Month: October 2019

From a young age Adam was taught that he had to stand up to his fears and to others so that he grow up to be a strong man like his father. No matter what happened to Adam, he never got any empathy from his parents. Some days he came home bruised and battered from the bullies at school, other days he came home crying to have his father do the bruising and battering for them.

“Get stronger, stop crying” his father said. Maybe the years of serving in the military deafened the father’s hearing to the pain and suffering from his son. A few times his mother stepped in to try to protect her poor boy from this angry tyrant but it was of no use, he had muscles built up from years of service and heavy lifting.

“Even if they had the courage to escape, what would they do?” the mother always thought. She always came to the same conclusion that in all reality that her and her son have nothing outside of this house. They were in all aspects broke except the dividends that came in the mail from the military once a month. If they were to leave, they would be inflicting months maybe years of homelessness in the streets. In this path of logic, Adam’s mother decided it would be best to keep quiet and take the beatings when she can to protect herself and her son.

From this Adam wasn’t getting attention from anyone and when he was getting attention it was only through a negative perspective. Even at school it was too far into these cruel punishments that every time a teacher found new scars and bruises they always assumed them to be from the bullies. Adam knew it was better have them believe that than to tell them otherwise in fear of what his retaliation at home would be.

All of this continued until one day something inside of Adam just snapped. He didn’t care anymore. Every punch thrown, he just took it. Tears first stopped falling from his eyes. Then tears stop swelling in his eyes all together. For once in Adam’s entire life this led to positive results. His dad stopped beating him because he finally  in his eyes became a man. His bullies stopped picking on him because he was no longer a victim and was just cold to the senseless beatings. Once the bullies caught wind of this, they gained almost a respect for Adam and treated him as one of their own.

From here Adam went from bullied to bully. The bullies moved on to a new victim and this time Adam found himself in a position of power. The victim was a new student who just moved from a different state. He was always talking about how his old school was so much better than it was here.

“We’ll show him” thought Adam and the bullies. They were up to their usual tricks, wait for the end of school and find him on the walk home from the school yard. As they just got out of sight, they sprung on their prey. The first bully goes in and throws a punch to the new kid’s gut. The second punches him right in the throat. The third goes straight for the face. Adam went in with a fury of punches and as soon as the new kid hit the ground, he continued with a round of kicks straight to his gut. Adam kept at the new kid until one of the other attackers pulled him back. Adam went too far, now the new kid laid there in front of them just an inch from death as blood slowly pours from his body. If they left to go get help now, there was hope for the new kid but in this fateful day, luck would have none of it.

“RUN!” One of the bullies squeals as he realizes that they were done with this kid’s beating. They all took off to their normal hideout in the back of the woods. All ran as quickly as possible as the new kid took his last few gulps of air before his windpipe collapsed.

Run, run and run they did until they made it to a small cave in the hill side.

“Adam, you nearly killed him?! What were you thinking?” One of the bullies asked him as he was trying to catch his breath and light a cigarette.

“Yeah what the hell man.” Said another of the bullies as he took the light from the first bully.

“We never beat you that bad.” Said the third bully, as he lit his cigarette, took a deep breath, exhaled and continued “We only do it as far to teach a lesson.” 

“He deserved it. That brat coming from who the hell knows where. I wish I got the chance to cave in his skull.” Adam said taking the cigarettes and lighter.

They continued smoking and talking as the sun faded away behind the hill side and the only thing they could see is their faces from the light given off of their cigarettes and the silhouettes of the trees.

“I think we should head home, guys. It is getting way too dark out.” One of the bullies said.

“I mean you can go if you want, unless you are too scared of the dark to go alone.” Another one of the bullies said.

“I’m not- scared of the dark.” The first bully responded.

“Then go by yourself, I have to wait until my parents are asleep to go home.” The second bully scolded back.

In this response the first bully took stride to leave because he knew he couldn’t should fear to the group otherwise the group would target him again for his weakness. Step after step he took into the dark forest around him. His silhouette faded into the dark trees and surroundings and he was never seen again.

For awhile the three remaining stayed as they talked and smoked. One more of the bullies decided he had to go to the bathroom and left to go find a tree. He stepped further and further into the trees until the two left were out of earshot. Then unzipped his pants and  went about his business.  Soon he heard bushes move behind him.

“Stop messing with me g-” He barely mustered out. Then, a snap was heard and the birds resting near by flew into the night sky.

“Did you hear that I think he fell on his way out to go take a piss!” The bully said barely containing his laughter.

“What a moron, he probably wasn’t looking where he was going.” Adam added in and they started laughing. Just loud enough to not hear something step out of the bushes behind them. Step, after step the creature continues into the cave. Getting closer and closer; until the laughing stops and the creature was close enough for anyone to hear just by his breathing.

The two bullies turned around.

“How did you- find your way out here?” The other bully asked to the pale, bloodied kid that stands before them.

“The loser is probably here to try to hang out with us-” Adam says as just like a bolt of lightning the new kid with one punch decapitates the last bully. The new kid turns and faces Adam and with a slight smile says:

You’ll have to live with what you’ve done
’till the day you die.


Eye for an eye,
makes the whole world blind.


So let me remind you of this,
Don’t be mindless of your deeds.


Because when your last day shall come,
your judgement shall be done.

The walking corpse dropped the lifeless skull in his hands and walked away from Adam back into that dark, dark night.

A gentle summer breeze blows across the blades of grass along the hillside; gently picking them up and laying them back down before the breeze reaches the man and woman. The breeze gives the man and woman a temporary escape from the warm air that surrounds them as the next breeze is waiting to reach them. In the sky away from them and over the ocean is the sun as it meanders toward the water and as it does so, the sky gently fades from a bright blue to a light purple. They wish that they could stop all of time and just feel this moment for an eternity. As the sky fades closer and closer to a dark purple, the man feels as if his opportunity is fading and needs to act fast if he was to act at all. His hand slips in his pocket as he feels around the velvet box to make sure it is still there. As his fingers caress the box, he takes a deep breath and thinks of all of the great moments over the years together.

From the time of their first date, where he embarrassed himself tremendously as he accidentally spilled his drink on his lap. They still laugh about this moment so many dates after. From the time he first visited her parents and that incredible nervousness that later was for nothing as they were the best and most supportive people he ever met. From the time he first stayed the night at her place and how they cuddled for hours for warmth as they laid and watched TV. He thought of all these moments that led to where he was now and where it could lead him.

To the future; where the church bells ring of song of their love and unending relationship. As he stands at the end of aisle waiting for his bride. When she appears in her dress and Here Comes the Bride starts playing on that old church organ. It takes all of his might to not cry in awe of this majestic scene unravel before him as he waits for his bride. In the end his strength wasn’t enough as the tears of joy and awe slowly start to fall across face. In order to keep his composure he has to take out his handkerchief and quickly wipe his face clean of tears. Step by step she approaches him as she walks down the aisle with a slow measured pace. Finally when she reaches the altar and the man sees her in her wedding dress and veil, he is reconfirmed that this is the one he’ll love forever. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death does them part.

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out the ring out of the velvet box. Drops to a knee and asks:

“Will you marry me?”