The Sixth Sense: Cole's Ghostly Visitors
Give it back, Tommy."
"Why? What are you going to do about it, Freak?"
Cole cringed at the sound of his nickname. ~Freak. That's what I really am. A freak. Momma and Dr. Crow were wrong.~ Cole thought depressed, once again reaching for his book bag that was in Tommy's grasp. The larger boy laughed, throwing it to boy standing behind Cole. "Please John, give it back and leave me alone." Cole said softly, turning to his peer. John sneered, "If you can catch it, you can have it." He paused, and then quickly added, "Freak." Cole's anger at the stranger that had shoved him resurfaced, as he reached out to snatch his bag back. John was quicker, though, and gave it back to Tommy.
"Give it back!" His demand was met with laughter. His eyes searched the playground, looking for assistance from a teacher or friend. The teacher on duty was busy tending to a scratch on a girl's hand. Cole's few friends hadn't arrived at school yet. He was all alone.~ Maybe if I punch him. No, I'm too small; he'd only hit me back harder. What am I going to do? All of my home works in there, and if they find that out, they'll dump it in the toilet again.~ Cole pinched his face together, watching the two bullies toss his bag repeatedly between them. Then the bell rung, signaling the students could go into the building and prepare for their first class. Tommy sighed, "Well, Freak. Our fun's over until later." He heaved Cole's bag over the chain link fence that separated the playground from the parking lot. "Don't let Mrs. Smith catch you out of the playground!" Tommy yelled over his shoulder as he and John made their way towards the school building. Cole watched them leave, wishing they would fall in a hole and die.
~Maybe if I run, no one will see me.~ Playground rules specifically stated that no student was allowed outside of the chain-link fence before school or during recess. Cole stole a quick glance at the teacher outside; she was still bandaging the hand. He raced out of the exit, scurried to grab his bag off the ground, and rushed back in the gate. ~I didn't get caught!~
"Cole Sear!" Mrs. Smith's shrill voice rang through the air. Cole flinched, looking guiltily up at the teacher. She was an older woman with quick observant eyes. "Mr. Sear, WHAT were you doing OUTSIDE of the fenced area? You know the rule, no student is allowed out of this area before school!"
"Yes ma'am."
"Then WHAT were you doing?"
Cole glanced up, seeing Tommy's head peeked out through the door, listening intently. Cole pointed at the boy; "Tommy took my book bag and threw it over the fence. I had to go get it."
The teacher made a humph sound, obviously not believing him. "Tommy, Tommy Tomoscimo? Mr. Sear, I'm ashamed you'd have to involve such a nice boy as Tommy. You shall have detention tonight."
"But Mrs. Smith, I didn't mak—"
"Do you want it the rest of the week?"
"No ma'am."
"Then I suggest you march inside right now."
Cole sighed, reluctantly trailing after the teacher into the building. He could hear Tommy and John snickering to the side, but he ignored them. Instead, he stopped by his locker to dump his things in, and hurried into class. Once there, he grabbed his seat in the back and shrunk down into it. He spent his time daydreaming, wishing he were anywhere but at school.
Give it back, Tommy."
"Why? What are you going to do about it, Freak?"
Cole cringed at the sound of his nickname. ~Freak. That's what I really am. A freak. Momma and Dr. Crow were wrong.~ Cole thought depressed, once again reaching for his book bag that was in Tommy's grasp. The larger boy laughed, throwing it to boy standing behind Cole. "Please John, give it back and leave me alone." Cole said softly, turning to his peer. John sneered, "If you can catch it, you can have it." He paused, and then quickly added, "Freak." Cole's anger at the stranger that had shoved him resurfaced, as he reached out to snatch his bag back. John was quicker, though, and gave it back to Tommy.
"Give it back!" His demand was met with laughter. His eyes searched the playground, looking for assistance from a teacher or friend. The teacher on duty was busy tending to a scratch on a girl's hand. Cole's few friends hadn't arrived at school yet. He was all alone.~ Maybe if I punch him. No, I'm too small; he'd only hit me back harder. What am I going to do? All of my home works in there, and if they find that out, they'll dump it in the toilet again.~ Cole pinched his face together, watching the two bullies toss his bag repeatedly between them. Then the bell rung, signaling the students could go into the building and prepare for their first class. Tommy sighed, "Well, Freak. Our fun's over until later." He heaved Cole's bag over the chain link fence that separated the playground from the parking lot. "Don't let Mrs. Smith catch you out of the playground!" Tommy yelled over his shoulder as he and John made their way towards the school building. Cole watched them leave, wishing they would fall in a hole and die.
~Maybe if I run, no one will see me.~ Playground rules specifically stated that no student was allowed outside of the chain-link fence before school or during recess. Cole stole a quick glance at the teacher outside; she was still bandaging the hand. He raced out of the exit, scurried to grab his bag off the ground, and rushed back in the gate. ~I didn't get caught!~
"Cole Sear!" Mrs. Smith's shrill voice rang through the air. Cole flinched, looking guiltily up at the teacher. She was an older woman with quick observant eyes. "Mr. Sear, WHAT were you doing OUTSIDE of the fenced area? You know the rule, no student is allowed out of this area before school!"
"Yes ma'am."
"Then WHAT were you doing?"
Cole glanced up, seeing Tommy's head peeked out through the door, listening intently. Cole pointed at the boy; "Tommy took my book bag and threw it over the fence. I had to go get it."
The teacher made a humph sound, obviously not believing him. "Tommy, Tommy Tomoscimo? Mr. Sear, I'm ashamed you'd have to involve such a nice boy as Tommy. You shall have detention tonight."
"But Mrs. Smith, I didn't mak—"
"Do you want it the rest of the week?"
"No ma'am."
"Then I suggest you march inside right now."
Cole sighed, reluctantly trailing after the teacher into the building. He could hear Tommy and John snickering to the side, but he ignored them. Instead, he stopped by his locker to dump his things in, and hurried into class. Once there, he grabbed his seat in the back and shrunk down into it. He spent his time daydreaming, wishing he were anywhere but at school.
