Anonymous Sun 30 Jun 2024 03:46:17 No.67011821 Report

Quoted By: >>67012152 >>67012384

>>67011800
Eyyyyy, nice to see you man, thought you wouldn't show today with all the shit that happened earlier.
For the req I was thinking PAIN of a different variety. E4 Anon and Lucy at home when a news broadcast shows a developing school shooting in Amber's school. She's fine at the end but you know, drama and anxiety from their point of view.

Anonymous Sun 30 Jun 2024 04:15:54 No.67012384 Report

Quoted By: >>67012531

>>67011821

>My phone vibrates. I pull it out to check who's texting me at 2 in the afternoon on my day off. If it's work again I swear to-
>"We're in lockdown. I'm okay." It's from Amber. My stomach flips.
>Every cell in my body stands at attention. The first thing I do is quickly flip over from Netstix over to cable, the news. Surely this is something small, a bomb threat, disgruntled student. Nothing serious. I land right on local news. It's already starting, a news anchor holding a hand to her ear, the scrolling text on the bottom saying that police are pooling outside. No confirmation of anything yet, just that something is happening.
>I quickly fire a message to Amber. "Keep texting me. Just anything." I call out to my wife.
>"Lucy!" I hold back but there's something in my voice that found it's way out of me that I hadn't intended. She notices and hurriedly enters the living room from the kitchen.
>"Honey is there someth-" her hand holds her snout shut now. She's reading the scroller.
>"Police stationed outside of Volcano High, situation still unfolding." It reads
>Lucy's eyes are wide as dinner plates. My phone buzzes, Amber again.
>"Okay, I'll check in every few minutes." Good.
>I look to Lucy and speak "Amber says she's okay, she's texting me." I show Lucy my phone. She huddles in and more or less rips it out of my hands to read.
>"Can...can we call her?" she looks up to me pleadingly.
>"What if..." the words stick in my throat.
>"...what if she needs to hide? We can't-" anxious worried claws dig into my arm.
>"We just have to trust she'll be okay." I fight through the pain as Lucy realizes what she's doing, quickly releasing me.
>"Sorry. Sorry." she steps into the hallway, heading into the bathroom for a couple of bandages. I turn the volume up on the TV as I stay standing, watching intently. I worry.
cont.

Anonymous Sun 30 Jun 2024 04:23:06 No.67012531 Report

Quoted By: >>67012642

>>67012384
>Lucy returns quickly and tapes up her handiwork, two stick-on bandages enough. We both still listen intently as she works.
>"...We've got confirmation of the situation." I hold my breath. Lucy does the same.
>"We have confirmation of an active shooter currently at-"
>"ANON!" I turn to Lucy, pale as a ghost. I already know. I flick the TV off and we scramble down the hallway into our bedroom. My phone buzzes again.
>"I'm okay but they said we have to turn our phones off now. I'll text you when I can." Fuck.
>I tear through the room as fast as I can, grabbing keys and anything else I'll need. I even load up my concealed carry, something Lucy insisted we both get.
>I look over to see Lucy has already prepared and gotten her phone out, rapidly typing away.
>"Amber said she's still okay but they're making her turn her phone off." Lucy looks to me in horror, a weak nod of understanding. I turn to walk out and hear her right behind me.
>We scramble out to our van, the thoughts of never having to chauffeur in it again creeping up the back of my mind. She's fine, stop panicking.
>I strap in and start as I glance over to Lucy, she's on the phone. She notices my gaze and pulls it down to her lap, hitting speaker.
>"-eral guys on the force there. I will personally march in there if they don't get their goddamned asses in gear. So help me God." It's Ripley and he's furious. He's mostly retired now but still spends a lot of time with the boys at the station. I can tell from his voice, he means that.
>"We're going down there." Lucy speaks to him.
>"Good, I'll see you there." A click as he hangs up. I nod to my wife and pull us out of the driveway, speeding down the road to Volcano High. It starts to get congested as we approach and there's even a police line, not allowing vehicles in.
cont.

Anonymous Sun 30 Jun 2024 04:30:25 No.67012642 Report

Quoted By: >>67012778

>>67012531
>I consider ramming the bastards but ultimately decide against it, merely parking nearby and going the rest of the way on foot. Panicked walking turns to a half-jog into almost a sprint as we finally make it close enough to see the school.
>The area is taped off, civilians kept at bay. For how long this will hold me is yet to be determined. I rip my phone out to check the news again. No updates yet. Those bastards.
>I hear Rip call out from behind the line. "Over here!" I spy him off to the side, lifting the tape. Lucy grabs my hand and we dive through the crowd over to a small open spot, slightly closer but still nowhere near the school.
>"Anything?" Lucy is desperate for answers.
>"It's over." As he speaks my anxiety skyrockets.
>"The guy already did himself in. We're just sweeping and checking for anything else dangerous." Rip folds his arms and sighs.
>"...how many?" I clinch my jaw and am forced to ask.
>"...so far we've got 2 confirmed deaths and 17 wounded." My fists are clenched into balls tight enough to compress air into plasma.
>Lucy doesn't speak but simply looks at Ripley. She needs to know.
>Rip shakes his head. "Nothing about Amber, yet. It's almost guaranteed she's okay." I feel Lucy almost fall into me. His words assuring me greatly. I can't thank him enough.
>The radio in Ripley's hand kicks in, staticy chatter. He pulls it up to the side of his head and listens closely. Lucy and I stay silent.
>"Well looks like they're starting to pull kids out. Eyes on the front gate." he gestures and turns and we see a few fully armed officers escorting groups of shocked teenagers out.
>My instincts kick in and I peer harder than I'd ever before. My eyes focus and scan each child leaving. Wings, tie, jacket, spats. I look and look. Lucy grasps my hand tightly.
>What was only minutes felt like an eternity of waiting. The wave of relief as I spy Amber step out in a crowd of teenagers is unlike anything I'd ever experienced before.
cont.

Anonymous Sun 30 Jun 2024 04:37:51 No.67012778 Report

Quoted By: >>67012833

>>67012642
>"She's okay..." I quietly call down to my wife, who shares my sudden extreme relief. "She's okay." I repeat the phrase.
>Ripley waves over at one of the nearby plain-clothes cops and points him towards Amber. She's coming home with us.
>She's retrieved and brought into our arms, Lucy and I both tearing up at our safe little girl. For a while there I played with the idea of never seeing her again, forced to bury her before she ever really got to live her life.
>Those thoughts die as I squeeze her.
>"I'm right here. It's okay." She tries to calm us down as we hug. Lucy is having none of it, bawling her eyes out as she cuddles Amber.
>I finally manage to pull us down the street and into the safety of our little van. We're going straight home and hiding there. No more surprises.
>The ride is quiet, Lucy not even sitting up front with me but instead right beside Amber. As if she was going to vanish if she ever took her eyes off her.
>I finally pull up into our driveway and the stress finally leaves. It's over. We're home and safe. I can't even bring myself to leave the car, the energy just drained from me. I glance up into the rear-view mirror at Lucy and Amber tightly embracing. Amber is crying, too.
>She's just a little girl. Hearing one of your classmates did this. Having to hide and pray you aren't next. I can't imagine how that is going to weigh on her. I take a deep breath and open my door, walking back one step and closing it behind me. I open theirs.
>They step out, both still wounded emotionally and we move as a group into the house. We all collapse on the couch, refusing to be separated. Not after we were almost permanently ripped apart.
>"Are you alright?"
>Amber nods quietly at her mother.
>Lucy looks between me and our daughter. My turn to console.
>"That must have been terrifying. I'm so sorry, Amber." she sighs and speaks.
>"I'll... be alright. I heard who it was, nobody I knew. He was a grade beneath me." I listen intently.
cont.

Anonymous Sun 30 Jun 2024 04:41:36 No.67012833 Report

Quoted By: >>67012847

>>67012778
>"And..." she flips her phone around, showing us the screen.
>"Everyone I know is okay." We're so lucky.
>I smile a bit at her. Knowing that we dodged the calamity this time is enough, no need for anything else.
>"Amber, dear." Lucy takes a deep breath.
>"If this weighs on you: Nightmares, stress, anything just tell us. We want to help you." My hand is squeezed.
>"Thanks. I love you guys so much." Amber stands and the three of us hug again. It's a hug of assurance, promise that she's right there. It's appreciated.
>She quietly pulls away and heads upstairs to her room. We watch as she goes. Neither of us leave the couch and simply stare forward, blank TV screen in front of us. I feel Lucy lean in on me.
>Within a few seconds she's relaxed and is napping quietly. I agree on the nap and lean back, getting comfortable myself. I finally relax and the two of us pass out on the couch.

Fin.

>>67011822
Next.