?Hands up if you are hurt.“ Mrs. Patel tried to sound composed but her voice faltered.

  A few shaky hands emerged from under the desks. ?My knee,“ one said. ?I struck my shoulder,“ another whimpered. No one sounded sure how bad things war.

  An alarm began to blare somewhere in the hallway. It was not the normal school bell, but a high, shrill tone that set Daniel’s teeth on edge. A moment later, phones all over the room started chiming and vibrating simultaneously—notification sounds, emergency alerts—overlapping into a desperate, electronic chatter that made the air feel even thinner.

  ?Everyone out!“ Mrs. Patel said. ?We‘re evacuating. Leave everything.“

  Before she could finish, the door banged open, revealing another teacher in the frame with his hair halfway out of place and his eyes too wide.

  ?Earthquake,“ he panted. ?Get everyone to the sports field.“

  The term "earthquake" seemed unreal.There were no earthquakes in London. That was something that happened on the news in other places. Despite his shaky legs and buzzing head, Daniel forced himself to stand up and joined the throng of people pouring out into the hallway, the noise building like a wave that was still unsure of where to break.

  “Okay, you heard him,“ Mrs. Patel said, louder now, forcing the panic out of her voice.“Up slowly,watch your feet. Leave your bags. I mean it, leave everything! No pushing!“

  Chairs scraped back in a single, frantic burst. Desks bumped and jolted. Someone kicked over a bin; pens, paper and an empty can rolled under their feet. When a boy reached for his backpack, three teachers simultaneously yelled at him.

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  ?Leave it!“

  “Bag stays!“

  “Just move, we‘ll get things later!“

  Daniel carefully straightened his shaky knees. He stood between two desks, trying to recall how to move his legs. Then his gaze fell to the ground. His bag was right where he’d shoved it before the test, half under his chair, zip pulled tight. His phone was inside, tucked away in the front pocket and turned off like it always was during exams.

  Before he made up his mind, Daniel's hand moved. In one swift, awkward motion, he ducked, grabbed his bag's strap, and hauled it up. The weight of it thumped against his side.

  “Daniel!“ Mrs. Patel‘s head turned abruptly toward him. ?I said leave it!“

  ?I…my sister is on a trip in town,“ he blurted, the words tumbling out too fast. ?I just need my phone, I‘ll keep moving, I promisse.“

  Across the jumble of desks and strewn papers, they gazed at one another for half a second. Her mouth pressed into a thin line like she was about to tell him off properly, the way she would on any other day. Then there was another tremor beneath their feet, not as strong as the previous one, but enough to cause the lights to sway and the ceiling to give a small crack.

  “Fine,“ she said, her voice tight. ?Just go. Don‘t stop. Keep up with the others.“

  He shook his head so hard that it hurt and swung the bag over one shoulder. The strap bit into his collarbone. He didn't care. People were already pushing past him, and he let himself be carried along with them to the door.

  It was a mess in the hallway. All of the classrooms had emptied at the same time, and students were pouring out in uneven streams, forming a long line that pushed itself toward the stairs. The two alarms outside were even worse. They screamed off the walls so loudly that it felt like the sound was coming from everywhere at once. A locker door halfway down the hall had swung open, and every time someone ran past, their shoulder or backpack hit it, making it slam shut and snap back open. Someone's water bottle had broken underfoot, leaving a slick spot that people slid through with little squeaks of surprise. A girl from another class stood against the wall, shaking, with big, glassy eyes and one hand over her mouth like she was holding something in.