“Late again, Mr. Williams?”
“Sorry Professor Vince, traffic wasn’t the best today,” Hale smiles, looking about the classroom, while the professor shakes his head and returns to his lecture. Roselea turned towards him and, rolling her eyes, motions Hale to the empty seat next to her.
He sat down with her saying, “hey Angel, I missed you.”
“Yeah? Then why are you always late?” Rose asked.
“Bad luck, I guess.”
Hale smiled, putting her hand in his. Rose sighed, she could never stay mad at him for long. So she smiled and put her head on his shoulder. Hale lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, enjoying the peace that she brings to his heart.
But the peace could not last, as out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Jayson in the back of the class, fumbling with something in his bag. Hale had always been curious of Jayson, with his silent staring into space, nodding as if answering an unasked question. Today though, Hale’s curiosity got the better of him.
“Hey Jayson! What’s that your messing with over there?”
Jayson started and turned to look Hale in the eyes. Hale felt his heart grow cold looking into his eyes and seeing the insanity lurking behind them. And then he felt his heart stop completely as Jayson brought out a gun from his bag and point it straight at him.
Hale gave a cry and dived to the ground bringing Rose with him as the shot was fired.
Peace had now been shattered and everything erupted into chaos with people screaming, running for the doors and trampling one another on their way out. At least until Jayson stepped out into the door way yelling for everyone to get down while he started shooting into the crowd to make his point. Some dropped immediately, while others dropped clutching an arm or a leg where they had been shot.
Then Jayson walked out into the ocean of bodies lying on the floor and made his way straight towards where Hale and Rose were hiding. There was nothing they could do as Jayson stood above them holding his gun pointed at them.
“Let’s start with you,” Jayson said grabbing rose by the arm. He kicked Hale as he past and then in one quick motion he threw Rose against the wall, took a quick step back, pointed directly at her heart, and shot… right into Hale’s chest. Jayson’s eyebrows went up in shock for he hadn’t even seen Hale move, but he figured that it didn’t matter now that he was on his knees. Rose dropped down and held on to Hale.
Jason walked over and pulled Rose off of hale and threw her against the wall again. Then he walked back and turned to aim again. As he took aim for the second time, his eyes widened in shock as Hale stood up and began to advance on him. Jayson shot Hale again and then again but Hale didn’t even slow as the bullets smashed into his shoulder and leg. His eyes were flared with his anger and looking into them Jayson grew afraid.
As Jayson turned to run, Hale used his last bit of strength and dashed forward grabbing Jayson by the collar. Hale lifted Jayson into the air and ripped the gun from his grasp. The stared into each other’s eyes for a moment more. Jayson watched as the anger in Hale’s eyes dimmed to be replaced by sadness…
“I forgive you,” Hale said.
Hale saw the disbelief in Jayson’s eyes just as he smashed the gun into Jayson’s temple, rendering him unconscious. Then he turned and looked around at the shocked stares of the class mates. Then, looking into Roselea’s eyes, he smiled, and then collapsed as the pain of the bullets once again became noticeable.
Rose ran forward and sat down next to him. She raised his head and placed it into her lap and asked him, “why did you do that… Why did you stop the bullet?” Hale smiled thinly and whispered with as much strength as he could muster, “Because watching you die would have killed me just as well, but this way… I can die knowing you are safe…” Rose buried her face into his bloodied chest and Hale stared straight into the ceiling, watching colored lights flash across the ceiling. He smiled for the last time, and he closed his eyes…
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
He watched from behind a sleeping tree, as Rose put flowers down across the grave. She stood up and stared straight ahead, emotions overwhelming her. He walked out and wrapped his arms around her.
“He was a great teacher,” Hale spoke after several minutes.
“He was….” Rose said once she could speak again, “No one even knew he had been shot until after… the authorities think it must have been the first shot that killed him… *sigh* why are you here… you should be resting… you’re not well yet.”
Hale smiled weakly, “I wanted to keep you company and make sure you were alright.”
Rose returned his smile saying, “It is you who I am worried about… You could have died…”
“But I didn’t. I will never leave you Rose, and I will always be around to keep you safe.....
......I love you"
