Reality Can Change in Seconds - Daniel Kolpek

April 20, 1999 started as a normal day for hundreds of innocent students at Columbine High School in Colorado. However, when students Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold arrived that afternoon, this typical day quickly took a tragic turn. The two students, who were carrying multiple firearms, four knives, and 99 explosives, entered the school and planted bombs in the school cafeteria; set to go off when most of the student population was present.  The two then proceeded to heartlessly slaughter the innocent teachers and students of the school. A school lockdown was issued and the swat team came to evacuate students.

Life can change in an instant. You can go from feeling happy and safe to afraid and depressed in a matter of minutes. For example, take the students in this picture. Every one of them feel terrified and flustered. Some are confused and have no idea of the massacre occurring inside the school. They evacuating the school and running to safety while their fellow classmates are being murdered by two cold-hearted killers. Their lives are changing like that of a man whose dad just passed away. The helpless teachers have no idea what to do, and the swat members are trying hard to save as many students as possible. When people think of Columbine now, this is the picture that pops into their head: students experiencing sadness, distress, and horror. A picture is worth a thousand words.

After it was all over, twelve students, one teacher, and the two perpetrators were dead. An additional 21 were injured; three of which were attacked while trying to escape this nightmare. This tragedy brought up many issues on gun control and forced implementation of new school safety policies. It is impossible to know what these students faced that day. Hopefully no other school or student will ever have to endure the heartbreak and despair that this event brought.