What About Our Future? (Short Story Collection.)

Story 1: Anger

Dominic, or Dom for short, felt he was going to smash something. He was trying hard to contain his anger--towards the world, towards his so-called friends, but most evidently, towards Geoff. He felt like he just had to break something--be it object or human, it was going to happen. The only question was what. He was surrounded by fragile objects, being in a junkyard and whatnot. The only thing he needed was his bat.

Dom did a complete 180 and immediately located the wooden object. Without any hesitations or second thoughts, he scooped the wooden pole up and held it gingerly in his hands. IT was light and felt comfortable in his hands as he proceeded stomp over to the closest object--an empty glass bottle that previously contained an alcoholic beverage inside of it. He put the bat down on the barrel it stood upon, and in one full swing, sent the bottle flying into the nearest car. It broke upon the car with a metallic clang, causing a smile to spread on Dom's face. At least, he had something to take his anger out on.

The next thing Dominic found was a legless mannequin, leaning back a wooden pole the seemed to be secured tightly in the ground. He brought down the bat on the dummy with a loud whack, bending the right arm at an awkward angle. It brought a small sense of satisfaction. A second time, he hit the plastic model with a thwack. This time, the chest caved in on itself as it bent down the center where Dom had struck it. He let out a chuckle, as if breaking the mannequin was suddenly the only thing he cared about. But did anyone care? No, nobody did. Nobody was around to care, and that's what made Dom angry. A third time, he hit the dummy, this time making his bat connect to the head of the dummy, somewhat flattening it. 

The next thing Dom found was a car. If it hadn't been for the hood being propped up and exposing the missing engine, Dom would have assumed it still worked. If it had, would Dom have truly cared? If the alarm had gone off, would he have stopped? No. He'd have kept going, even if someone showed up. Hell, even if Geoff had shown up, Dom would've still kept going. Even if the boy he desired so dearly approached him right now and said, "You're not doing the right thing by taking out your anger on objects," Dom would've just ignored him. 

He was furious at everything and everyone. Furious at his dad for dying, furious at his mom for just up and leaving him with the mess of dealing with money, school, and everything else. Furious at his friends for rejecting him once they found out the truth. Furious at Geoff for being the fucking Deacon's son. Furious at his Geoff's father, for within him was a deeply rooted homophobia. Furious at the world for cursing such a poor boy as that, having to live in fear everyday of his father finding out. Furious at God himself, for even making a world where all humans hate one thing or another. Furious at the bullies in high school for cornering the defenseless boy everyday, picking on him for the stupid reason that he was just that--defenseless.

The car had been completely destroyed, and even his bat had been cracked just a little bit by the time he had finally finished with it. The next thing he found, he truly regret finding, but there was nothing else left. But had thought of it at the time? No, he hadn't, and now he hates himself for even raising his bat.

The next thing Dominic found was a small fox kit, happily chewing away on a mouse it had caught. It had even noticed the athletic boy approaching, staring at it with a great anger. How could it be happy when this world is so shit, so messed up in ways nobody even has time to think about because they're all so content with their miserable lives that they just make fun of the one person, neglect and abuse the one they hold closest? It's because all they care about is their own selfish gains and the heart-breaking losses of one material object or another. There is only one thing you can't replace--human life.

But people don't even realize that until it happens to them in the blink of an eye, and suddenly they find themselves in a very dark, closed off cage and shut off all contact from the outside world, choosing to look away from death and find a new thing to focus on and let that material object suck up all their attention and continue on with their dull minds content with this malicious game called life.

Dominic raised his bat high above his head, his chest moving erratically with every heavy breath he took. With a look of something more than just "angry," something more than just "furious," Dom readied to strike the unaware fox pup.

"Dom, what're you doing!?" A quiet, yet familiar voice spoke from behind him. With an unnerving yell, Dominic spun and brought down his bat at the same time, cracking whomever was behind him on the head. He breathed heavily, his head clearing up once the attack was finished. He looked at his bat, now noticing that blood was dotting it. It slowly slid down his bat. He looked down at the unforeseen boy, only to be truly horrified at what he saw, and what he had done to the boy he cherished most in life. 

Before him laid Geoff, the Deacon's son and only child, with a newly opened head on the dirty ground, blood seeping out every second Dom stared at the unconscious boy.

Dominic's anger and hate led him to take away the only boy he had ever loved. As he soon found out the next day, Geoff was dead. Geoff sacrificed his life to save a newly born animal, for the mere reason he was one of the few that hadn't been corrupted by human emotion and desires. He gave his life because he still held respect for just that--life.

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Meaning: Hold what is closest to your heart, and don't let trivial things like desire or emotion tear you apart and take you away from your loved ones.