The Long Walk Home

(Note that author was 15 years old when he wrote this story.)


It was a hot and stuffy summer's day at Saint Joe's Intermediate where Jonathan and his classmates were anxiously sitting in their classroom, waiting for the final bell of the day to sound. Jonathan prayed that the bell would ring soon. Because he wanted to quickly run home before the three huge, fat, smelly bullies could see him. The only way to Jonathan's house from the school was on an old cracked walkway. To one side of the walkway was a creek which gurgled softly. On the other side of the walkway was a small deserted street. Everyday the three bullies would wait there for an innocent school kid to tease and taunt and push them around.

At 3pm on the dot, the bell sounded and Jonathan's class was dismissed. Jonathan sprinted out and hastily grabbed his bag. He sped off across Saint Joe's school field and out onto the walkway. However, all of his effort was useless because leaning on a fence, joking and laughing amongst themselves, was the three bullies.

Jonathan stopped in his tracks and thought for a moment. Right next to Jonathan was the street, he thought about crossing it, but it would be too risky. So he hid behind a small push in hope that the three would leave. But he had moved too quickly and he had caught the corner of one of the bully's eyes. The bully stood up and muttered something to the others which made them look up. They bolted over to where Jonathan was standing rigid. Jonathan tried to run but his legs felt like jelly, so he just stood there scared stiff.

One bully grabbed Jonathan by the collar of his shirt and lifted his feet of the ground. As he did so, he heard a jingle in Jonathan's pocket.

"Money", the bully whispered evilly. "I need money".

The bully grabbed the money out of Jonathan's pocket and stuffed it into his own. "G-Give it back", Jonathan weakly stuttered.

Everything seemed to go silent. Jonathan looked up to see the bully smiling nastily.

"G-G-Give it b-back", mocked the bully. The other two bullies laughed hysterically.

Beside them was the small creek, quietly gurgling. It was full of rubbish and was very muddy.

"Let's throw him in there", said one of the bullies with a wicked smile on his face.

"One, two, three!", counted the three bullies as they threw Jonathan into the filthy creek.

The three bullies walked off down the walkway, slapping hands with one another and laughing loudly. Jonathan shakily picked himself up out of the creek and continued his walk home with his head down and tears in his eyes. He dared not cry because he knew boys didn't cry.

Jonathan arrived at his house where his mother was waiting outside the front door with an angry look on her face.

"Why are you so late and filthy?", she asked curiously.

"I slipped", he quietly replied.