Date: Tue, 9 Aug 1994 12:38:52 -0700 Reply-To: Highlander TV show stories Sender: Highlander TV show stories From: Nath Prachayaamorn Subject: A Watcher's Story (part 2 of 4) I'd like to thank everyone for their comments, opinions and suggestions I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to answer them but I was busy working on this story. PLEASE continue sending those comments and suggestions. Just because I might not answer doesn't mean I don't read them. Thanks! A Watcher's Story by Nath Prachayaamorn (part 2 of 4) "Why is this happening to me?" thought Rick. It was still painful to breath. But he had to say something. He had to hear his own voice to make sure that this was real. He looked at himself. "I'm covered with blood," he said. My blood, thought Rick. However, there were no indications of wounds or other injuries. "I have to get myself cleaned up," then he chuckled to himself and for the life of him he didn't know what was so funny. Then Rick looked around, he saw the body of one of the gunmen. Rick remembered what happened. He didn't know what to do but something had to be done or his friends would die. Rick took off his jacket and shirt and cleaned himself up as fast as he could. Then he grabbed the deadman's clothes and put them on. "A little tight, but it will have to do. Thanks." he said to the dead man. "Now what I have to do is find them," Rick said. He left the classroom and saw the chaos that was outside. Police were everywhere. There was an ambulance that was taking away Albert's dead body. The guy didn't even have a chance. It was such a waste. As the ambulance drove off slowly--after all it wasn't in any hurry for Albert, Rick saw the police concentrated near another building a number of yards away. One of them saw him. "Get away from the crime scene kid, before this crazy bastard starts shooting again.", said a cop. Obviously, the guy, George was in the Gym. No way am I going to get in there, thought Rick. But he knew he had to. He didn't know what difference he could make after all he's just an eighteen year-old kid. Wait, I'm not just a kid, he thought. I'm immortal. That guy can't hurt me now, but he can hurt the others, including Danny. That is, if she wasn't dead already. Rick drove that thought from his mind. The idea of her lying around lifeless was incomprehensible. He wouldn't allow himself to think like that. But the problem now was getting in. The police had the building surrounded. Rick walked past the yellow tape and walked into the crowd. A lot of people had gathered. Must have been all the shooting. No one seemed to notice him. They were all staring intently at the police and the gym entrance to see any sign of clue as to what was going on. The gym was a very large building with no windows except for ones on the roof. Rick knew that there were two public entrances. One from the clearing at the center of the school and one from the basketball courts on the other side of the building. He was standing in the clearing with nearly all of the students and faculty of his high school. Obviously the police weren't going to let him just walk in. He imagined how that would go. "Excuse me, coming through! I'm immortal." He would laugh at that if it wasn't for the fact that a lot of his friends might not live out the day. Rick looked around the area. The police seemed to be very preoccupied surrounding the building and keeping people out. Then he suddenly saw a way to get in. The police were around only the gym not any other building. He saw a means of entrance if he were to get to the roof of one of the other classrooms and walk up a ladder on the side of the gym. There he could get to the top of the gym. I'll figure out how to get in the gym later, he thought. He walked towards Mr. Metford's classroom. Mr. Metford was one of his favorite teachers. He was pretty cool for a math teacher. He was always cracking jokes. Rick remembered that occasionally he even heard laughter clear across campus from that very classroom as Mr. Metford would be ridiculing some student that was goofing off. However, there was no laughter when Rick arrived. In fact, there was no one in the classroom. They were all watching the events at the gym. Rick walked through the main entrance of the classroom and out the back door. He looked around and found a ladder that was attached to the side of the building. Rick climbed it to the roof. There he could see all the events at the front of the gym. He could also see the police setting up snipers on top of another building in front of the gym. Rick knew he had to stay low to keep from being seen. Damned look at all the bird crap that was on this roof. What the hell have those birds been eating? Probably the cafeteria food, thought Rick with a silent laugh. After a few minutes, he got to his destination. The ladder to the roof of the gym was rather worn and rusted. Rick carefully climbed up the ladder onto the roof. He looked down into the gym. It was practically empty except for a group of people at one corner. He could also see George pacing around the gym with two guns in his hands. He must have gotten the other one from his dead partner. Now what do I do, worried Rick. * * * Let them stew for a while, thought George. Let them worry about how many more he was going to kill. But he didn't plan on anymore deaths unless absolutely necessary. He had come to his senses now. Killing that dorky little kid just felt right to him. Something about that kid seemed familiar. George was done with senseless slaughter now, he had to keep his mind clear so he can get his butt out of here. His mind right now was clear and his plan still made sense. He would just wait here for a few hours and let the cops worry. Maybe this could leak out to the press while he was making them wait. The publicity would only strengthen the purpose of his employers. However, if helicopters came flying in, his escape would be that more difficult. On the other hand, the police will probably have a helicopter or two flying around. The other vehicles from the press would perfectly get in their way. Yes, he would wait. He sat down on the bleachers a good distance away from his hostages. No way would I be able to take them all when I leave. I probably could take two and leave the rest. No, that's stupid. In the chaos, at the classroom, I took off my mask. These kids can identify me. I'll have to waste them all. What a shame. But the money he's going to receive would ease his pain. George smiled. He looked at his hostages. Everyone was shaking, especially the teacher. He looked at the upper corner of the bleachers and saw the girl that he tried to kill earlier. Actually at her age, she wasn't a kid anymore. She's actually attractive. If it wasn't for all those tears, thought George. Something about her and the guy he killed reminded George of something, he just didn't know what it was. "Georgey!" said a voice. George looked around. "Who said that!" But it was clear that none of his captives said anything. They were all very frightened, and with George hearing voices, they weren't going to add to his delusion. George sat back down on the bleachers. "Come here, honey." said a female voice. This time George responded. "Yes, mama?" In George's mind, he was twelve year's old. An awkward looking boy walked into the kitchen to see what his mother was calling about. "Hurry up and set the table dear, your father is going to come home any minute now." "Yes, mama." George quickly brought out the napkins and utensils to set the table. He knew how his father gets when the table isn't set. He remembered how papa gets very angry when he does something wrong. As he hurried with the plates, he drops one. As it shatters on the kitchen floor, George's father returns from trying to find work. As usual he had been drinking. He saw the mess on the floor and his child staring up at him trembling with fear. He flew at him with a rage that George had never seen before and would never see again. His fathered punched him several times, leaving him as broken as the plate on the ground. As little George tried to get up his mother came running to him trying to protect him from his father's wrath. "I'm sorry," George tried to say. This only made his father angrier. But this time his mother got in the way. George was too dazed to hear what they said to one another. But as soon as George came to, he saw his mother bloody and broken along side him. Using the last of his strength, he put himself between his parents. "Don't do this papa. If you have to hit someone, hit me!" His "papa" did exactly that. It got to the point that George would have begged for him to get at his mother again, but he didn't. All he could say was: "Please papa, no more, no more!" "Please papa, no more, no more!" cried George as his captives stared at him with fear and sadness in their eyes. Then the police made their request for any further demands. This made George come to his senses. It was as if the whole episode had never occurred. He gave various demands that he felt would keep the police busy. Yes, I want you to release "so-and-so" from prison and give me "blah" amount of money in unmarked twenties and hundreds. He would have said anything to keep them busy. "Isn't this fun, little girl?" "My name is Danny," she said. "You hate me don't you?" asked George. "I don't hate you, 'Georgey', I pity you!" "Don't call me that! No one calls me that!" exclaimed George. "But your mother did. We all heard you." said Danny. Her voice was full of hate now. She felt so angry for all the deaths. Especially Rick's. He was her friend. He sacrificed herself for her. She swore that he wouldn't die for nothing and was bent to make this man suffer for it. After all, she realized, he killed the man I loved. The realization seemed to calm her. Yes, she loved Rick Dolan. And he loved her. She could see it in his eyes. She felt like a fool for not having told him while she had the chance. Now she never would. * * * "What the hell is going on in there?" Rick had heard the shouting from where he was but still couldn't make out what was being said. Then he heard nothing. No one moved in there. At least from what he could tell. He couldn't completely see through the glass because of the dirt and other unmentionables stuck to it. Then he heard a rumbling like thunder almost. He looked up and saw a helicopter. Damn. Their going to see me. He had to get some cover fast and somehow he had to get in. He found a vent and pried it open. It was big enough for him to get into but not large enough to move. Damn. Well, it probably didn't lead inside anyway. You only see that stuff in movies. Rick hid himself well and hoped that the helicopter would go away soon so he would have a chance to get in the gym. * * * It was time to cut his losses and run. He heard the helicopter above him. Right on time. It's always good to plan ahead. George didn't expect he would ever have to use this contingency but there's no such thing as too careful. After what he just did he didn't bother to take hostages, it wasn't worth it anymore. Besides, he would still get a tidy some for going through all of this. Not enough for retirement but definitely enough to keep him comfortable for a while. He remembered the plans that he had gotten to the school. He ran into the boys locker room and found the service duct that would lead him to a nearby skylight where he would meet his "ticket" out of here. George no longer cared if his remaining hostages got away. He climbed through the skylight onto the roof. He saw the approaching helicopter and knew that no one would interfere until the last moment. The police would probably think it was a news helicopter trying to get a better shot at the hostages. By then, he would be safely away. "It's miller time!" he exclaimed. That was just about when he was turned around and given a right hook to the jaw. * * * George fell back. He lost a tooth. Rick smiled. "Now its my turn." "Not so fast boy!" George pulled out his gun. "Go ahead. Shoot me!" Rick was surprised at his lack of fear. As George's vision started to clear. "It can't be! Your dead." "I got better." "Your not like me!" George exclaimed remembering the last time he was with his mother. Rick had no idea what this man was talking about, but maybe he would give up if he played along. Rick took that chance. "Of course I am. Don't you see the resemblance?" George mind was chaotic. If he's me then I'm my papa. No I can't be papa. But I did it, he thought. I killed mama. "No!!" George screamed. Now he knew what he had to do. Before Rick could say anything, George jumped off the roof to his death. It was over. Rick saw the police gather around the body of George, and Rick looked up to see a nearby helicopter fly away. Rick turned and looked down into the gym to see whether his friends were alright. They were no longer sitting on the bleachers but were standing in a circle. Rick couldn't understand it. He saw them leaving the gym so he went down to see what was going on. He used the skylight George had used to get out. After a few minutes he found himself at the Boy's locker room. He walked into the gym to find it empty. He tried for the exit, but stopped. It wouldn't be wise to just appear alive again. Rick looked around for another exit. That was when he saw her. She was lying on the ground beaten to death. Rick took her in his arms and cried. Danny was dead. After all that he had gone through he still couldn't save her. Rick had nothing now, no purpose, life had no meaning without her. It amazed him to see her still beautiful even after what George had done to her. They say victory is sweet. But to Rick, this victory was like dining on ashes. to be continued.... (I think) >:) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- ][_______________________________________________________ O##########][______________________________________________________/ ][ Ramirez: "The Kurgen, he is the strongest of all the immortals. He's the perfect warrior. If he wins the prize, mortal man will suffer an eternity of darkness... " Connor: "How do you fight such a savage?" Ramirez: "With heart, faith, and steel. In the end, there can be only one." ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nath Prachayaamorn nathprac@ocf.berkeley.edu nath@uclink2.berkeley.edu =========================================================================