What if both their parents found their guns the night before?

Imagine if both their parents randomly decided to search Eric and Dylan's rooms the night of April 19, 1999. They only find their guns, nothing else. No bombs, neither of their journals, plans, tapes, etc. Let's say they did it while they went to Outback, and then Eric and Dylan both go home to see their parents holding their guns and demanding an explanation. I'm sure they could both make up an excuse and say they only had them to go shooting for fun (not like their parents were expecting them to become mass murderers anyway), but their parents would still be outraged and take them away.

I wonder what would happen then? Would their parents hide the guns or immediately take them somewhere and get rid of them? If the former, the boys possibly could have taken them back the next day and then carry out the massacre. But if the guns were gone, then what? Eric was 18, so they could have quickly went to the gun store before the massacre, but I doubt they had enough money to buy four guns. They might not have even had enough to get one or two. Would they reschedule it for a different day after they got more guns? Would they still carry it out on April 20th, but with the bombs only? We all know how that would have turned out. Or would they just trash the whole plan and graduate? I randomly thought about this a few hours ago and can't stop thinking about what could have gone different.

Didn't Eric write in his journal somewhere "if we get busted we start killing then and there"? It might be within the realm of possibility that they'd try and take the guns back and kill their parents.

But if they don't do that I'm having a hard time visualizing what would come next. Without guns I doubt they would've tried to bomb the school anyways, a key component of the original plan would be missing. Maybe they'd try some smaller scale bombings instead, like in one of Eric's rants about wanting to set up bombs around Denver.

It's also possible that Dylan would kill himself by strapping a pipe bomb to his neck and detonating it like he had previously fantasized about.

^I hardly believe they would kill their parents.

They would probably reschedule it for a different date, since they put a lot of effort into planing.

Onyx wrote:

^I hardly believe they would kill their parents.

They would probably reschedule it for a different date, since they put a lot of effort into planing.

I agree this seems most likely.

QuestionMark wrote:

"if we get busted we start killing then and there"

I feel like they both would have panicked and attacked their parents and grab the guns and kill them. As for what happens next, here are some possibilities I've made up:

1.They would both have to call each other and discuss what to do next, like they could lay low for the night like what Kip Kinkel did (though Eric lived on a cul de sac so he was surrounded by neighbors and they might be suspicious if they hear gunshots at the Harris residence) and attack the school the next day but with their parents now not knowing. Plus they make a tape (or tapes if individually) where they seem to be in a state of panic and remorse after stating they killed their parents. They go on to attack Columbine as it happened in reality.

2. Same as above except Eric is in a huge panic and he grabs his guns and and bombs and other equipment and HAULS ASS to Dylans house to pick him and just go around town (or the neighborhood) shooting and throwing bombs at people like that game Hatred

3. Also same as above accept they go on a cross country killing spree like Natural Born Killers like they probably fantasized about

4. Dylan kills himself after realizing he just shot and killed his parents so he cannot live with himself now, ultimately taking himself out of NBK leaving Eric have to do the plan alone.

5. They get arrested somehow

6. They ditch the NBK plan altogether and decide to become serial bombers (though I know [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] already mentioned that)

7. Same as 6 but with a twist from 4. Dylan kills himself so Eric decides to become a serial bomber

thelmar wrote:

Onyx wrote:

^I hardly believe they would kill their parents.

They would probably reschedule it for a different date, since they put a lot of effort into planing.

I agree this seems most likely.

I feel it was either going to be then or never. The school year was coming to an end, they'd have to get new guns, and no doubt be under even tighter scrutiny from their parents and also have to replan everything.

I just can't see them getting that close and then sitting back and accepting defeat.

For sure they only had so much time to reschedule. Inclined to agree with QuestionMark if only because it doesn't seem to me like they expected to be busted by police or the school before their parents. I guess he could've meant take their other gun, assuming only one would be found, and run away with Dylan and start a killing spree. Or he could've meant at the school but say 20 minutes early. Yet those seem more fanciful than just feeling like they had to kill their parents in such a scenario, despite at times absolving of them blame. 

If they took both their guns, and they had no means of killing them, Not sure. I imagine just try to talk their way out of it. Maybe Eric could use that he was 18 now. idk what Dylan would do, blame his brother maybe. Buy some even cheaper guns and try the plan again maybe. 

Then again, I think they were quite ready to die from a bomb. Indeed Dylan mentioned killing himself with one of the two pipe bombs left in his room - maybe that's why he had them out. In NBK.doc Eric speaks of swallowing chlorine gas laden crickets when the cops are closing in. The potential suicide attempt on the CCTV. Saying the library was going to explode with them in it. Cops staying outside and fearing triggering a bomb with motion. Even Eric shooting his head off and one of them presumably Dylan lighting the Molotov. 

To be like Doom probably a bigger reason for the guns. They could give that up and just try to bomb a place or set it ablaze. Probably would've been worse since they wouldn't have started shooting before making the bomb work.