Sister Midnight

Chapter 1

"Where do you think you're going, you little bitch!?" those familiar words thundered down the school hallway. Tommy instinctively froze as he closed in on the front doors. While only a few dozen steps away, the space between himself and the exit was just far enough to ruin any chance of escaping. With his short, pudgy legs, and wide feet with falling-apart tennis shoes taped around them, running away just wasn't going to be possible. Time after time attempts to evade their barrage of fists, kicks, and gobs of spit in the past had proved nothing more than pitiful. It always ended the same for him and every other kid that crossed their path. "Walking home" He sheepishly said without turning around.

"Oh, really?" Cackling arose from the assortment of goons behind him at such a naive notion. After arriving midway through the year, Tommy had been forced to learn his physical limitations the hard way. Being fat and barely over five feet tall by the beginning of High School meant that bad things had a way of happening. A few too many busted lips and black eyes had offered glimpses into the future. One where he would forever be just another punching bag. Being a freshman didn't help the boy's case either. With three seniors looming behind, he felt like a boy cowering amongst men. A mere doll that could be used and abused at will. Especially when it's the end of the day and no one is nearby to hear the wailing cries of 'Uncle!'

"Try and run, I dare you." Another, more excited, voice spoke up. Taking his chances escaping along the gravel road in front of Bienville High or the surrounding wilderness would be foolish and meant almost certain doom. Bullies always knew to travel in packs and that, if someone was dumb enough to run and get so far, they could always split up and surround their prey. Regardless of any malicious plans, It was easier to take the punishment here in the building. That way at least it would be the school's problem. Just maybe a lone janitor closing up would be close by enough to hear.

Half a day of waiting for it had been painful enough. Now, when the time came to fight back, his own fear crippled any will left to fight. Every muscle from head to toe seemed to have a will of its own. The few not completely frozen were clenched in primitive fury. By the time Tommy worked up the nerve to turn around and face them, the far-off voices were now directly in his face. The paralyzing anxiety made it impossible to miss the right hand flying in with the speed of a bullet. The calloused knuckles of the attacker bounced off of the boy's cheekbone with enough force to knock him to the ground. Thankfully, the worn leather bookbag filled with textbooks slung around his shoulder somewhat cushioned the fall.

Years of this verbal abuse had left him feeling hollow but fairly unaffected by their hurtful words. The teacher's advice of "Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me" did help to almost disconnect from anyone's unkind words. The longer that the boy was forced to go to school here, it seemed like inside his own mind was the only place this timid boy ever wanted to be. In his dreams was the only place where everything felt more than just bearable. There was nothing to fear around every corner and no words to stutter through while the whole world snickers in amusement. Everyone else just seemed to fade away into the background, where they belonged, as some faint semblance of peace could set in.

However, daydreaming couldn't help so much when it came time for physical punishment. With the shock of the punch began an unstoppable cascade of tears. Tommy desperately grabbed the bookbag in a belated attempt to cover his face and the evidence." Is he already crying?" a voice said in excitement while another cackled. "You know this little mama's boy cries so easily." A hand reached out and ripped the bag away from him. "He is!!!" They screamed in sync while falling over each other whilst roaring with laughter. How quickly the waterworks started from this poor boy was too much for them to handle. His face flushed bright as a cherry as the humiliation set in.