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Become a PUBLISHED AUTHOR at just 1999/- INR!! Limited Period Offer

Avishi Singh

Drama Inspirational

4.9  

Avishi Singh

Drama Inspirational

The Painting On The Wall

The Painting On The Wall

2 mins
850


Alex had grown up looking at a painting on the side of an abandoned building in town. The image was of a staircase with the different stages of life on each step. As a child, he promised himself he would live out all the stages. But things weren't always so bright. After elementary, Alex had to move to a new city.


"Hey loser! Where's your english homework?"


"Check his backpack! Must be somewhere under all those books and games!"


"Oh, what's this Lexi? Did Mommy pack us a sandwich?"


Alex had enough. "Give that back!" He glanced around for help but no one really came around the back of the school.


"What did you just say to us, runt?!" The biggest one in the middle punched Alex a few times, tossed his lunch pack onto the ground, and then walked away with his cronies. Roy was just that way.


Alex picked up his lunch and ran to the bathroom to clean up before his mom came to pick him up.


Only a few more days of middle school. Then I'll be in high school and they will have someone else to pick. Alex knew that he shouldn't think that way but he didn't want to be picked on anymore.


***

First day of high school. Alex walked through the doors and closed his eyes as he walked through the hallway trying to disappear into the crowd. Then suddenly, he tripped and fell onto his face. Kids around him kept walking and he titled his quickly bruising head to look at what tripped him. Alex's eyes met his middle school bully's and he laid back down. Well, guess this was going to continue then. The bullies walked away and Alex made his way to class. Not paying attention, he collapsed into a seat just as the bell rang.


"Um... Excuse me? I was saving that seat for someone."


Alex turned to his left and saw he sat down right next to a really cute girl. That was bad. Everyone pays attention to pretty people and that was the last thing he wanted. "Oh god, I'm so sorry! I'll just move!" He looked around and noticed that the only other free seat was on the other side of the classroom, right at the back, his ideal seat.


As he made to move there, the teacher stood up and very cheerily announced, "Hope you like your seats because they're gonna stay that way for the rest of the year!"


Alex looked at the girl, apologized, and slumped back into his seat.


"Hey it's fine. I'm Emma."


"Alex. You don't want to be seen with me though. They'll pick on you too."


"I think I'll decide who I hang out with, Alex. Thank you very much." Emma turned back to the teacher.


The final bell rang and Alex left the school to walk home. As soon as he crossed the side wall, Alex was shoved against it. "Stay away from Emma, runt. You have no chance with her anyway."


Just then, a voice rang out, "Alex! Alex! Where are you?" Alex groaned. Emma.


Emma walked past them, calling out, when she spotted the scene out of the corner of her eye. Rage filled her features as she stomped over in 4 inch stilettos. Roy turned and cockily smirked, "Hey Emma, wanna beat him up too?"


Emma slapped Roy clean across his face. Hard. He stumbled back, holding a hand to his face. His cronies gasped and leaned back. Roy growled, "You bi--"


Emma punched him this time. She hadn't said a single word. Just hit one of the biggest guys in the school. Her slight 5 foot 4 frame was dwarfed by the 6 foot tall bully but she kept stalking towards him with a deadly expression on her face. Roy turned and ran, but not before shooting the still-frozen Alex a sharp glare. Emma twirled on her heel and looped her arm through Alex's. He silently let her pull him along. Then she started speaking, "Okay so the latest episode of this TV show you probably don't know is coming out tonight and it's going to be so fabulous and we definitely have to watch it! Do you like caramel popcorn or buttered or salted or cheesy? Oooh, should we have fanta or coca-cola or sprite or what..."


Roy watched her ramble on excitedly in amazement. Just two minutes she beat up a 6 foot tall bully and now she was gushing about TV shows like a little child. Wow.


***

The next morning, he was walking to school earlier than usual. He needed to pick up something from the library. Alex passed by an alcove. Hands shot out and pulled him. Roy's still-red face filled his vision. Oh no. Roy rained down punches all over Alex as his cronies stood watch. The first bell rang and they dashed away. Alex peeled himself off the floor. He looked at his bleeding body reflected in a window. He had truly had enough.


Alex wrote a note and walked out to the abandoned building with the painting on it. He hadn't been here in forever. Maybe some part of him hoped that the painting would save him. But he just felt a tang of guilt for leaving his family behind. And some small part wondered about Emma. His depression was too overwhelming. The bloody tips of his fingers left a smear next to the painting as he left. He climbed to the roof and gazed down off the edge. Suddenly he heard a person whisper, "That won't solve anything dear child."


Alex teetered and jumped back down. Looking around he saw a wizened old man sitting in a corner. He beckoned Alex closer. Alex meekly went and sat by his side.


"I drew that painting in the hope that it would one day save a life. if ya truly wanted to kill yourself, ya wouldn't have come to look at it again, Believe me kid, there's a lot left to live for. High school's only 4 years. Ya have a life after that too. Family and friends. Think about your parents. Think about that tiny girl, Emma, who beat up a 6 foot tall for ya. People care. That bastard will have to give up sometime. Ya just have to wait it out. Or ya know, do something about it. They ain't gonna hurt a girl." The man winked at him.


Alex realized what he was implying and smirked. Roy was going down.


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