Adding Shadows

Carry On

He sits in the corner, hands pull at his hair. He doesn't want to be there. He cries, tears flow down his cheeks and he swallows a scream threatening to escape his throat. And then a hand. A cold bony hand reached its slender fingers around his sore throat. He reaches up and grasps at his throat but the hand seems to be inside him. He begins to choke, someone is yelling at him. He tries to block out the noise. He tries so hard to let himself pass. But the shouting gets louder.

Freak.

Freak.

Freak.

Freak.

Freak.

"Freak."

"Freak!"

Virgil became more aware of the shouting now. It was coming from other children around him. Small children. Some smaller than himself. So why was he so afraid of them?

"Hey, freak! I was talking to you!" A particularly bad child shouted. A boy named Racer. His best friend Hunter stood behind him, basically just to look scary and mean. It worked.

Virgil looked up at him. He hadn't realized before but he was sitting on the floor at the playground for recess, in between a slide and a fire pole. His knees were tucked to his chest and his face was wet, though his eyes dry.

"I.. uh.." Virgil tried to stutter out but no luck. Racer snorts.

"What, Freak? You what?" Racer spat.

"I didn't.. I.."

Hunter bent down and muttered something to Racer who smirked.

"Y'know, H, I think you're right. I think he is asking for a beating." The two walked closer to a cornered Virgil, his legs tucked to his chest were now being used as a shield.

They stepped forward, only a couple feet away when someone dropped from the fire pole, holding out a plastic sword in defense in front of Virgil.

"Back, fiends!" He shouted, a strange tone to his voice that was almost.. royal.

Racer growled "Go away, Roman. This is none of your business." Roman held his sword steady and glared.

"You dare hurt an innocent bystander and expect myself, the prince, to leave you be?" Roman laughed, humorlessly, shaking his head "Well, my friend," he spat "you are sorely mistake."

Racer was angry now and smirked "You'll regret this, Phillips."

They lunges at Roman who quickly side stepped and he ran smack into the metal pole. A few children giggled, others screamed, and one ran off to get a teacher.

Virgil was staring intrigued at Roman, who was having a glaring match with Hunter. Virgil had almost forgotten Racer, who snuck up slapped the side of Virgil's face, he let out a cry of pain.

Roman turned to look at him, right as Racer hit him again. Roman charged at Racer and Virgil ducked out of the way.

When the teacher finally arrived Virgil had a black eye and his cheek was red, Roman had tackled Racer and ended up scraping up his arm so he was bleeding, Racer was black and blue, and Hunter had run scared.

"Mr Phillips! Mr Court! Virgil!" The teacher shouted a little bit away. Virgil bit his cheek at the lack of a last name. Roman seemed to notice because he raised an eyebrow at Virgil, who looked away quickly, pretending not to see.

"All three of you come with me right now." She said angrily, mainly to Racer and Roman, then went and helped Virgil up "Come on dear, we'll call Mr Sanders."