Brighter Nights - Prologue

“I was reading in the cafeteria when I heard the screaming.”

My heart was slamming against my ribs as I told my side of the story to the policeman in front of me. He reached up and scratched his short beard while he scribbled some details on yellow paper with crude handwriting. The room was cold and metal, and I tried not to shiver the entire time I was in there.

“So, I looked up, and of course I was scared, but the people closer to the front of the cafeteria joined in the screaming and got under the tables, so my friends and I did too. My best friend and I sat next to each other with the chairs pulled in around us. The screaming got louder, and then the sirens started blaring, and then the cops showed up to get us out of there.”

“Did you see who did the shooting at your school? Or any of the victims?”

“No. I wasn’t near that side of the cafeteria, and the cops got us out before I could see anything.” I squeezed my hands in my lap and kept my breathing steady.

“How long did it take you to get home?”

“About three-ish hours after everyone got out of the school.”

I was only asked a few more questions before I was set free to go home. My aunt stood up from a chair as soon as she saw me coming and held out an arm. I walked to her and leaned in slightly. “Ready to go home?” I just nodded, saving the tears for when we were home.

I had never lied to a cop before. That was three days ago. Tomorrow morning, school started again.