CWRC Anthology

CHAINS

©2022 by Idowu Taiwo Deborah
Brought to you by the Christian writers and Readers club.
•••••••

Chains crackled in the distance. Ever imposing ever weighty.

"Come on, take it, just a little bit, it won't hurt to try..."

This was his fifth time trying to get me to take the awful-tasting stimulant— tobacco.

I don't know how else to get it into his thick head.

"I am not interested." Dylan looked at me like I was a bore and rolled his eyes so far back into his scull you would think he was about to pass out.

"Whatever, nerd."

He shrugged ramming his shoulder forcefully against mine.

I sighed, adjusted my glasses and walking away.

Peer pressure was insane in West High. You see it everywhere you go— everyone trying to conform, it was driving me nuts.

A public execution, I saw it every day, how they excluded everyone who does not agree with them. They ostracise them and subject them to bullying and ridicule.

I don't want to be here. I wanted to be around people who were free thinkers and had a similar mindset as myself.

Mass psychosis was what I decided to name it. The zombie-like appearance of the sweaty, narcissistic teens that crowded the narrow hallway.

Most could not think for themselves. They all had the same eyes, those same crazy eyes.

Insanity was indeed contagious.

Depression, anxiety, and suicide were at an all-time high. You would think people would be happier since they were allowed to be whatever they wanted, even something as absurd as a boy saying he was a girl and the school management saying he could be allowed into female locker rooms.

I no doubt know this moment in history will be remembered as the great era of mass psychosis were everyone just went bat-sh*t.

While other countries in the world were training their children to be mentally and physically strong, independent self-sustaining, disciplined and prepared for the harsh world, my country was teaching students how gender was a construct and that the biological sex you were born with does not determine who you are.

Crazy talk if I haven't heard one.

America has become the world's laughing stock.

A sigh escaped my lips. I have concluded that people decided to entertain a fantasy because the real world became too much to handle.

But they would soon learn that you do not reinforce weakness with lies.

I was so engrossed in my thoughts, not even bothered a bit by the fact that I was walking by myself.

I had my headphones on until I bumped into a tiny body.

I heard a squeak or thought I heard one.

I had 'Jireh', the remix playing on full blast. Listening to gospel music has helped lift my soul these days although I have been struggling with other things.

"Sorry."

The first thing I noticed about this girl were her eyes. They were wide but clear and...they were sucking me in.

"I wasn't watching where I was going. I'm so sorry."

"Yeah, it's nothing."

I mumbled. She was gone before I could say anything else