{Early warning, this is a major one and will only be said once. There are mentions of sexual violence of all kinds, corruption, and much more. If you see this after reading Hours, this will be much stronger theme-wise, while lighter on details.}
"My name, Is Alan Andrews. Most of you know me from my other speech, but if you don't, then you can be damn sure to remember it this time. I came to this stage because I'm sick of how this country handles the shooting situation, how the schools ignore students' pleas, and how you all have led to my only friend being killed.
There were threats sent to that very school, warnings sent, and even a shooter himself begged them to cancel school instead. One of the very few good teachers left in this country has died, all because you're more focused on a rating.
Does being an A-School matter when your students have died? I have a mountain of paperwork that I salvaged from the incident. Do you know what's on it? Over 100 reports of bullying, but the Dean and Counselor marked it off as, 'kids being kids.' What the fuck is wrong with you?
Let me ask you something, what would you prefer? Would you rather the last time you talk to your child be an argument, or would you rather have the chance to make up with them? Thanks to Oliver, those who were left alive could escape, yet you don't hail him as a hero.
Instead, you mock the students who chose to do it, ignoring what led to it. If you had done your fucking job as adults in the first place, do you think he would have died? If the school had told the police ahead of time, do you think anyone would have died?
You mock and destroy the legacy and the families of those who participated in the vile act, but the school's legacy remains the same. Let me tell you, from one crazy son of a bitch to a whole country of them, if you seriously think it's only the students who are in the wrong, you shouldn't even be alive. You worthless pieces of shit.
Sure, some of them did it for fun, some did it because the thrill of taking lives captivated their hearts. But what about those who were forced into it, like Ethan? What about the constant cases of sexual harassment, did that not raise flags? What Jess did was wrong, she tortured and desecrated the body of a young boy, but if she had only killed those who hurt her, you can be damn sure I'd be on her side.
Craig, murdered only those who hurt him, and never went past that, do you know what happened to him? His bullies skinned his cat alive and hung it in front of his house, they drowned him five times in the school toilets, they shoved firecrackers into his throat and tried to make him swallow them, yet the school never stepped up, and the police did the same fucking thing.
If I was in that situation, I'd have killed them all too, nothing more. I'm on his side, but above all, I'm on the side of Humanity, I'm on the side of the future of this country. Other shooters, I'm not fully sure myself, but you can.
Reporters! Parents! Students! Leaders from around the world, I make this call to you! In Humanity's darkest hour, Oliver stood up for all of us! Yet what did you do? You ran like cowards and kept important information on the down low just to protect yourselves! You mock and tarnish the reputation of the families of those who committed the heinous act!
My one friend, the one man who stood up to everyone and put an end to it, you ignore! If you ask me, not a damn one of you is any better than the ones who murdered over 1,341 students! There deaths, they're on your hands, you filthy pieces of shit.
I make this final call to you, focus on it! Stop ignoring those who reach out for help, stop assuming it's for attention, and take action first, before this ever repeats itself. As I stand on this stage, fake shooting threats are spreading throughout the country, citizens think it's funny to threaten lives.
Yet, you know what else is going on? Schools are still keeping the information secret, they're still not telling the students, parents, or even the police. As a result, students are still dying left and right! I'm not here to make a threat, I'm making a promise, if you continue down this path, more people will die.
So, a final question, leaders and citizens alike. What's more important? Is it some school rating, or is it lives? How many of us must die, before you step up and fucking do something? That's all."
The man walked off the stage and immediately got swarmed by reporters, yet he pushed his way through. In that one moment, I knew what I should do; the answer had never been clearer to me in my entire life.
'If the schools will refuse to take action, I should,' I thought to myself, turning off the television and opening up the dark curtains covering my window. How much did I have to suffer through to get to where I was? Did I even have much to lose anymore?
*Back to the very beginning, where my need first began...*
"What do you think you are? A vigilante? Do you just imagine yourself walking down the streets at night, beating up criminals? Are you off to go save a city!? Do you imagine yourself as that?!" The dean screamed, her spit splattering against my brow and sliding down my face.
"With as much respect as possible, that isn't true. All I did was report a serious crime, he sexually assaulted those close to me, you have proof and a confession from him, so why am I being punished?" I asked back, not bothering much to protect myself from the accusations. They were absurd as it was.
Just a few months ago there was a student, his name was Sam Nester. He had gotten away with sexually assaulting two of my friends, I reported him for it and even showed up to deliver my proof so the school would look into it.
Instead of looking into it, they punished me for speaking out. Within a day, I was suspended for confronting him about it and was permanently punished via police escort from class to class. Why? Because I'm a "threat."
"If you EVER bring this up again Liam, you will be expelled for causing a disturbance. Do you have any idea, any at all, what kind of problem you created!?" She shouted again, moving her face closer to mine. I could smell the sardines on her breath as her disgusting spit dripped from my chin.
"How is that fair! He hurt other students and there's evidence he did it to more!" I countered, unable to hold back the anger building within me. How was it fair? I was to be punished, threatened, almost held at gunpoint, all for reporting a crime?
I had reported it to the counselor the year prior when I first learned of it, yet she shrugged it off. Instead of looking into it, she reported me to the Dean for disrupting the school and causing "Hysteria" among students.
"That doesn't concern you, now does it? That's a school matter, not for someone like you to stick your nose in Liam!" As the words left her tongue, flashes of me standing up and slapping her went through my head, but I held back. Even if she deserved it, I couldn't, I would be punished.
As usual, everything was to be pinned on me to prevent the favorite students from facing repercussions for their actions. Not only had he hurt those close to me, but one of my friends killed herself because the school didn't believe her. They even forced her into silence, also threatening to expel her if it was ever brought up again like they were now doing to me.
"If you ever. I mean EVER. Tell any students about what happened, or if this is brought up to me again, you will be expelled and the police will be called on you for defamation of character. Do I make myself clear?" She asked, her eyes wide with rage.
I nodded, not wanting to say another word, and was out of the office shortly after, with a hefty two-week suspension.
'They're covering for him, you know,' A voice in the back of my mind said, and I knew it was true. Even after countless students the year prior reported a teacher for sexual harassment, sexual assault, and even giving out aphrodisiacs, they still didn't fire him.
So what led to him being fired? A female student took her life because of him, he had abused her and left her for dead in an alley, not even half a mile from the school. She died that night, and her brother discovered the truth after finding her diary.
Was he fired? No. The next day, the boy and his father showed up at the school, kidnapped the teacher, and executed him in the very spot he violated the student. What did the news have to say about it?
"Breaking news: 18-year-old student and 36-year-old father execute teenage daughters' teacher after he gave a bad grade!" The school covered up almost the entire incident, they even went onto the news and claimed he was a good man.
Students tried to speak up about it on the news next, and they made progress, but suddenly, they never showed up to the school again. The news reports disappeared, and the school maintained its prestigious history.
'I know,' I finally responded to the voice, shaking myself out of all the memories that filled my mind. No matter what happened, the school never took a dive. They had a long, perfect history, never even having a smudge on that record.
I shivered and rubbed my mits together, it was going to be a cold winter, or at least that's what it felt like. The smell of coffee was thick in the air, wrapping itself around my nose, and distracting me with its rich aroma, but I got back on task.
I let out a sigh, pausing in the snow, and checked my phone. It had been only a day ago the survivor of the Gispellen school shooting took a stand, although he had a lot to say, most of what he said, the points he made, were neglected. 'I wonder, if I reach out to him, would he help me try and stop this?'
Without returning to the thought, other than a quick scoff, I continued my walk to my home. 'It's been a while since you died, Andrea. I promise, when I can, I'll solve this. If the police won't help, the news ignores me, then I just have to find another way,' I thought, wiping a tear off my cold cheek with my warm and fuzzy gloves.
'You know... The darker route will get you an instant result,' The voice from earlier muttered, although I almost listened I kept walking. My therapist warned me not to answer it, or entertain the voice at all.
'Make it so they have to listen, create something so big that nobody will stand in your way, Liam,' It said again, a sinister edge creeping in. I had listened far too long, letting it control my every move before, but I was now on new medication, and I could resist.
I got home and threw my backpack on my bed, before letting out a long sigh. "How will I explain that me chasing this, chasing justice, got me suspended again?" I asked myself aloud, closing the curtains and turning on the television.
Much to my surprise, it was right there, live coverage of Alan Andrews and his second speech. 'No way,' I mumbled, sitting up and looking at the screen. This was it, my solution. If I couldn't do anything with the law. Then I would do it on my own, I could document everything and build a case so strong they'd have to listen.
"How many of us must die, before you step up and fucking do something? That's all." His final line spoke to me, jutting a feeling in my heart I didn't know still existed, hope. I was going to expose them and truly get justice, no matter what. That is my vow.