The gunshots rang out through the halls.... I can’t believe this is happening. Everyone looks around unsure of what we should do. Run? Barricade? The school is dead quiet... You’d think people would be screaming. Maybe everyone’s already dead. Maybe they’re smart and being quiet so they can sneak away without drawing the attention of the guy choosing who lives and dies. Playing God. No one wins in that game, so why is he playing? As long as he can kill a lot of people, he doesn’t care. Maybe he wants to be remembered at whatever cost. Like an earthquake, a catastrophe. Tearing families, lives, and people apart.

We were running when he came around the corner shooting. The gunshots made my ears ring. A girl I’ve known since the second grade falls to the ground next to me. I have to stop, stop this.

I stop running, turn around, and walk towards him. I know he might shoot me and continue on, but maybe I can distract him. Maybe I can give everyone still alive in this school a chance to escape.

He looks surprised, does a double take. He could kill me so why would I walk towards him? The gun is in his hand at his side, he looks at me with what seems like curiosity. I wonder who he is. He doesn’t look scary, doesn’t look different from everyone. You always imagine someone who causes so much pain to resemble evil. You always think you can tell who the ‘bad guy’ is.

“I want to be remembered too.” I say, still getting closer to him. He watches me and raises his gun slightly.

“It’s like what’s the point in living a whole life just to be forgotten?” I add and that’s how I honestly feel, but I would never kill people to be remembered.

“Why aren’t you running from me?” He asks, his gun now pointing at me. He was close enough that there’s no way he’d miss if he pulled the trigger.

“I guess I’m not scared of death... The real question is why haven’t you shot me?” I question. I glance back to where my class had ran. They were gone except for the ones that lay dead on the floor.

“No one has ever noticed or cared about me before.” He says. He thinks I care about him, no. He’s a murderer, this is for everyone else. Just then police and SWAT rush from all sides and all I hear is multiple gunshots...