Keeping the Flame

[Abandoning Ship]

PROLOUGE



"What is this that I feel and what is this that I fear?"

-Coheed and Cambria, From Fear through the Eyes of Madness



My neighborhood had never looked better. Even under tons of rubble, memories of walking over to Jen's house crawled through and tore me apart. Her house was gone. Hit by a 109's .50 gun, from say...a mile away? More? I wasn't too sure. But it was my house I was looking for. The one place I always wanted to stay on some days and leave and never come back on others. It was only a few blocks away, if debris from the house that nice couple lived in a few blocks down didn't get on the road. The Jeep would'nt be able to get over.

It was a few more minutes before I saw my cul-de-sac. The same place the little kids used to play, same place the skaters hung around, same place I talked with my friends. Same place, different time. But my house was still standing, as were a few other houses down our street. I stopped the car outside my brick house and got out. The pale yellow grass under my feet made me miss my green front lawn. The 109's amazingly did'nt even scratch the place, I thought to myself. Considering Woodlake had been wiped off the map, I was surprised. The brick steps in front of the door crumbled slightly as I opened my front door...and stepped inside.

My house was dusty, dirty and dark, but standing. I half-expected to hear my mom greet me like she used to, when I got home from school. The stairs creaked, somthing they never had did before today, and I walked upstairs, hung a left, and stepped into my room. The paint was scratched in some places, and my windows were shattered. But it was fine. My little 2 foot high Christmas tree was still standing int he corner, all my furniture was in place, my bed was made. It was like someone had prepared. Well, I was there for my computer, clothes, and anything else I needed. Then it was back to Wal-Mart.

Home Sweet Home, I guess.

[Abandoning Ship]

Gawd guys, all the comments are gratly appreciated. D:

[Rebelnerd]

its pretty good so far, but WHY DOES IT HAVE TO BE WAL MART THAT COMES TO THE RESCUE!?!?!??!?

[Abandoning Ship]

You'll seee. Next Part Comes tommorow, or If Youtube runs out of Episode of Dexter's Lab for me to watch, tonight.

[Abandoning Ship]

CHAPTER 1



PART ONE: INDICATION



To my dismay, as I packed my computer, clothes, food and cat food for my cats back at Wal-Mart, the memories of what had begun this conflict came rushing back, triggered by seeing my house from the car. The grey land rover came to life and I began driving back.

The conflict had stemmed from a lot of things. People always speculate about what really happened. While the governments offical explanation had been that we were all working With Al Qeuda at the time, my version was different. A lot different.

It really started maybe 2 or 3 years ago, I think. I was 13 then, a young anarchist, always standing up to my teachers for treating us like cattle, defending my friends, all of that. The administrators had rid the school of great teachers, in hopes that they'd keep the hope to a minimum. I was, as far as I could tell, the only one who was affiliated, let alone even visited SS when they fired those teachers. I had always tried to recruit more, to show them the bullshit surrounding them at all times in there,but nobody really listened. It was another 2 months after the layoffs when they called us to an "emergency assembly" in the cafeteria. I was sitting next to my mates that day, twiddling my thumbs, waiting for the day to be over. They came over the microphone and told us to shut up, and everyone did.

"As you all know, Swift Creek Middle is and has been dedicated to your safety and well-being. And, as we all know as well, school shootings have increased around America for the past year." Couldn't argue about the shootings. The past 2 months had seen 6 in schools across the nation. In the back of my mind, somthing fluttered about, something I had heard about a while earlier. I sat forward, listening closesly. "So, the teachers, administrators, and our Superintendint John Riley have come to the decision to arm all teachers with a single firearm for protection."

I swear to this day that as soon as she finished, my heart stopped for a split second. The students around me gasped and "Oh my God" was heard maybe 50 times. A growing feeling of sheer, utter panic engulfed me. I felt sick, my heart was racing. Guns? With these teachers? I knew for a fact that some had been rejected from schools across the state, had mental disabilities, and hated, hated kids. I looked around me at the smiling faces of dozens of horrible teachers. Mrs. Learch, Mrs Jones, Mr. Berardo, And....oh god. Mrs. Leslie. She was smiling the most, laughing as all the other teachers congratualted each other. I turned towards my friend sitting next to me, Tammy, and she had a scarded look, tears in her eyes. I held her as we went back to class. I went home, ate dinner, and went to sleep panicking inside. I wished there was a god to pray to.

The next weeks were some of the worst of my and everyone elses lives. I saw the guns in their cases: Baretta 9mm pistols, a flat, matte black, with the Chesterfield country Public school logo on them. It made me absolutly sick to my stomach. The fact that they were so offical with that logo, they were like a folder teachers used, or the aqua vans that the state used for the schools. It was a state-offical, school-endorsed, manic-weilded killing device. I wanted to scream.

Now, I'm sure you're all asking, "Where in this twisted tale were the parents?"

Well..I'll tell you.

You see, in the confusing and downright terrifyingly sick weeks to come, the outside media was abuzz about a new book written by some famous teenage phsycologist. It was called "The Parents guide to Teenagers", the newest in a line of books read by parents, not knowing that they should've looked back on their own teenage years and built up on that. No, in this day and age, parents get pre-made parenting techniques. Well, the book was a Phenomenon. There were readings, signings, and other events about it all over the country. Every parent loved it...but not the teenagers. It was banned from anyone under 18 by the government. And the author...well the author had just a pen name, no real name. During lunch, with principals patrolling the lunch line with Glocks (They had been given high-powered pistols.), me and my friends talked about the new book, and everyones parents were reading it. It was like the newest parenting acsessory. You're not a REAL parent without it. As far as we could tell, the book should help our parents. But we were wrong.

My mom, after picking it up, had become very, very bitter towards me. I remember one particulary unsettling time, I was watching TV. She was reading the book, then suddenly looked up, with a look of disgust on her face, at me. Back down to the book, back at me, then she went off, Ignoring me telling her I loved her, a result of me thinking I had faulted. I assumed the book had shown some "Truth" behind teenagers or somthing. I didn't let it bother me.

Although, with guns at school, my mother being lied to, and the regular stress of being 14 swirling around me, i was doing pretty well. I was hurting mentally, though. How can someone not be burdened by all this stress?

But after 3 months....it hurt the worst.



TO BE CONTINUED

[Rebelnerd]

wow, this is great...doesn't really seem that crazy nowadays. keep up the good work!

[Abandoning Ship]

It's not as good as your stuff. =P

[Demonic Pyro]

It's still good...

[Abandoning Ship]

PART TWO: Tragedy


November was one of my favorite months that year. Everything was colorful, the weather was colder (I Hate hot weather), and Thanksgiving break was almost here. But school hadn't gotten any better.

The teachers had been using the guns to get the students do anything. That appaled me and everyone at school. It was weird, though. Even in the midst of all this, the students were starting to rise up against teachers. I even heard a story of some kid staring down the barrel of Mrs. Woodward's M9 and not even flinching. And everyone knew me...most likely becuase I was a Mod on SS.

Well, we all decided to revolt peacefully, meaning no fucking anything up, I told them. Just stand outside of school and protest. Maybe a walkout..maybe not. A few days later, on a cold November noon in between classes, I led almost 70 percent of the school onto the lawn and in front of the school. We chanted "No more guns" "Teachers are Hostage takers" and other things like that. It was awesome. I thought I'd never see the students up against a common cause like this.

We stood out there protesting fro maybe an hour until the office saw us and came out. "Everybody get back to class NOW!" they yelled. And, if by magic or some silent command, we got quiet. I stepped forward and told them we were protesting the teachers weilding guns and making us slaves. They physically pushed me back out into the crowd and more teachers came out one at a time. My group was getting nervous, as was I. "You have no say in this!" The Teachers shouted. "YOU'RE STUDENTS! YOU ARE TO WORK AND TO OBEY!" They screamed. My group kept quiet. "GET BACK IN CLASS NOW!" They continued to scream. We stayed put, standing solemnly, silently. But then...well....I saw somthing dark. Curved. It was Mrs. Leslie's Beretta.

Screaming "GET DOWN SHE'S GOT A-"

Gunshots....

Cracking, echoing into the streets...

Yells....


Blood....


TO BE CONTINUED.

[Demonic Pyro]

See, now this is that part where I'd take out my own pistol and shoot her ass.

Idc what would happen to me no one shoots some one in front of me and gets away with it.

[SoulRiser]

Creepy... I think the people with that stupid gun law should read this story

MORE!

(btw, SS in the story... I think that's kickass)

[Abandoning Ship]

SoulRiser Wrote:Creepy... I think the people with that stupid gun law should read this story

MORE!

(btw, SS in the story... I think that's kickass)

You could be in it. AS T3H MESSIAH.

[SoulRiser]

Toucanman Wrote:You could be in it. AS T3H MESSIAH.

Does T3H MESSIAH get to use lots of guns and lovely explosives on the baddies?

(oh wait, that'd kinda spoil the plot if you told me now. oh well)

[Rebelnerd]

damn, this is great...MORE! NOW!

[Abandoning Ship]

Alright, I'll squeeze the first part of Chapter two tonight.

[Abandoning Ship]

PART 3: Repercussions


"You'll burn in hell while they're digging you out
You'll burn in hell"

Coheed and cambria, from Fear Through the eyes of Madness



Why?

I'm sure you're all asking this. I never knew. I never have. I never will.

7 protesters. Dead. The first shot killed the girl right next to me. Hit her right in her eye. Blood still faintly stains the clothes I wore that day. They kept firing, after Mrs. Leslie fired, everyone else pulled out theirs. I screamed, "NOBODY MOVE, STOP RUNNING!" But they did, and they were cut down right in front of my fucking eyes. With my hands up, I saw them run towards the woods, each on falling down till there were 5...

then 4....

3....

2...

1...

Killed instantly. Shot in the head. A bullet had grazed my leg, and my jeans were stained with blood. They had just shot them, right there. Smoke rised from some teachers pistols. The body of the girl next to me made a little stream of blood that emptied into the drain underneath her. I tried to kneel down. "DON'T MOVE!" The Principal screamed furiously at me. I shot back up and cried. Ambulances wailed in the background of the school, and it sounded like Perez when he was shot maybe 15 seconds ago. Someone must've heard the gunfire. It rolled in, the teachers hid their weapons and a Young EMS looked out into the bloody field and asked me frantically "What happened?! What happened?!" I choked, then replied, my hands still up, "They sh-...they fucking shot them a-" The principal cut in coldly "They attacked us, and we had to open fire. Under the school protection act...we had no choice.." He said, glaring at me.

My mouth quivered and I broke down sobbing as the paramedica rushed around, and firetrucks pulled in, sirens blazing. The surviving group was scattered around, some crying, others silent, in disbelief that somthing..somthing like this could've happened. Blood was on their shirts. The signs were on the ground, with bullet holes in them. As the killers went inside to call the police, I kneeled down and stroked the hair of the dead girl. She was cold. I sobbed, and wished for it to all be a dream.

The parents of those who were killed were...well. They were like anyone who's lost someone close. They sobbed. And sobbed...and yet. They did'nt they seemed so fake. They sobbed for maybe 2 minutes, then discussed other matters, like selling their dead daughters stuffed animals, or recovering their dead son's scholarship money, and....it was horrible. Just- Just as bad as that girl, althought it wasn't Tammy. She had heard the gunfire, and ran into the nurses office wanting to go home, and saw me lying on the bed. My leg was caked with blood, they had to cut my pant leg off. She came over, and cried, "They killed Bridgette.....oh, god!" and threw herself into my arms. We sat their, me shaking and rocking her.

Media called it a "Group rampage through the school." Channel 3? "7 murders attack unarmed teachers."
CNN? It got live breaking new coverage. "Students attack innocent teachers. All shot dead." They interviewed parents, teachers, faculty, but no students. No court cases were brought up. A few independant sources tried to sue the teachers for murder, but they were all acquited. Those basterds.....they all deserve to burn in hell.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Abandoning Ship]

One request: If you could, open up this: http://youtube.com/watch?v=jo8NRZfwG-Q
And listen to it in the background while reading. It helps the atmosphere. Start the song right when Part 3 starts.

[Rebelnerd]

i gotta say, i'm hooked. they're short but you pack so much emotion and atmosphere into each one, it feels longer. this is really good stuff!

[Abandoning Ship]

Sweet coming from you.

[Rebelnerd]

that music thing was a good idea, i might have to try that with one of mine.

[Rebelnerd]

its not "stealing," its called sharing. and this isn't the first time its happened, i remember cradle used to recommend songs to listen too when he wrote stuff. having a soundtrack's not a new idea, but having a link is.

[Abandoning Ship]

But is it a good song for the story?

[Rebelnerd]

yeah, i think its great. i've never heard it before but it fits really nice, especially with the protest massacre thing, the guitar sounds sort of 60s-ish and draws some paralells with Kent State and real things like that. very good choise for a song.

[Abandoning Ship]

It's coheed and cambrias new song, it has no name but I call it "In the Pull of the Trigger"...which does fit, even thgouh when I chose it, I was thinking more about the music then the name. >_> Weird.

[Abandoning Ship]

HEY! LISTEN! -shot-

Give me like half an hour and I'll have the new chapter up. I'll be in mIRC as well.

[Abandoning Ship]

PART 4: Vigilance





4 weeks later....



The deaths had a lasting reprecussion on everyone, as I had spread the word on the SS boards. The number of members on the forums had shot up amazingly, and I guessed that we had well over 3,000 new members. Everyone treated me as sort of their leader, I guess scince I was one of the mods of the site. The teachers, on the other hand...well, rumours had ranged from them torturing students to get it, others said they had killed him after finding it out, and yet some untruthful people said that they recived it voluntarily. But how could any student possible be behind their cause? Well, they found the site. Some of my "spies", I guess you could say, planted a crude bug (A walkie-talkie with tape attached to the talk button in a potted plant in the teachers lounge) and told me that they would be making accounts to rip SS apart from the inside out. An underhanded and rotten act, not really a surprise for a group of cold-blooded murderers. There were rumours involving the gulags, teachers reciving assasination training, better weapons for them, bars on the school windows and doors, and parents moving away, leaving their kids. But the one rumor that most didn't come from my hometown. It came from asia.

You see, CNN reported that children and teens 10-17 were being taken en masse by the government, for "crimes against humanity", and being locked up in government-supported and funded gulags. Now, last year had the huge politcal change of china, turing it essentally into a totallarian state, so the thoght of me and everyone else being rounded up did'nt scare me...much.

Another emergency assembly. This time on a Monday. I passed students who nodded their head or shook hands or patted me on the back as I walked by. I was becomeing a real hero, although there were other people who needed recognition. Well, they lined us up into their rows, I gave a cold glare at the teachers. The days after the murders hardened me, turned my heart to cold steel. I was quieter to everyone outside my fellow silent revolutionaries. I couldn't remember the last time I had smiled. They sat us all down in rows and the principal, accompanied by two cops armed with M4A1 carbines definatly not safety, and kevlar vests. All that assured me: They were afraid.

TO BE CONTINUED

[SoulRiser]

.... moooore....

[Rebelnerd]

niiiice...this is getting really good!

[Abandoning Ship]

Thanks for still reading after my 2-week long haiatus.

[Rebelnerd]

no problem, its a great story.