"That would be wonderful. I'm trying to be the one woman in the whole family that doesn't get all goofy when you're around, but I'll risk it for a nice dinner. Mom asks about you every Time I speak to her. Melissa and her girls all think you're tops, and Willow can't stop talking about you. That only leaves me, and if you don't stop dancing me around the kitchen, I'll be as far gone as they are," laughed Donna. "Here's Willow now.""Hi, Tyler," greeted Willow as she hugged Mitchell as soon as her mother released him. "When are you going to dance in public with me, Mitchell? I watched you on TV with my cousins and you were all amazing. Do you think I'll ever be as pretty as Maddie and Christine?""Tyler seems to think so," laughed Mitchell. "He keeps coming back, even when you ignore him. That tells me that the poor guy has it pretty bad. He's giving you a ride to school today, so you'll just have to sit in the front seat and be nice to him. Some kids might even think that you like h
Just as Ms. Metzger started to address the group, four men in coveralls entered the gym from the west door, which was technically an emergency exit. They quickly spread out as they approached the students. They had been walking with a handheld behind their bodies. The first man nodded and all four swung guns from behind them and pointed them at the group."What's the meaning of this?" demanded Ms. Metzger nervously."I want everyone to go over that wall," demanded the apparent leader. "Stand by that wall, now.""When a guy tells you to get into the trunk of the car; never get into the trunk," stated Jared firmly. "We'll just stay where we are, and you can go to hell."When Jared spoke, the gang's leader turned his gaze toward him. Christine saw the dark man's eyes light up when he noticed her sitting next to Jared."It's the 'whore on YouTube', isn't it?" laughed the man. "Where's the hero now? With a different whore?"Just as the leader spoke, the student sitting at the end of
In less than a minute, Laura had passed ten phone numbers on to Christine and soon the kids were online with someone, doctor or nurse, trained in emergency medicine."I've got Mitchell here. He's been shot several times, but it looks like blood is just pouring from a wound in his upper leg, near his crotch. I'm pulling his pants down and I see blood spurting. It must be an artery," reasoned Christine."Here's what I want you to do," responded Laura calmly. "You need to take a cloth, like a piece of Mitchell's shirt and fold it up and press it tightly to the wound. You've got to slow down the bleeding. If you can, find something to tie around his leg over the bandage to keep it tightly in place."Christine had placed the phone on the speaker as she worked over Mitchell. She used the knife to cut the front of his shirt off and folded that piece into a bandage. Then she snaked his belt around his upper leg and drew it tight, securing the makeshift bandage in place. Christine felt some
When Mitchell was rolled out to a waiting ambulance, Christine walked beside him. She rode in the ambulance to the hospital and held his hand as he was delivered to the emergency room. Even in the chaos of the ER, everyone watched as the beautiful young woman clad only in a red skirt and bra, and covered in blood, strode regally through the ward.Melissa had been enjoying a morning coffee with her sister, Donna, when the phone rang, and Donna answered it. Melissa felt the hairs stand up on her neck as she listened to her sister's conversation."Slow down. Who did Mitchell kill? Are you sure you saw that happen? Did you pull the fire alarm? Are you far away from the building now? Stay there and I'll be down to pick you up." promised Donna as she dropped the phone back in its cradle."There's pure hell to pay at the school. Willow said she was with Mitchell and Tyler when Mitchell suddenly punched a guy and then deliberately broke his neck. He told her to run and pull the fire alarm;
"These pathetic shooters probably spent a few weeks at some shooter training camp learning to shoot and make bombs. My boyfriend learned self-defense and hand-to-hand combat from his father, a Commander in the Army Green Berets. He became an expert with a handgun, with both his left and right hand. When he came through that doorway this morning armed with those guns taken from the dead shooter, it was never a fair fight. Those cowards had no chance. He killed every damn one of them in a blazing gun battle. I saw the bullet holes in the dead suicide bombers when I cut the wires to the bombs they had concealed on their bodies. To a man, they had two bullet holes in their forehead. A bullet to the body may well have detonated the explosives. Mitchell realized that and somehow shot all four-armed shooters in the head, saving hundreds of lives and preventing the destruction of our school. Suffering from two bullet wounds and lying in his own blood, he then explained to me that the bombs we
"They've set up some donation centers in the mall for people to give to the hospital fund. You should visit them and comfort even more people. Remember that you've got to stay healthy for Mitchell and the others."At the mention of Mitchell's name, Christine began sobbing against her mother's shoulder. "Mom, if Mitchell dies, I don't know what I'll do. I don't think I'll want to live.""Then keep doing what you've been doing. Be strong. These people need someone to show them what to think right now, and how to feel. They're in shock. You need to lead by example. Be positive and confident. Laura and the other doctors will do everything possible for Mitchell, and all the injured. You've become the face of courage and hope in this awful situation. Show the world why people turn to you in Times of need.""You're right, as usual, Mom. Come on, Ashley, let's get moving," replied Christine as she wiped the tears from her eyes.The rest of the morning was pretty much a blur as people, mos
In the waiting room Patti kept getting up and moving things around to make things better, picking up trash or a cup that just went empty. Repeating to people in the waiting room “Why my daughter wasn’t married and having kids instead of in this hospital?” Which had some of us laughing because our teacher had tons of kids her mom just never put two and two together. I went an got a coke when I got back into the waiting room to find several men in dark suits checking the ID of the people waiting for news of loved ones. Just as they were approached by a big guy in a suit, Christine heard a murmur from the crowd. Looking toward the entrance, Christine recognized Governor O'Malley. Ignoring the security guy, Christine headed for the Governor. They tried to stop Christine get to the Governor when the governor said, “Let her pass.”"Christine. How're you doing? I came as soon as I could," stated Governor O'Malley as he embraced Christine. "We'll do everything we can to help the injured. You
"Normally, we only allow actual family in to visit in situations like this, but Dr. Sheers told me that there was no way I'd be able to keep you out, and that you're welcome to visit with Mr. Kays. Follow me, please."Christine was surprised at how weak and pale Mitchell looked when she first saw him. He had bandages across his chest and over his shoulder. An IV bag was hanging on the far side of the bed and was attached to his arm. Christine wasted no Time in leaning down and giving Mitchell a long kiss. When she finally stood back up, she looked at Uncle Joe and laughed."What're you looking at, Uncle Joe? Can't a girl kiss her hero boyfriend when he gets out of surgery after saving hundreds of people?""I'm just amazed at how you two got together. I've never seen a better match," declared Joe as he stepped to the bedside and shook Mitchell's good hand. "Son, I saw your girlfriend on television about a dozen times today. To hear her tell it, you're just about the best thing since