Beaten by a Girl

The boys moved like a pack but Laney was sure of step, and danced away from them, laughing gaily and giggling every time she thwarted them. She was like an ethereal spirit, weaving, seemingly made of something other, the boys' fingers never grazing her, even though their grubby nails came close, so close...

At first, her laughter delighted, teased. There was a thrill pursuing her that all the boys enjoyed. If they could just get her, she would be theirs, for that moment. It would be worth it; the ultimate prize.

But it was exhausting and frustrating and for one boy, humiliating. That one boy was reminded with every dodged attempt and every laugh at his missed lunge and every overstretch and every lifted arm evaded and every extension as Laney skipped away that he was being beaten. And he knew this, literally and metaphorically every day, through words and blows. And Laney's success compounded for him the fact that he was losing, a loser, something crap, something worthless, something that would never do well: useless. These were not Laney's words or actions and if he had focused on those he'd heard from her instead, he would have remembered, "Mark, you're so funny," and "Mark, tell me that story again! I love it!" and he would have felt worthy.

But instead, her happiness was a mockery and all he could think was "I'm being beaten by a girl."

And this couldn't happen because he was already a wimp, a sissy, a weakling. He wasn't weak! But a girl beating him was evidence.

Matt and Luke would have teased him but carefully, away from Mark's home. They looked out for each other; proof of that was due to arrive.

Laney was running, fast in the sun, blonde hair sheeting behind, her voice ringing with life. She taunted playfully; but this was no longer a game.

She reached the edge of the quarry. Mark's simmering resentment had boiled into fury and channelled itself into his outstretched arms and imbued them with a power against which Laney and her loveliness had no chance.

And the boy realised then that he'd become the thing that he hated the most.

***

365 words

So, now we know.

If you want to be reminded of the one to which this story links, where we first see them in the quarry, read:

If you are new to this, start here:

And this was yesterday's:

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