The Witnesses: 12:04 PM
The
people who actually saw Rick with the gun weren’t allowed to leave. They holed us up in a room, assigned a police officer
to each of us, and expected us to spill. They wanted to know what had happened – every little minor detail. None of
us provided anything useful, though, as far as I know. I mean, what did they expect? We had all just gone through the biggest
crisis that anyone of us will probably ever experience. JT saw Abby get shot for Christ sakes. Rick had held a gun to my face.
Sean thought that he killed Rick. Did they really think we were going to be ready to talk about anything?
Emma Nelson, 10th
I
was in denial about the entire thing at first. Rick was a psycho. He was a psycho and I had hated him. I couldn’t begin
to accept the fact that my best friend had brought a gun to school and shot everyone.
Toby Issacs, 10th
That
was the worst part – how they kept us locked in a classroom, asking us question after question and getting angry when
we couldn’t answer. Emma was sobbing, Toby and JT weren’t speaking, and EMTs were rushing in and out of the room,
spouting off medical speak as if we weren’t there. Not the best environment to get teenagers to talk.
Sean Cameron, 10th
No
one would tell me if Abby was okay. That’s all I cared about. The girl saves my fucking life and no one even bothers
to tell me if she’s alive. I kept asking and asking, but they either ignored me or assured me they’d speak as
soon as they knew something. I didn’t buy that, though, not for a second. They just were trying to shut me up.
JT Yorke, 10th
Luckily,
Mr. Simpson – my step-dad – called my mom right after everything happened, so she came to pick me up early. I
didn’t have to sit through hours of the godamn questioning, like the others did. I almost couldn’t see because
of tears – my mom had to lead me to our car. While we were heading out of the school, we passed Mr. Simpson’s
media immersion class. The walls were glass, so they could totally see me. That’s all I felt, walking past – their
curious, worried eyes on me. It was like I was some freak show. I’ve gotten used to it by now, but back then –
it was awful.
Emma Nelson, 10th
No
one told me Rick was dead. They didn’t tell anyone. They just assumed that no one wanted to know – who would care
about the guy who just shot everybody? The only reason I found out was because of that bitch reporter. I didn’t believe
it at first – didn’t want to believe it. He couldn’t have died. Not without me knowing. He had been alive,
what? Two hours before?
Toby Issacs, 10th
I
was so glad to get out of that school, like you wouldn’t even believe. I practically ran out, once I was cleared to
leave and my grandma came to pick me up. People may say school’s a prison, but they have no idea what they’re
talking about. See how anxious you are to get out after a shooting, then talk to me.
JT Yorke, 10th
Once
we got out of there, it was chaos. There was reporter after reporter waiting to get to us; get that “exclusive story”
that would get them on the map. Their information was limited and pretty jacked up. They kept calling me “the hero”.
I didn’t get that – I still don’t. I’m not a hero. I faced a situation and dealt with it. Abby did
the same thing – she gets the same “hero” treatment to. We didn’t do anything special. Why can’t
anyone else see that?
Sean Cameron, 10th
