Don’t Look Down

Chapter One: Don’t Leave Me

"GUN!" The word rang out over the youthful crowd, the only warning before an onslaught of bullets began their assault. The literal triangle of Spencer, Aiden and Ashley, with Kyla on the side, all froze momentarily. It was Ashley who broke the silence, when she saw Spencer was directly in the line of fire.

“Aiden!” She called for him and he awoke from his state of shock, throwing his arm around Spencer and hauling her to the ground along with himself and the other two girls. He felt a pain tear through his left side, like someone had seared him with a soldering iron. They laid there for what seemed like both and instant and hours before the gunshots subsided and all that could be heard was sobbing and the sound of a boy who must have been on the phone with 911 because he was naming the address of the school.

Aiden rolled onto his back, hand clamped to his side as he uttered a soft groan of pain. He could feel the warmth of the blood on his hand and it only caused him to place down more pressure on the entry wound, which lay on the left side of his ribcage. Ashley heard his groan and realized it was safe as she lifted her head, “Is everyone okay!” She shouted, clearly frantic. Other than two grazed elbows and a ruined dress Ashley seemed to be alright.

The younger of the Davies duo had fallen beside Spencer, and now was kneeling next to her, eyes wide, “A-Ashley.” Kyla stammered out in a soft and frightened tone, catching the brunettes attention. Ashley’s head snapped towards her, looking down at the blonde before her heart lurched violently into her throat and her stomach compressed into knots.

“Oh my god, Spencer!” She cried out, scrambling over and resuming a similar position to Kyla as she knelt on her knees and bent over her. She had been laying on her front but Kyla had since rolled her onto her back, so now those blue eyes were staring up at the sky. Her face had drained of color and she didn’t move except to hold her hand tight against the spot just a few inches above her left breast.