Another Wednesday rolls around, way too fast. I must be getting old.
This week, I used the prompt - have a character do something for the first time. Robin gets into a fight for the first time, and boy does he give it all he's got.
Cyan was crouched, cowering against the wall of the gym. A
semi–circle
of onlookers, mainly younger kids goaded and cheered as Blake kicked him. Robin
yelled and all eyes turned to him. All but Blake’s. Robin raced across the
grass, and most of the onlookers scattered. They knew trouble when they saw it.
Blake seemed unaware. He was too intent on yelling abuse at Cyan, who
slumped to the ground and curled tightly, trying to protect his head as Blake
continued to kick him viciously.
Robin had never been in a fight before, but his one and only thought,
as he shoved one of Blake’s pack of hounds out of his way, was saving Cyan by
beating Blake to a bloody pulp.
Caught unbalanced after one more kick – the sound of which, and the
cry it tore from Cyan, would haunt Robin for some time to come – stumbled and
slammed into the wall as Robin hit him, full body.
“You goddamn son–of–a–bitch,” Robin screamed. “Feel good, does it?
Picking on someone half your size. Beating him while he’s helpless. Does
this…feel…as…good?” Robin punctuated his words with
punches to Blake’s stomach
as he held him against the wall with the other arm.
At first, Blake was too stunned to retaliate, but that didn’t last
long, and he started to fight back. He was bigger and stronger than Robin, but
Robin was fuelled with righteous anger, channelling the worries and fears that
had built up over the last few weeks.
Blake got in a few good punches, but Robin barely felt them.
Furiously, he drove Blake back against the wall and, Although Blake grabbed him
around the waist, he kept on pummelling.
Arms wrapped around him and pulled him away. At first he fought them,
but Alex’s voice in his ear took the fight out of him. “Enough. Cyan needs
you.” As if it flicked a switch, Robin became aware of a high wailing keen and
turned his head to see Cyan sitting with his back to the wall and his head in
his hands. The wail came from him.
Aivah crouched beside Cyan but he seemed entirely oblivious to her.
She gazed up at Robin with helpless eyes. “I don’t know what to do.”
“Let me go,” Robin commanded.
“Promise you won’t do anything stupid?”
“Fuck you. Cyan—” Robin
pulled free from Alex’s releasing hold and ran to Cyan, throwing himself to the
ground next to him. “Cyan, it’s me,” he said, and his chest hurt when Cyan
flinched away.
“No,” Cyan whispered. “Not again. Please.”
“Cyan, it’s me, Robin. I’m not going to hurt you. I’d never hurt you.”
It seemed as if Cyan didn’t hear him. He kept up his plaintive begging
and began to rock.
“See what you’ve done you bastard,”
Robin yelled at Blake.
“Little princess deserved it,” Blake spat back. “You were alright until he came. If he can turn you into a pervert, he can turn anyone. No
one’s safe.”
“You fucking hypocrite. If anyone’s a pervert it’s you. I’ve seen you
looking through the gym windows when the girls are changing, and I’ve seen you
hanging around Baxters, hoping for a free quickie.”
“Liar. I don’t go to that place. It’s nasty.”
“Really? So if we asked the slappers there, they wouldn’t know you?”
“Shut the fuck up. What I do is none of your business. At least I’m
not a fucking fag, like you and your lap dog. It’s not as if he’s so pure. He’s
spoiled goods.”
With a low growl, Robin launched himself off the ground and would have
thrown himself on Blake again if Alex hadn’t been ready for him.
Pinning Robin against the wall, Alex yelled at Blake. “You’d better
get your bigoted face out of here right now, or I’ll let him go and you’ll have
two of us to deal with.”
“Three.” A voice came from behind, and Robin glanced over Alex’s
shoulder to see a couple of their mates approaching.
“Four.”
“Fuck you. Fuck you all. You’d better watch your backs, bum boys.”
Dragged by his friends, Blake staggered away, nursing his bruises and
loss of face. Robin didn’t watch him go.
Cyan seemed to be locked in a world of his own. It didn’t take Robin
long to work out that, inside his head, he was re living the past – when he was
attacked and raped. Robin took him by the shoulders.
“Look at me,” he
commanded. When Cyan didn’t respond, Robin shook him gently. “Cyan, look at me.
It’s Robin. Your boyfriend. Remember?”
There were a few gasps from the gathering crowd, who were brave again
now the worst was over, and appreciating a good show.
“Don’t hurt me any more,” Cyan whispered.
“I’d never hurt you. You know that. Think about it. I swear to you,
Cyan, I’ll never hurt you. I love you, with all my heart.”
There were more gasps at that and a ripple of conversation. The few
jeers were quickly silenced.
“Cyan, please.”
Cyan gazed at Robin, though a curtain of hair that had come loose from
its band. His face was smudged with mud, and there was blood from a cut on his
cheek. Robin slid a hand into his soft, blond locks and wiped it away with his
thumb.
“Robin,” Cyan whispered and relief washed through Robin, so suddenly
and absolutely he very nearly fell over.
“Yes, it’s me. I’m here.”
“Is it over?”
“Yes. It’s all over. Forever. I’m never letting you out of my sight
again.”
Cyan ducked his head and smiled. “Silly Robin,” he said.
“What the hell’s going on here?”
Cyan winced, his eyes flying wide at the headmaster’s bellow.
“It’s alright, I’m here, remember?”
“We’re all here,” Alex said, drawing a tiny smile from Cyan.
While someone explained to the headmaster, another teacher crouched
beside Robin.
“Are you alright, honey?” she asked
Cyan nodded, then moaned, his face twisting. Blood trickled from the
corner of his mouth.
And now it's time to check out the other amazing writers and what they have to offer this week
What a way to come out. I hope Cyan will be okay and that the bully will get more than the few punches that Robin gave him. Can't wait to read more.
ReplyDeletePlease tell me that Cyan's not really hurt. All that kicking, and him bleeding from the mouth, makes me worried.
ReplyDelete