• Layla McIsaac: An average grade nine student who attended the public school known as Rennek Acadamy. She was a cheerful person and she was very easy to get along with. There were only two known major issues in her life one: her boyfriend was an Atheist and she was a Christian and two: her life was cut way too short.This story is the last day of Layla's life from her perspective.

    I stared at the clock on the wall, counting down the seconds before the lunch bell rang. When it rang it would set free everybody from their classes. It would also give me a chance to hang out with my boyfriend Chris. today was his birthday and I had the perfect gift for him. I would make sure his happyness didn't end today.

    Chris and I have been going out for almost a year now and I truly think I'm in love with him. He's two years older than me and he's a lot taller than me. We have everything in common, well almost. I'm a Christian and he is an Atheist. I don't really like that fact but I can deal with it.

    The bell rang and I, along with most of the class jumped up and raced to the door.

    "Don't forget. Questions one to twenty in your textbook. Due tomorrow." I heard my math teacher call after us.

    I rushed to my locker and opened it faster than I had ever had in my life. I threw my books in and grabbed my lunch. I also grabbed his gift which was neatly wrapped in green paper. Everything was perfect. Nothing could ruin this day.

    My friends and sister through God yelled from down the hall. I wanted to run run to the usual spot but I closed my locker and waited for them to catch up.

    When they finally caught up they smiled goofily.

    "What's with the look?" I joked easily.

    My friend, Mea, rolled her eyes "Is that for your true love?"

    I smiled and I could feel my cheeks burning "Of course. You only get one birthday a year."

    My other friend Silena took it out of my hand and examined it closely "So what is it?"

    I shrugged "You'll see when Chris opens it. That is if we ever get to the corner."

    I started walking down the hall to our usual spot with Mea and Silena following silently. They were both trying to figure out what I had bought him.

    When we reached the corner Chris was already sitting with his back against the wall. His face lit up when he saw us coming towards him. He stood up and pulled me close into his warm safe arms.

    I hugged him and smiled "Happy birthday baby."

    I stepped away from him and handed him the present. He stared at it for a moment and sat down.

    "You really didn't have to get me anything. I'm perfectly happy with just seeing you.." He said still staring at the gift.

    I sat down beside him "I know but I thought I would anyway."

    He smiled but didn't open his gift "I'll wait until the guys get here."

    I nodded and looked around the corner. It was fairly open for a corner. It had windows along one entire wal. At the end of the corner rthere were double doors that lead to the intermediate section of the school.

    I heard the four guys coming down the hall towards us before I saw them. When I did see them they were goofing around and throwing lighgt punches. They sat down against the wall opposite of us; they never sat near us. I don't think they liked me or my friends.

    I looked back at Chris "Come on! Open it!"

    Chris nodded "Fine." He tore the paper off and a huge grin spread across his face when he saw what it was "This is amazing! I've been wanting this since we saw it in theaters!"

    I heard gasps from his friends and smiled. Perfect reaction. "I know that's why I got it."

    "Nice gift." Chris' friend Tim said after he recovered from the shock of this gift.

    His friends nodded in agreement. One of his friends Keenin grinned.

    "So when are we coming over to watch it?" Nick, another one of his friends asked.

    Chris shrugged "I dunno. This Friday after school maybe? Unless something happens so we can't watch it."

    His last friend, Cole, nodded "We'll be there."

    Chris smiled at me "Thank-you."

    He kissed me on my cheek and I smiled. I would never get tired of this. "It was nothing."

    Chris put his arm around my waist and I put my head on his shoulder.

    "I love you." Chris whispered into my ear.

    I closed my eyes and nodded, still smiling "I know and I love you too."

    He rested his own head on mine and I'm almost positive he had his eyes closed, but I couldn't be sure. We at like that for a few minutes until we heard heavy footsteps approaching us.

    I felt Chris lift up his head but I didn't move at all. A few of the conversations from our friends stop and everything was silent.

    Chris' arm that was behind me moved and his whole body seemed to move. I sat up and opened my eyes. Chris was now more in front of me than beside me and he moved more in front of me whan I sat up.

    I looked around him and gasped. A well-built man was standing in the middle of our corner. He looked about thirty-five and he had hateful eyes so dark they looked black. But those minor details didn't surprise me, it was the the symbol of the devil on a chain around his neck and the gun in his left hand that surprised me.

    The man grinned "Hello, I'm Alex. What's your name?" When no one answered the man named Alex laughed and shrugged "No one's going to answer? Well that's too bad. for some, maybe all, of you that could have been your last chance to speak.

    "What do you mean some of us?" Keenin asked from beside Tim who nodded.

    Alex's grin got larger and he shrugged "Christians say they are so perfect but really they aren't. My parents were both Christians and at fourteen they kicked me out. That's when I started to reject God and Christians. I became an Atheist." Chris glanced back at me, slightly worried.

    Tim gave Alex a weird look "So you came here to tell us your life story?"

    Alex laughed and shrugged again "Let's just get straight to the point. If you're a Christian stand up and come forward."

    Mea Silena and I started to get up but Chris grabbed my hand and held me down. "Don't do this to me or yourself, please. You don't know what he's planning." He said in a hushed, desperate tone.

    I leaned forward and hugged him from behind to whisper in his ear "I need to do this. I'm not afraid of this. Just remember I love you. I always will."

    I stood up and went out in front of Chris to meet my fate. I knew my life could soon be over but that was fine with me. I knew I should feel afraid and weak but I felt calm and stronger than ever.

    I stood in between Silena and Mea and also between Chris and Alex. We held hands and smiled at each other.

    "No matter what happens we'll be together. Right girls?" I said boldly and they nodded.

    Anger filled Alex's eyes and the grin disappeared. He glared at me and pointed the gun in my direction.

    "I'm silencing you first." He said and pulled the trigger.

    At that moment the world seemed to slow down. I was aware of everything around me. I could hear everyone breathing. I could even hear when Chris' tears hit the floor.

    I could see every detail of the corner, the bullet slowly coming towards me, ecery one but Chris's face. Mea and Silena were no longer smiling but they wore brave expressions. All the guys I could see have a look of agony on their faces and Alex was, of course, smiling.

    As the bullet neared I felt Mea and Silena's grip tighten. In response I tightened my grip on their hands. And then it hit.

    I closed my eyes and waited for the darkness to take me home, to the place I really belonged. Forever.

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    My name is Chris Whysing. I was once Layla's boyfriend. As much as it hurts to say I was also an Atheist. But now I'm a proud Chrsistian, just like Layla was. And just like Layla I would give up my life for God and never have a second thought about it. On the days following Layla's death four of the five people still alive came to God. Only Nick continues to reject God six years later.

    It's upsetting that it took three people's deaths to get throught to us. They were all amazing people and I truly miss them all.

    Since Layla's death I've tried to move on and date other girls, but I can't seem to get rid of my feelings for her. I think it's because I know I will see her again in heaven after I die. Whatever the reason is, I still love her and always will.

    The school I graduated from, the one Layla would have graduated from, now holds a rememberance ceremony on the anniversary of her death. Even five years after my graduation I still go back on that day to tell my story to the school.

    I wrote this story as I thought she would have. It's as accurate as I could make it. I'm not a very good writer, but I felt this story needed to be told.