Untold Part 1: The Strength Within

Chapter 3: Crossroads

Young Mabaru was in a classroom writing notes until the end of class. As the bell rings, everyone leaves with their friends, except him. Exiting out of the class meant something to him. A menacing presence plagues him. Small voices of a bully named Jidai haunted his every move. The more he listens, the more vulnerable he is. He can't allow himself to be seen. He isn't safe around anyone. He feels weak, incapable of doing anything. He leans against the wall near his classroom in support of his teacher, Ms. Shira. Jidai is watching him everywhere he goes.

He's scared to face him head-on. There is nothing he could do. Powerless against authority. What power does he possess within him to confront Jidai? Tears drip slowly on his black school uniform. Ms. Shira, a shiba-inu breed wearing a blue uniform, walks out of the classroom as she locks the door. She didn't notice Mabaru next to her.

"Oh Mabaru. What are you doing here?" His teacher looks at him concerned. Mabaru's eyes turn red.

"Ms. Shira... I." He doesn't know what to tell her. He sniffled endlessly.

"What's wrong honey? Please tell me. I'm here."

"No. N-no. I'm sorry!" He ran away from her and turned to the next hallway.

"Ah- Mabaru!" Ms. Shira followed behind.

Everything was rampant. His head was spinning. He can see Jidai clearly. A bulked hyena breed who likes to intimidate people with his strong attitude. No one dares defy him. Mabaru is one of the unluckiest people sucked in to his torment. Vivid voices of his thoughts surfaced back and forth.

"God what the hell is wrong with you? You're so pathetic." An innate vision of Jidai crosses his arms in disappointment.

"What a loser. You can't even take a punch."

"Don't you ever talk to me, you hear me?"

"See this is why no one likes you. Who would want to talk to you anyway?"

"You're worthless."

Each thought becomes a throbbing stab. The endless hallways of empty classrooms close in when he senses him coming any moment. Mabaru hears his teacher calling for him and heads to the restroom. He passed through a janitor's room and noticed it was unlocked. No one is around the area. Mabaru has no choice. He enters inside and waits until her voice is low.

A heavy mess of thoughts. He sits down on the floor and covers his head. He does everything he can to suppress them. He couldn't understand why it had to happen to him. Is it out of fate? Consequence? Circumstance? It's unfair to what he has to deal with. A bully making fun of him because he's weak is an invalid excuse he believes. But at the same time, it's the truth. It's why he can't stand up to himself. No one doesn't want to. He's helpless. Alone. Forever succumbed to the oppression of strength.

"Stop it. Please... stop it. You're lying. It's not my fault." His tears fall quickly. He continues to talk to himself.

"Why are you doing this to me? What did I do to deserve this? I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Why does everyone hate me?"

Mabaru clenched his head tightly. A small ping went off on his phone. He sees a text from his dad.

Dad: Anak, where are you? Is something wrong? Please answer me. Your mom and I are worried.

Mabaru's tears drip on his screen. He doesn't feel safe to ask him. He is an outcast. The flood of thoughts compel him the further he repeats the words. There is no one he could trust. Instead of surrounding himself in fear, he lets the silence engulf him. He remembers a small faint memory of when his parents used to take him out somewhere quiet. Nothing but the grass hills caressing him. He slowly breathes in and twitches his hands to feel the grass. The rumination subsides for a little bit. The feeling he once felt with his parents comforted him—not enough but manageable. For a while, his head began to ease without Jidai. Mabaru is split if he is safe from him or not. He wants to believe the latter but it was stupid. Too stupid to accept. He had to be optimistic for once as he shook his head. He stood up from the ground and approached the door. His hand reached to the handle until it turned onto itself. A gray, wolf breed wearing the same uniform heard small murmurs inside the room. He looked concerned.