The Purging of Bridges Valley

Chapter 11

 "What are you doing stinkin' up our side of the field, nigger?" Alton McDaniel shouldered past a trio of kids sifting through baseball equipment and stopped inches from Calvin, who leaned against a large oak tree staring out at the expanse of woods at the other end of the school property. The kid was built like a linebacker and stood a good foot and a half taller than the other freshmen, his copper hair jetting wildly from his sweat-slicked head. He sneered at Calvin as he twirled a bat in his left hand.

"I'm just standing in the shade, Alton," Calvin replied softly. It was the only tree in the field and it was a nice cozy ninety-six today-- Calvin wasn't too keen on baking in the sun.

"That's the problem," Alton said. "The tree here is on the white side. You can go stand out by the fence."

Calvin hated P.E. class. He wasn't very strong and he was the only black kid in the seventh period. He was always picked last for teams, when he was picked at all. Alton took interest in him quickly and singled him out the very first day of the year. Ever since then he'd had to put up with constant taunting and bullying. It wasn't like Coach Sanders would do anything about it though-- Alton was the baseball prodigy of the Mayesford Mastiffs and had pretty much free reign when it came to classes. Often times Alton mocked Calvin openly in front of the coach, but he always acted like he was too busy to notice and quickly made himself scarce during altercations.

When Calvin didn't move, Alton chuckled. He turned to the boys behind him. "You know my dad said his dad was probably the one who killed the Orourkes."

Calvin merely stared at Alton, saying nothing. Inside the anger was building and he clenched his teeth against all that he wanted to say. And there was a lot he wanted to say.

Alton turned back to face Calvin, his eyes shining with hateful glee. "He said your dad didn't like Morse either. Your dad probably went to revenge Morse and when the Orourkes showed up he went and killed them, too."

Alton smiled his hyena grin when he noticed Calvin's eyebrows knit together. "My dad said last year at Christmas your daddy and Mr. Orourke got into an argument about their dog getting into the trash on your property. You live next to them, it all makes sense. That's just how niggers deal with their problems. With violence."

Calvin struggled to keep cool, but the anger was burning his cheeks. He did not like how Alton spoke of his father. Calvin could take anything said about himself, but his dad was one of the most respectable, kind, and brilliant people he knew. He couldn't stand this jerk belittling him in front of everyone.

The boy scowled at Calvin's silence, angered at the lack of reaction he was looking for. "You gonna just stare at me like a dimwit, Stilley? You got that slack-jaw just like your daddy." And then he reached over with the bat and tapped hard under Calvin's chin.

In an instant Calvin's hand clamped around the bat and he wrenched it right out of Alton's sweaty hands. Alton's eyes widened in surprise as Calvin hurled the bat as hard as he could in the opposite direction. It flew through the air so far it actually clanged off the chain link fence behind them. "Go on boy, fetch it like the dog you are," Calvin said calmly. The boys behind Alton gasped. Some giggled.

"You're gonna really wish you didn't do that," growled Alton. His fist was already balled and he lunged at Calvin, his face burning beet red, the sweat running in rivulets down the vestiges of his chubby baby cheeks. Calvin had anticipated the throw and darted around the slower kid, taking off in a sprint toward the treeline, his long slender limbs giving him the advantage. Alton gave chase, screaming all manner of racial slurs after him, threatening to rape his mom and burn down their nursery, and promising all kinds of other grotesqueries that would be inflicted once he was caught.