Friendship is Purpose (How To Be Brave)
by artman7391
First published
Chapter 1- Give your old life one last chance
Cory Agees covered his mouth as he slunk behind the locker bay. Sweat began to fall down his brow and he could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He tried to not think of the pain from the bruises he received the other night, which were given to him weekly from the neighborhood bullies. As the footsteps of Principal Stiffson drew nearer and nearer, his life flashed before him:
Cory was a very small, gangly 15 year old boy. He was not athletic, nor was he not bright (though he tried his best to be), but he was never a troublemaker. Rather, the trouble came to him. He was constantly picked on and tortured by his peers and teachers for his short stature, skinny body and inability to keep up with other students. He was lucky enough to go through a day without being pushed or teased. The school he attended was a hell on earth for him and all the other students. No one was allowed to become friends, talk to each other except when spoken to, or even socialize on the school grounds. The principal called friendship "A Waste Of Time." and an "Interference with proper etiquette." Everyone was to follow his tyrannic rules of strict discipline and perfect scores. Anyone who even slipped up or disobeyed would face serious consequences of being expelled, fired, or just plain tortured, something Cory became too familiar with. Cory seemed to always get it the worst from the principal. He would constantly get screamed at and slapped across the head simply for not getting a problem right or coming to school in bruises from the night before. It was forbidden to explain one's problems in his school, for every time someone was about to explain, he or she would be accused of being "sorry for themselves" and to "get over it." One time, he was dragged to the principals office and given 30 brutal lashings from his big belt just for failing on a pop quiz, leaving noticeable markings on his back. Cory was not even allowed to cry or express his pain of emotions for being screamed at for doing so. His parents were no better, whom one night mysteriously left him to fend for himself at the tender age of 10.
The only subjects Cory truly felt comfortable with were the arts. Here music, theater and visual arts became his treasured passion. Although he wasn't the protege of the class, he always seemed welcome among the teacher and peers. Unfortunately, in recent years, the principal banned these subjects from the school grounds, also enforcing strict punishment for any secret clubs relating to it.
The only people Cory could truly relate to were 5 very close friends: Tyler, Camden, Katherine, Joanna, and Rachel. Each one of them had just as much difficulty fitting in as he did. That being the case, they did everything together: playing, toiling, coming up with ideas, and even forming their own secret club. They we're so close, that when his parents abandoned him, they and their folks offered to let him stay each night of the week at one of their houses. Alas, Cory hadn't seen them for almost a year, not since the Principal caught them playing music on the school grounds and expelling all but him for doing such. With no where to turn, he stayed in the empty house his parents left him where he slept on the floor in a sleeping bag, and ate from whatever he could cook on the stove or find in the garbage.
But today would be very different for him. For two nights before, after he endured a brutal beating, and dragged his body toward his house and into his room, he saw a very strange light from a far. He walked towards his shanty window to see what it was, but couldn't quite figure it out. At first it was frightening, but then, it turned into what seemed like a spiral of all the colors of the rainbow. He didn't know why, but for some reason, this small moment in time gave him a bit of hope. He knew that running wouldn't solve problems, yet at the same time if he went through one more day like this, he would lose it. So before he went to sleep, he decided to give this place one last chance: If he could go through an entire day without being so much as screamed at, he would stay. But if monday turns out to be as bad as all the other days, he would leave, never to return.
Apparently, as the principal strode closer and closer to his locker, his plan didn't go as he wished. Cory looked up and saw Stiffson in all his horror. The principal gazed at what mess he was: His clothes were tattered and torn, bruises and cuts covered his arms and legs, the eyes were blue and swollen where he could only see through the left one, his lip was split, and his nose was still bleeding. All in all, he looked like something out of a battle zone after intense fighting.
"Principal, please let me explain." whimpered Cory
"What the hell are you doing coming to school like this?!" Snapped Stiffson
"I…I.." Cory tried to find the right words, but all that came out was heavy breathing
"SPEAK UP!!" Screamed Stiffson. "Do you realize how sloppy you look right now?"
Cory bowed his head in shame
"LOOK AT ME!!" yelled Stiffson.
Cory said the first words that came out of his mouth. "I tried to find the best clothes I could but these kids in the neighborhood…"
"Oh, so that's what you do. Walk around and be all sorry for yourself. It's no wonder you've failed every class. Didn't I tell you that making friends was harmful to your intuition? Didnt I!?"
Cory shook in fear at his sight. He was as tall as a basketball player, had a clean shaved head, and always wore clothing that was firmly pressed with neatly ironed. His face was like a combination of a robot and a tyrant he saw from one of his history books. But above all, he never smiled, not even on the schools good days.
"I always knew you would never amount to anything." he said as he pursed his lips at Cory. He could feel his breath above him. "Friends are going to get you nowhere bub."
"Well maybe…" thought Cory "..maybe if you just gave friendship a chance."
Cory couldn't believe what he just said. It was as if he didn't think of it. A fit of anger fell across the principals face, and with one fellow swoop, he grabbed him by his skinny little arm and dragged him across the hallway. Cory knew what was going to happen next: another 30 lashings from the belt. He could feel Stiffson's fingernails digging into his skin, puncturing a big, bloody gash on his forearm. He tried to call for help, but everyone just stared nonchalantly out of fear of being punished as well.
Cory remembered he deal he made to himself the other night, and with one fell swoop, swung his fist in the air, broke the principals wrist, tugged his arm free and dashed down the hallway with running right behind him. It was as if his instinct overcame him. He didn't even think of hitting anybody. It just happened. He bolted through the hallways, sprinted through the slippery floors, jolted through the entrance and burst out the front doors. He could overhear Stiffson in the background shouting "You'll be dead in one year Cory! DO YOU HEAR ME !!! YOU'LL BE DEAD IN ONE YEEEEEAAARR!!.
Cory Agees covered his mouth as he slunk behind the locker bay. Sweat began to fall down his brow and he could feel his heart thumping against his chest. He tried to not think of the pain from the bruises he received the other night, which were given to him weekly from the neighborhood bullies. As the footsteps of Principal Stiffson drew nearer and nearer, his life flashed before him:
Cory was a very small, gangly 15 year old boy. He was not athletic, nor was he not bright (though he tried his best to be), but he was never a troublemaker. Rather, the trouble came to him. He was constantly picked on and tortured by his peers and teachers for his short stature, skinny body and inability to keep up with other students. He was lucky enough to go through a day without being pushed or teased. The school he attended was a hell on earth for him and all the other students. No one was allowed to become friends, talk to each other except when spoken to, or even socialize on the school grounds. The principal called friendship "A Waste Of Time." and an "Interference with proper etiquette." Everyone was to follow his tyrannic rules of strict discipline and perfect scores. Anyone who even slipped up or disobeyed would face serious consequences of being expelled, fired, or just plain tortured, something Cory became too familiar with. Cory seemed to always get it the worst from the principal. He would constantly get screamed at and slapped across the head simply for not getting a problem right or coming to school in bruises from the night before. It was forbidden to explain one's problems in his school, for every time someone was about to explain, he or she would be accused of being "sorry for themselves" and to "get over it." One time, he was dragged to the principals office and given 30 brutal lashings from his big belt just for failing on a pop quiz, leaving noticeable markings on his back. Cory was not even allowed to cry or express his pain of emotions for being screamed at for doing so. His parents were no better, whom one night mysteriously left him to fend for himself at the tender age of 10.
The only subjects Cory truly felt comfortable with were the arts. Here music, theater and visual arts became his treasured passion. Although he wasn't the protege of the class, he always seemed welcome among the teacher and peers. Unfortunately, in recent years, the principal banned these subjects from the school grounds, also enforcing strict punishment for any secret clubs relating to it.
The only people Cory could truly relate to were 5 very close friends: Tyler, Camden, Katherine, Joanna, and Rachel. Each one of them had just as much difficulty fitting in as he did. That being the case, they did everything together: playing, toiling, coming up with ideas, and even forming their own secret club. They we're so close, that when his parents abandoned him, they and their folks offered to let him stay each night of the week at one of their houses. Alas, Cory hadn't seen them for almost a year, not since the Principal caught them playing music on the school grounds and expelling all but him for doing such. With no where to turn, he stayed in the empty house his parents left him where he slept on the floor in a sleeping bag, and ate from whatever he could cook on the stove or find in the garbage.
But today would be very different for him. For two nights before, after he endured a brutal beating, and dragged his body toward his house and into his room, he saw a very strange light from a far. He walked towards his shanty window to see what it was, but couldn't quite figure it out. At first it was frightening, but then, it turned into what seemed like a spiral of all the colors of the rainbow. He didn't know why, but for some reason, this small moment in time gave him a bit of hope. He knew that running wouldn't solve problems, yet at the same time if he went through one more day like this, he would lose it. So before he went to sleep, he decided to give this place one last chance: If he could go through an entire day without being so much as screamed at, he would stay. But if monday turns out to be as bad as all the other days, he would leave, never to return.
Apparently, as the principal strode closer and closer to his locker, his plan didn't go as he wished. Cory looked up and saw Stiffson in all his horror. The principal gazed at what mess he was: His clothes were tattered and torn, bruises and cuts covered his arms and legs, the eyes were blue and swollen where he could only see through the left one, his lip was split, and his nose was still bleeding. All in all, he looked like something out of a battle zone after intense fighting.
"Principal, please let me explain." whimpered Cory
"What the hell are you doing coming to school like this?!" Snapped Stiffson
"I…I.." Cory tried to find the right words, but all that came out was heavy breathing
"SPEAK UP!!" Screamed Stiffson. "Do you realize how sloppy you look right now?"
Cory bowed his head in shame
"LOOK AT ME!!" yelled Stiffson.
Cory said the first words that came out of his mouth. "I tried to find the best clothes I could but these kids in the neighborhood…"
"Oh, so that's what you do. Walk around and be all sorry for yourself. It's no wonder you've failed every class. Didn't I tell you that making friends was harmful to your intuition? Didnt I!?"
Cory shook in fear at his sight. He was as tall as a basketball player, had a clean shaved head, and always wore clothing that was firmly pressed with neatly ironed. His face was like a combination of a robot and a tyrant he saw from one of his history books. But above all, he never smiled, not even on the schools good days.
"I always knew you would never amount to anything." he said as he pursed his lips at Cory. He could feel his breath above him. "Friends are going to get you nowhere bub."
"Well maybe…" thought Cory "..maybe if you just gave friendship a chance."
Cory couldn't believe what he just said. It was as if he didn't think of it. A fit of anger fell across the principals face, and with one fellow swoop, he grabbed him by his skinny little arm and dragged him across the hallway. Cory knew what was going to happen next: another 30 lashings from the belt. He could feel Stiffson's fingernails digging into his skin, puncturing a big, bloody gash on his forearm. He tried to call for help, but everyone just stared nonchalantly out of fear of being punished as well.
Cory remembered he deal he made to himself the other night, and with one fell swoop, swung his fist in the air, broke the principals wrist, tugged his arm free and dashed down the hallway with running right behind him. It was as if his instinct overcame him. He didn't even think of hitting anybody. It just happened. He bolted through the hallways, sprinted through the slippery floors, jolted through the entrance and burst out the front doors. He could overhear Stiffson in the background shouting "You'll be dead in one year Cory! DO YOU HEAR ME !!! YOU'LL BE DEAD IN ONE YEEEEEAAARR!!.