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The janitor grabs the gun and pulls it away. The kid falls down and starts to cry. The kids in the hallway are all quiet, staring at the janitor. What happened? The janitor is suddenly aware of a sudden, acute pain, a dull throbbing ache, he begins to feel cold. So cold. The pain begins to go away. He can smell it now, the smell of his guts… feces and digesting food… and blood. He begins to fall, his legs giving out and his feet slipping on the red mess pooling on the floor. A few students embrace him as the assistant principal grabs his hand. "Ahhh…" "Just hang on, someone is calling 911, the ambulance is on its way." They lower him to the floor, the assistant principal looms over him. "You…" He begins to cry as he tries to talk, his body betraying him. Tell him, just say it. He tries to talk, but he can't form his words. He gurgles and tries to move his lips. "… shee… you… Whose going to…" He glances at the faces of the children around him. I can't do this, I don't even know... "Whose going to… to… clean this mesh up?" He smiles. He feels light. Emily. "Emily." He lays there for several minutes, the students and teachers gathering around. "Emily." He hears sirens in the distance. "Emily." He can make out a paramedic running up to him, slipping her hands into latex gloves. "Give him some air." Another voice to the side says, "Too much blood…" He smiles. He can smell the cherry blossoms; he can see Dominic straining at the end of his leash. She smiles and waves. He can smell her hair; he can feel her heart beat against his chest.

"I love you, Joe."