Chapter 2: The Battle for Survival
The loud blare of the fire alarm mixed with the panicked shouts of students in the hallways. The gym, which had always been a symbol of school pride, now stood as a makeshift barricade, a place of refuge for those who had been quick enough to make it through the doors before they were locked.
Nia held her breath beneath the table, her heart hammering in her chest. Jenna was trembling beside her, her fingers clutched tightly around Nia’s wrist. The sound of Mikey’s voice still echoed through the halls—angry, desperate, and filled with a cold resolve that sent chills down Nia’s spine.
“Stay down!” Mikey had screamed, and now, there was nothing but silence.
“Do you think he’s still out there?” Jenna whispered, her voice shaking.
Nia couldn’t answer. She wasn’t sure what to say. All she could think about was her family, her mother, her little brother. The thought of them not knowing what was happening to her—it felt like a stone lodged in her throat. She was no hero. She wasn’t trained for this. All she had was her ability to think on her feet, but that didn’t feel like enough right now.
“Stay low,” Nia whispered to Jenna, pushing her down further behind the table. The cafeteria doors, the only escape, were blocked. Any hope of running had vanished when the lockdown had activated, trapping everyone inside.
Outside, she could hear the muffled sounds of students yelling, running, and the heavy footfalls of teachers trying to maintain some semblance of order. The authorities would come soon, but in a school this size, with so many students scattered across different wings, the response time could be too long. And Mikey wasn’t going to wait for help.
Nia’s mind raced. She needed to do something—anything—to take control of the situation. She couldn’t just sit here and hide, not with so many people in danger. Her role as president had always been about leadership, about making sure things got done. Well, things needed to get done now.
She pulled her phone from her pocket, heart racing as she unlocked it. The screen flickered, showing messages from her mom, asking how school was going. Nia quickly typed back a short message, not wanting to cause more alarm.
I’m fine, just a drill. Don’t worry.
It was a lie, but she couldn’t let her mother know what was really happening. Not yet.
“Jenna, we have to move,” Nia whispered. “We need to find another exit, or we’re not going to make it out of here.”
Jenna shook her head, her wide eyes filled with fear. “Where do we go? How do we even know if he’s still out there?”
Nia stood, moving as quietly as possible, scanning the room. The tables provided some cover, but the cafeteria windows were big and obvious, and they weren’t exactly bulletproof. There had to be another way out.
Behind the lunch counter, she spotted a small door. It led to the kitchen area, probably used by staff for storing supplies. If they could make it through there, maybe they could find a back exit and escape. It was their best shot.
“We’re going to the kitchen,” Nia said, her voice firmer than she felt.
Jenna hesitated, her eyes darting nervously. “What if he’s out there waiting for us?”
“We don’t have a choice.” Nia gripped Jenna’s arm, pulling her up. “Stay close, and stay quiet.”
The two girls moved cautiously through the maze of tables. As Nia approached the kitchen door, she paused, listening for any signs of movement. The sounds of footsteps grew louder in the hallway, but it wasn’t Mikey. It was the rapid approach of police officers—finally, help was coming.
But then she heard something that made her blood run cold—a loud bang, followed by the unmistakable crackle of a walkie-talkie.
“This is Officer Matthews. We’ve breached the perimeter. We’re in the hallways. Everyone stay down!”
Nia’s heart skipped a beat. The police were close, but Mikey was still somewhere inside. He hadn’t surrendered. He was out there, and the last thing she wanted was for anyone to get caught in the crossfire.
She grabbed Jenna’s hand and pulled her through the kitchen door, which thankfully creaked open without a sound. The kitchen was dark, the smell of frying oil and old food clinging to the air. They moved swiftly, making their way past refrigerators and shelves lined with plastic containers. Nia’s mind was a blur—her heart p******g, her breath short—but she focused on putting one foot in front of the other.
They made it through the back door, which led out into a small alley behind the school. It was quiet here—too quiet. The streets outside the school were filled with the sounds of cars and pedestrians, but this alley was a dead zone. She had no idea what to do next. The police were on their way in, but Nia wasn’t sure how many of them had been sent. Was there time for another escape, or was this just the beginning of a much larger fight?
Then she heard the sound of sirens approaching, louder now, and the distinct squeal of tires skidding on the pavement.
But the sound of Mikey’s voice, distant but unmistakable, reached her ears.
“I’m not going down without a fight!” he shouted. “You want me? Come and get me!”
Nia’s heart froze. Mikey had gone rogue. He was determined to make sure this went down in history.
“Stay here,” Nia said to Jenna, her voice shaking. “I need to find a way to help…”
To be continued
© Valentine Nkemjika
