MIND GAMES: Guild Tryouts

Chapter 29

—The sun was in the middle of the sky, which let every elementary schooler know that their day was going to get brighter, literally and figuratively. This was the time the kids would be let out for their daily dose of the recess drug.

Their respective teachers would let them out of the school doors and into the park, like a shepherd letting loose a flock of sheep into their field. It was an escape, usually before or after lunch. The weather today and in this season was perfect for fun activities, such as tag, freeze tag, other renditions of tag, or just to play on the playground equipment. For all of the kids, it was a moment of school they truly found fun in.

There was nothing to worry about, no schoolwork needed to be focused on while outside playing with friends. The children could play soccer or use the swingset. They could fantasize to their heart's content without the need to think ahead until the school bell issued them all to come back inside.

The escape from reality, as some call it, was necessary for the students to keep up their morale. It was a plain and straightforward boost they needed to pay attention in their seats for the rest of their day. It was a great time.

But not for two students in particular.

In this elementary recess period, like most in school systems, a group of kids would sometimes go around and harass their classmates.

"Where's your lunch box, loser!?" A bully demands.

It was a toxic environment half of the time, with these bullies going around and picking on people smaller than them. The teachers were not permitted to step in since they couldn't lay a finger on the children. It was a harsh reality.

"And you! Give it up!" Another bully says.

Today's two kids who were given the bottom of the barrel had not yet eaten lunch, bringing their lunchboxes outside to eat together as friends. They had just met and wanted to know each other better.

"N-no! You already ate your food!!" A young Josh says back.

"Y-yeah! I'm gonna tell on you!" A young Isabelle responds as well.

"Awe, look at the little crybabies! No teacher's going to help you out once we beat the bravery out of ya!" A larger kid says, seemingly the head honcho of the group of bullies.

The larger kid takes a swing at Josh, who is defenseless, and takes the punch straight in the jaw. It was the first time Josh felt pain like this before, and he immediately started bawling. Not wanting to get any attention, the larger bully covers Josh's mouth while pinning him down with his bodyweight alone.

"Hey, leave him alone!-" Isabelle yells but is also silenced by the larger kid's friends, thrown in Josh's direction.

"Go on then! Help out your buddy!" A bully says.

Isabelle was right next to the larger bully, who gets off of Josh and stands up straight to face her menacingly. She was frightened by his size alone, being almost twice as tall as her. She falls over in fear right next to Josh, who is catching back his breath from being pinned down.

"What are you two gonna do?" The larger bully says, taking a step back from them to crack his knuckles, "If you don't give up your lunches, I'm gonna make you wish you weren't born!"

Isabelle and Josh were utterly terrified, clinging onto their lunch boxes as the other bullies rushed to the larger one's side. It looks like things are about to get really painful, so the two friends close their eyes in anticipation of what's to come.

"Hey! Pick on someone your own size!" A voice calls out nearby.

Josh and Isabelle open their eyes at the sound of someone challenging the larger bully. In front of them stood a kid their age, who was about the same size as them. He was holding a large stick like it was a weapon, pointing it at the bullies. He had spiky brown hair.