They Will Call Him A Monster.

They will call him a monster. They will say he was the spawn of Satan. They will curse his name, and his family will be run out of town. They will say the parents were bad and it’s their fault that this happened. They will call them the mother and father of a monster. They will forget one simple truth. The Monster was once a Boy.

On a Tuesday morning, just like any other day, a boy who would forever be known as The Monster walked into a school building. The Innocent will walk to their lockers and meet up with friends. The Innocent will laugh unaware that a monster lurks in their presence. They will groan over unfinished homework, they will tease the band geeks; they will humiliate someone as the rest of them stand idly by as if nothing were happening… or worse. They will join in.

All of this is happening as the Monster reaches into his pocket and then time froze. Was it the ability of the Monster? No. The Monster possessed no such ability. He raised the gun and for a moment The Innocents didn’t see it. The Monster felt the triggers resistance and for a second it was unmovable.

Then the Monster saw Innocent Jimmy.

Innocent Jimmy had once been the Monsters friend. Somehow they had drifted. Innocent Jimmy had become the quarter back for the school’s football team. He got the girl the Monster had fantasized a thousand times. Innocent Jimmy never lifted a finger to harm the boy who would become a Monster… but then again he never stopped it either.

The trigger yielded… but by only a sliver.

The Monster noticed another Innocent. Chad. He was a large kid, but no one ever called him out on it… at least not without receiving a broken nose. The Boy had tried to fight back and learned this the hard way. To this day anytime the Monster sees someone get punched in the face his nose itched.

The trigger’s resistance was weakening.

Innocent Sarah was standing next to Innocent Chad. They had been dating for a few weeks now, a record for both of them really. Of course neither of them realized the other was cheating on them. The Monster, when he was just a boy, was walking through the park on a late Saturday night trying to clear his head when he spotted Sarah making out with another guy. He didn’t care that she was cheating. No, the boy was just going to walk away and pretend it never happened. But Innocent Sarah had noticed the Boy. The next day rumors were flying about how the Boy had groped her. The Monster within him roared out… but the boy simply accepted the shoves into the lockers and the shouts of ‘pervert.’ Who would believe a Pervert?

When the Boy had caught Innocent Chad cheating on Innocent Sarah… Chad simply beat the crap out of him.

Then he saw the rest of the Innocent standing before him and images of the abuse he had endured since elementary school flooded his mind and everything became clear.

The resistance had failed…

After the gunshot rang out, echoing off the lockers, there was a moment of silence and then all hell broke loose. The Innocents were running and screaming. They pushed and they shoved their way to freedom. A girl he did not know fell to the ground and a guy in a letterman jacket, a basketball player maybe, trampled over her.

Innocent Chad’s white shirt darkened with blood and he had a queer look on his face before he fell to the ground. The Monster roared in triumph as it was fully born and the Boy he once was vanished.
The Monster aimed once more and pulled the trigger once… then twice… and then a third time.

Innocent Sarah was nicked in the shoulder, her white blouse darkening with blood. She slumped to the floor, not a foot away from her “beloved” boyfriend.

Innocent Jimmy was hit in the leg, his white shorts now stained with blood. He tried to limp to safety but he tripped over the poor girl who was now crying.

Innocent Mr. Shields was the fourth person shot right in the chest and through his white tie.

Innocent Mr. Shields was lenient on the jocks who won glory for the school for making a ball go into a round hoop, the ones who wrestled, and the ones who scored touchdowns. A broken nose was just a simple slap. A slap was just a tap. He was deaf and blind to the rest. When he caught them bullying others he simply said ‘boys will be boys’ and when a student went to him for help… the Innocent Mr. Shields would tell them politely that he will handle it… but nothing was ever done.

The Monster no longer cared where he aimed and shot randomly. The hall was empty now except for the Innocents he shot, and the poor girl now trying to crawl away. Still he shot his gun until he heard a click. He dropped the gun and fell to the floor. Innocent Chad’s blood had pooled out towards him, but he didn’t care as he kneeled in the blood. His shorts were black, the color of the Monster.

They will call him a Monster. They will say he was the spawn of Satan and they will curse his name. His parents will be blamed for not raising him right and they will be forced to leave town.

No one will remember that this Monster was just a Boy. They will not remember that he was a straight A student. They will not remember he was amazing at Chess. That he fell in love with a girl named Brooke who loved him back. They will forget that every Sunday he went to Church. They will not remember that he had hopes and dreams like everyone else.
People will call him a Monster and the victims as Innocent. Only a Monster can create another Monster.

No one will ask who the real victims were on that Tuesday morning. But if someone did… the answer would be simple.

Everyone.

You're back. This was beautiful. I cried, man.

As much of a stereotype/cliche it is that the jocks get away with stuff so they can play, it's so true. I love how all of your stories delve into some deep social issue than everyone can relate to.

The symbolism of the colors was a nice touch. It really shows how image is everything. Even the jerks, wearing white, are innocent, while the victim of their bullying, wearing black, is suddenly the bad guy because he goes postal.

I really really liked this.

Hannah_Banana222 wrote:You're back. This was beautiful. I cried, man.

As much of a stereotype/cliche it is that the jocks get away with stuff so they can play, it's so true. I love how all of your stories delve into some deep social issue than everyone can relate to.

The symbolism of the colors was a nice touch. It really shows how image is everything. Even the jerks, wearing white, are innocent, while the victim of their bullying, wearing black, is suddenly the bad guy because he goes postal.

I really really liked this.

Thanks. Though how I ended up posting this in the Media section is... sorta odd. Last night I remember posting it but then when I checked the Writers Corner I couldn't find it... So I thought I had just forgot to actually submit it after spacing the paragraphs.

Truth is I was just relying on stereotypes for the Jocks and that teacher. I have never actually seen it happen. But it's also something I see that not only could happen... but probably happens all the time.

I am glad at least one person noticed the use of colors.

Yeah I have always enjoyed writing short stories that are more of a glimpse into someone random characters life at a pivotal moment in their life. I also do like writing about these sorts of issues.

Also... did you actually cry?

Mostly curious because I didn't think I had managed to convey the emotions of the story as well as I could have. Then again it may be easier to relate to this for some then others. I know I can. I was definitely not the popular kid.

I loved it. I thought it was well done. I like how this explains how people are quick to jump to conclusions, and quick to judge before even knowing the whole story or why such event has happened. I think it just shows that there is a monster in us all and if the bad in us overweight's the good, then there is a good chance it will come out.

I also like how you name the victims innocents, because that's how they are being portrayed, but nobody really knows how they done to cause this..

Yes, I did cry, and yes, it is more relatable to some than others. It resonated with me very well. And you really did do a great job portraying what happens.

My 10th grade year, when I had just moved to Virginia, I was bullied a lot. Mostly because I didn't have any friends, and mean girls knew that they could get away with it. There was no one to defend me. Even the teachers. They saw what was happening, and every so often, someone would tell them to stop, but there was never any action taken. The principle didn't even know about it till the next year when I was slightly less pitiful.

And while I never shot up the school (or really snapped and got mad at all), a lot of people called me Carrie. Always the victim, but they thought I'd be the one to kill everyone. Yes, I'm insane, and even my peers know that. >.<

ayan wrote:I loved it. I thought it was well done. I like how this explains how people are quick to jump to conclusions, and quick to judge before even knowing the whole story or why such event has happened. I think it just shows that there is a monster in us all and if the bad in us overweight's the good, then there is a good chance it will come out.

I also like how you name the victims innocents, because that's how they are being portrayed, but nobody really knows how they done to cause this..

I was actually a bit nervous that I over used the word Innocent too much. But I also wanted to stress that the people who were given the title or name Innocent were also bullies and not all that innocent. Deserving to be killed, no. But they were the ones who helped push this kid over the edge.

Thanks for reading. Both of you.