The School Bully Savior

The year was 1976. I had just finished my mathematics class and thought to go to the bathroom. Suddenly I was rushed by the school bullies Jimmy and Michael, who I believe get offended by my good grades.

“What a dork!” Jimmy called as he pushed me into the bathroom. I’ve been here before, bully central. Him and Michael always made sure I have a living hell at our high school every passing day.

“Aww, look Jimmy! I think he might cry this time!” He then shoved me into the bathroom stall. As they both snickered, they shoved my head into the toilet. The worst thing you can do to a growing man is give them a swirly in the middle of school.

This time was different. As I realized I couldn’t breathe, they pushed down my head even farther. I thrashed about and tried to scratch the hands off of me. I faintly made out Jimmy’s voice.

“What is this loser think he’s doing? Trying to escape?” And then I heard Michael’s.

“Hey dude, I think he’s actually struggling. Let’s let him go.”

“What the heck, man? We do this swirly every day and he’s perfectly fine. He’s just being extra today.” Little did they know I’m already gone. I’ve become limp and lifeless.

Jimmy looked back and realized what mistake he’s made. He yanked my lifeless body out and shook it roughly.

“Jimmy Lawrence! What are you and Michael Danvers doing in the bathroom during class time?” Mr. Mandrake, our third room Math teacher barged into the stall, only to witness the beginning of my eternal slumber.

What’s worse is I’ve already become a ghost. I’m witnessing this from the opposite angle of everyone. “Are you serious? I died in the bathroom of all stupid places to go?” I yelled.

When both guys fully realized what they did and what is going on, it was too late. They murdered someone. Their death was on their hands. No one was going to save them, not even their own parents. With this new knowledge, they both ran out of the bathroom and darted out of the school before anyone else could stop them.

“Michael! Jimmy! Stop!” Mr Mandrake yelled after them, but stopped when he noticed my body was knocked to the ground.

“Poor Thackeray. He was a hard working student who had great potential for the future. Why did it have to end like this?”

As my ghost eyes looked upon him, I noticed tears running down his face. A usually stern and demanding man, he showed that he actually cared about his students. My anger peaked, and I started punching the stall beside me. My hands went through the stall, but at this point I didn’t care

“This? This is how I die? World, God, whatever is out there, why did it have to be me?!” I slid to the ground and sobbed. **************************

Fifteen years later, I still linger here. I already witnessed the arrest of both boys, who were to go to prison for life without parole. I already went to my own funeral and said my goodbyes to my loved ones. But why was I still here?

I still see Mr. Mandrake, since he is aged quite a bit and this year will be his last to teach, but I’m not thrilled to be confined to this wretched school that gave me nothing but torture and misery. Why was I left in this crumbling school?

Suddenly, out of the corner of my eye, I see a boy being shoved into the bathroom by two jocks.

“What the heck Kyle? A dork like you can’t take Susie away from me!” One of the jocks shoved him harder into the stalls, while the other one looked guilty to be in there.

“Brody, I don’t think this is a good idea. Didn’t they say some kid died in here for the same thing?”

The jock, now known as Brody, glared at the other boy. “Since when were you so chicken, Dennis? Your usually the one to start the swirly!”

The nervous Dennis now had a creeping smile to his face and looked towards Kyle.

A hatred started boiling in my.... ghost veins? I was not letting this happen again before my very eyes. My heart swelled and I raced towards Brody to push him away.

I opened my eyes, and I suddenly felt different. Warm, breathing, alive. I looked around at the boys standing in front of me, then to my own hands. I suddenly understood what happened, I possessed Brody. I’m holding this meat suit in place. I smiled wickedly. I can get back at those bullies. All the horrible ones who bully for selfish desires.

“So, Dennis.” I said in my most menacing voice I could muster, “Why would you join a sick-o like me in the first place?”

Dennis blinked at me like I was a nutcase. “What did you say, man?”

I began to trudge towards him threateningly. “Jocks. Bullies. They are all the same. We bully because we can. Hurt people because we feel inferior. Humiliate people because they aren’t us. How does that make you feel?”

He blinked at me, and shifted his eyes around from me to Kyle, who has now gone completely silent and looked at me wide-eyed.

“Umm dude, I don’t know what crack your smoking, but I thought we were just about to swirly-“ I cut him off.

“You want to know how I died? I was drowned by a swirly. Two bullies felt intimidated by my intellect and decided to swirly me, only to force me down until I could see my own body laying in the toilet. These games are not funny. These pranks can cost lives, and for your lack of disregard it’ll cost you your life.”

Dennis went wide eyed, and before one sound uttered out of his neck, I reached his head and snapped his neck in half. Blood gurgled out of his mouth and his body fell to the ground. Where Dennis was standing, his ghost remained. He looked at me in horror along with Kyle. Instead of addressing my new acquaintance, I looked at the pathetic boy that was almost bullied. I grabbed him by the shoulder and flinched. I shook him so he would look into my gaze.

“Don’t let your mistake become like mine. Man up. Make the world like it was your last second. You can lose everything.” I winked at him. “Go call the cops or the teacher. Say Brody went crazy and killed this boy for not participating in his fun. He won’t be able to walk anyways.”

Kyle’s eyes squinted. “What do you mean walk? Your standing just fi-“ I slammed Brody’s leg into the toilet. The force of impact broke his tibia and fibula at the same time, causing the body to heave.

“This is my goodbye, Kyle. Fight for your life. Do what you have to do.” With that I slammed Brody’s head into the wall and emerged from his body. Kyle was breathing heavy and obviously freaking out. At that time I realized footsteps emerged from the other side of the bathroom. Mr. Mandrake rounded the corner to us.

“Mr. Steven’s, I want you to call the cops. Tell them Brody here killed Dennis and is incapacitated. Do not tell a soul what happened here today.”

Kyle bolted from the room, freedom and anguish washed over his face. As he walked out, Mr. Mandrake looked around.

“Thackeray Thomas? Are you really here after all this time? How could you murder a boy like that? You were such a smart boy. How could you do this?”

I reached my hand to his, giving him access to seeing me. He went as white as a.... you get the picture.

I smiled at him. “I’m sorry Teacher, but I finally found my calling. No more bullying or injustice. I will go from school to school, saving those in the process. I never want what happened to me happen to anyone else.”

He shook his head. “But Thackeray, you just added a boy to this killing spree. When will it end?”

I glanced at Dennis, who was mourning everything he lost like I had, and turned back to Mr. Mandrake.

“Never.” I grinned devilishly and let go. I heaved Dennis from the ground so he could take a good look at his killer.

“For now on, you work for me. You should’ve never got yourself in this mess to begin with.” With one look back at my favorite teacher, I yanked the former bully out of the school and began to look for a new victim.

If you ever call for Thackeray Thomas to save you from a bully, be aware he will take a lot more than he will give.