Chapter 1: 0 – Deathday

As I looked out the window, I saw the town pass by me as I sat on the bus heading toward my High School. My name is Tammuz, named after the god of fertility and sheep in Mesopotamian myth. I live in the city of Cheyenne in the state of Colorado in the United States of America. As I look upon my reflection from the window of the bus I see my red hair and striking red eyes. That is the most eyecatching part of my body however outside of it I am about average in my looks.

As I return to the world of living I realize that the noise from everyone else on the bus is deafening so I decided to put on my headphones. The noise casts my thoughts to drift away from reality as the bus continues to our school. A final lurch that even I could hear over the music from my headphones I sat up and walked down the aisle, realizing I was the final one to get off. As I jogged towards the High School building, wishing to be anyone but here but especially at home on my computer, I entered inside. With a sigh, I began to head toward my first-hour class.

My first-hour class went by with almost nothing happening, in my first hour I am a teacher’s aide so I don’t really do much at all there, and then I began to head towards my second class when the bell rang. When I entered my Sophomore Math class I got a few nods from my classmates as I settled down onto my desk. I wasn’t really the most popular but I wasn’t a target of any bullying or anything like that. I looked around me to see Ishtar acting like her usual hyperactive self.

Ishtar was probably the closest I had to a female friend, she likes to tease me about the history of our names. Ishtar, or rather Inanna who is often combined with Ishtar, is Tammuz’s wife in Mesopotamian myth. “Not like you and I will become anything like that unless you someone become a hot girl or you fuck me straight for you.” She said when she met me.

It’s true despite her spouting off how beautiful or cute a girl is every time she meets one in the time you knew her, which admittedly isn’t long as she just transferred here two months ago, she hasn’t even said anything close to that directed at a member of the opposite sex. Now she could possibly be just much more secretive about her attractiveness to men but that would go against everything I know about her. So I am inclined to believe her when she says things like that, I just hoped she didn’t word it that way. However today I opted to at least pretend I am paying attention today. Meanwhile, everyone else has now entered the classroom and the class began.

To do that I concluded I must pay Ishtar as little attention as possible today. However, my eyes unconsciously turned towards her, which she noticed and smiled before blowing a raspberry at me. I rolled my eyes and turned towards the teacher again. ‘Mission failed, I suppose.’ I thought to myself. The teacher continues to drone on about Pythagorean theorems or whatever, and I do my best to pretend I am taking in even a small part of this.

My grades are above average but I rather study on my own than be lectured about it in class, still, I don’t want to get into trouble so I just do my best to keep my eyes on the teacher. About half an hour into the lesson, I hear some sort of commotion coming from outside. I can hear the sound of several vehicles tearing into the front area of the school, and from the glimpse, I can see from the window it looks as though several black cars and vans have driven onto the school premises. “What in the blazes?” The math teacher asked, stunned, looking out the window. The class, including me, takes the initiative to follow his lead, crowding around the windows as they watch several dozen people exits out of the vans, carrying what appears to be... weapons?

An alarm blares across the school. “All classes, an intruder has entered the building! Please secure all doors and keep them away from all doors and windows. You must all stay calm- '' A gunshot could be heard before the intercom became disconnected. The teacher's eyes go wide, and he rushes over to the door before locking it. “Everyone! Get to the back and stay calm!”

‘What in the world is going on?’ I thought to myself as I followed the teacher’s lead and went to the corner of the room which couldn’t be seen if the intruder looked inside the window on the door. Acting as an idiot will only make me stand out more, which in turn will lower my chances of survival. And if those were weapons those people were carrying, then I don't want to make myself a target. Naturally, Ishtar did the opposite and acted like a loon.

“Ooooh~! What’s going on in there?” She exclaimed as she looked out the window. “What's going on out there? Do you think they are looking for something? Or perhaps even someone?”

“Ishtar!” The teacher yelled out, “Step away from the window and get back!” A commotion from the halls stops the teacher from moving toward Ishtar to drag her back, however. I heard the sound of gunshots, screams, and yelling. After a silent second something slams against the door to my classroom once, twice, three times, and before anyone can react the whole door collapses inwards, and I could see several people wearing body armor and helmets dropping what looks to be a battering ram to step into the classroom.

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So much for that. At least four armed gunmen walk into the room, along with what appears to be a blond military woman, who begins scanning over everyone in the room. “What are you-” the teacher's inquiry is interrupted as the woman pulls out a revolver and shoots him in the forehead.

“No sign of the target,” the woman says into a walkie-talkie before looking over the class. “I hope all of you realized that we are not playing around. Stay in place and you won't be harmed.” With that, she motions to the gunmen. Two of them follow the woman out, leaving two others to watch over the class.

I shrunk back further away from the gunmen, trying to look as unassuming as possible. It doesn't seem like these guys are here for me, so as long as I don't get their attention nothing should happen. “Well now,” One of the gunmen says, taking his helmet off, showing a black-haired man with a wicked grin. “Looks like we've got some time on our hands, huh?”

“Yes,” the other gunman says, not moving from his spot. “In that case, why don't we play a little game with these children, huh?” The first gunmen said. The second gunman looks towards the first, but instead of doing anything he just shrugs. The first gunman lets out a laugh, then pulls one of the male students out from the first row, shoving him to the front of the class.

“Here's how it's going to work, children! You're going to do your best to try and entertain us! If you pass, you get to sit back down! If you fail, you get shot in the forehead!” The first gunman said with a mad look in his eyes. The students closest to the gunmen look at them in horror. Glancing around the room, I took in the fear in the eyes of everyone else as well, with the exception of Ishtar. She is glaring at the first gunman but catches your eyes as you look at her.

(Bo3d100 Social Roll Threshold 85: 85, 94, 47 - 10 = 75, 84, 37)

(FAIL)

“Didn’t the short-haired lady say if we stay put, we would be unharmed?” I said, abandoning my previous instinct to stay unnoticed, and stepped forward. “Yeah?” The first gunman responded, moving towards me. “Well she isn’t here right now, is she? And since I'm the one with the gun, I get to make the rules.”

“What-” I began to say before with the sound of a gunshot. I was interrupted. “No, fuck you. You and your questions combined with your blatant disrespect of me have angered me.” The first gunman interrupted me. “I’m tired of hearing you speak up against me, goodbye.” I didn’t know what he meant by that before he pointed his gun toward me and pulled the trigger.

All of a sudden my life flashed before my eyes in a nanosecond as the bullet ripped through my brain. My family, my few friends, my school life, everything. As it did my life felt too short, especially since it was cut off before it could really get going. I couldn’t help but feel a bit of regret that I wouldn’t be able to experience any of it.

Then my brain failed followed by the rest of my organs as they failed too, causing me to die before I hit the floor as lost my life.

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