Fire and Ice

An Icy Fall

I grunt as another blow goes to my face. I feel blood trickle from my chin.

"So, you gonna admit it now? You shouldn't have disrespected me?" The school bully, Ric, says.

"I don't have to respect someone who picks on everyone." I say with a slight cough.

His henchmen, who everyone calls Tiger and Bear, hold me back as Ric punches me in the stomach.

I grunt as the air gets knocked out of me. I cough. Ugh, I feel like I'm gonna puke.

"say it." he insists.

I roll the blood around in my mouth, gathering it up, and spit blood in his face.

He screams, appalled.

"how dare you?!" he screams.

He storms away, and Tiger and Bear drag me after him.

The cold air is burning my face, stinging my injuries.

They stand on the bridge and force me to look down.

I swallow.

"this is what happens to rats like you. Drop him." he snaps.

Wait, what?!

I feel a push on my back and lose my balance.

I feel my feet leave the ground, feel the wind in my face as I fall towards the iced-over Lake.

I feel a pain crash through me as I crash through the ice, and I can't breathe.

I open my mouth but it fills with water.

I try to swim up but every movement hurts.

I sink deeper and deeper.

Then everything goes dark...