By Fanimara Eunice Oluwatoniloba
Rose and I were just on our way to the cafeteria when I heard a sudden bang. I instinctively grabbed her arm, scanning the area to make sure everything was normal. Everything seemed fine. Rose looked at me with concern and asked, “Are you okay?”
I nodded slowly, still a bit shaken. She gently placed her hand on my head and gave me a reassuring smile. That small gesture calmed me as we continued walking toward the cafeteria.
I had always struggled with something deep and difficult to overcome. Every small sound, every sudden movement felt like a threat to my life. It made it hard for me to make friends or even function normally. But Rose saw me, truly saw me and stuck by my side. We became best friends from that moment on.
Since the start of the new school year, I’d been hearing strange noises, like distant gunshots. Rose kept telling me it was just my mind playing tricks on me, but I knew what I heard. I wasn’t imagining things.
One day, on our way to class, we suddenly saw students sprinting in the opposite direction, panic in their eyes. I tugged on Rose’s arm, urging her to run too, but she resisted. “We need to see what’s going on,” she said calmly. She could see the fear in my eyes and told me to go with the others while she checked it out.
But just as she turned, we saw him, a masked man, dressed in black, holding a gun, and charging toward us.
Without a second thought, Rose and I ran for our lives. We darted into a nearby dark classroom, where a few students were hiding. They signaled for us to crawl under a table and cover our mouths and we did exactly that.
Moments later, the killer entered. He began shooting at the windows wildly. One boy let out a gasp and it was the last sound he ever made. The gunman shot him instantly. Right there in front of us.
We stared in horror as the boy collapsed, lifeless in a pool of his own blood. His eyes turned white, his chest gaping open, blood pouring out. Some students began to cry; others were frozen in shock. I felt like I was about to have a heart attack. Rose wrapped her arms around me, whispering calming words, then comforted the others too. She was the only one holding us together.
We pulled down a curtain, covered the boy’s body, and huddled in prayer, begging God to keep us safe.
Eventually, we decided to move. Carefully, we stepped out of the classroom and tried to find our way to the main entrance. The halls were dim and eerily quiet like we had stepped into a horror movie. My whole body trembled, but Rose never let go of my hand.
When we were close to the front door, a girl from our group sprinted ahead, crying. We told her to stop, to slow down, but she didn’t listen. She reached the door, found it locked, and shook it violently. The loud noise echoed. Before she could react Bang!
She was shot. Right in the head.
We stood there in stunned silence. Then Rose shouted, “Run!”
We all bolted for the nearest door; the bathroom. Five of us were left. The room was dark and cold, the air heavy with fear. Even Rose looked shaken, and I couldn’t stand to see her that way. That was when it hit me.
I had to do something.
I had to be the one to act.
If anyone was going to distract the killer and help us escape, it had to be me.
Yes, I was scared terrified and even, but I was done hiding. It was time to take a stand.
It was time for a leap of faith.
I shared my plan with the others. They all hesitated at first, especially Rose, but I managed to convince her. We left the bathroom together, moving slowly toward the exit I believed might be unlocked. Just like we planned, I walked ahead, acting as the decoy.
But before we could reach the door, the killer lunged out and grabbed Rose’s leg, dragging her backward. She screamed, “Help!” and I spun around just in time to see him shoot her. No!
She collapsed to the ground, right in front of me.
Shot through the heart.
Blood pooled around her pale face.
Her lifeless eyes stared at nothing.
My best friend is gone.
I didn’t know what happened next. All I could feel was a wave of rage, powerful and consuming. I stood up, heart pounding, and marched toward the killer. He looked at me as if I were one of his own, calm, fearless.
He raised his gun.
I dodged.
I grabbed the weapon from his hand and pointed it at his head.
He smirked and knocked me to the ground. He aimed the gun at me and pulled the trigger,
“WAKE UP! WAKE UP!”
My eyes flew open. I was in Mrs Johnson’s classroom.
It had all been a dream.
Drenched in sweat, I looked around. Rose was seated just behind me, alive and smiling like nothing had happened. Without thinking, I jumped out of my seat and threw my arms around her in a big hug.
Everyone stared at me like I was crazy including Rose but I didn’t care.
I knew what that hug meant.
From that day on, everything changed. I was no longer scared. That terrifying dream had awakened something in me. Now, I felt like I could do anything, travel the world, meet new people and face my fears.
And most importantly, Live.
Eunice is of Premier International School, Wuse 2, Abuja
