Original Date of Post: 12/16/2007
Narrator: Guns. So easy for someone to just pick one up, pull the trigger and blow someone’s brains straight to Jesus. And before I go on a full assault on the NRA, here is today’s story. (Thunder sounds)
Jackson: I can’t believe she said that to me! (Flashback to Prom)
Winona: I am not your girlfriend and I am not your date. Now why don’t you do us all a favor and get the hell out of here! I DON’T LIKE YOU! (End of flashback)
Jackson: You’ll regret those words Winona! You WILL regret! (Early next morning in the school weight room)
Misty: Oh Winona, I didn’t realize you were in here.
Winona: Hi Misty.
Misty: Everything okay?
Winona: Just fine! (Punches the punching bag) I always come in here when I’m pissed off at someone!
Misty: Oh…Did you have a fight with Wallace after the Prom?
Winona: This has nothing to do with Wallace. It’s just that little incident that happened at Prom. You saw what happened! That one freshman who wouldn’t stop! He kept stalking me everywhere I went for the last few weeks. I just have a very bad feeling that he might do something terrible after I chewed him out in front of everybody.
Misty: If you’re afraid, I would go to Principal Oak or the police or somebody. (A little later outside Jackson's house)
Marina: Jackson? (Knocks on the door) Jackson? It's me Marina! Come on, you don't want to be late to school again! (Opens the door) Jackson? That's odd, he would normally come and greet me when I come inside. Maybe he's still in bed! (Goes into a bedroom) Strange...not in here! Jackson, come on! I don't want to be late to school! He couldn't have gone too far. His computer is still on...Huh? (Reads the computer screen) What in the...Oh my... (Gasps) Okay relax! It all goes back to first day of school. Report any suspicious behavior or activity... (Gulps) ...even if it's turning in a friend. (Pulls out her phone) Sorry Jackson, but this is for your own good. (At the school in the front office)
Marisa: Pallet High front office, this is Marisa speaking.
Marina: Marisa, this is Marina! I have to call to warn you all!
Marisa: Calm down sweetie and tell me!
Marina: I’m really scared! I think he’s going to come to the school with a gun and kill others or himself!
Marisa: (Gasps) Principal Oak! Emergency!
Oak: What kind of emergency? (He runs up)
Marisa: We’ve got a call from one of the students that someone might come on campus with a firearm.
Oak: Are you serious? (Grabs the phone) Hello?
Marina: Principal Oak, it's Marina from the freshmen class!
Oak: Please tell me who has the gun!
Marina: Just be on the look out. It’s… (Loud bang and dial tone)
Oak: Marina! Marina! Are you there? (Hangs up) Damn it! I didn't get a name! There was a loud bang sound and then the line was cut!
Marisa: This isn’t good! Marina, I hope you're okay! (Back at Jackson's house)
Jackson: Sorry for using the baseball bat on you Marina, but it was for your own good. (Ties her to a chair) Now you stay here until I get back from school. (Picks up a gun) I've got some business to take care of. (Back at the front office)
Oak: Oh crap! I was afraid this day would come. I never had to actually go through with something like this. Just a bunch of false alarms after the Columbine massacre! So how should we go on handling this Miss Agatha?
Miss Agatha: Well, we’re going into first period now. Once the final bell rings, we’ll give the teachers the signal to go into lockdown. Now Marisa, I don’t want you telling anybody about this predicament. We don’t want to cause mass chaos and confusion around.
Marisa: Right. Do you need me for anything else though?
Oak: No dear, just go off to class. (Marisa leaves) I sure hope it’s just a false alarm. (In Miss Prima’s class)
Marisa: (Thinking) My God, I hope this is just a false alarm. Please let it be a false alarm. I always knew that there would be another Columbine, but I never thought it would be at our school.
Misty: Marisa, are you okay?
Marisa: Huh? Yeah, I’m okay. Why do you ask?
Misty: You seem distracted today. Plus Tracey got a little concerned when he saw you.
Tracey: Yeah, you look a little paler than usual. Are you getting sick?
Marisa: (Blushes) Not at all. I’m just…worried…about a test. That’s all! (The door opens)
Miss Prima: Good morning Miss Agatha. (She hands Miss Prima a note)
Miss Agatha: (Whispering) Read the note and don’t tell any of the students.
Miss Prima: Right.
Marisa: (Thinking) So it begins. (In another classroom)
Jackson: (Thinking) Okay, Winona should be in Room 202. I can get a hall pass and take care of things once and for all.
Mr. Spenser: Vincent, is everything okay? You’re twitching more than usual!
Jackson: Oh, I’m just nervous about a test today at 6th period!
Mr. Spenser: Just tone it down a little. It is distracting your other classmates. (The door opens) Hello Miss Agatha. (She hands him a note)
Jackson: (Thinking) What the hell is she doing in here? This could be a trap! I wonder if they found out! (Miss Agatha leaves and Mr. Spenser locks the door)
Mr. Spenser: Students, there was a bank robbery near the school and so we’re in a lockdown until further notice.
Jackson: (Thinking) Damn it! (A little later in Jackson's house)
Marina: (Groans) Ow...my head. (Gasps) I have to warn...Huh? Oh man, how did I get tied to this...Oh wait, I remember! Jackson struck me over the head with a baseball bat. Ah, I have to stop him. (Hops to the front) Okay, let's see how I can open this... (Turns around and twists the doorknob around) Come on, open! Open, open, open, open! (The door opens) Freedom! (Falls down) Ow! (Nearby)
Violet: What are you doing?
Daisy: Sending Tracey a text message. He's so adorable!
Violet: This has to be your longest relationship ever. What has it been, 3 days?
Daisy: I've been in relationships that lasted longer than a weekend.
Lily: I can't remember that. Huh? What's that over there? (Marina squirms on the ground) It's someone tied to a chair!
Violet: Oh my God Lily, pull over!
Daisy: Why do you know her?
Violet: Just do it! I’m certain I’ve seen her around school before! Besides, she’s tied to a chair! She could be in trouble!
Daisy: Alright! But seeing her tied up to the chair like that, I’m assuming that she’s a victim of rape and must be taken to…
Lily: Put a sock in it! (Lily and Violet run out of the car) Are you alright?
Violet: Get her untied from this chair! What on earth happened to you? Who did this to you?
Marina: Never mind that! There’s no time to talk! You guys have to take me to school right now!
Lily: Yeah, but why are you in such a hurry?
Marina: Someone could die! (Back at the school)
Oak: Damn! It’s almost second period and the school is too quiet. Something doesn’t feel right to me.
Miss Agatha: So what do you say?
Oak: We’ll dismiss the students from their first period classes and have them go straight into their second period classes. Luckily, Truant Officer Jenny and several other officers are patrolling the school, so if this so called gunman is on campus, he won’t get very far.
Miss Agatha: As you wish sir! (Back in Lily's car)
Marina: It’s one of my friends, Vincent Jackson.
Daisy: I know the guy! He’s that freshman who had a crush on Winona.
Marina: Yeah, but now he’s gone too far with this crush! You see, I went to his house to see if he was ready for school like I normally do. When I went into his room, I stumbled upon his online journal with a plot to kill Winona.
Lily: You’re not serious, are you?
Violet: So Jackson found out that you found out and tied you up.
Marina: Actually, I called the front office, but got hit on the head before I could tell them it was Jackson. When I woke up, I was strapped to a chair.
Daisy: No doubt that nark Marisa blabbed to the police, so security is going to be pretty tight.
Lily: Whoa, you weren’t kidding Daisy! I haven’t seen so many police and swat cars since last years drug busts!
Daisy: Great! Now I’ll have to be late for class.
Violet: Please! You were going to ditch second period anyways!
Marina: There’s Truant Officer Jenny! Drop me off here! (Marina gets out of the car and runs towards the building)
Jenny: Young lady, what are you doing outside this building? We’re on a lockdown! No student should be outside this building!
Marina: You don’t understand! I know the person who has the gun! You have to let me speak to Principal Oak right away! (Bell ringing)
Miss Prima: Hurry along to your next classes students.
Tracey: I'll see you guys later.
Misty: Bye. (Marisa runs to the front office) Hey, what's the rush? (Moments later nearby)
Jackson: Now's the chance to escape view. (Goes into a bathroom) Okay, the teachers are acting suspicious and the police are all around the halls. They know something...but they don't know it's me otherwise they would have caught me during first period. Okay, here's the plan. Storm the classroom, shoot Winona point blank, and then make a break for it! (Bell ringing) Okay, Winona should be in 154 for this next period. (Cracks the door) Coast is clear! (Runs in the hallway and stops in front of a classroom) Here we go! (Opens the door)
Lanette: What the...? (Jackson pulls out a gun) What the...?! (They all go under the desks and scream)
Winona: (Thinking) What the hell is going on with him? (In the front office)
Oak: Now, it’s a boy named Vincent Jackson you say?
Marina: Yes sir. I saw his plot on his computer and once he saw me calling you guys on the phone, he struck me over the head and tied me to a chair.
Oak: Oh my! Marina, you did the right thing by telling me this. Thanks to you, we will apprehend this young man before he hurts anybody. (Marisa runs in)
Marisa: Sorry to interrupt Principal Oak, but this is an emergency. I just got word that the gunman is in a classroom.
Oak: I spoke too soon! (Back in the classroom)
Lanette: (Whispering) What do you think he wants?
Wallace: Ssh!
Jackson: Bring me Winona! Bring her to the front! (Winona slowly stands up)
Winona: Please Jackson, stop this insanity! You know you don’t want to harm anybody.
Jackson: SHUT UP! (Points the gun at her) Just shut up! (Tears fall down his cheek)
Winona: (Gasps) Oh God! (Thinking) Huh? He’s scared! He wants to pull the trigger so bad, but he’s too scared. Maybe I can try to reason with him. I've got to do it! (Near the classroom)
Marisa: (Whispering) Where did you hear the gunshot?
Marcus: It’s in the classroom next to mine. In room 154! Be careful little buddy!
Marisa: I will. (Hangs up) Marcus told me 154 is where he is!
Oak: Perfect! I’ll try and get him to put the gun down and then the police can come in and incarcerate him. I want you girls to get into another classroom until further notice.
Marisa: Come on! (They walk into a classroom)
Dr. Quackenpoker: Marisa, what are you doing in here?
Marisa: I’ve gotten orders for us to stay in here until further notice from Principal Oak.
Marina: I hope I did the right thing!
Marisa: Don’t worry Marina, you did. (Tracey walks up)
Tracey: What are you guys doing in here?
Marisa: I really can’t get into too much detail. We’ll just be in here for a while. (Back in the other classroom)
Winona: Why are you doing this?
Jackson: You have no idea what I have to put up with everyday at this school. I get beat up and tortured by bullies. It wasn’t until you came to my rescue that one day. I loved you, worshiped you, praised you...
Lanette: (Thinking) He's fucking snapped!
Jackson: But then you broke my heart at the Prom. (Sobbing) All I wanted to do was take you to the Prom, but you couldn’t even do that for me. You’re just as bad as those bullies, if not worse! If I can't have you, nobody should! (The door opens) Huh? (Points the gun to Principal Oak)
Oak: Alright son, just put the gun down. I know you don’t want to shoot anybody.
Jackson: One more step and I swear to God, I will pull the trigger and kill Winona.
Oak: You do that and you’ll be convicted of murder. You don't want to spend the rest of your life behind bars. Now I know you don’t want to…
Jackson: BACK OFF! (Fires the gun through the ceiling) Back off! (Back in the art room)
Marina: What was that sound?
Dr. Quackenpoker: Under the desks students! (Screaming)
Tracey: What the hell was that?
Marisa: It sounded like a gunshot!
Marina: Gunshot? JACKSON! (She runs off)
Marisa: No, Marina! Get back here! (She runs after her)
Tracey: Marisa, where are you going? (Nearby)
Marina: Please Jackson, stop it! Please Jackson! You can't do this! (Opens the door) JACKSON STOP!
Oak: GET BACK! (Marisa grabs Marina)
Jackson: DIE! (Gunshot and Winona screams)
Winona: Huh? (Opens her eyes) I'm...unharmed...but... (Looks down) What...NO! Wa-Wallace! (Jackson drops to his knees and drops his gun)
Oak: Grab him! (The police enter the classroom and detain Jackson)
Winona: (Sobbing) No Wallace! Why did you step in front? (Screaming) Wallace! (She drops to her knees and holds him) Wallace!
Marina: Oh my God! (Marisa tears up) Oh my God!
Winona: (Sobbing) Please...you can't die on me! Please Wallace!
Moshimo hitotsu dake
Tatta hitotsu dake
Kanaerara nara
Nani o inoru kana
Ima doko ni iru no?
Ima dare to iru no?
Aoi sora miyage…
Sotto toikakaeru.
WITH YOU ~ sugu soba ni
Ita koro no kimi ga inai
WITH YOU ~ hanaretemo
Kawaranai to yakusoku shita noni
Tatoeba bokutachi ga omoide ni naru
Soba no nukumori ni wa kanawanai kara
Setsunai tameiki ga fui ni koboreta
Maiagare haruka tooku kimi ni todoku you ni
Reporter: I’m standing outside Pallet High School, where there has just been a shooting within these halls. One student has been shot and has been taken to a local hospital. His condition is unknown at the time and his name has not been given to the media yet. One student has been arrested. Fifteen year old, Vincent Jackson brought a gun to school and held a classroom hostage.
Marina: I only saw a quick second of it. One second, the gun was facing Winona and the next…he jumps in front and takes the bullet. (Sniffles) You just don’t expect things like this to happen.
Miss Agatha: You fear everyday that something like this is going to happen.
Reporter: The school will be holding a special assembly tomorrow morning. And we will be covering more information once it becomes available. Live from Pallet High School... (The next morning in the auditorium)
Tracey: Have you heard anything?
Marcus: Not a word about Wallace’s condition. But I’m sure they’ll mention something about him if they’re having a gun safety lecture today. What are you looking at?
Tracey: Them.
Marcus: Huh? Oh, Marina and Marisa! The two of them saw Wallace getting shot.
Tracey: I know! Marina was friends with Jackson. You just can’t help but feel sorry for her to see this happen. (They walk over to Marisa and Marina) How are you doing?
Marina: It’s all my fault! (Sobbing) If I only left Jackson’s house as soon as I saw the computer! If only I didn’t scream when he pointed the gun at Winona, Wallace would have been okay and not in the hospital. (Marisa hugs her)
Marisa: Don’t beat yourself up Marina! You did the right thing. You came forward and told Principal Oak. (Tracey puts his hand on her shoulder) Huh?
Tracey: And what about you?
Marisa: I saw it. He had the gun pointing at Winona. And during the distractions, Wallace was protecting Winona away from danger and got shot. But as long as Wallace is okay, I’ll be fine. (Principal Oak comes on stage)
Oak: Alright students, settle down. (Silence) Yesterday, we experienced something I would hope that we would never experience in these halls. We experienced something I never want to happen again. And I'm sure the rest of you feel the same. First, the Student Body President has prepared a speech for today. (Winona walks on stage) Thank you Winona.
Winona: Guns, they are everywhere. It’s so easy to purchase a gun! It’s so easy to get access to a gun, whether it be a friend’s or a family member’s! It’s just so easy for someone to pick up a gun, pull the trigger, and hit the target. Well I have news people, GUNS KILL. Like the gun that just killed my boyfriend. That’s right. Just a few minutes ago, I just received word that Wallace passed away. (Everyone gasps) I can’t help but feel responsible for this whole situation. The gun was pointed at me and if Wallace didn’t take that step, I wouldn’t be up here today. Guns are not the answer. They just aren’t! You may think, they’re protecting you, but it’s just the opposite. And if you hear about a plot, tell an authority figure. And if you think differently about guns, think about Jackson, and think about Wallace. That’s all. (She runs off stage and starts crying)
Misty: Oh no, he died. (Sakura cries)
Sakura: Poor Winona.
Marcus: This is horrible. (Marina cries on Marisa) I can't believe this! (A little later in the courtyard)
Marina: I still can’t believe what happened.
Marisa: Please don’t blame yourself.
Marina: You don’t understand. Jackson and I have been friends for over five years now. I still can’t believe what he did yesterday. If it wasn’t for me, Wallace would still be alive right now. I bet you anything that Winona hates my guts.
Marisa: It’s not your fault. You did everything in your power to try and prevent this whole incident from happening. But of what I could gather, Jackson is a very misunderstood and troubled boy. But in no way was this ever your fault. You were just caught in the middle of doing what’s right. You did what most people would never be able to do and that was turn in a friend. Plus, I know Winona knows you meant well. I mean if it wasn't for you, Jackson could have done a lot worse. He could have killed more than just Wallace. So stop beating yourself up. (Marina smiles)
Marina: Thank you Marisa. (Days later at Wallace’s funeral)
Erika: Ready ladies? (Erika, Grace, and Kelly sing Amazing Grace)
Misty: I can’t believe it. I still can’t believe this happened. I’m sure going to miss Wallace. He was such a sweet guy.
Daisy: I can’t imagine what poor Winnie is going through.
Ash: Marisa and Marina have been so down.
Sakura: What do you expect? They both witnessed Wallace being shot and that’s a traumatic experience.
Marcus: I wish there was more that I could do to comfort the girls.
Tracey: All we can do is to be there for them. If they need a shoulder to cry on, we'll be there.
Marcus: Right.
Brock: I should go over there and do that. (Sakura punches Brock to the ground) Ugh, maybe not.
Lanette: It’s going to be okay Winnie. (They embrace)
Winona: I can’t believe this. It should have been me and he jumped in front to try and protect me. Wallace, you were taken away from me too soon. We were supposed to go to college together, get married, and start a family! (She starts crying) Wallace!
Song(s) used:
*Sotsugyou by Tackey & Tsubasa