Catalyst(2)

“Leave him alone, Nathan,” I said. They all turned and focused their attention on me. The younger boy slipped through the group. I didn't take my eyes off the bullies. “Catch up to your parents and go to church, Corwyn.”

“Thanks, Hellsfire.”

I nodded but didn't say a word.

Nathan and his three cronies spread out and surrounded me. With my speed, I thought about trying to make a break for it, but they were equally as fast, and I didn’t want them to know they scared me.

“You'll pay for that, Hellsfire,” Nathan said, scowling at me. “Why are you such a killjoy? We were just having some fun before church. Not that you would know anything about church. I wonder, does it have to do with your name, Hellsfire?” He grinned when he said my name, trying to bait me. I hated when people teased me about my name. When I was younger, I used to get into a lot of fights because of it. A lot of the fights were with him.

I clenched my fists, but stood firm and held my anger in check. Anything I said now was going to earn me a beating, and my mother would want to know what happened. I couldn’t tell her the truth. Fighting my battles would only make it harder for her to be accepted by our neighbors.

“I don't get you, Hellsfire. You're always butting into things that don't concern you.” Nathan shoved me—hard. I crashed into the boy behind me. He, too, shoved me, but with less force.

“Why do you feel the need to pick on everyone smaller than you?” I asked.

“Not everyone. Just you.” Nathan's blue eyes shone with hatred. He smiled like an animal baring his teeth. “Luckily for me, your friend Dorian's not around. This time, it's going to be you and me.”

I raised an eyebrow and glanced at the other three boys around me.

“You know your parents will be mad if you dirty your doublet before church.”

Instead of my comment having the intended effect, Nathan's face twisted with rage. The relationship between him and his parents wasn't a good one.

Nathan grabbed my collar, not caring that the undertunic underneath his doublet became exposed. The other boys pinned my arms behind my back. I struggled, trying in vain to break their grasp. Nathan balled up his fist. I turned my head, bracing myself for the blow about to follow.

“Nathan!” a voice yelled. “Come here, boy, or we're going to be late.”

They let go of my arms. “Damn,” Nathan said.

I smiled, relieved that Nathan's father had been of help for once. Nathan took my smile as an insult.

He balled his hand into a fist. Before I knew what had happened, he hit me hard in the gut. The pain forced me to my knees in the mud.

“Now!” Nathan's father yelled.

A look of fear passed over Nathan's face. It was brief, but I saw it clearly. “Another time, Hellsfire,” he said. “I'll kiss Kat for you.”

Nate leered at me and made kissing noises. I forced myself to be calm, but I couldn’t do it. My chest started heaving. Even though it was over between Kathleen and me, I couldn't believe she was now with him. Him, of all people!

I readied myself to rush him. I didn't care anymore about the beating I would get from fighting the four of them, or the chastising my mother would give me. Kathleen shouldn't be with him. Anyone else but him. Images of him kissing her, touching her, angered me more than I thought possible. She and I were still friends, cordial, if no longer as close as we once were. I had told myself all romantic feelings for her were gone. I was wrong.

I waited, still crouched, for Nathan to pass by me so I could attack him from behind. He must have sensed my intentions, or maybe he was just being his usual bullying self, but as he walked by, he kicked me in the face. The blow sent me to the ground, into the mud. The humiliation washed away all my anger.

I could do nothing but watch as they walked away. Their laughter rang in my ears. By day's end, I would be the gossip of the entire town.

I resigned myself to this while lying in the mud. I prayed that people would at least have the decency to not tell my mother. I tried to wipe the mud off my face, but all I managed to do was smear it around.

When I finally stopped feeling sorry for myself, I got up. I had wanted to head to my hideout in the forest, but now I needed to go. I needed the one place where I could have peace and quiet, and wouldn’t have to deal with the townspeople or people like Nathan—the one place where I didn't have to worry about everything we didn't have.

Despite the mud clinging to my tunic and face, it was a beautiful day. I picked up a fallen branch as I walked, brandishing it as if it were a sword. My imaginary opponents were Nathan and his cronies, and I defended other boys my age and younger from them. I dispatched them easily, like the heroes in the tales, and everyone praised me and liked me.