A No-Show on 4/20

Very random thought, but what if either Eric or Dylan was a no-show on 4/2/99 itself? Did they have a plan should one of them unexpectedly not show up on time according to plan? Do you think they called one another early in the morning before leaving the house to confirm?

What if one of them had already showed up with all the stuff, say, around the time to plant the bombs, and they realised their partner is not there. Damn. They would freak out a little right? And then what?

I think by 4/20 they were both in so deep neither one thought the other wouldn't be there. I think the "are you with me comment" is the only hint to any doubt by either of them.

And if it had happened, it could go multiple ways. If Eric had chickened out I think Dylan would have gone looking for him. And if when he found him, Eric told Dylan he couldn't go thru with it I think Dylan might have stopped. I don't think he would have gone thru with it. If Dylan had chickened out I think Eric would have been mad.

Not that I don't think Dylan would be mad. I think both boys had their hearts minds and souls set on this day and if their partner in crime chickened out they would be fuming.

I guess I could see Dylan going back into his "regular" life a bit easier than Eric. Eric had done most of the planning and actual actions (building the bombs making blueprints etc) I feel he had more work to throw down the drain if it didn't happen as opposed to Dylan.

I am sure there are things I am forgetting though and when there are more comments I will read them and realize new points of view though!

I think it's amazing that they both trusted each other that much to not have any doubts or worry about a last-minute turning back.

I agree that Eric would be the one to flip-out as opposed to Dylan. Aside from all the hands-on work he did, yeah, I don't think Eric would be able to take it well. But yet, maybe just an initial anger but after awhile he might be relieved because of his suicide fear? Maybe Dylan might be low-key disappointed that his last day didn't end up happening?

I'm trying to picture a scenario where one of them showed up to school and the other didn't and, yeah they would go looking for them and be like "What the fuck dude? Why didn't you show up? You bailing on this?"

This was a time where there were no cellphones either so there's no way to text and be like Dude you coming. I don't think either one had a pager either so they reallyyyyyy trusted in one another to come through.

I think if one of them was a no-show, the other would go frantically looking for the other. I think they both would have been so angry with the other.If Eric was the no-show, I think Dylan would have been very mad and disappointed as this was the day he was going to die. But I can't see Dylan going ahead with it by himself and I think he would have sunk deeper and deeper into the inner dark recesses of his mind and his mental state would continue to worsen. If Dylan was the no-show, I think Eric would have been very mad and possibly gone ahead with NBK and try to kill as many as possible by himself. He had done so much planning and preparation and being so mad and upset that Dylan was a no-show, I think he might have tried to carry out a lone gunman NBK.
I really think they were both so into it and had been planning it for many months and were so completely loyal and trusting of each other, that the idea of not going through with it never was seriously considered by either one.

This is all fine and dandy, but image if one of them got into a car accident on their way to school with all his stuff in the trunk, and got severly injured, that would be something. And if he was able to walk, I think that Dylan would try to run or speed off with his car, and Eric would start it off right there, or try to speed off to school like Dylan.

If they got into an accident their cover might be blown I mean if they got their belongings checked. Now that's f*cked. They might try to speed as you said because now all the more they feel they can't jeopardise their plan due to their accident and would rather make it in time to ground zero: school.

Would it be totally far off if the other didn't show up, so the other one just packed all their things and went home.

Like is that hilarious?

The point is neither of them were late or backed out as both were totally committed till the to carrying out this massacre.

What if the night before, what if, they both might not have wanted to do it somehow but due to their loyalty, their bro-love and not wanting to let each other down they just caved.

Man what friends they are.

I think they were together almost the whole morning so quietly backing out was never an option.

But they were still asleep if they slept at all in their own houses so, that was a lot of time for thinking.

shades wrote:

But they were still asleep if they slept at all in their own houses so, that was a lot of time for thinking.

I think if either one backed out the other would be there to try to convince them back in on the plan. And I think if that happened then the massacre could have happened on the 21 even.

Great questions, I know it's been bandied about here and there on this site before. Deep down, I always wanted to believe that each of them secretly hoped the other would chicken out, so they would be able to blame the other for not actually going through with it, though I realize that is pretty much fantasy.

In reality, though, I believe that if the other one didn't show up, that each boy would have done something, though maybe not to the extreme that both of them were capable of, obviously.

shades wrote:

This was a time where there were no cellphones either so there's no way to text and be like Dude you coming. I don't think either one had a pager either so they reallyyyyyy trusted in one another to come through.

Great point!

ThoughtBox wrote:

that each boy would have done something, though maybe not to the extreme that both of them were capable of, obviously.

So, to have done something anyways, they were willing to be caught and punished alone? Would their end-game still be suicide?
I feel...Eric might still try something anyway, though I doubt he'd be willing to get out alive. I don't know why I feel Dylan would have just turned back, pack his gear and get away from the school. He needed Eric to do have himself be part of committing any acts.

shades wrote:

Very random thought, but what if either Eric or Dylan was a no-show on 4/2/99 itself? Did they have a plan should one of them unexpectedly not show up on time according to plan? Do you think they called one another early in the morning before leaving the house to confirm?

What if one of them had already showed up with all the stuff, say, around the time to plant the bombs, and they realised their partner is not there. Damn. They would freak out a little right? And then what?

I wish both were no shows.

jada887 wrote:

I wish both were no shows.

That's a thought, haha. If both of them ditched the plan and not let one another know about it so then I mean, meh, Columbine just wouldn't happen.

shades wrote:

jada887 wrote:

I wish both were no shows.

That's a thought, haha. If both of them ditched the plan and not let one another know about it so then I mean, meh, Columbine just wouldn't happen.

\

It could have been quite the possibility!

I know both were totally into it, but knowing that neither wanted to let the other down, it would have certainly been weird if neither one showed up.. and they both showed up as normal for bowling and just finished out the day like a normal day.

Would that be described as loyalty? Meaning they were that good of friends, or they both just wanted to do something fucked up + end their lives together?

shades wrote:

Would that be described as loyalty? Meaning they were that good of friends, or they both just wanted to do something fucked up + end their lives together?

I think it's both of the above. They've already given up on the world and themselves so pretty much going out with a BANG is the best/only way to do it.

aquillina wrote:

shades wrote:

Would that be described as loyalty? Meaning they were that good of friends, or they both just wanted to do something fucked up + end their lives together?

I think it's both of the above. They've already given up on the world and themselves so pretty much going out with a BANG is the best/only way to do it.

I think that is a good way to put it. It may have been F***ed but they still had loyalty toward each other. No denying that

Because, maybe they're committed to each other because one another was all they had that would commit the massacre with them. So sometimes I think it's true friendship but yet, maybe they're just using each other cause how often would you find someone who would agree to killing people with you.

But they've been friends for awhile now, they probably went through alot together so I won't doubt their friendship.

shades wrote:

Because, maybe they're committed to each other because one another was all they had that would commit the massacre with them. So sometimes I think it's true friendship but yet, maybe they're just using each other cause how often would you find someone who would agree to killing people with you.

But they've been friends for awhile now, they probably went through alot together so I won't doubt their friendship.

I think that yea they truly were friends. I think that if both had gotten the right kind of help perhaps it would have continued. But I do feel that both felt out others for the massacre, so perhaps if someone else had shown the inklings that Eric and Dylan had someone else would have been there.

Sometimes I feel like both boys used each other, but sometimes I feel it was a genuine friendship

Lizpuff wrote:

shades wrote:

Because, maybe they're committed to each other because one another was all they had that would commit the massacre with them. So sometimes I think it's true friendship but yet, maybe they're just using each other cause how often would you find someone who would agree to killing people with you.

But they've been friends for awhile now, they probably went through alot together so I won't doubt their friendship.

I think that yea they truly were friends.  I think that if both had gotten the right kind of help perhaps it would have continued.  But I do feel that both felt out others for the massacre, so perhaps if someone else had shown the inklings that Eric and Dylan had someone else would have been there.  

Sometimes I feel like both boys used each other, but sometimes I feel it was a genuine friendship

I think they used each other and leaned on each other for support. Not every friend would agree to go on a killing spree and commit suicide at the end of the killing. I think they were trusting of each other, and did have a genuine friendship. Eric considered Dylan his best friend but Dylan thought of Eric as a friend to accomplish Dylan's main objective to die.They felt in the end it was them against the world and they wanted to be remembered forever even if it was to be remembered as cold blooded killers.

E&D's suicide photo was the first modern crime scene photo I ever looked at (before that I had only seen the Jack The Ripper crime scene photos). The first time I looked at it was close to 15 years ago now, and I was more fascinated by the gore aspect of it. When I became interested in columbine again recently (a few months before joining this forum), I looked at their suicide photo again. The first thing that came to my mind was "that's loyaty and devotion right there".

So I agree with what everyone is saying, and I know it's been brought up in other threads and I've even commented on it before too, that neither wanted to let the other down.

I agree with you [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. I never openly admitted this, but when I look at the suicide photo I actually think it's....sweet? It's almost, *swallows* romantic.

shades wrote:

I agree with you [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. I never openly admitted this, but when I look at the suicide photo I actually think it's....sweet? It's almost, *swallows* romantic.

Still a better love story than Twilight. THERE I SAID IT!!!!!!

shades wrote:

I agree with you [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]. I never openly admitted this, but when I look at the suicide photo I actually think it's....sweet? It's almost, *swallows* romantic.

You're not alone there. I'm not sure that I'd call it romantic, but the bond they shared and the fact that not only did they decide to die together but also side by side gives you the impression that they shared some kind of powerful connection with each other.

Edited to say: okay maybe it is romantic, but I don't think of it as romantic in a sexual way haha

There's no way I can imagine Dylan going through with it alone. Had Eric not shown up his name would have been added right next to Zach's on Dylan's list of dissapointing friends who had "abandoned" him. It would have made his depression even worse, but I'm still not sure Dylan would have done anything about it. It would have been an "Oh I knew it was always a joke" in person with Eric, while he continued dreaming of suicide privately. Without Eric's persistence Dylan wouldn't have made it to the "go through with it" phase of his violent and full on self destructive phase of NBK.

I'm not sure that Eric would have continued on his own either though, at least not on 4/20. Remember Dylan helped set the bombs intended to cause half the destruction on NBK. It's possible Eric may have settled for 1 cafeteria bomb, but that would have severely cut back on the body cout. Eric was all show when it came to the attack. He spent months of planning for a body count worth giving his life for, and that body count included Dylan's cooperation. I don't think Dylan wavering would have changed Eric's actions, but I do think it would have caused a few weeks set back. He'd have simply waited another paycheck worth of time and built a second cafeteria bomb on his own.

Dylan was there to help raise the body count for Eric, while Eric was there to facilitate Dylan's suicide. It's hard to say exactly what would have happen if one chickened out due to their vastly different motivations behind their killings.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] AMAZING!!!!

Haha I see two guys that hated the world and wanted to kill themselves leftover corpses. Knowing them through all this material makes it hard to imagine that it really is them, but it is. A free culture they could have one anything in, and they did that, :/