This Is Where It Ends

by Marieke Nijkamp

Over the course of 54 harrowing minutes, the students at Opportunity High struggle to survive—and to understand why one boy started shooting 10:00 am: The principal of Opportunity High School in Alabama finishes her speech, welcoming the entire student body to a new semester and encouraging them to excel and achieve. 10:02 am: The students get up to leave the auditorium for their next class. 10:03 am: The auditorium doors won't open. 10:05 am: Someone starts shooting. This explosive, emotional, page-turning debut about a high school held hostage is told from the perspective of four teens—each with their own reason to fear the boy with the gun.