Broken Lens

I just set down the script and look up at the roof of my car. A few moments pass before I turn and look at my camera. I pick up my camera a long with the actually needed information.

Research will be on a private school named Saint Jeffe. A teacher sent us a letter asking us to reveal the problem of the school system. The letter was more dressed to me than the team.

“Sir Komaeda, I believe the dear children of Saint Jeff need your help. These poor children have been in trouble and the school is the one doing it. I have seen you help the other troubled places and I believe you can help these sweet children. I have pulled myself away from school, but still worry about the children. Please, Sir Komaeda, help these children. From Miss Jay Belle.” I hold the paper even with the camera as I read.

During my reading, I decide to test the camera. It is still able to zoom in and zoom out. Night vision was working fine. Battery isn’t stuck inside this camera and was at full. The recording and snapping a picture was quick and working.

I fold up the letter and put it in my back pocket. I flick the camera on with one last sigh. I aim my camera at the locked gates of the school. I try my best not to be shaky as I record.

I am Jonathan Komaeda. I am a solo video journalist for the Highten News. My subjects are mostly mistreatment or places that creep the others into handing the job to me. I am known to grab some jobs from those who ask for researchers.

I quickly watch the segment. As I was zooming up on the gates, a dark outline of what looked like an adult moved away from the doors. I smile at that set.

“Someone is here.” I climb out the car, making sure my camera is tightly in my hands. “Excuse me?!” I shout out to where the figure was.

My response was the gate slowly creaking open. The sound echoes off the trees. The sound scared the crows, who were near by. I grip my camera and take that as an invitation to come inside.

I stretch as I walk up the drive to the school. The only sound now is my footsteps against the pavement. I didn’t see the mysterious figure as I went inside the gate.

I start recording as I head to the gate operation system. It was almost as soon as I start recording again, the gate closes quicker than it opened.

“Excuse, sir or madam. Thank you for...” No one was inside the little room by the gate. “Did they just leave?”

I turn to the school and zoom in slowly. I stop the recording when I see what looks like a little girl in a window. The way she was moving around made it look like she was getting beaten.

“H-Hold on!” I shout as I see her notice me. “I’ll be there quickly!”

I begin to run quickly up the steps of the school. I hook my camera to my hip as I hit the top step. Pulling, pushing, hitting, banging, or kicking did nothing to the front doors of the school.

My own panic began when I hear the scream from the girl. In a last minute thought, I toss a garbage can against the window beside the door. The window shatters all over ground as it gives me a chance to get inside.

Pulling myself up in the window, was done easier than I thought. I found myself on the ground in the glass as I didn’t fully respond to them. I quickly hop to my feet and begin running up to the stairs.

“Third floor. She was on the third floor, right?” I breathe out sharply.

What stop my advances, was darkness and the fact I ran into a metal door. The door stop right before the second floor begins. I felt my stomach drop at the thought of someone holding up my chance of saving the girl.

Changing my plans quickly, I decide to look for the accessible elevator. The wall to the right side of the stairs look like it may be holding the elevator shaft with the glass wall. The race to get back down to the first floor was making it hard to handle this whole scene.

The elevator's door was already open, like it was waiting for me. Jumping inside and hitting the third floor button, seem to have awaken the whole school. The wheel screaming to pull me up cause more screaming to burst from around the school.

Adults, children, animals, even electronic screams filled the area. It cut through the air so strong, it made me want to scream. Having that feeling in my heart, I lift up my camera and decide to record.

"It feels contagious. The screaming. Like everyone here needs to let out the anger and sorrow they feel." I turn to the glass wall of the elevator, looking out at the stairs as I talk. "I don't remember ever getting a feeling like this before."

On the second floor of the building, I see children running around with bloody objects in their hands. Their eyes turn dark as they scream, looking up at the ceiling. I crouch down to record them more. I zoom in on a few faces and a few bloody weapons.

Between the third and second floor, the elevator stops. The jerk from the stop makes me drop my camera. After muttering shit under my breathe and rushing to pick it up, I felt the drop.

As the speed picks up, I realize how big the school truly is. I knew the main school building had thirteen floors and three buildings in all. All of them connected together by a court yard. I never knew that there was sub-levels to the school.

Pass the second floor. Pass the first floor. Pass sub-level one. Pass sub-level two. Pass sub-level three. On sub-level four, the elevator finally hit bottom.

The glass side explodes and hits me in the progress. The camera flies up and hit me in the back. The papers from my back pocket suddenly go missing.

I sit up slowly, pulling the camera off my back. Looking up, with my vision still blurred from the shock, I see my only light source for now. I also see four little heads looking down at me.

Hey! I try to shout out at them, but find my voice not coming out. Lifts my hand up to signal for help, I see the wound on my palm.

I shake my head and lie back. I little out a small groan and grip my camera with my wounded hand. My eyes slip shut slowly as I hear voices.

"He looks like an angel."

"Angels are girls you idiot."

"Nu-uh! Michael the archangel is a boy. Maybe God sent us our own angel."

"And the camera is God's eyes!"

"Protect yourself sir angel. You need if you wish to save us."