Quiet filled the air between the three only to be interrupted by Rose quietly sobbing into Jessie's shoulder. Travis felt hot shame at what he said and astonishment at the miracle that was Rose. The silence was shattered as the intercom blared to life.

"The school is on lockdown teachers and staff, please round up loose children and head to the nearest classroom. I repeat this is a lockdown, not a drill." The sound of the intercom clicking off was followed.

"What's happening, why is the school on lockdown?" Jesse asked with a worried expression on his face.

"I don't know but we need to go now." Travis said with a look of fear on his face.

The trio hurriedly grabbed their things and ran to the nearest entrance into the school. They came upon the cafeteria doors, Rose tried pulling on them in vain as they were locked tight. Looking at each other in fear Travis looked through the window.

"I see some teachers rounding up kids. They're full-on sprinting through the Cafeteria!" Travis said.

"But why?" A look of terror on Rose's face.

As she asked they heard an explosion on the other side of the school. They heard the screams next. Then silence. As Jessie tried to get the cafeteria door open Travis stared into the cafeteria wishing he hadn't gone to school today. Jessie could feel his breathing worsen as he tried to pry open the door.

Not again! Not again!

"Why won't these damn doors open!" Jessie said as he started to sweat.

"When the school came upon the money that the Johnson family gave them, they used it to make the classroom doors like panic room doors completely impenetrable to the outside world." Travis said as he peered closer into the window. He turned to face the others with a look of worry on his face. "With the rise of school attacks in the nation they figured it would be a good idea to prepare, I guess whatever they did to the classrooms they did with the other doors as well."

 Jessie grunted as he kept ramming his shoulder into the door eventually he gave up exclaiming in an exasperated tone.

"Are we sure we even want to go inside there? That's where the bad guys are?" Rose asked.

"It may seem dumb but it's safer to get into one of those classrooms than be out in the open. Besides, when the school goes into lockdown they lock all the gates remotely." Travis said with a defeated tone.

"How are we even gonna get inside, the doors are sturdy and it doesn't look like we are going be able to bust it down." Jessie said.

"Rose, you need to do it again, do the thing with the fire and melt the door." Travis said excitedly.

"What!? I don't even think I can do that on command. Besides, it scared me." She said in a quiet voice.

"Travis make her mad, you're so good at annoying people." Jessie said as he moved away from the door.

"It's a gift." Travis said with an annoyed look on his face. "Hey so Rose, remember that firework I set off in your room?" Travis said as he looked down at his hands.

"How could I forget?" Rose said already suspicious.

"I kind of, sort of set it off on purpose..." Travis said quietly.

"Yeah, I know that Travis, we knew immediately after you did it." Rose said with a huff.

"Whatever just channel your hate for me and blast the door open already."

With an annoyed look on her face, she headed towards the door. Facing the door she knelt and placed her hands on the door handle. Steam rose once more from her hands before giving out weakly.

"Well, that sucked." Travis said bluntly.

"w-well I don't see you trying any harder! Why don't you come over here and spew fire at this thing, oh that's right. You can't!" Rose cried out in embarrassment, her cheeks flushed.

"Neither can you..." Travis said pointing his thumb at the door.

Jessie choked back laughter as Rose's face turned a bright red.

"Your so annoying!" Rose screamed at Travis as her hands caught fire and blasted the door off its hinges.

"Well, that's not what we expected but we got the same result. Let's go!" Travis said with an amused look on his face. Jessie turned to look at Rose to see a look of triumph on her face.

Running into the cafeteria they noticed the emptiness and total silence of the whole room that's usually really busy at this time. Entering the hallway was the same, just a still silence and a foul smell. 

"Agh, what's that smell?!" Travis said as he pinched his nostrils.

"Burning bodies." Jessie said as his head started to feel heavy. He turned to see his friends with sad looks staring at him.

"I'm sorry you can recognize the smell." Travis said weakly. He took his hand from his nose and took a deep breath. He gagged and smiled at Jessie. "At least now you aren't the only one who knows that smell."

"This smells horrid, god let's just go please." Rose said as she took a deep breath and immediately pinched her nose. Jessie's head felt a little lighter. "Let's head down towards Miss Reynolds's class, she should be right next to the stairs." Rose said as she grabbed Travis' hand pulling him towards the end of the hall. Making their way through the halls they all took turns trying to get inside classrooms banging and begging to be let in. After meeting with silence at every door they met at the end of the hallway.

"Why aren't they letting us in?" Jessie asked.

"It's protocol they can't let anyone in even if they are begging because they might be the aggressor." Travis said.

"Then why'd we go inside in the first place!" Rose yelled.

"I thought it might be worth a shot? We can still go to the gym, there's a panic room behind the locker rooms." He said.

Agreeing upon their last resort they headed to the gym, they moved slowly trying their best not to make any noises. When they rounded the corner on the corridor leading to the gymnasium Rose screamed and Travis cried out in pain as he ripped his hand from Rose's. Jessie turned to see a bodying against the door to the gym.  It looked burnt and the smell of harsh chemicals attacked Jessie's nose.

"What the fuck is that?!" Travis asked terrified.

"It's a body..." Jesse whispered.

They all stared in gruesome shock at what they saw. It was broken by a distant yell of what sounded like a man coming from behind them.

"Hey, is anyone down there; because I'm hungry and you sound like food." A dry chuckle followed.

Not losing a moment they turned and ran down the corridor. They heard hard feet hitting the ground behind them. Jessie grabbed the door handle and pulled against the body that leaned against it. He threw the door open sending the body to the floor.

I'm so sorry!

Entering the gym Travis pointed and yelled "There! To the right." Jessie turned to see a set of double doors with a sign above that read locker room in bright blue letters.

Travis grabbed Rose's hand and ran as fast as he could pulling her with him. Jessie could hear the footsteps become louder as they slowly approached and panic set in. He turned to look around the room and saw some gym equipment to the side 

I've never been more thankful for coach Steve and his laziness. 

"Take Rose into the panic room and lock the door, I'm gonna barricade the door!" Jessie yelled as he ran towards the equipment.

"N-no what about you?!" Rose exclaimed looking back at Jessie with confusion.

 Travis nodded and ran into the locker room pulling Rose as she begged to let her go. Jessie now alone continued to barre the door as he heard the footsteps become louder and louder. Not finding anything else near him to use anymore he ran into the locker room.

Running through the door he crashed into Travis. Rubbing their heads they got up.

" Are you finished?" Travis yelled. "We need to go now!"

"Lead the w-." Jessie said as they heard a loud sizzle coming from outside the room. They looked at each other and started to run toward the panic room. Right before they got to the door the locker room door burst open revealing behind it a tall barefoot man in a black coat. Jesse pulled Travis behind some lockers and covered his mouth and placed a finger over his own.

"Your hiding in here I know it. I can smell you and mmmmmh you smell delicious." More cackling followed.

Travis whimpered and Jessie started to hyperventilate. The harder he breathed the more unfocused he became when suddenly he exhaled and black smoke escaped from his lungs. Travis unaware of it breathed it in, immediately calming down and becoming silent. Jessie shook Travis and panicked as Travis' head swiveled around.

He fainted after breathing in the smoke! 

 He was so focused on it he didn't notice the shadow above his head. Travis opened his eyes as Jessie started to slap his face gently silently begging him to wake up. He looked up sleepily behind them and screamed underneath Jessie's hand clasped over his mouth. Looking up Jessie loosened his hand and starred at the man upside down on the ceiling.

"Boo." 

His cackle drowned out Travis' scream.