Random Acts: Mark

Mark sat on the bench near the hundred year tree.  He dragged his fingers over the extreme detail of the carvings.

<i>Probably donated by the class of twenty-four or something.</i>

He looked at his watch once more.

<i>8:15</i>

It was the first day of the spring semester at Meadow Brook University.  New and returning students were hurrying past Mark on their way to buildings and classrooms across campus.  Mark would grab a random student with his eyes and follow them until they left his peripheral vision.  With everyone in their rushed state, no one paid him any attention.

Some SB ignored him when passing out her sororities' rush gumbo cook off.

<i>Would anyone miss her?  </i>

He took his eyes off the female student and started following a guy on the cell phone.  Cell Phone seemed agitated.  He was expressing his frustration with whoever was on the other side of the phone by waving his arms wildly slicing the air.  Cell Phone's eyes locked with Mark's in passing, but continued on his way.

He followed Cell Phone with his eyes as he walked towards Shepherd Hall. 

<i>It looks like we have a winner.  What fate will fall on me in this building?</i>

With Cell Phone closing in on the front door of the building, Mark stood up, adjusted his coat and slung his backpack over his shoulders.  It took him about forty-two seconds to reach the door.  He turned around to see the courtyard relatively clear.  Everyone was in their class.  Everyone was in their place.  He entered the building and the doors slammed behind him.  A shimmer of hope in his pathetic life was about to unfold. 

The hallway longed forward and was empty. The walls were bare and nude to any hiding spaces or detractors.

<i>Perfect.</i>

He looked to his right, saw the fire alarm, and pulled.

The alarm blared in a steady slow tempo.  Mark smiled and put reached both hands into his jacket. 

<i>Let's see who is going to be first.</i>

A girl with her ponytail sticking out her cap comes out of the room up on the left.

<i>Congratulations, Pony Tail!</i>

Mark pulls his hands from his coat and points a 9mm contraband pistol at Pony Tail.

Blam!

Pony Tail falls.  More students start exiting out of the other rooms. 

Letterman Jacket.  Dolphin Notebook. Goth Chick.

In unison with the raging alarm.

Blam! Blam! Blam!

All three fall. 

ROTC Cadet.  Fat Girl.  Old Man.  Another ROTC cadet.

Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam!

It's only been fifteen seconds since the alarm had been pulled and the hallway is full.  They see Mark standing at the entrance with weapons pointing at them and the panic sets in like a train wreck.  Pajama Pants screams, side steps a fallen body and starts running the opposite way into the throng of other fish sitting in the barrel.

Still in unison with the alarm, Mark fires into the mass.

Cornrows. Gay Guy. Old Navy. Hispanic Chick. 

Blam! Blam! Blam! Blam!

Suddenly, Mark feels his ribs crack and then notices that he is lying on the floor.  His vision goes blurry as his head crashes against the linoleum. He looks up and sees a figure standing above him.  He hears mumbling, but the alarm and the screams makes it impossible for him to make out what Blurry Man is saying. 

Mark squints and focuses on the man. His eyes meet the eyes of a stranger. Or is it?

<i>Cell Phone?!</i>

Cell Phone is holding one of Mark's guns. 

<i>Is he threatening me?</i>

Mark smiles and raises his gun at Cell Phone.

BLAM! BLAM!

Mark's chest begins to feel with blood as it empties from his chest.

<i>Cell Phone the hero.</i>

With death all around him, Mark's vision goes black and joins them.