(Alan POV)
I smashed into the gymnasium’s double doors and they luckily flung open. I held the phone as close as I could to my ear to hear my guardian’s instructions. Her first shot missed only by a millimeter as dropped to the floor. I thanked whatever luck I had that my attacker was not using an automatic weapon. By the sound, I assumed it was a handgun. Probably a Glock 19 like that which Sofia was using. When I managed to get back up, I didn’t even bother trying to identify where it came from. The voice on the flip phone spoke with easy enough instructions to follow. Her voice was meek but clear. Once through the double doors she spoke again.
“This h-hallway has many connecting halls with g-groups of classrooms. Turn to your next r-right.”
“Who are you!? And how do you know!?”
I know it's not the best etiquette to be asking questions to the person who is saving your life from a gun-wielding maniac, who is also an associate with a dangerous serial killer. But the panic of running for your life from a dangerous individual leads one to forget basic etiquette and fall back on natural instincts. The same natural instincts which made me question everything. Luckily, those natural instincts did not interrupt any trust I had in this individual on the phone. She was my only chance at survival.
I turned the corner as I heard the doors behind me swing open violently. I managed to create some distance and moved right as a few more shots were fired. The gun’s shots did not echo but instead formed a muffled clap. It was the sound of a silencer on the usual weapon. When I turned the corner, I saw a U-shaped hallway with the other end circling back into the same larger hallway. The voice on the phone spoke again.
“The s-second classroom on the left. H-hurry!”
There was urgency in her instructions and I didn’t hesitate to follow. Admittedly, I had never been shot at. I held no great desire to find out what a hole through my body would feel like. The classroom door was partly ajar and I quickly grabbed onto it and slammed it behind me. These schools had thick doors and walls which were perfect for preventing bullets from piercing them. I mentally thanked all the children whose lives were sacrificed for this addition to school building codes. In the moment, it was quite helpful. The door automatically locked as I closed it. The classroom was a complete mess with a large pile of tiny desks piled in the corner and the whiteboard marked with numerous crude and graphic drawings. The voice spoke again on the flip phone.
“There is a l-large vent entrance in the corner of the room. Enter it and go left back t-towards the cafeteria. It’ll lead to the outside and you can grab the spare p-pistol on Sofia’s b-bike.”
I saw what she was talking about. Clearly someone had the same idea and piled the desks to reach it. I held the phone to my ear as I tried my best to climb the unstable structure.
“H-how did you know about the vent?”
I wanted some answers and the brief moment of not running for life seemed an ample opportunity. The stuttering voice spoke quickly in the same raspy shrill octave.
“I have a b-blueprint of the school on my end. Nothing has been d-demolished so I can get you out of here.”
I guess that made sense. If this is the same person who somehow controls all the cameras in Lynchburg, then why can’t she have the blueprints as well. If it weren’t for the adrenaline, I would have more questions. I finally reached the top of the structure and could see the vent. For a vent, it was large. I could just barely crawl on my hands and knees in the tiny space. I heard a bang against the door. Roxane was shooting at it. I hoisted myself upwards and managed to fit myself inside. The force of my jump though caused a cascade of noise beneath me.
I looked down and saw the pile of desks collapsed with each section falling down one after the other. They traveled across the whole room like a wave. At the same time, I saw the door handle fly off the door. A bullet flung across the room and hit the whiteboard with it. The door was kicked open and for the first time I saw my pursuer and the woman I had been tracking all night.
The first thing that drew my attention was the black hoodie she wore. The front of it had a large hot topic-esque design of Ghostface from the Scream movies. It was baggy and probably a size too large for the small young woman who wore it. She was definitely shorter than me, around 5’2, and was noticeably skinny with thin legs and a pencil neck. Her pale Caucasian appearance had this youthful glow that made you assume that she was younger than she was, even at the age of twenty-one. Her hair was a raven black but with a few strands of bleached white that created an asymmetrical pattern as it was pulled into a loose pony tail. She wore an expression of frustration and seemed to have been chewing a piece of gum as she scanned the room.
As she looked up towards the open vent, I had already started moving. I wasn’t going to let her notice me and get an easy shot. The roof panels were not bulletproof and if I stopped moving she could easily land a shot on me. Three shots went through the floorboards behind me as if to clarify my own reasoning. As I rushed through, the sound of her pistol grew more distant and Roxane seemed to be unable to pursue me and where the vent went. The falling desk pile saved me from letting her continue the chase. I heard her scream out in this uncharacteristic harsh and deep voice for someone of her appearance.
“Fuck! Stop running! Son of a bitch!”
I followed no such command. I was sprinting on my hands and knees as I crawled my way through the metal space. It hurt my knees as they loudly rang out through the tunnel. The flip phone was still hanging between my ear and shoulder as I made my way through. It was dark but a faint moonlight could be seen straight ahead. It split into many directions at many locations but I ignored any other path for the freedom promised to me by my mysterious benefactor. After I was far enough and I was confident I could no longer be shot by Roxane, I spoke into the phone.
“What’s happening? And who are you?”
Sofia’s lack of answers was reaching the limits of my patience. I had now been nearly shot on top of destroying a crime scene, disrespecting a corpse, and being kidnapped. I found myself all but screaming into the phone, hoping that this new figure would be willing to give me a few nuggets of context. The voice spoke once again in its static-filled connection producing a weak sound.
“My name is A-Alice. I’m Sofia’s… c-colleague.”
One of my questions was answered. I wanted to scream at Alice to now answer the other part. I held my tongue though, I needed to not yell at the few kindnesses the night gave me. Maybe Alice will turn out to be a rational individual who is closer to a utilitarian than a sadistic egoist like every person I have met tonight. As Sofia’s ‘colleague’, maybe she has some sway over Sofia to ensure my safety and possibly remove me from this dangerous situation.
“Thanks for saving me, Alice.”
I tried my best to sound calm but luckily did not need fake being appreciative, probably the most difficult emotion to fake. Alice responded quickly as well. The static gave the same weak and shrill voice but there was a kick in it which suggested enthusiasm.
“N-no problem! Just doing my job.”
I was now approaching the end of the tunnel. The end was likely previously closed with a grate before. But whether intruders or the elements, it was now an open entrance/exit to the natural world. I saw the chainlink fence which marked safety roughly twenty meters away from the seven foot drop out of this hole in the wall. To further emphasize my luck, or rather the exquisite guidance of Alice, I could see Sofia’s motorcycle on the other side. As I was about to stick my head out to get a look around.
“B-before you go! There’s uh… a second g-gun with spare magazines! Grab it and help Sofia!”
I slowed my crawl forward. I may need to reconsider my positive opinions toward Alice. While yes, she is telling me where to find a weapon for self-defense. She is also telling me to run back into danger and assist Sofia in fighting both the unknown individual who seemed to be thinking on the same wavelength as movie star and notorious child predator Freddie Kreuger and the gun-wielding Roxane who I just escaped. I suppose any colleague of Sofia Bercowicz must be similarly in need of their screws being tightened. She continued speaking as I finally reached the exit.
“T-to your right, is the playground. Sofia should be fighting t-there.”