How To Save A Life

Chapter Twenty-Four

Justin kept punching me and pushing me around as students surrounded us and cheered. I was humiliated. I had trouble fighting back and defending myself because he was like ninety pounds heavier than me. The students kept cheering Justin on. No one was defending me. My friends stood together at the side near the lockers, watching. They were too scared to step in. They didn't want to get in the middle of this.

I had no idea why Justin was beating me up. By his attitude, I knew he was somehow very angry at me. I was in so much pain. Bruises and cuts were appearing all over my body. My lip and cheeks were tingling from the punches to my face. I became even more in pain when Justin pushed me hard to the ground. My back stung at the contact. Justin started kicking me all over, including my face. I weakly tried to roll into a ball and cover my head with my hands. It hurt so bad.

"That's enough, Justin," One of Justin's friends said and pulled him away. "He's had enough. You're going to kill him."

"That's what you get for being a little prick!" Justin yelled down at me, ignoring his friend.

I tried to lean up but all I did was start coughing up blood. Everything hurt so bad. Justin spit at me as I lied still on the ground before pushing his way through his friends and the crowd, stomping away.

"Sorry, Colin," Justin's friend said politely to me before following Justin out of the crowd. Maybe I won't kill this one kid.

Matt, Kyle, and Josh waited a moment before walking over to me, trying to help me up. Students ignored me and walked away, stepping around me. Nobody cared that I was laying on the hallway floor, bleeding and bruised.

"Why was he so angry?" Matt asked as he grabbed my arm and tried to pull me up but all I did was fall back onto the ground.

"I have no idea," I said and tried to stand up again. When I finally got to my feet, I stumbled a bit. I felt so weak. "Knowing Turner, he probably did it for his own amusement."

"You look like shit," Josh said, looking at me carefully.

"Thanks," I said sarcastically. "I'm just going to go home now before he comes back."

"You want me to meet you at your place?" Matt asked.

I shook my head. "No, I just need some time to myself."

Matt nodded back. "Okay. I'll call you later to check in on you."

"Thanks," I said and pat his back. I grabbed my book bag and hat off the ground and limped towards the front entrance.

Students who didn't see the fight looked at me as I struggled through the parking lot. I could see through the corner of my eye Mikayla and Mike standing on the pathway, watching me. I ignored them and opened the door to my car, not hesitating about pulling away and leaving the school.

***

I slammed the door behind me when I entered the house. The picture frames on the wall shaking. I was furious. I ran my hands over my face. I was getting very worked up over this. Sweat covered my forehead and tears filled my eyes. I took a breath before jogging up to my room. I unlocked and opened my bedroom door and then slamming it and locking it behind me. I threw my book bag across the room. It hit my book shelf, causing a few books to fall to the ground.

Angry, I pushed everything off my desk, including the box of bullets. The box popped open when it landed on the ground, my bullets falling everywhere. I was in so much pain while I did all this. Physically and emotionally. Why does life have to be like this?

I stood in the center of my room and took some deep breaths, trying to calm myself down. I fell onto my bed and placed my pillow over my face. I couldn't help bursting out into tears. Tears stained my face and pillow. I shouldn't be this much of an emotional wreck. I should be happy that I'm finally going to be doing this. Finally getting to end the pain. But, being happy is the last thing on my mind right now. I just wanted to be alone until the massacre. Why am I doing this to myself?

KNOW THE SIGNS:

-Perpetrators of self-harm or violence towards others may be victims to long-term bullying and may have real or perceived feelings of being picked on or persecuted by others.

-Feelings of worthlessness