| As soon as Troop G reached the Pagoda at the top of the hill, they turned
in unison and without warning, leveled their guns and started firing. I saw smoke and
heard the shots before I thought to turn and run. It wasn't until Jimmie Riggs pulled me
behind a parked car that it hit me that they were firing live ammunition. The car that
shielded us was riddled with bullets. And bullets were ricocheting off of it. Glass from
the windows was shattering over us. You could hear the bullets ripping at the grass beside
us. Then there was this hideous silence of shock and disbelief that they had done this.
When I came from behind the car, I saw Bill Schroeder lying on his back, three feet from
me. He had crystal blue eyes. His eyes were open and he was looking up at a very blue sky.
I knew he was dead. I looked over and saw a girl lying prone on the lawn of Prentice Hall.
I leaned over, and it was Sandy Scheuer, whom I knew very well. And I saw Sandy was dead.
Then I remembered where Alan had been standing, much closer than Sandy or Bill. It was at
that moment that my friend came up and said, "Alan and Tom got hit." |
