The Miracle Clinic

xChapter 24 - A Tale of Two Best Friends (3)

"Nobody is born being beneath others."

In Starlight Middle School, Marcus is in the cafeteria as he stares down at his tray. On his tray is a hamburger with chocolate milk, mashed potatoes, carrots, napkins, and trash all over it. Hunter is staring down at Marcus as several other people surround Marcus,

"What are you waiting for," Hunter began to say as he stared at Marcus, "eat it."

Marcus hesitantly picks up the food and takes a bite out of it.

"It's something that's taught."

Several of the people watching Marcus chew the food grimace, however, Hunter just coldly states, "swallow."

"And something you're reminded of constantly."

After some hesitation, Marcus swallows down the food.

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In the middle school bathroom, Marcus is throwing up the food he ate for lunch in a stall. As he finishes throwing up, he feels a hand grab the back of his head and submerge it into the toilet he just threw up in.

After a few seconds, the hand lets go and Marcus turns around to see it's someone he doesn't even know. Standing by the sink, Hunter and a few other students are looking at Marcus amused.

"You're reminded of it by everyone."

"You couldn't have let him flush before you did that?" Hunter snickers.

As the group of kids laugh, Marcus just looks down at the ground. As they're laughing, a random student enters the bathroom.

"What made it worse wasn't just the bullying, it was the fact that..."

The student who just entered ignores the whole event and just goes to wash his hand. After doing so he leaves the bathroom.

"The fact that nobody cared about what was happening to me."

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"And those that would have, didn't know."

Marcus is in gym class with Ronnie and the two are chatting amongst themselves.

"Hey man, everything been good?" Ronnie said.

Marcus begins to talk but stops as he looks at Ronnie's concerned face. So instead he just puts on a smile and says, "I've just been having a ton of homework recently, that's all."

"I didn't tell the people that would care because... I just didn't want to be a bother."

As the bell rings, Ronnie stops and looks at Marcus before saying, "Well you can come over for dinner tonight, my mom's making chili and we both know you love that."

"Oh, really that sounds-" Marcus begins to say before noticing Hunter looking over at him, "great, but I already made plans some other time."

"Oh that's fine, we can do so some other time!" Ronnie says.

Marcus looks back and replies with a weak, "y-yeah, totally."

As Marcus walks over to Hunter, Ronnie notices Marcus flinch when Hunter gives him a playful slap on the back, however, he just assumes it's just friendly banter and goes on with his day.

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As the days turned into weeks, and the weeks turned into months, and eventually a whole grade passed, Marcus' living hell continued. However, whenever someone would do something to him – whether it was him getting beaten up or forced to eat disgusting food, or have people dump rotting food and rats in his locker – he wouldn't react. He'd just have a blank face.

"Eventually, when the only thing you can see is darkness, it just becomes so numb. You just get used to it, and it just becomes..."

Hunter sees Marcus in the hall and brings him over to the bathroom. As soon as they enter, Hunter punches Marcus in the gut and Marcus falls to the ground in pain.

"Normal."

As Marcus looks up, he sees Hunter begin to kick him in the stomach again and again. Hunter stops to catch his breath but he doesn't see any reaction from Marcus.

"What?" Hunter begins to ask, "why aren't you crying?!"

"Because," Marcus begins to say as he just stares at the ceiling, "I don't care."

As those three words echo in Hunter's mind his face turns to shock and then fury.

"YOU DON'T CARE?!" Hunter says as he drops his backpack on the ground and takes out a metal baseball bat from it. He then lifts up the bat as a distorted look grows on his face. Hunter continues by adding, "I guess I just up the ante some more!"

Hunter looked down at Marcus as his hands began to shake, however after clenching his teeth, Hunter brought the bat down.

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That day after school, Ronnie is waiting for Marcus by the front doors as it is raining. The raindrops hit the cold pavement as several people walk passed with umbrellas. As Ronnie sighs, he sees the front doors swing open as Marcus runs passed him and into the rain.

"Hey Marcus, wait up!" Ronnie says as he chases after him.

As the two run down the street, the rain begins to fall down harder. As Ronnie tries to catch up, he falls behind a bit as Marcus takes a quick turn to his house. Marcus manages to get to the front door, open it, and lock it before Ronnie could even get to the door. Ronnie bangs on the door.

"Hey, it's me, Ronnie! What's going on? Are you okay?!" Ronnie frantically shouts.

Marcus sits on the other side of the door as he runs his hands through his hair before he shouts back, "Just leave me alone!"

Ronnie stops banging on the door as he asks, "But we're friends, can't you tell me what's going on?"

"At that moment, I did something I shouldn't have done. I took out all of my frustrations on the one person who was looking out for me."

"Friends?! We were never friends! You've just been pestering me all this time! I don't want anything to do with you! Just... go away!" Marcus yells.

Ronnie reaches for the door handle but stops as Marcus adds, "please."

"Alright, if that's what you want," Ronnie sighs as he walks away.

As Marcus sits in his house sopping wet, he begins to get back up but winces in pain as he does so.

"I guess the reason I didn't want Ronnie to see me that day was that..."

Marcus' whole body is covered in bruises and blood is dripping from his mouth and nose.

"I didn't want him to see me look pathetic."

As Marcus walks over to his kitchen, he notices a note his parents left him on the counter. He looks at it and the note states 'we went to the store and got some more groceries in the fridge.' Marcus sighs as he tosses the note in the trash and opens the fridge. As Marcus prepares to cook his dinner, the hard downpour outside silences any sounds that he could make.

See You Next Chapter!~