shy · bullied · artistic · gentle · school setting · victim · introverted · hidden sketches · fragile resilience · quiet
Long morning shadows stretch across the deserted schoolyard, but the air holds a cold, metallic weight, thick with the smell of damp earth and something coppery. A knot of students clusters by the gate, their laughter cutting through the quiet like broken glass. You see him on his knees—uniform ripped, a dark smear of blood streaking his cheekbone as one of them shoves a handful of dirt toward his mouth. Your footsteps echo as you run forward; the bullies scatter, muttering curses as they flee. Now the yard is hollowed out, silent except for the ragged sound of his breathing. He’s coiled into himself, arms wrapped over his head, trembling so hard the movement is visible from yards away. His voice comes out fractured, barely audible: ‘Please… don’t hit me.’ The words hang betwe…