1:05 p.m. - Shermer High School - Shermer Library

Dizzy, angry, exhausted… Words cannot describe how I felt after screaming at Vernon to get bent. Now, I was a dead man. Here comes the guillotine… I'm gonna die soon.

I felt my shirt dragged upon by the angry vice principal. I was inches away from getting the shaft; expulsion. No way am I ever gonna show my face around Shermer again, not with Dick in my view.

I could hear someone knock over a bunch of machines, before I heard a door slam. Then I felt myself getting dragged through the doorway and into the hallway. I felt my vision blurry out for what seemed like a few seconds. When it started to regain, I could hear some rough conversation from Vernon and John.

1:05 p.m. - Shermer High School - Vernon's Office

I was in his office alright.

"Ass in that seat, young man!" I could hear Vernon's voice bark at me.

"Hey man, ease off of him, alright?" I heard Bender's voice, trying to reassure the man.

"Get back!" I heard him say, before I felt my arms get grabbed by forceful hands, and then I saw myself facing the front of Vernon's office, seeing all the stuff I saw from his office earlier when he confronted all of us about the knife. I saw that knife stabbed into his desk. Before I knew it, I was shoved by the bull's rough hands into a chair.

I could do nothing to fight back against him. Not after everything that went down in the library; my rage that roared throughout the library, Vernon reading my essay and tearing it up. One second, I was ready to slaughter the bull. The next, I was a sheep ready to get pummeled.

"What's the matter with you?" I hear Vernon ask me, "Stay in that seat, I'll be dealing with you next!"

My eyes wander around, wearily, as I see to my side a door to Vernon's closet closing, with John cornered. I couldn't do anything. It was like I was paralyzed.

As soon as I heard the door shut, I could hear Vernon talk with the burnout, "That's the last time, Bender. That's the last time you ever make me look bad in front of those kids, do you hear me?"

That man's insane… I thought to myself. My mind has started to regain consciousness, and I was fearing for John now. That man's messed up at home, with his neglectful mother and his douchebag old man. But Vernon's really laying it out to him. I don't care if he likes being in detention better than home. With Vernon here, monitoring it, I just can't afford to hear the man bully him and screw with his life more.

But I still listened to the bull's words, "I make $31,000 dollars a year and I have a home, and I'm not about to throw it away on some punk like you or that city rat out there…"

My arms started to shake with fury. I knew he was talking about me. I tried to keep it together, but any moment, I would blow up, get over to the closet, and obliterate that bull.

But as I kept on thinking about that thought, the more paralyzed I felt. I could only do nothing but be shocked with what Vernon is laying on John. I was forced into a chair, and all I could do was listen.

"But someday, man, someday." I kept listening to Vernon's words as I thought he would maybe kill him, "When you're outta here and you've forgotten all about this place… And they've forgotten all about you and you're wrapped up in your own pathetic life…"

I got nervous for him. I was worried Vernon might pull the trigger on him.

"I'm gonna be there…" I heard him say, "That's right. And I'm gonna kick the living shit out of you, man. I'm gonna knock your dick in the dirt!"

I was beyond mortified with the man's words. Yes, John's a troublemaker, but Vernon has no idea what the hell he's going through himself. He has a shitass dad and a bitch for a mom, and both of them are making his home life hell. I almost felt like I was gonna clutch my hand into a fist, punch a hole through the door, grab Vernon by the throat, and go apeshit on this guy until he draws blood.

Vernon, to me, was slowly sounding like the epitome of a rancid street thug. I've been threatened by those street thugs back in the North Side, like if I didn't let them rob me, or if they were demanding me to smoke cocaine with them. Oftentimes, I've escaped with them hounding after me, but other times, I was beaten. I could take a scrap or a knock off the bones, but some of those fights resulted in me getting either drawing blood or getting bruised. I almost got blinded one fight, and in another I was nearly crippled. I couldn't imagine what the hell Vernon was gonna do with John right now.

I could hear John's voice from the other side, "Are you threatening me?"

My heart started racing. I could tell since I was hearing its beat.

"What are you gonna do about it?" I hear Vernon's voice again, "You think anybody's gonna believe you? You think anybody's gonna take your word over mine? I'm a man of respect around here. They love me around here, I'm a swell guy! You're a lying sack of shit, you and that halfpint sitting out there, and everybody knows it!"

Kill him… I could hear my mind echo through, Kill that bastard…

I couldn't. As much as he could talk shit about me or John or anyone else, I didn't have the energy to give him a piece of sense. He sounded like the punks back in the Windy City, and John was the guy who's about to get a scrap off the prick. He's me. I thought some more.

"Oh you're a real tough guy…" I hear Vernon some more, as I hear something fall over from the other side.

You better not… I thought, grimacing hard at the door. I thought if Bender got beaten to shits by Vernon.

"Get on your feet pal!" I hear Vernon yell, "Let's find out how tough you are! I wanna know right now, how tough you are!"

I saw red. Dark red. My hand was clasping into a fist.

"I'll give you the first punch, let's go! Come on! I'll give you the first punch! Let's go. Come on, right here, just take the first shot!"

He expects the dude to give HIM the first shot?! My mind was bubbling with fury and shock.

"Please, I'm begging you, take a shot! Come on, just take one shot, that's all I need, just one swing…" I hear the man taunting.

A few seconds go by, and I start to hear… nothing. Nobody's beating each other up, nobody's hurting each other. I don't hear John screaming back at Vernon to get laid on something or whatever… I just hear… nothing.

"That's what I thought…" I hear his dark voice, "You're a gutless turd…"

A few seconds later, I see Vernon opening the door, glaring hard at me. Words just cannot describe how much hate I have for this sick fuck. He had his gray suit off, only wearing his black shirt on his torso.

As soon as Vernon shut the door and locked it, he looked at me and said, "Get your ass outta that seat, mister!"

As much as I wanted to do something, either talk back at Vernon or do what he tells me to do, I was too deflated. As angry as I was at him for shitting on John, I couldn't do anything. I felt too paralyzed to do something.

"I said get your ass OUT of that seat!" I hear him shout at me.

Still, I didn't do anything. All I could think about was the cloudiness in my mind that was flowing through, and it wasn't like Vernon was gonna make it any less blocked.

"That's it…" I hear him say. A second later, I felt the collar of my shirt get pulled, as I was forced out of the seat and was taken out of the office by the vice principal.

I saw the library doors, but it wasn't like I was heading for them. In fact, they were getting further and further away from my view, as we turned another hallway. I started to think of a few options… One: Beat up Vernon, Two: Run away from Shermer and ride the rails to somewhere far away… Or three: Just die.

But before I could do anything into action, I was shoved into an empty classroom, and I saw the man in gray push me straight into a desk, and I felt myself fall into a seat.

Welp… it was a good run, folks… I thought to myself. I was in a room with an angry bull, and by the look of him, he was about to lay the horns on me. The longhorns.

Vernon tried to say something to me, but he wasn't able to grab his words for a few seconds. All he could do was pace around a few times and wonder what to say. He threw his suit onto the desk. Did he want me to say something first? It wasn't like I was gonna say something to him first.

Finally, Vernon sat on the teacher's desk, still having his eyes deadlocked on me. He finally found his words, "I just don't understand kids today… Everything was fine around here until you came along. If that wasn't your first mistake, I don't know what is… Being born, perhaps?"

Damn right I was offended. Here I am being yelled at by Vernon, and then he tells me that being born was the first mistake I've ever made?!

Before I could do something, I saw Vernon lean forward and jab a finger in my face, "I thought a city person like you would change course the second you entered Shermer. I cannot tell you how stupid I am to think of that! You're gonna end up just like John Bender: A waste of space!"

I breathed in heavily, my voice shaking with fury. I was sweating. I felt my face get hotter. I felt like I was gonna throw up.

"And you think Bender's got a shit life, it's what he's gotten you believing?" Vernon tells me, "You may have been good back at the city, but here's the thing: You don't belong here…"

My eyes flicker with shock and rage. My mind started coming back to Mark Grindon, who had told me that I shouldn't even be here since I was city-blooded. I just wanted to start a new life somewhere quieter and without anyone trying to hurt me. Is that too much to ask?

As for Vernon though? I thought someone like him would finally listen to me, even if he was a douche. But here he is calling me trash, not even listening to me. He's being more than just a douche.

"You think you're the fuckin' shit… You think you deserve much better by being here? Here's what I think, pal! You don't! Ya have a better chance of being dead than being here! That janitor told me what he might think about you in a decade or so…"

My mind immediately raced back to Carl and what he said about me being roadkill in the future. How'd Vernon know about that? Did Carl tell him?

Vernon towered over my seat, glancing down very menacingly, "You think your so fuckin' tough, huh? You can take a beating?" The next thing that happened shocked me. I felt something. I felt a clammy, medium-sized force blow against something. I heard something. I heard that same blow as if it were hitting against something soft. Something like skin.

I saw my glasses land on the empty seat next to me, a perfect place where some yahoo might find the perfect opportunity to use their ass to squish against.

Then I felt something else. I didn't know what it was at first, but then I started to make it out to be a sore, tense blow squared into the left side of my cheek. It reminded me of hell the assholes back in the city gave me. It was nothing more than the stinging, sour sensation known as pain.

"Take it like that!" I hear Vernon's voice again, "You look so strong, little man! Yeah, why don't you try and whip one of those back at me!"

I turn my head to see Vernon, who was inches towards my face, his own red with fury. "Come on, I dare you! Fight me…" he growled.

I didn't do anything. I just sat there, paralyzed with shock and delirium. I expected a burnout like John to do that to me. I wasn't expecting Vernon to do it. He's far worse than a douche. I wonder if he's done the same with other kids in detention. Even John…

"Get back at me!" I hear him yell at me, "You wanna yell like a street rat, why don't ya fight like one too! I dare ya!"

I stared at the man, still agitated, but unable to move myself to make the next hit.

"Come on…" he growled, "DO IT!" he slammed his fists onto the desk. I could feel my desk rumble from the vibrations.

He stood again, towering over me with his trademark glare. "Give me the next shot! I want you to, you gotta! Come on, I wanna see you try! Just, just do it alright, I'm open!" he kept on egging me.

But the more I could think about beating up the asshole of a vice principal, the less I could actually do it… I couldn't do it.

Vernon stood in front of me, his right fist still shaking as if he would throw another punch at me. He looked like he was ready to. But I couldn't do it. Can't even bother… I kept thinking in my head.

Then Vernon's fist slowly landed onto the desk. For a few seconds, there was nothing. The wind outside was softly rustling against the school. The clock was ticking throughout the room. There were dust bunnies that were smudged into the cracks of the floor. Silence was filling up the whole room. For me, though, I felt like Vernon was gonna do a sneak attack and knock me out of nowhere. Even if he was gonna take his next shot against me, I felt paralyzed to fight back. All I did was just wait for Vernon for his next move.

A few more seconds pass by, and Vernon's fist opens up into a hand. He's softening up just like that?!

"You can't do it, Camm…" Vernon said, darkly shaking his head, "Just look at yourself. You don't even have a spine! Even if I pounced on you and ripped your dick out of ya, you'd never have the gall to fend for yourself…"

Even though I didn't look angry from Vernon's perspective, I could feel some anger bubbling over. I was too tired to even unleash it on the jerk.

"Not only are you just bait for roadkill, but you're just a wimp. A pussy, actually. You may act all tough and in the 'hood…" Vernon squatted down to my level, pointing his finger at me again, "But the inside of you… you're nothing… No one cares for you, and I doubt anyone will remember who you are when you're left for dead, you diggin' it? You're just another worthless street rat."

I couldn't believe what he was saying. He was trashing me, telling me I'm nothing. I could hear my heart's beating once more. I could feel the anger boil up even more. My eyes started to lower as long as I was staring at Dick.

Vernon slowly stood up from my level, still glaring at me hard. None of us said anything for a few seconds, before he pointed his finger at me yet again.

"Lemme tell you what I'm gonna do with you." he said, "I won't give you another Saturday detention, or expel you, or do anything…"

My thoughts started to become confused. I was hoping he wasn't gonna get the entire football team to beat the shit out of me until I would finally be killed and then he would do everything in his view to get away with it.

"I'm gonna do something worse… far worse for ya…" he leaned into my face again, "I'm gonna make your life a living hell here…" he sinisterly chuckled.

My eyes started twitching, but I don't think he would give a shit. He was still going for it.

"I'll make sure you are fixed here… You'll be given the shits of what good ol' Shermer will do to a city germ. And it won't be just me; it'll be everyone…"

I started thinking about Mark again. I started thinking about Stubbie, how Andrew had told me that he wasn't the friendliest guy around the school. I started thinking about every jock, every burnout, prep, goth, nerd, musician, etc. I felt they're all gonna come after me just because I don't want to be with any of those types of groups.

"Yeah… you'll be shat and spat on by everyone to make sure you're given the treatment a dirty city person deserves. And I won't be there to stop them. It'll be great to see what justice you'll get… You'll just wait and see, got that?"

I could feel a tear welling up from my right eye. Just the fact that everyone at Shermer has the right to hurt me, and that Vernon will not do a shit about anything. It wasn't fair. What did Chicago ever do to you, Vernon?

Vernon stopped pointing at me and was about to turn towards the door. But not before he could say this, "You've just made your own bed, Camm. Only time will tell when you're gonna go and finally lie in it." He started walking away, his personality still as dirty and devilish as always. When he got to the doorway, he pulled down a blind on the doorway's window. Then he turned around one final time. "Mark my words…" he said quietly, but I could still hear the menacing tone in his voice.

And then Vernon reached for the door handle and slowly closed the door shut. I could hear a key jiggling from the other side of the door. After a few seconds, I could hear him walking away.

As I heard him walking away, I started to shiver. I could feel my hands balling up into fists. I could feel more tears forming, as I was starting to build something. I could hear my own heart beat faster than a drum riff.

Then I started hearing the voices of Vernon, Mark, and the gangs that attacked me on the streets. I started hearing them curse, yell, beat me up. I started twitching each time they spat on me. I felt like I was about to be what Carl said about me: beaten into unrecognizable roadkill.

When I couldn't hear Vernon's footsteps anymore, I started snarling. The fury I couldn't unleash further started to work its way up. I had no other way to do it but now. I just exploded.

At lightning speed, I saw myself roar at the top of my lungs, standing up like I was blinded by rage. I was blind by rage! I didn't know what to do next, as the harsh words Vernon said to me droned through my head.

The first thing I saw was the desk I sat on. Then the next thing I knew, I was lifting it over my head, and then the next thing that happened I saw the desk with a crack formed from the top to center, lying against the board. I barely even heard it's impact. I was more than livid at this point. I was out of control.

I was thrashing about onto the desks, knocking each and every one over. But the next desk I threw down, I was on the chair, senselessly wailing on it. I wouldn't even give a shit or seven if Vernon barged back in and called the cops to sedate me and take me into solitary confinement, nevermind throw me out of this school with his own bare hands.

Then I went at it and threw the chair at the other side of the classroom, taking out a poster of Albert Einstein. Then I noticed a wheeled table to my side, where I went at it and threw down to the ground. Then I took another chair and started repeatedly throwing it against the down table.

And then suddenly, I started feeling something I could recall feeling a few hours ago.

My vision started blurring out, and before I knew it, I started shaking uncontrollably. And this time, I didn't have anyone stop me this time.

What am I doing? I thought, Why do I feel this? Why am I feeling this fury? Why am I not feeling well? What is wrong with me?

I was shaking so violently, it was that point that I needed help. Very badly. Groaning from this tense feeling, I tried to force myself out of this. But I could barely even get my limbs to stop it. I couldn't stand straight, as I fell to the ground.

My vision was getting blurrier and cloudier, and I couldn't even do anything to stop it. I could feel myself thrashing across the floor, trying to stop myself from this weird feeling, but it was fruitless.

Then I screamed. I screamed as loud as I could as I knew something was about to be even worse for me. But then I started realizing that I wouldn't be heard at this point. I don't think anyone will hear me. Vernon, Carl, John, the quartet in the library, anyone else at this damned school; heck, I think my scream has been drowned out by the thunderous sounds at O'Hare.

My voice faltered down, to the point where I couldn't even make any noise anymore. I couldn't move my limbs anymore. My vision went to black. I was out.