A coolvalstories Production
Chapter 1: The Calm Before the Storm
The halls of Westbrook High echoed with the usual sounds of teenagers rushing to and from class—voices in heated debates about the latest gossip, the shuffle of sneakers on the tile floors, and the hum of lockers opening and closing. It felt like just another day, the kind that you could almost forget the struggles of the outside world while surrounded by the chaos of high school life.
But there was something in the air that day. A tension, like a storm cloud hovering just out of sight, waiting to burst.
Nia Jackson, the class president, navigated the halls with purpose, clipboard in hand, her mind buzzing with the hundred little things that needed to be done for the upcoming student assembly. She glanced at the clock: lunchtime. Her friends would be waiting for her in the cafeteria, but she had one last thing to check off her list before she could join them.
As she walked past the old locker-lined corridor, she noticed a group of boys huddled around one of the lockers, their low voices a murmur in the air. They were students from the rival gang factions—something that had been brewing for months, with incidents escalating as the semester went on. The police had been called a few times for street-level brawls, but inside the school walls, things remained relatively quiet. Until today, it seemed.
“Yo, man, stop playin’. You think I’m scared of you?” one of the boys sneered, his chest puffed out.
Nia slowed her pace, but she wasn’t interested in getting involved. She had enough to worry about with her responsibilities as president, her academic load, and the constant pressure of keeping up appearances. Besides, no one was ever brave enough to make a scene when teachers were around.
Just as she was about to turn the corner, a voice rang out from behind her.
“Hey, Nia!”
It was Darren, one of the school’s star athletes. He jogged up to her, his brow furrowed.
“Everything alright?” he asked, glancing at the group of boys.
“Yeah, just some usual nonsense,” she replied with a tight smile. “I’ve got to head to the cafeteria. I’ll see you later.”
Darren didn’t look convinced. “You sure? Looks like things might get heated.”
Nia paused for a moment, considering his concern. She didn’t like the way things were escalating between the students. “Yeah, I’m sure,” she said, before turning and heading down the hall, her footsteps quickening.
Lunchtime chaos.
Nia arrived at the cafeteria, but the usual buzz of conversation was replaced by an eerie silence. She frowned, scanning the room. Her friends were seated at their usual table in the corner, but there was something wrong.
A kid she didn’t recognize was standing near the food line, his hands shoved deep into his hoodie pockets, his eyes darting nervously from one side of the room to the other. His presence made the air feel colder.
“Hey, Nia,” her best friend Jenna said, noticing her approach. “Did you hear? There’s a fight breaking out between some of the guys in the hallway. It’s bad this time. I think someone’s got a weapon.”
Before Nia could respond, the sudden bang of a locker door slamming shut echoed through the cafeteria. A scream pierced the air. Students scattered in all directions, and before Nia could even react, the unmistakable sound of gunfire rang out.
Pop. Pop. Pop.
Panic surged through the room, and chaos erupted. Students screamed as they ran toward the doors, pushing past each other in a frenzied stampede. Nia felt her heart race, the adrenaline flooding her veins as she grabbed Jenna’s arm and yanked her toward the back exit.
But the doors were locked. The school had gone into lockdown mode. It was too late.
Meanwhile, in the hallway.
The gunfire had come from the direction of the locker cluster Nia had passed earlier. It was Michael “Mikey” Torres, a kid from the wrong side of the tracks. No one had thought much of him—he was always in trouble but kept to himself. That was until today.
Mikey had snapped. His hands were shaking as he gripped the gun tighter, his mind racing with images of betrayal and violence. His older brother had been murdered by rival gang members last year, and Mikey had never been the same since. This was his plan all along. He wasn’t going to let anyone forget the price of crossing him. He was going to make sure Westbrook High felt the wrath of his anger.
He stepped into the middle of the hall, the gun raised, eyes wild.
The first shot fired struck the ceiling, but it was enough. It sent the entire school into a panic, and students scrambled to escape or find cover.
“Stay down!” Mikey yelled, his voice crackling with emotion. “No one leaves until I say so!”
In the cafeteria.
Nia’s heart raced as she pulled Jenna down under the table, instinctively covering her head. The shrill wail of the fire alarms started blaring, adding to the chaos.
“This can’t be happening,” Nia muttered, her breath shallow as she looked around the room. “We need to find a way out of here.”
Jenna clutched her arm, her face pale. “We’re trapped.”
© Nkemjika Valentine
