No one realizes how scary going into lock down is until you are in one. Not being able to go anywhere, not knowing what is actually happening just outside the door.  Just the thought of someone or something coming through a window or door, even if they’re locked and no one can be seen, in my opinion, is one of the scariest feelings.

     I was in my first real lock down in 5th grade. It was at the end of the school day, right before we were released to go home. It had been a very long day and I was ready to see my little brother who was in second grade at the time. At first, the teacher didn’t tell us what was going on, all we knew was that we had to be quiet and it wasn’t a drill. 

     After about 30 minutes she came and sat next to us and explained what was going on. There was a criminal with a gun in the neighborhood across the street from the school. After two hours the cops found the man and we were released from the school. 

     I was in my second lock down when I was in 8th grade. A kid at school had brought a knife and drugs to school. All I remember from that day was seeing my best friend walk out of the cafeteria and the guy who brought the weapon to school walkout. We were released from lunch and about two minutes later an announcement was made that we were going into lock down. My friends and I went to the closest room. I started breathing heavy and my heart started to feel like it was about to jump out of my chest. 

     Not knowing where my best friend was, was a very scary thing. At the end of the lock down, I ran out of the class and looked in most of the classrooms until I heard my name from the other side of the hallway. When we found each other I ran and I think we hugged for a good five minutes. At the end of the day, everything turned out fine. The crazy guy went to juvie and we were safe again.

     Going through these things made me a little different. It definitely messed with my head, because I still don’t understand why people think it necessary to do something like that. Now that I’m in high school, I know that a drill is a drill but it’s still pretty terrifying.