Strangers In A Dangerous World (Frikey)

Chapter One: The Price Of Freedom

Everyday you see a lot of strangers. They are all strangers that you don't pay attention to, and you only catch a glimpse of their face. The strangers that happen to stand out seem to hold your attention for a second longer. Sometimes, you stare or wonder what they were thinking, but those people tend to be forgotten as you day moves on. Then, there are the strangers that you see twice. Out of all of the people in the world you are one of the lucky ones who see one in seven billion twice. Those strangers you remember for a little while longer. You make the connection and then you are done. You don't know them, but they make an impact on you because they are the almost familiar face in a place full of other strangers. Even then, time moves on and you forget about them. Finally, you have the strangers that you see more than twice and maybe even more than three times. They make a difference and you don't forget them as easily. You remember their face, even enough to dream about it again and again each night. They are on your mind because your mind wants you to believe that you are important enough to someone that they got out of their way to see you everyday. But to be honest, you are most likely crossing paths for that instant and that instant only. You two are probably headed to two different destinations everyday and reach the same sidewalk at the same time before crossing and moving on. Everything moves on but some things are just meant to be and you have to accept them, which is how I met Mikey.

Mikey had short brown hair and nerdy glasses. He was constantly pushing his glasses up to the bridge of his nose, catching them before they completely slid off of his nose. This seemed to take all of his attention, barely giving him the chance to look up and see where he was going. People on the street scowled at him as they bumped shoulders or weren't able to move out of the way in time. Mikey is a tall man but with a figure like a stick. He was skinny enough to make you believe his wasn't feeding himself enough, and if you knew him then you knew this to be true. He was a little awkward around the knees and wore tight skinny jeans that showed off his skinny legs. He had on a black McDonald's shirt and was headed in the opposite direction as I was. I was glancing at my shoes and looked up in time to avoid running into him. He looked up at the same time and our eyes met. We smiled slightly at each other, blushed, and then moved on with our lives. I remember thinking how cute he was before my mind ejected the experience out of my mind. It didn't matter because he was a stranger amongst other strangers.

I made my way to the park and sat down on the swings alone. There wasn't a kid in sight and it made me upset to know that Jersey was so bad that the kids couldn't go outside to the park and play, but it was something that you got used to. I kicked my legs out and used the familiar back and forth pattern. I was rather short so I could kick my legs out without having to position them awkwardly to miss the ground. I felt my childhood smile come across my face and I dipped my head back and watched the gray Jersey sky. I breathed in the polluted air and felt pride for my state. I had lived here my whole life. I could tell you about all of the bad things I had seen a child and still have stories to tell when I was old and wrinkly. I just shook my head as the swing swung forward. I tilted my head back again and closed my eyes. I've always wanted to fly and this was as close as I would get. I let the wind rush through my hair and the feeling take over my body. I stayed at the park until the clouds darkened and night was coming.

I jumped off of the swings that let me be free in my own confined body and I stuck my hands in my hoodie pockets. I watched the people as they walked by and I noticed the same man from earlier. He was still wearing his McDonald's uniform but it was stained in a few places. The time he didn't look up as he passed me but our shoulders brushed together and he let out a quick sorry. I didn't know where he was going and why he had to get there so fast. I put it out of my head as I turned onto my street. I counted the houses like I usually did as I walked home. I slowed my pace down. I didn't want to go in there. I slowly reached my door handle, but it was pulled open for me. I faced a man with a crew cut who had big muscles and his veins were popping out just from moving. He looked like a douche bag. I looked down at the patio and waited for him to address me. The one thing I had learned from these men was if you didn't start the conversation they would have less of a chance of beating me up. Also, if you didn't make eye contact until they talked to you then they wouldn't see you as a threat.

The man at the door grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and I knew that I wasn't going to be lucky tonight, "I've been waiting for you, faggot."

Unfortunately, I knew this man. My mom had been dating him for several weeks now and he hadn't laid a hand on her, but he beat me while she was asleep. I kept my eyes down, but it seemed to make him think that I was trying to be funny. He grabbed my by my hair and told me not to make a sound as he dragged me down the hall and threw me into my bedroom. I knew what was coming next. My mom's boyfriend, Daniel, threw me onto the bed and threatened to take my life if I told anyone about this. He unbuckled his belt before using it as a whip on my back. Silent tears streamed down my face. If I made a sound, it would get worse. I hated the fact that I was wearing my favorite jacket, though. I shouldn't have worn it. It'll only get ruined like the rest. I barely got the thought out when Daniel ripped my jacket off of me and the zipper flung off and disappeared somewhere across the room. I kept quiet as he whipped my back again and again. I bit my tongue so I wouldn't scream. If I screamed, he would beat up my mom as well and I didn't want that.

Daniel flipped my over and made me lay on my bleeding back as he fit his belt back through the loops. I watched as he took a pocket knife out of his pocket. I wanted to scream, but I couldn't. I just hoped that he wouldn't kill me. He pulled the blade out of its hiding place and he brought it teasingly near my skin and tried to get me to flinch, but I didn't. I had had worse. I had been burned, beaten, almost drowned, cut, whipped, and had my bones broken on several occasions while my mom always assumed I did it to myself for attention. I stared into his eyes unflinchingly and he grew disgusted.

"Fucking faggot likes to be beat. He likes it when men touch him, huh?" Daniel had an evil glint in his eyes while I could feel the blood from the belt dripping down my back burning me. I didn't answer his question or accusation and it only made him angrier.

"Back when I was a teenager no liked the faggots. We beat them near death until they killed themselves. Faggots are disgusting." Daniel spit on me and that's when I flinched. That was something new. Plus, I didn't want his spit to get into my eyes. My flinch seemed to boost his ego, though.

"Yeah, that's right faggot." I didn't hear the rest because he punched me in the gut and then yanked me off of my bed and threw my on the ground. The wind was knocked out of me and there was nothing I could do. I sat there gasping while we placed his foot on my back. I didn't know how much more I could take.

Daniel started pressing down on my back with his foot and my arms gave out sending me crashing onto the floor. It was the first noise I had made this entire time and it scared me that I was going to get an even bigger punishment now. Suddenly, his foot was off of my back and I was being held in the air by my hair. My feet weren't touching the ground and it hurt. I could feel the hair ripping my scalp, so I did the unthinkable. I swung my legs as hard as I could and kicked Daniel in the balls. He dropped down on the floor immediately and cradled his manhood. I tried to run from the room, but he stuck his arm out and tripped me. I fell fast first onto the ground and my head hit the corner of my nightstand. I felt dizzy and I could feel the blood dripping from my head. So far, Daniel was the only guy brave enough to put a wound or bruise on my face. I ticked the list off in my head again. I've been beaten, cut, burned, spit on, whipped, almost drowned, kicked, and had broken many bones, but they had never had the guts to really damage my face.

Daniel got up from the floor before he kicked my stomach again and again. He must've really wanted me to die. I was gasping for breath and trying to stay awake when he delivered the final blow and I just gave up. He punched my face before he grabbed his coat and just left the house. I just lie there crying and waiting for someone to help me, but I didn't make a sound. I curled in on myself and tried to ignore the pain that was pounding throughout my body. I stayed on the floor for the entire night and dreaded going to school tomorrow. I'd probably have to steal some of my mom's makeup. I definitely couldn't stay home. Daniel would be back tomorrow and he'd probably kill me.I fell asleep crying and was thankful when my thoughts stayed black. I didn't want to dream. If I dreamt, it would be of this nightmare.

-----------------

Authors Note:

Fanfic number 2! Are you excited cause I'm excited <3

Song Of The Moment: Ungrateful- Escape The Fate