Anna's Bully
I sauntered on my way home, whistling as I walked through the untarred streets. My feet were muddy, my clothes were filthy and torn. It was just another end to another day's play.
I was in high spirits this evening. I had only just beaten Josh, the pastor's son. The boy shouldn't have insulted me.
A lot of people think I'm mean and a bully. I don't care. I just don't like seeing people with things I don't have or doing things I can't do.
So I did what I could do. Which was to take, take and take! Whenever they resisted, I reminded them who was boss with my fist to their faces.
Now that I have blended Josh, I am sure of a doughnut during every lunch break at school. Hence my whistling.
I stopped suddenly, as, from the corner of my eye, I saw a figure take a turn.
"Anna..." I muttered with a sly grin. I paused my return home and began to follow her.
She, of all people in this world, deserved a good beating.
Anna was my classmate, we were both in Primary 5 in the private school we attended. She was also my class captain, which meant she was charged with writing out lists of noisemakers and giving them to the class teacher. And every time, my name was on it.
As if that was not enough, Anna was an intelligent pupil. She was always the first to answer questions in class and her answers were always right. Whenever I failed a question or test (which was usually most of the time actually), the teacher compared me to Anna. Urging me to be more like her.
Unfortunately, my blood could only boil whenever I saw her.
I would have dealt with her since, but she was weird and it was difficult to get her alone. She didn't play with the other children or like them, for that matter. She chose to sit with the flowers and trees in the school garden. And after school, her siblings picked her up. So she had been out of my reach.
Until now.
And it looked like she was all alone.
She kept walking, her steps were controlled and with purpose. She was heading towards the woods. I wondered what I would do to her, just a knock to the head? Or I should take all her money? Or simply knock her and take her money. I smiled at the last idea, I liked it best.
She turned suddenly, catching me by surprise. Then she stopped, eyeing me warily. I too stopped, expecting her to run. I was disappointed.
"Your home is the other way, idiot." She told me.
"What was that you called me?" I asked, feeling my anger build up.
"What are you doing here?"
"Do not answer my question with another question." I thundered, stepping closer, "did your parents not teach you respect?"
"They did. Did your parents teach you respect?" She asked me back, and when I refused to answer she shrugged. "I thought so."
"You keep talking to me like that, I'll beat you mercilessly," I warned, enjoying the fact that she kept stepping back for every step I took forward.
"It will be the last thing you will ever do."
"Why are you always writing down my name on the list of noisemakers? I will make you pay for that!"
"It's because you're always making noise! And if I tell you to keep quiet you will refuse. I'm not going to beg you."
I ignored that, "and is that why you'll be answering questions every time because you think I don't know them. So our teacher will keep on punishing me and praising you."
"If you know the answers why don't you say it yourself? And why do you keep begging me to help you out with your tests and homework?"
"Shut up there! I don't beg anybody for anything."
"No, you only beat them and take it. You're only a bully, and I'm not scared of you. You can do nothing to me."
"Oh yeah," I muttered, clenching my fists in anticipation of the challenge.
Suddenly, she turned and ran off the way she had been going before she realized was following her. She dashed out of the road and into the woods.
I followed her in, my chest heaving with rage, my fists still clenched. I was going to show her.
The ground was carpeted in dead leaves, the trees towered over me. Their leaves were thick, reducing the light that was able to pass through so that the place was not too dark and it had an eerie feeling.
He turned and saw her, calmly watching him.
"You made a big mistake, you bully!." She said, leaning against a tree trunk. Unaffected by his presence, "you shouldn't have followed me here. I only led you into a trap."
"I'm going to beat you so much, you'll cry for your mummy," I promised and lunged for her.
Something trapped my feet, tripping me at once. I hurtled through the air and fell hard on the ground.
"Ahh!" I cried, rolling on the floor. "What was that thing?"
"Oh, let me introduce you to my friends." She replied, there was mockery in her voice. "The trees. They are the ones that will make you cry for your mummy."
Suddenly, the wind began to blow, whistling through the thick leaves. The trees swayed about, as the breeze picked up fallen leaves. A branch lashed out suddenly and struck me on the buttocks. I jumped up, screaming in pain as I turned. Another tree branch lashed me on the same spot. With Another. And yet another. They were acting of their own accord, disciplining me the bully, showing me who was the new boss.
Amid my screams, I could hear Anna's girlish laughter.
"I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" I pleaded.
And just as suddenly, the flogging stopped. The trees became frozen as if they had no life and the wind died down. My butt was sore and felt like it was on fire. I would be unable to sit at dinner tonight. I wiped my tears.
Anna appeared from behind a tree and studied me. "You've cried like a baby, it was hilarious. Now bully, don't come near me again. Or my friends and I will continue their lesson on your butt."
I nodded, instinctively covering my butt with my hands. My eyes were wide open with fear.
"Now bully, run!"
I didn't need to be told twice. I dashed out of the woods and down the street.
And at the top of my lungs, I called for my Mummy.
The End.
Thank you for reading.