(Alex's POV)

"Bye mom, I love you" I kissed my mom on the cheek where she was washing dishes before walking to the door for school.

"Bye sweetie, be safe."

I slid into my beat up pickup truck and drove down the street to Dulaney High School.
Kids stood out in the front, showing off their latest skateboard tricks, gossiping about who had the hottest boyfriend or girlfriend, a few of them were making out on the side of the building, you know, average teenage activities.

"Hey man!" I called out to my best friend Jack as he ran and gave me a hug.

"How's it going?"

"Pretty good. Hey Rian wanted me to tell you to meet in the library for lunch. He want's to help you with your lesson for church on Sunday. Zack on the other hand, not really sure. You know how he is around us with that." Jack said while tightening the grip on his backpack.

"Sure that sou-" I got cut off by being shoved back by a tall kid with longish blonde hair wearing a trench coat.

"Watch it." He scowled, walking away, boots slamming against the laminent floors.

"Dude, i'd watch out for him." Jack said pulling me away by my wrist before I could say something to him.

"Fronzak has always been up to no good."

"Whatever. I'll see you at lunch, Jack."

"See you."

And with that, I walked down the long corridor, up the stairs to my first period class, clueless on how this day was going to end up.

~

(Jack's POV)

I sighed and rubbed my temples, frustration and anger overflowing me from hearing Fronzak and Cerulli laugh and high five each other after each one made a very gory drawing or nasty plan for what they loved to do which had to do with satanic rituals and blood. Lot's and lot's of blood. I'm leaving all of that to your imagination.

"Please God, make it stop" I whispered but that didn't go unnoticed by the two teenagers that were labeled as 'goths' and or 'freaks'. Alex, Zack, Rian and I were also labeled as 'freaks' but that was a different story.

"We're really gonna tear it up, huh bro" Fronzak laughed as he made a very crude gesture at the teacher when he turned his back.

"Yeah dude, just watching them suffer. It's gonna be gre-"

"That's it! I've had it!" I slammed my fits on the table, pushing my chair back and facing the two.

"You guys are seriously messed up! I'm tired of always hearing about your evil deminers and what not! It makes me sick!" I exclaimed throwing my arms up in the air. I already had the whole attention of the class.

"Whatever Christian boy." Cerulli laughed and Fronzak smirked as he held his arm up making a gun shape with his fingers letting the "pew" sound fall from his mouth before he dropped his hand and kicked his feet up on the table with a loud thud.

My jaw dropped along side of my heart as I asked to be excused from the classroom. Mr. Collins nodded and handed me the hall pass before I stormed to the bathroom finding the last stall, sliding down it saying a silent prayer.

When I was done, I took out my phone and texted Alex saying he needed to meet me in the Fine Arts hallway bathroom. He replied quickly saying he was on his way.

I stood up when I heard the bathroom door open and walked out seen Alex.

"What's wrong?" He asked as he sat up on the sink and started swinging his legs.

"Uh just Fronzak and Curelli... They just got to me real bad." I stated as I fixed a stray hair.

"What'd they do?"

I sighed. "Just talking about the stuff they usually do and then I snapped, to that Fronzak laughed and made the hand sign for a gun and pointed it at me. Just kinda freaked I guess. Now we're here."

Alex nodded. "You know what you need to do right?" Alex pushed as he grabbed my hands and I nodded.

We both silently prayed together for the two boys and each other before pulling apart and smiling.

"You know I'm always here for you right, Jack?" Alex said as he zipped up his jacket and pulled his back pack back on.

"I know, thanks Lex. I'll probably not be in the library until later okay? I need to talk to Adam about some stuff, okay?"

"Kay Jack-o. See you during lunch! I'll be by the back window okay?" Alex said as he walked out of the bathroom door.

"Kay" I muttered back before grabbing my backpack and walking but the the classroom.

~

(3rd person. I tried.)

The bell rang causing everyone to scatter off to lunch. Jack quietly gathered his books and shoved them into his backpack, walking out of the classroom down the long hallway almost immedietly running into Adam.

"Hey Adam." Jack called out as he waved.

"Hey" Adam smiled hugging Jack quickly.

"Let's go say hi to everyone first and then I can show you how to edit your pictures with that new editing software you just bought." Adam just nodded and we jogged down the stairs and walked the short way to the library where Rian, Zack, Alex, were standing.

"Hey guys. I just wanted to say hi and we'll be back over here like in about... 25 minutes?" Jack said carefully while looking at his watch.

"Okay!" Alex said happily and hugged Jack tight before walking into the library followed by Zack, and Rian.

"C'mon Adam" Jack said as they walked back the short distance to the stairs, up them till the second platform and sat down and Adam pulled out his laptop and booted it up before choosing the 'Adobe Photoshop' icon on the homescreen.

"Okay so it usually depends on what you want to do. For these pictures, I think they'd look good as black and white." Jack said casually as he pointed to the icon to choose that option.

It was around 15 minutes later when they heard loud shouts and cheers from down the hallway. Jack knew just who it was by the sound of it. Jack and Adam looked at eachother and just shrugged before returning back to Jack explaining all the filters.

They were jolted back to reality when they heard a loud boom.

"Jack?" Adam whispered looking straight at Jack, who was looking right down the hall as he saw the two boys side by side casually making their way to them.

boom, boom. There goes another. Jack and Adam saw smoke forming down behind them quickly realizing there were bombs going off.

"Adam move!" Jack shouted as he saw Fronzak lift a loaded gun that was pointed straight at Adam as it fired, totally missing Adam but hitting Jack in the leg. Jack shouted clutching onto his leg, having Adam fall next to him after he heard another bang knowing it was a bullet that had hit Adam.

Jack was curled up, clutching onto his leg, tears falling out when he looked up and saw Fronzak standing just above him.

"Stand up." Fronzak ordered as he slammed his foot into his side.

Jack stood up carefully, slowly lifting his hand off his bleeding thigh.

Fronzak glanced over at Cerulli who had the gun just above Adam's head. Fronzak nodded at Cerulli and Jack screamed as he heard the gun being set off.

"Now you don't want that to happen to you now, huh Jack?" Fronzak asked the younger as he backed him up into the wall.

"N-no. Not a-t all." Jack stuttered, pulling the sleeves of his jacket over his hands.

Jack faintly heard commotion coming from down the stairs, probably the school going on lockdown.

"Stop! Put the gun down!" Jack turned his head to see two teachers right behind Cerelli and Fronzak and they both just laughed, turned around and pointed the gun to both of the teachers, pulling the trigger.

Jack was now an emotional wreck. Shaking and crying trying to find a way out of here. He just wanted his best friend.

"Where were we... Oh yeah, so you don't want to die now do you?" Fronzak asked getting closer and closer to Jack.

"No." Jack said quietly, lifting his hand to wipe at the tears.

"Now, i'm going to ask you a question." Fronzak stated as he cocked the gun back.

Jack just nodded and composed himself a little better.

"The question asked in order, to save his life or take it. The answer 'no' to avoid death, the answer 'yes' would make it, make it."

"Do you believe in God, Jack?" Fronzak asked casually as he let the barrel of the gun trace along Jacks jaw.

Jack's eyes widened and heart started to race uncontrollably.

Jack nodded quickly and Fronzak shoved the barrel of the gun further under Jack's chin.

"Do you?"

"Say 'yes' to pull the trigger."

Jack opened his eyes and nodded once before saying that one word.

"Yes."

Fronzak smiled and let his finger slip as the gun went off, sending Jack a lifeless pile to the ground next to his friend, Adam.

"And Jack pulled the trigger."

Alex's head shot up when he heard the sound of a gun going off and then the shrill screams of students running out of the library. Zack and Rian looked around with him and noticed they were the only ones in the library except for around 10 other people that dismissed the chaos going on around them.

"Everybody under the tables!" Their librarian shouted as she had just received the news of the shooting happening just outside of the library.

"What's going on?!" Zack shouted but screamed as he heard that similar boom that Jack had heard earlier.

"Under the table Zack!" Rian shouted as he ran to tackle him to the ground, and rolled under the table next to the one Alex was already under.

Alex's eyes widened as he saw Cerelli and Fronzak walk in, both of their shotguns hoisted up on their shoulders scanning the place noticing it was 'empty'

"Peek-a-boo!" Fronzak shouted as he pointed the gun at a few of the fallen tables successfully piercing through and hitting a few kids.

"Found you!" Fronzak shouted as he jogged behind that table and made sure he killed them.

Alex curled up next to Rian as the tears threatend to spill.

"R-rian, where is J-Jac-k? He-he could b-be hurt!" Alex whispered into Rian's shoulder.

"I'm sure he's fine." Rian said calmly.

"Zack!" Rian whisper yelled as he saw Zack trying to stand up.

"No! I'm going to make a run for it!" He whispered just as quiet, flinching violently as he heard more cheers and yells coming from Fronzak and Cerelli.

"Zack please!" Alex shouted, not caring about the noise he made but immedetly regretting it.

"Ah Zachary Merrick..." Fronzak shouted from across the library, jogging up to him, but Zack showing no fear whatsoever.

"How are you man?" Cerelli asked just as he caught up to Fronzak.

"As good as I can be with all of this going on." Zack stated as he motioned his hand up and down the mens blood covered jeans and coats.

"Ah, I see." Cerelli said, nodding.

"My turn." Cerelli said quietly in Fronzak's ear and he nodded.

"So, Zack. You're a Christian right? A Jesus freak? The people who are surely to damn me to Hell?" Cerelli asked as he straightened out his shirt.

"What? No! Of course not!" Zack said loudly, almost scoffing at the question but knowing damn well he was one of them. His parents raised him better than that. Prayed every night before dinner, went to church, but something about how he felt wasn't right. He never did out right praise God like Alex did. Alex was proud about his beliefs, but Zack, he wasn't. He was almost ashamed.

"You sure? So you don't believe in God?" Curelli asked, holding the barrel of the gun right in between Zack's eyebrows, pushing harshly.

Alex and Rian were holding onto each other crying not knowing what he was going to say next.

"Positive. I do not believe in God." Zack said sternly, relaxing as the gun was released from his head.

"Go on." Fronzak pressed as he shoved Zack away from the two and headed onto Alex and Rian.

The answer 'no' to avoid death.

Rian clutched his Cross necklace and Fronzak scoffed before shoving the barrel of the gun to the boys temple and pressed.

"Do I even have to ask you, Dawson?" Fronzak snearred.

"No, you don't." Rian whispered as he held onto Alex hands, trembling with fear.

"Sucks, huh?" Fronzak asked, but didn't give the boy enough time to answer before the bullet shot out of the gun, piercing through Rian.

Alex screamed loudly, shaking as he saw the blood that had splattered onto him from the lifeless body next to him.

"Why?!" Alex screamed as he backed up against the window, turning around seeing police cars all around and ambulances but one thing stuck out to him, was one of his best friends.

There Zack was, sitting on the side of the road next to one of the ambulances staring right at him. Alex choked a sob knowing that his friend had betrayed God.

"Alex." Fronzak stated, kicking the boys leg.

"Y-yes?" Alex asked, pulling his legs into his chest.

"Do you believe in God? Written on the bullet. Say 'yes' to pull the trigger."

"Alex, I shouldn't have to ask you this cause I know you all too well. Remember when Derek died? And you said a speech at his memorial for the school? But you took those extra two minutes to say a prayer?" Fronzak asked pacing back and forth, the gun swinging by his side.

"Of course I do." Alex said nodding.

"Everybody hated you for that, Alex. You wasted our time. Nobody needed to hear your time consuming prayers that we all know doesn't help." Fronzak said emphasizing hated and help

"Does it matter what you think? I know what helps me and I can do as I please knowing I got permission to do that!" Alex shouted.

"Don't you raise your voice at me." Fronzak said sternly.

Alex nodded, breath hitching in the back of his throat when he heard the gun being loaded then pointed straight at his face.

"Do you actually believe in God, Alex?" Fronzak asked, pushing the barrel closer to Alex's skull.

Alex let his eyes slip closed, mind racing. Rian died for saying 'yes', will I die too? Where's Jack? Did they ask him the same question? I know he'd say 'yes'. He's strong in his faith. So why am I struggling?

"Alex." Fronz stated loudly. "Do you believe in God?"

"Yes."

And Alex pulled the trigger.

Notes

LORD JESUS OH MY GOD I COULDN'T BREATH WHILE WRITING THIS! I FEEL TERRIBLE.

Okay, this is the most religious thing I have ever written. I myself, am a Christian so I know what I would say in this predicament.

But did you expect that from Zack?

Please let me know what you thought in the comments. I only got one comment and there are 15 of y'all subscribed so far, so please let me know.

THERE IS GOING TO BE AN EPILOGUE!!! KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR THAT! :D