Cracks of gunfire barged through the hollow halls of Charnock Hall Primary School. My class of 9-10 year olds varied from a state of stationary shock to an irate panic. The bangs & screams were seemingly closing in on our classroom, where we laid our bed with no hope of escape. The door was locked from the inside whereas the fire exit had been blocked from the outside - whoever was doing this wanted no survivors.

My students were screaming. Pleading. Crying. Their frenzied voices were unrecognisable due to the overlapping roars & my own lack of concentration. One child’s query seemed to leak through to me:

“Miss, what are we gonna do?”

Gunfire continued.

I had no answer to my students query. Our only escape was locked & our entrance would soon be met with a harsh challenge.

It was my duty to protect the children. Those untainted by terror in order for them to retain their innocence.

“Today, class, I’m going to give you a very different sort of assignment.”

to be continued…

The End.