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- The Corner -

Written by: alphaverse
Last Updated:
6.5.2000
Word Count:
1,410

I was sent to the corner a lot in school, and upon finding it a quiet place of solitude took a likening to it. Not really ever fitting in with the other children, I often found myself in want of it's safety. Safety from the others. From the boys who would pick on me because I was quiet, those annoying beasts that called me four eyes simply because I wore glasses, and especially those bratty girls I could hear whispering about me. How I hated them as I yelled out a vain word, and darting for the corner almost before the teacher "made" me go. All fools; they couldn't see their conscience if it was right in front of them. The teacher, Mrs. Almo, was simply an ignorant old woman, and how I detest ignorance. I loved the corner, it's sloping walls closing me in.... protecting me. My parents, seeing I was (and I quote), "....clearly disturbed. Doc, the boy's just not right," sent me to reform school. They were superstitious and presumptuous, but there was nothing I could do. I still loved them, and like a thousand knives in my back, right between my shoulder blades, they sent me away because I saw, thought, and felt things they were afraid to, and had the audacity to speak of those things. When I heard those words, "Doc. the boy's just not right," something clicked. As if my brain were a clock, and those words were the key... it wound. It wound and I knew then it was only a matter of time before I "sounded".
They stuck me in a room with a few other boys.... I didn't bother to count how many or even learn their names. I naturally stuck to my safe corner where I was able to see everything, but not get involved with their pointless, wasted lives. Of what seemed to be an eternity with these terrifically stupid juveniles, I put forth the effort to learn only one person's name: Magnolia. Everyone called her Mag, or Maggie for short. We met in the lunch room and soon became the best of friends. She wasn't like me; more like the normal, blind people. She was the most wonderful person I had ever met in my life. She was very concerned with what other people thought about her, and I, assuming they could all burn in hell, didn't see why, but she was not completely the same as everyone. She understood me....
She listened to me.
I loved her for this and loved to talk to her all of the time. I as also becoming less and less attracted to my faithful corner, talking to her more and more. 
One cloudy morning she ran up to me before classes beaming. I, wondering what was afoot, inquired. Her response was, "Well, there is this guy in your dorm named Fin I really, really like and we're going on a date tonight!"
A rush of anger and jealousy ran through me, but was suppressed as quickly as it had manifested. I replied, "Oh, ok. That's awesome. Have fun, and don't do anything you'll regret, my friend." But she was already walking off on the arm of Fin. I was angry.

That day, in welding shop, I had this sudden urge to make a type of weapon. Taking a garden spade, I simply grinded the edges sharp, and had a very effective knife. When I was confronted by the teacher, I simply replied I thought it would it make gardening much easier. No problem.
Later that night it was raining heavily and Maggie, being out with Fin left me ample time to recluse to my corner, my safe haven. Thinking of Fin and how he was a "good ol' boy" sent into this repulsive place because he had been caught drinking and was the son of a preacher. I thought that was interesting how a man of God can have a son like that, but I guess anything is possible. He was as shallow as all of the rest of these people, and I, fearing the worst of what may happen to Maggie, vowed that if he were to do anything to her, I would exact revenge on her behalf. I vowed to this gripping the modified garden spade I'd made earlier in some sort of metallurgy class. I never remembered the classes I took. I just did what the teachers told me to. I really never learned a thing; I only gave the idiots what they wanted. Simple.
Yelling, footsteps, and lights, snapping me out of my reverie, I put on my glasses and ventured outside. The first thing I saw in the rain (after removing my glasses because they instantly got wet) was Maggie, wrapped in a blanket. I ran up to her as she was being led away and I asked her what was wrong. She just stuttered, shocked and dumbfounded, "..it, it wasn't me.... I... I, I didn't want to... he forced me... Fin... Fin did.... he forced me..." I just stood and watched my lovely Magnolia walk away for the very last time.
The adults quickly shoved me back into my dorm where I saw Fin standing shirtless. Drying off, I would assume. In my confusion, I walked over to him and asked, "What happened? What did you do?" To this Fin simply replied, 
"I got her."
"What"
"I got her... let's just leave at that, ok?", he said with a queer
grin.

I walked back to my corner. Just thinking... then it hit me like a wrecking ball. That second... the second I understood what just happened to my friend, I "sounded". The key's wind finally unwound and the alarm went off. The next second I was briskly on my feet with the wicked spade in my hand walking rather rapidly toward Fin. Then, holding the spade downward in my hand, I solidly stabbed him in the right side of the neck, like one crashing cymbals together. The lethal blow, severing air passages, arteries, and veins, kept him from yelling out. Everyone else was out running about avoiding authorities. With no one else present, I kicked the flinching body under a bed, and watched as the blood poured out over my feet sickening me.
"What have I done?!"
I quickly ran to my corner for comforting and protection... but... No!! 
This was not my corner I had known. The walls, no longer protecting and keeping me cozy, were closing in and smothering me.
"auughhglegel". Only strange utterances left my mouth as I leapt up and ran to another corner, almost tripping over some poor boyıs bleeding arm hanging
from under a bed. Flinging tables and chairs away, I fled to the next corner... but .. but it was the SAME! I could see everything here .... his pictures on the wall. His mom... his dad... his older sister! They were all moving up and down and up and down on the enclosing walls, further enhancing the claustrophobic effect. All of them repeating my name with strange, glowing black eyes. My picture of Maggie .... I ran to rescue it, tears flowing from my eyes. When I beheld it... NO.... she too was mocking me... with those strange black eyes. She was mocking me in HIS voice! He's still alive?! It couldn't be... he's lying dead there with a spade in his throat... I can see the blood running from the under the bed. But he's here, in my Maggie. 
"Fight him, Maggie. Fight!"
I looked at the picture in my hands and she, looking straight up at me, yelled in her voice, "Four eyes."
"What?!!?"
"Doc, he's just not right... HAHAHAHA."
"Y--, yes I am!", I screamed, "I'm just normal!"
The lightning outside flashed.
"No you're not, you FREAK."
Flash.
"You're just a four eyed freak, I never liked you anyway."
Flash.
"What?! No, you can't mean that, you CAN'T!"
Flash. 
"HAHAHAHA", was the only reply I got.
I punched the frame in my hand, breaking the glass and cutting myself, but the evil, black eyes just laughed harder. I threw the cursed photograph down and bolted to my corner again, to beg it to guard me.
But no.... it's still closing in.... everything is... closing in on me.
The pictures, the wall.... all closing in. "I'm just normal", I repeated over and over again through sobs of tears and agony....
I'm just normal.

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