The first gunshot tore through the sky like it was screaming.
Maya didn't process it. Not fully. She blinked, standing in the middle of the second-floor hallway, her phone still glowing with Sally's text.
Art room. Alone. Pls come.
Then came the second shot—louder. Inside the building.
That one hit her bones.
The hallway exploded.
Doors slammed. Screams erupted from every direction. Students sprinted past her, faces wild with panic. A girl tripped and fell hard against the tile. A boy dragged her up, both of them vanishing down the stairwell like ghosts running from hell.
"What the fuck was that?" Eddie's voice cracked behind her.
Another shot.
Closer.
"I don't know," Maya choked. "We need to find Sally—she's still—"
A scream ripped down the hall. Pure terror.
Maya and Eddie froze.
Then came the voice—a single word through the intercom, shaky, terrified.
"Lockdown."
The mic clicked off. That was it.
Not a teacher.
Not the principal.
Just one word.
A warning.
Maya's heart exploded into motion.
"Come on," she said, grabbing Eddie's hand. "We can't stay here."
Students were vanishing behind classroom doors. One teacher stood in the hallway, waving people in frantically—until the next gunshot made her dive back inside.
Eddie looked around like he didn't know which way was up. "Where are we even going?"
"Not the library," Maya said, yanking him left. "He'd look there first. If it's—if it's—"
Her throat closed.
She couldn't say the name.
Another shot.
The hallway shook.
Somewhere behind them, someone screamed, "He's in the building! He's fucking inside!"
They ran.
Maya's lungs burned. Her vision blurred. Her mind kept flashing on Sally, crouched alone in the art room, probably crying, probably thinking Maya had forgotten her.
They turned a corner too fast—slammed into a kid with a bloody nose. He fell against the lockers, dazed.
"Who is it?" Maya shouted. "Do you know who's doing this?!"
The kid blinked at her. "Vic."
One word. That's all it took.
Maya's stomach dropped out of her body.
No fucking way.
Vic? Vic?
She hadn't seen him since—
She stopped. Right in the middle of the hallway.
Eddie grabbed her shoulders. "Maya—we gotta move—"
"He's gonna find her," she whispered.
Eddie's face changed. "Then we find her first."
Another shot.
So close it rang in her ears.
The hallway lights flickered.
Then came the footsteps.
Heavy. Slow. No rush.
Like he knew he had time.
Like he knew they were trapped.
Maya shoved open the theater room door. It was dark, cold, empty. They ducked behind the stage curtain, panting, clutching each other like they were the only people left in the world.
Silence.
Then—
Creeeak.
The door opening again.
Footsteps inside the theater now.
Not running.
Just walking.
Every step echoed.
Maya put her hand over her mouth, tears stinging her eyes.
Eddie held her close. "Shhh," he mouthed. "Don't move."
The steps stopped.
Right behind the curtain.
Her body went still. So still it hurt.
Then—
Bang.
The door slammed again.
He left.
They didn't move for twenty more seconds. Thirty. Maybe a minute. Then Maya whispered, "She's in the art room. I have to go."
"Maya, wait—"
"I can't leave her there."
He didn't argue.
They slid out the side exit and into the back corridor. Every door they passed was locked. Every room had silhouettes crouched under desks, faces wet with tears. Maya could feel it in the air—hopelessness. Desperation.
They turned a corner and nearly collided with Luna, her boyfriend, and Zeke.
"Oh my God," Luna gasped. "You're alive?"
"Where's Sally?" Maya demanded.
"We—we told her to meet us after third period, but she never showed—"
"She's still in the art room."
"No—Maya, no," Luna said, grabbing her wrist. "You can't go back out there."
"He's out there," Zeke whispered. "We saw him. He looked right at us and—he didn't even blink. He just kept walking."
Eddie looked Maya dead in the eye. "We go. Now. Before he circles back."
They ran again.
Maya didn't speak. Her throat was raw from holding in screams. Her mind was locked on that last message.
Alone.
The hallway near the art room was too quiet.
No more screaming.
No more running.
Just the hum of lights and the thunder of her own heartbeat.
Maya reached the door and stopped cold.
Blood.
A smear across the handle.
Eddie stepped in front of her. Checked the window. Nothing.
He turned the knob slowly.
Locked.
He knocked once.
A shadow moved.
Then—"Maya?"
"Sally. It's me."
The door opened.
Sally threw herself into Maya's arms, sobbing so hard she could barely breathe.
"I thought you weren't coming—I thought—"
"I got you," Maya whispered, holding her tight. "You're okay. We're getting out."
Eddie turned to look down the hallway.
His face changed.
"Shut the door," he hissed. "Now."
Maya spun around just as the footsteps started again.
Down the hall.
Slow.
Heavy.
Eddie backed up toward the door. "He's coming."
"No—he can't be—"
He was.
Vic.
He turned the corner.
Just him.
Just silence.
He wasn't running. Wasn't yelling.
His eyes were empty.
And the gun was still in his hand.
Sally screamed.
Maya slammed the door shut.
Eddie clicked the lock.
Vic didn't run.
He just kept walking.
He stopped at the door.
Paused.
Pressed his hand flat against it.
Maya felt her whole body go cold.
Then—
Bang.
The lock dented.
Sally cried harder.
Vic fired again.
The window shattered.
"Go!" Maya screamed.
They ran toward the back door of the art room, cutting through shelves and tables, glass crunching beneath their shoes.
Behind them, the door gave out.
Vic stepped inside.
No words.
Just the sound of him loading another round.
They burst into the hallway. Eddie grabbed Maya's hand. "Left!"
But Maya stopped.
Another student.
On the floor.
Shot in the back.
Still breathing.
Barely.
"Oh my God—" Maya moved toward them.
"No!" Eddie yanked her back. "We can't. We can't."
More footsteps.
Too close now.
They turned and ran.
Then—
Maya tripped.
Slammed into the floor.
The phone flew from her hand.
Vic was behind them.
Closer.
Too close.
She looked up—
And saw his shadow.
Right there.
Reaching for the corner.
"Run!" she screamed.
But Eddie didn't run.
He turned back.
And the last thing Maya saw was him blocking her with his body as Vic stepped into view.