Never Harm A Human

Chapter 2: No

Derek made good on his promise, really good.

He'd never do anything during class, except stare at me menacingly. It was either during recess or after school, or something barely noticeable. And it went on for the whole week. For example, I'd made friends with Hannah, but not many other people. Hannah had told me that on Tuesday he told everyone else to avoid me. Which wasn't always too bad, the lunch line always cleared up when I got to the lunch room. Other wise it sucked.

Wednesday he melted the rubber of the swings, while I was on it. So for the rest of the day I went around looking like I'd sat in black paint. I felt so bad that Hannah was wrapped up in all of this. She made a terrible choice in friends, yet she still stuck to me like the swing stuck to my butt.

Thursday I was eating my lunch on top of the plastic climbing rock thingy with Hannah when it began to smoke. We grabbed our lunches then jumped off of the now flaming plastic rock structure. Loosing my balance on the landing, I rolled to absorb the impact like my mother taught me. Hannah helped me to my feet, and wiped off the wood chips on my back.

Snickering, Derek walked from behind the melting glob and laughed at me. The wind picked up around me, but I just rolled my eyes and walked away to calm myself down. Hannah directed me to a bench and sat us down.

I angrily bit into my PB&J, while she patted my back. "Why do you stay by my side. It's early in our school careers, you can choose any of these other people and be better of than being my friend. So why stay with me, getting burnt, boiled, and melted everyday?"

Hannah smiled and tried to make eye contact with me. Finally unable to resist, I stared into her round face. "Kira, you may not see it, but I do. I wasn't really in the room, but I heard you when you stood up for your seat. You didn't back down, you stood up for what you believe in, and I want to do that. I want you to teach me that, how to do that. And besides do you think the "Green Giant" would fit in with any of these kids? We're outcasts for now, so all we have is each other."

Even though it was mean, the Green Giant seemed to fit her. She towered over all of us and wore the green, tan, and browns reserved for earth Elementals. I smiled. The first real smile I've had all week. And wrapped my arms around her. Derek's laughter filtered into our moment, and killed it dead. I shot a glare towards him, and stormed inside.

It's gotten to the point where I have to sprint home to avoid confrontation with him after school. Or even worse, if he decided to follow me home, Lord knows what would happen if he actually saw my house. If you can even call it that, it's more of a shack than anything else. Either way its shameful, I'd never be able to live with the embarrassment. I haven't told anyone because I want to fight my own battle. I've had to handle everything on my own, one little bully will be nothing.

Today is Friday, a day I had planned to be a good day. But with Derek in my life...I'm not so sure anymore. But I started today like I would any other way. I made breakfast and lunch for my father and I, folded the clothes from the dryer, added a new load into the washing machine. I creep quietly into my fathers dark room, and began collecting the empty alcohol bottles. He was snoring loudly on his bed blonde hair covering his face. Even though he was sleeping the small television played Mad Men a half filled bottle of Jack Daniel's still in his hand. I shut off the T.V., found the cap to the bottle and pried it from his hands, closing it I placed in on his beside table. I could cracked open the door and swept a breeze threw his room to do all that, but what would I do if he wakes up? My mother never told him and I never will. I'm always afraid that he'll get really drunk and end up telling people at the bar that his daughter has powers.

I know what you're thinking, Why is a five year old cooking, cleaning, and taking care of her father? It should be the other way around. And you would be right. It should be the other way around. But if I didn't do it, it wouldn't get done. No one in this house would eat, garbage would pile up, and we'd be wearing clothes for days at a time.