The Day The Bell Rang In Blood Episode 4

When the security officers finally declared the school safe, classes were cancelled immediately. Teachers gathered us in small groups, counting heads, calling names, making sure no one was missing. The compound that was usually filled with noise and excitement had fallen into an eerie silence, broken only by quiet sobs and whispered prayers. Ambulances arrived, and injured students were carried out. Each sight tightened my chest with pain and fear.

I stood there holding my torn school bag, my uniform dusty and stained. I felt empty, like everything inside me had been shaken loose. My legs were still weak, but I forced myself to stand. I kept looking around, hoping to see familiar faces friends, classmates, anyone who would make me feel less alone. Some were reunited with their friends. Others searched desperately, calling names that did not answer.

Parents soon began to arrive, running into the compound with panic written all over their faces. Mothers cried loudly. Fathers argued with security men, demanding explanations. I watched a woman collapse to the ground when she saw her son being taken away in an ambulance. That image burned itself into my mind.

No one came for me immediately. My house was not too close to the school, and phones were not easily reachable. When I was finally told I could go home, I stepped out of the gate slowly. The road felt unfamiliar, even though I had walked it countless times before. Every passing motorcycle made me jump. Every loud voice made my heart race.

The walk home felt longer than ever. I kept replaying everything in my head the screams, the running, the prayer I whispered when I thought I would die. My hands shook as I walked. I felt like crying again, but the tears refused to come. Fear had dried them up.

When I finally reached my street, my strength left me. My mother was standing outside, her face pale, her eyes searching the road desperately. The moment she saw me, she ran toward me and pulled me into her arms. She cried like she had never cried before, thanking God over and over again. Neighbors gathered around, asking questions, shaking their heads in disbelief.

That night, sleep refused to come. Each time I closed my eyes, I heard screams. Each time I drifted off, I saw blood on the school floor. I woke up sweating, my heart racing, calling out to God silently.

I had made it home safely, but the fear had followed me. The school was behind me, yet the memory of that day walked with me into the night.

Continue reading Episode 5