All Alone

SMACK! I'm slapped across the face. Despite myself, tears fill my eyes. I hear laughter.1

"Wimp. Can't you handle a little fight?"2

It's Chloe, the leader of the so-called 'popular' group. She's had it in for me all week, and she's finally found me on my own. Well, she can do what she likes to me as far as I'm concerned. I'm beyond caring.3

Although, it would be nice to know what I've done. I've hardly ever talked to Chloe in the last three years. But my whole high school life, she's tormented me. This isn't the first time her and her clone friends have had it out with me on the rugby field after school.4

A fist slams into my mouth, and I taste blood. I'm really crying now. Someone pulls me up by my hair, and I feel somebody knee me hard in the stomach.5

It goes on and on, until I've almost blacked out from the pain. Almost. I can still hear their taunts and their laughter, and feel their beating.6

Then, suddenly, it's all over. Someone spits on me, and I hear Chloe say, laughing, "Later, loser!" Then they're gone, and it's just me, lying on the ground, crying.7

I slowly get to my feet. I spit, and dully notice that there's blood mixed in with the saliva. I don't want to go home, and have my mother see me like this. But then, I don't want to stay here on my own in the gathering darkness either.8

I'm jumpy as I walk home, always looking over my shoulder. I turn into the driveway, and realize mum isn't home yet. I go inside - it's dark, and there are shadows everywhere, and it's too quiet for my liking.9

I walk through the house, turning on lights and a radio, crying all the time. 'This isn't a life! I don't want to live anymore,' I keep thinking.10

As I walk past the kitchen table, something glistens in the light. It attracts my attention, and I turn to see what it is.11

There's a knife on the table.12

I pick it up.13