I glanced at her as she stepped out of her car; head lowered avoiding eye contact with every soul that passed, she closed the door behind her and having not seen me, dragged herself timidly towards the dull metal door.
I slouched behind her in lineup and walked behind her to class. She didn’t stop to talk to anyone nor did she walk alongside any friends. Strangers pushing her aside, she struggled to reach registration.
I watched how she sat with people that scoffed at her presence. How she worked without uttering a single word, not complaining even once about the amount of homework given. Her pain weighed out her pride as she blatantly ignored all the snide comments made about her odd ways of conduct. Little did anyone know they were the cause of her behavior. These were walls she had created to block out all the hatred, jealousy and false accusations. These were walls meant to be broken down by no one. She was living in a self created limbo, alone and afraid.
I still remember the day she broke down into tears, weak and vulnerable, crying for relief. No one came to help her the day she needed it most and that’s the day we lost her. Overwhelmed by the bullying she let everyone win.
Screams broke my train of thought and I let the crowd pull me along. Smelling smoke I glanced up at the blazing inferno. The abandoned school hall crumbled before me. We all watched in horror, paralyzed with shock. I was frustrated how everyone was rooted to the spot helplessly. Chastising my hypocritical thoughts I glanced at the casement of the burning building. There in the window lingered a dainty figure peering at the outside world as if it was on fire. It was her…Of course it was.
Dystopia 