Reddit Stories 2019

Whispers

Her voice was so soft I almost hadn't heard it. Calliope was always the quiet girl in class, to the point I was convinced she couldn't actually speak. The teachers didn't even bother calling on her in class. I wasn't too bothered by it. Ava, my best friend, was an introvert and compared to Adam, my not-quite-boyfriend, everyone was quiet. But some of the other kids in school took it personally. They went out of their way to try to get her to say something. Anything.

The harassment was borderline cruel. No, not borderline. It was cruel.

Things started off slow, as it always does. Kids would hide her things or call her names. The good ones just ignored her completely, talking around her if she happened by their conversation bubbles. She didn't seem to care.

Then things got worse. Physical. Some bullies broke her things. Others tried to break her. She became the punching bag, literally, of every malevolent jerk at LPHS. She wouldn't give them the satisfaction. She didn't cry as they hit her. She just stayed quiet. Finally, they gave up and let her be. Most of them. A few kept pushing.

The school, of course, did nothing. Not until Tommy.

Tommy was the attractive punk made ugly by his personality. He looked and played the part of every tv show bully. Unlike tv, though, his anger was wasn't brought about by some tragic backstory. He was a psychopath since kindergarten. Even the other tough guys avoided him.

They both were there Friday when we all left for the weekend. Monday, neither came in. No one knew for sure what happened, but the rumors were pretty clear. Tommy went too far. Calliope was out for most of the year recovering from their fight. Tommy transferred, or, more likely, was sent to juvie.

When she finally returned, the bullying didn't stop, but it was subdued. She went back to being the quiet girl in the back of the class. The girl who ate alone. The girl who was alone.

I barely noticed that she bumped me. Still, with a downcast gaze and trembling lip, she muttered, "sorry."

"No worries," I said with a smile. It was all I could offer before she faded back into the crowd, shuffling along slowly. She had a limp now, probably from Tommy. There were stains on her hoodie. Watching her disappear into the sea of teens, a painful feeling worked its way up my gut and constricted around my heart. It was something that crept up whenever I saw her. Something I had tried to keep locked down for my own survival.

Guilt.

Before the incident, I managed to keep it down. I had no problem with Calliope and everyone was needlessly cruel to her, but I couldn't do anything. I was safe in my middling position on the high school caste. I did not need to join her as a pariah.

But that was all before Tommy.

As much as I wanted to catch up with Ava and Adam, I couldn't stop myself from turning and going after her. My mind raced with half-formed apologies I knew wouldn't be good enough. She had endured years of threats, harassment, and punches, and I just watched from the sidelines. Nothing I would say could make up for that. But the feeling in my chest wouldn't go away unless I tried.

Calliope sat on a bench outside, alone. It was peaceful, except for the occasional car that zipped past. The sleeves of her hoodie were a little too long and she had to keep pulling them back as she ate.

"Calliope," I prompted awkwardly, almost as quiet as her. She turned with fearful eyes, retreating, somehow, farther into her pink hoodie. The guilt cobra constricted harder around my heart. I forgot all of the things I planned to say. "I'm sorry."

Calliope only offered sad confusion. I slowly approached like walking up to a stray kitten. She didn't run or come out of hiding. She just watched me as sat next to her on the bench. I could hear my social status crumbling in the background. Probably Adam and Ava's as well.

"I should have stuck up for you. I'm sorry about what happened with Tommy—" she flinched at the name — "and everyone. You seem, uh... you seem nice. I'm sorry about everything. Maybe we could be friends?"

Before Calliope could offer a silent yes and end my guilt for eternity, the loud engine of someone compensating raced down the block, sliding to a smoky stop in the parking lot. A man with broad shoulders and deformed face hopped out, marching toward us.

Not even two seconds into redemption and I was already being punished for my past sins.

"There you are, freak. Bet you thought I was gone, huh?"

Calliope said nothing, but her eyes narrowed. The sadness was replaced by anger.

"Who the hell are you?" I said, fully committing to my role as soon-to-be-dead girl who is friends with the quiet girl that someone already tried to kill.

"I bet you don't remember after what she did to me." He pulled a knife. "I'm gonna finish what we started, then I'm gonna gut your friend."

Dumbly, stupidly, and idiotically, before I knew what I was doing, I stood, stepping in front of Calliope, raising my fists. At least I'd die for a noble cause. Calliope tugged on my shirt.

"If you want to get to her, you're gonna have to go through me," I weakly said. It was a bad threat, and despite a sudden onset of bravery, I was prepared to run the second he stepped closer.

"Please," Calliope whispered. "Don't."

"You're standing up for this freak? This bitch killed my brother."

I turned to Calliope with wide eyes. Tears were coming out of hers. "Go."

That sounded like great advice. The part of me that wanted to survive long enough to get to college desperately pleaded for me to listen to her. But my legs wouldn't listen. I was locked in place as the guy walked forward. He laughed maniacally.

"Oh, shit," I muttered. It was Tommy. I actually was about to die.

Lesson learned, don't be nice.

"Please stop," Calliope said a little louder. The autumn breeze was surprisingly warm. Or maybe my body was just preparing for death.

Tommy didn't listen. He picked up the pace, running at us. The knife wasn't that big, but any knife looks big when it's about to enter your gut. Finally, my legs caught up with my brain. I grabbed Calliope, hopping over the bench to run away.

She slipped out of my hand, turning to Tommy with tears in her eyes. She shook her head.

Then the world exploded.

I felt it before I heard it, and I didn't hear much. Blood leaked out my ears and the sounds of the school and nature were replaced by a high pitched ring, constant and annoying. I was lucky to be where I was.

The ground in front of Calliope was destroyed. A path was carved in the earth like from a plane crash., stretching all the way across the street. The bench was rubble. Tommy's car totaled. Tommy was... most of Tommy was gone. I could feel my muscles spasm as my stomach returned my breakfast to the world.

In the middle of it all, untouched, was Calliope.