A/N Hello readers. This idea came to me today while I was reading about the Columbine shooting. I've read the book before and such, but I suppose the Sandy Hook shooting peaked my interest in it again. This is going to be multi-chapter if it gets enough response and it is going to be incredibly dark. It is rated M due to cursing and extreme violence. This is an alternate universe, so of course the island never happened and all that. The boys are older in this story. Ralph, Jack and Samneric are all seniors, Roger, Piggy and Simon are juniors. This story will take place in the States just because the issue of guns is a lot bigger there.
If this is in any way an emotional topic for you, I suggest not reading this story. I didn't write it to offend anyone, I wrote it because it was a story that had never been done (as far as I know?) for Lord of the Flies before and thought the idea had some potential. However, if you do read, would you do me the favour of reviewing please?
Warnings: Once again, cursing, extreme violence including murder and potentially sensitive subject matter.
Added notes: Rest in Peace to all those who lost their lives in the Sandy Hook shooting and thoughts to everyone affected.
Disclaimer: I do not own Lord of the Flies or the characters.
The sounds of screams and shots rang through the air. Teenagers flew through the cafeteria, hysterically mixing with the fired bullets. Kids dove under tables, knocking chairs and friends to the side. Tears ran down faces as friends and strangers alike huddled close together, whispering prayers. Mangled bodies lay on the hard ground, blood seeping from the corpses.
Mandy, Ralph thought to himself while looking at one body. She had been in his history class.
Joshua, he named off as he saw the former linebacker bleeding out of a hole in his back.
Daniel, Jaquie, Farley, Alexander, Miranda, all dead.
The fair-haired boy's green eyes stared in disbelief. He pulled his knees closer into his chest, willing himself not to cry. The center leg of the table dug into his back painfully, but he much preferred this than the alternative of being out there in the line of fire. His eyes jumped from place to place, trying to concentrate but finding it impossible. The girl beside him wept agonizingly loud. He looked towards her hoping for a familiar face but found someone he didn't recognize. She looked young, perhaps she was a freshman. He put a strong arm around her shoulders, pulling her head into his neck, trying to offer as much comfort as was possible. Her weeping seemed to slightly subside. In the relief of noise he closed his eyes, trying to listen to what was happening outside of the minor protection of the wooden table and the group surrounding him. Suddenly, one voice caused everyone else to fall into a sudden silence.
"EVERYBODY SHUT THE FUCK UP!" The voice yelled as two bullets were fired. Ralph assumed everyone was either under a table or dead at this point. He breathed in sharply, trying to keep as quiet as possible.
"Alright," came the voice again. The painfully familiar voice. Ralph attempted to see past the heads in front of him, but the effort was futile. The crowd was too large.
"Alright," the voice repeated, calmer this time, "Would the football team please stand up?"
As far as Ralph could see, none of his teammates rose. He sure as hell wouldn't be the only one. He started to sweat in his varsity jacket, wishing he could burn the piece of offending fabric.
"Okay," the silky smooth voice said, "If you won't give yourselves up, we'll do this the hard way."
Ralph heard murmuring as two sets of footsteps separated. Two perpetrators. Ralph wished he could see. The seconds seemed endless. Ralph's heart pounded in time to every heavy footfall that echoed in the room. He could hear his heart beating in his ears and felt as if he was choking. He knew he would die in that cafeteria.
"Hey, Chief," came the second voice. Another voice that was all too familiar.
"Yeah?"
"I found one," the footsteps of the first crook quickened in the opposite direction he had been walking. Ralph heard a dark chuckle come from the boy, clearly pleased with what they had found.
"Well? Stand up."
A terrified voice spoke up from the same direction, "Pl-please, please don't."
"Puh-puh-please stand up!" Voice one mocked angrily. Ralph realized he knew this next victim. Eric Montgomery. The wide receiver for the school football team and one of his closest friends. Ralph silently wondered if Eric's twin brother, Sam, was with him. Ralph hoped he wasn't in the lunch room, hoped he wouldn't have to see his twin brother brutally murdered.
Perhaps Eric didn't get to his feet fast enough for the murderous tandem, or perhaps they were just being cruel, but a shot rang from one of their guns and hit the boy. Based on the blood-curdling shriek that came from Eric, Ralph assumed the shot was not meant to kill.
"I suggest you listen to us," said the gravelly voice of the second boy. Ralph heard Eric plant his feet on the ground, moaning in pain. Aside from this, the cafeteria remained deafeningly silent for a moment.
"I just hope," the first voice came, cutting through the tension like a poisoned-tipped sword, "that your brother is here to see this."
A trigger was pulled as the bullet punctured Eric. The heavy, excruciating breathing of the boy immediately ceased and Ralph knew his friend was dead. Tears began to flow freely yet silently from the blonde boy's eyes.
"Who's next?" The gruff voice of the second boy asked to the grieving room.
"Hm," the first boy feigned thought, "how about… Ralph Walters?"
Ralph gulped. His face burned and his body sweat. Tears ran faster now, his knees coming in even closer to his chest. His breathing became shallow and frequent, heart beating out of his chest. He felt like throwing up as he suddenly saw his life flash in front of his eyes. They were going to kill him. He would never get out alive.
"Hey, that's a pretty good idea," voice two agreed, "Oh Ralphie-boy, where are you?"
Silence.
"Oh don't worry, you don't have to tell us," boy one stated harshly and scathingly, "because we'll find you." Their footsteps separated again as they began their sweeps.
It was just as the fair-haired boy had thought when the first bullet exploded through the room. Jack and Roger were executing a school shooting and Ralph was their target.