Joseph and the Magical Moose

Part 7: Billy's At It Again

Back at school, the situation was much the same. Miss Flower gave out numerous chocolate frogs as rewards, recess and lunchtimes were taken up with cricket games and Billy Bashley was still bullying me.

At least we were able to play cricket again. Judith stood up to him one lunchtime and threatened to get her big brother in Year Seven to give him a knuckle sandwich if he took over our cricket games again.

Billy was much bigger than Judith, but when it came to cricket, Judith was very passionate. No-one could believe that Billy backed down. However, he couldn't leave without giving me a jab in the ribs.

"I'll see you after school, dirt bag," Billy said to me. "Meet me behind the bike racks, and don't chicken out or it'll be worse for you tomorrow!"

Billy's words chilled me to the bone. I felt sick in the stomach. I wished I'd had a big brother in Year Seven. He was obviously going to beat me up after school.

The bike racks were in a secluded spot behind the garden shed. No adults would see what was going on. Why was he targeting me? It's all my fault. If I'd said nothing on the first day and hadn't volunteered to show him around the school, he wouldn't have noticed me. Then maybe he would have left me alone. I wished I'd said nothing. I wished I was at home, safe with Mum, Dad, Doug, Psycho Bird and Moosey. The end of school came more quickly than I'd anticipated. Word had quickly spread that Billy was going to bash my brains in. Mitchell suggested that I run for it after the siren.

"Billy's big and slow, he'll never catch you."

"But he said that it would be worse for me tomorrow. I can't back out. I just have to go." The siren sounded. Miss Flower said good afternoon to us all and everyone grabbed their bags and headed for the bike racks. I nearly told Miss Flower what Billy had said, but I couldn't. I guess I felt embarrassed and scared that Billy would find out and make it even worse for me in the future. I decided that I just had to face him.

I arrived at the bike racks where a small crowd had gathered. They were all hoping that I'd put up a good fight, but no-one gave me much hope. It was a bit like the West Indies cricket Test tour of Australia a few years ago. No-one gave them any hope, and they were right. The West Indies didn't win a game. I was toast!

I had a moment of bravery and asked Billy, "Why are you bullying me? I haven't done anything to you except try to be friendly."

"It's because you were too friendly," Billy said to me with a sneer. "You're too nice. You make me sick!"

Billy punched me in the stomach really hard. It hurt. I swung back and hit him in the shoulder. I didn't hit him very hard. The hit to my stomach had sapped all of my strength. Billy then hit me in the jaw and then pushed me to the ground. Everyone was cheering for me to get up, but I was too hurt. I thought Billy was going to really lay into me, but he didn't. He bent down to me and whispered, "Same time and place tomorrow, dirt bag."

Billy walked off, and so did everyone else except Mitchell. Mitchell helped me up and we walked home together. Neither one of us said a word. I had a lot of friends at Midlanoware Primary School, but Mitchell was my one true- blue friend.

The next day was the same, and the next, and the next. In fact, it went on for nearly two weeks. Mum and Dad didn't notice because Billy was careful not to leave any bruises. He would hit me only two or three times. I even stayed home from school one day. I said to Mum I was sick. She believed me because I was hardly ever sick.

Moosey knew something was wrong. He could tell that I wasn't my usual happy self. I think the thing that did it for Moosey was the afternoon I refused to have a game of French cricket in the backyard with him.
"There's something wrong with you, isn't there?" asked Moosey. "You haven't been yourself lately. What is it?" I started to cry. Moosey jumped on my shoulder and put his hoof around my neck. "Tell me what it is."

I told Moosey the whole story. Every detail from the first day when I offered to show Billy around the school to what was happening everyday after school over the past two weeks.

I never thought brown fur could turn red on a miniature moose, but it did that day. Moosey got angrier and angrier as I told him all the details.

"Right, that's it!" said Moosey. "I'm going to teach this ghastly, ghoulish goat a lesson he won't forget."

"No, Moosey, you can't," I said, "you'll blow your cover, and anyway, this is something I have to sort out myself."

Moosey wasn't convinced. However, he obeyed my wishes, at least for now. He was worried. I guess Moosey was my second true- blue friend.

Things were looking up a little. It was Friday afternoon and tomorrow was the local cricket grand final between Midlanoware and Scrubtown. The whole family was going, except for Psycho Bird. Mitchell was meeting us down at Midlanoware Oval early so we could get a good spot to watch the game.