There they are again. On the corner of Nelson and Seige. They wait there like spiders setting up their web for the next dimwitted idiot to wander their way into . I would avoid them, but I don't have much of a choice. My house is on the other side of Seige Street and there's no other way around unless you want to go through a waist-high, snake-infested, grassy field. Tried fence hopping once, and let's just say I got one too many dog bites to try that again.
I shove on my headphones and put on the most brain-rattling song I own. I can hear their taunting from a mile away, nothing can drown it out, no matter how hard you try. The corner approaches and I tuck my head into my sweater. Across the street I go, and into the bullies' domain. My stride quickens.
The biggest one latches onto my hood and tugs. I jerk back and try to regain my balance; falling would make it so much worse.
In my best efforts to ignore them, I turn my music up to level: deafening. Their poison still seeps in. Spat in chunks to try to whittle me away to my bones. I'm easier to break that way. When I don't respond, they get physical.
First, a blow to the stomach. Then, my knees. I'm crunched on the ground like a thrown-away piece of paper. They laugh. Of all the things they could do, they laugh. I'm lying here, defenceless as ever and they laugh. Another punch to the gut would hurt less at this point. I squeeze my eyes shut. Maybe I'll look dead.
A voice breaks the laughter like light breaks the dark. A sunshine voice. A girl. She sounds about my age. I make an attempt of returning to my original state; I refuse to be saved by a girl. Groaning, my legs shake under the new-found weight that my bruised knees and shins weren't used to. I hobble away as fast as I can, hoping that the bullies got what they wanted.
"Please leave me alone," I whisper to whoever's looking out for me.
That sunshine voice broke through again, "You look a little like a guy who could use a hand". The girl was like a saving angel. I needed one of those right now.
I nodded fiercely and she carefully placed my weak arm on her shoulder. An immense relief came up my body. I hadn't noticed I'd been limping. My eyes were closed; it's about time I opened them. What I saw was a girl with golden hair and a bright smile. It suited her.
