasn't in the forgiving mood. I pulled the trigger, off
went one round and I watched his head snap back and him fall lifelessly to the ground,
blood splattered everything behind him. I somehow tuned out their screams, because all I
could think at the time was how good it felt to have done that. Nodding at my helper I exit
the room and continued down the classrooms.
Finally I had come to my class that held Denis, I saved him for last. I suddenly had a
curiosity on how strong he would be now that he was the one being singled out. I pushed
open the door leading back into Mrs. Fiver's class and looking to the students that coward
like all the others. I spotted Denis back behind the others and he spotted me, waving me
over.
"Riley get over here." I had my hands up as another one of my own cronies held the
gun at me and waved me toward the students. I crouched by Denis, who put his arm around
me like we were old pals. Without his friends he was powerless and so he clung to me for
support. "I was worried they got you." He said but I didn't respond to those words. I felt his
arm shaking and I looked at him carefully, was he afraid? Awhile passed and I heard Denis
confined in me. "Riley I'm scared." I smiled cause that was what I wanted to hear. In the hall
I had reloaded the revolver with the very last bullet and leaned close to Denis.
"You should be." I whispered to him and pulled the revolver from the holster and
held it to the side of his head and pulled the trigger. I felt the warm red liquid splatter itself on
the one side of my face and his limp arm fall from my shoulder as he fell to the ground with a
thud. As I stood I felt all eyes on me. I walked around them and over to my helper. I shook
his hand, thanked him then walked from the room. Wasn't till then did I hear the police
sirens blaring and nearly as soon as I came into view of the office, a couple officers bust
from the doors and I quickly hid, they hadn't seen me yet. I heard them apprehend my
helpers and I tried to sneak out.
"Stop right there!" I froze, it was a cop. I felt my heart race faster then it ever had.
"Hands in the air. I said hands in the air!" I turned slowly to face him. He had his gun pointed
at me, his hands shaking. A new cop on the force it seemed to me. He inched forward since
I didn't move and I quickly pulled the empty revolver from the holster but before I could
bring it out a shot rang, and I went down. I didn't feel pain from the shot but I could feel the
warm, sticky metallic scented blood leaving my body. I chocked, blood splattered from my
lips as I stared up toward the ceiling. I saw the shapes of police men standing around me,
but I didn't really hear them. I suddenly was no longer afraid of death as I glanced at them a
few moments before they started to fade, as my life ended.