Scream: Chapter 2

They hated me at school. Well, let me rephrase that--I'm pretty sure they STILL hate me at school--I'm just not there to grace them with my presence.

They tortured me--& when I say "they", I mean everyone who wasn't afraid of me. Specifically--the football team. Who would've thought little me, hair in my face, ears sandwiched between a pair of headphones, nose in a book...who would've thought I was a threat to the football team?! Well, apparently--they did. Either that, or they were bored out of their minds, because pursuing me became quite the pass-time.

I fit quite nicely into a locker.

It was on one of these occasions that I met Griselda....

.......


I was walking home from school...lost in my own head. It was a blustery October afternoon...oh, my favorite kind. The skies were grey, but the air was fresh & cool. How I miss the wind kissing my face; these pale blue walls are really starting to get to me. Anyways, the leaves drifted on the breeze all around me; they were possessed by their own sense of destiny. Orange, yellow, amber, ochre...green. They crunched under my boots like fortune cookies.

The musical melodies of "Type O Negative" echoed through the speakers wrapped around my head; the falling leaves seemed to dance with the rhythm of the bass. I pulled a pack of Lucky's from my pocket, & lit a smoke. I inhaled so deeply, smoke mixed with the flavor of the autumn breeze...I can still taste it today.

I didn't even notice they were upon me... until they had me cornered.

I looked up...& there they were. Brad Anderson, Joshua Smitner, Tom Bradley, & Jimmy Jacobs...the quarterback & his lackeys, in all their glory. & they're all smiling at me. & I just know this is not going to be a good day for me.

-"Hey guys, look what we have here! It's Zoe the Freak!"

-"Hey girlie, whatcha up to? Wanna hang out with us?"

I shake my head "no", & try to push my way past them, but Brad grabs me by my shoulders, & pushes me up against a brick wall. Great, in all my damned daydreaming, I've wandered right into a fucking alley. Good going. Now I get to have some "quality alone time" with the football team. Swell.

-"Take your hands off me, you fucking cretin!" I snarl at him.

-"Make me." Brad whispers. I don't like the sound of this. I take a drag off my cigarrette, & blow the smoke directly into his face.

He chokes on it.

In case you're wondering, no, this doesn't help my situation at all, but I'll be damned if I'll give them the satisfaction of breaking me. Ever.

Brad yanks the headset from my ears, & the gadget crashes to the pavement. The plastic shatters, little bits rolling away.

-"You little bitch! Maybe we should teach you some fucking manners! What do ya think guys?"

Now they're all around me. & I'm all alone. No one passing by. In a fucking back street alley. & there's no one to even hear me scream as they close in on me.

But that doesn't stop me. I scream anyways. Raw & jagged. But not only with my voice. Not at all.

& someone answered. Or, someones--I should say.

Rats scuttled from the shadows, & the skies above darkened with shapes. The hissing of tomcats filled my ears like music. & this pack of dogs, mangy & scruffy, appeared from nowhere. They growled menacingly at the mouth of the alley way; a beautiful German Shepard, white with a pink nose, his fur mottled with the dirt that freedom brings, helmed them. The leader of his pack, snarling. Music.

& then I realized, this was no coincidence. This was MY music.

My eyes widened in awe, as ravens rained down from above, clawing & pecking. Tearing soft boy flesh with razor sharp talons. The boys squealed like terrified little girls, & I laughed at the irony of the whole situation.

How many times had I run from these same boys? Or ones like them? So I wouldn't end up in a dumpster, or even better, stuffed inside someone's locker, for hours, banging until the custodian took pity on me & let me out? Look at them run!

The pack of dogs, smiling in that way only dogs can, gave chase...They mumble something in my head about the joy of the hunt. & they're gone.

I did this?! How could I have done this?! Could it really be true?! I mean...my ...talents had never been so, pronounced before.

I put my hand out, reaching for the sky, & one of the ravens lands in it. Softly, taking care not to scratch me at all. She wraps her talons gently around my wrist.

This is how I met Griselda...