Pizza Day
In the bustling cafeteria, the smell of pizza and the murmur of gossip hung thick in the air. A sharp crack shattered the hum, and students froze. Eyes locked on the shooter, every breath hitched.
"Everyone, get down!"
I saw the girl, the one who'd been hit, in a pool of blood. What a pretty color, I thought, as tears ran down my bloated cheeks, my mouth still full with stale Detroit-style pepperoni pizza. The intruder's footsteps paced over the dirty linoleum and my pulse kept time with his steps, as if my heart wanted to appease him.
Closer, closer. Stop One heartbeat, two. Stop. Click. Stop, stop--
"Stop!"
About the Creator
Reader insights
Nice work
Very well written. Keep up the good work!
Top insight
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Keep reading
More stories from Paige Holloway and writers in Fiction and other communities.
The Clockmaker of Mount Tempus
In the heart of the rolling green hills, nestled between the babbling brooks that crisscrossed the landscape, was the town of Mount Tempus, where time was a mercurial companion, elusive and unpredictable, bending and warping in ways that defied explanation. For the townsfolk, time had a habit of expanding fleeting moments into lingering hours, while years were curiously compressed into fleeting moments, as ephemeral as a sigh on the breeze.
By Paige Holloway3 years ago in Fiction
📢 Raise Your Voice Thread: 01/08/2026
Our “Raise Your Voice Threads” are hosted most alternating Thursdays at 12PM ET to offer creators more avenues to uncover exceptional stories on Vocal. As we are continuously searching for fresh creators and inspiring stories, this thread provides an opportunity to exchange and discuss the stories that have moved and motivated us on Vocal.
By Raise Your Voice by Vocal4 days ago in Resources
Comments (1)
"What a pretty colour" - such a good way to encapsulate how a mind can fixate on odd details in moments of crisis 😁 Did you mean "cheeks"?