My life is pointless and mundane, it doesn't really hold any substance. I wake up and go to school, when schools over I work, then I study a bit when I get home, after that I eat a small dinner, and finally I go to bed.
I don't have a lot of aspirations or dreams or anything I'm particularly talented at. It doesn't matter if I die today, tomorrow or seventy years in the future. I'm not doing anything with my life either way.
Ben sulked in the back of his classroom. He laid his head on the desk, completely detaching himself from the world. He had previously been semi listening to the lesson but then the teacher mentioned something about their futures and that's what sent him off on his depressing tangent.
"What about you Ben, what do you think you'll be doing in seven years?"
Ben head shot up from his desk and he found that everybody was looking at him. He was caught of guard and completely unprepared so he just said what seemed most reasonable to him. "Maybe a janitor?"
Everyone laughed as Ben slowly sunk into his seat. "Of all the things to say." He thought. The teacher quickly moved the lesson on and Ben put his head straight back onto the desk.
Eventually, after a long and pointless monologue, the clock hit 2 pm and the bell rang. School was finally over and Ben was free. He picked up his bag and tried to hurry out the door but he was grabbed by a taller kid with dyed red hair. Ben knew this kid all too well, it was his #1 bully, Jain. Jain was 6'0 and built. He wasn't that huge but he was definitely an athlete or rather someone who just couldn't stop getting into fights. His eyes where dark brown and despite only being sixteen he had a small dragon tattoo that was barely visible on the back of his neck.
"Don't forget it's Friday, you'd better be there."
Ben internally sighed. "I was hoping I'd be let off since it only our first week back." Deep down Ben knew this wasn't true. All throughout his freshman year he had been bullied by the same kids. Why would things change during his sophomore year?
Jain shoved Ben aside and walked out of the room, he had already grown used to Ben not responding. After Jain was gone Ben hopefully looked back at the teacher, his hope was crushed when the teacher pretended not to notice. "What did I expect?"
The teachers never bothered to help, ever. They seemed to purposely ignore any bullying that occurred in the school leading to bullies beginning to run the school. The principal was an old unqualified idiot who was only worried about making sure the school looked presentable and nice for inspectors. He frequently would secretly reveal test answers to boost the school's ranking and for how much he tried to spruce it up, the school still looked awful.
It had graffiti stained brick walls and every window on it was either severely damaged or covered with tattered and abused blinds. The front of the school had the letters Alderman High School in gray bold letters. Despite being cleaned every day the yard was always covered with trash. It didn't take a lot to realize that this school was in the poor part of town.
Ben gathered himself and stepped out the classroom door. He immediately made a beeline for the restrooms. After he walked inside he set his backpack down on the floor and splashed his face with water. Looking at his dripping face in the mirror he tried to think with clarity.
Ben had dark brown curly hair and hazel eyes. He stood at a hight of 5'7 and had lanky arms. He had a small peach fuzz growing on his upper lip and small traces of acne could be seen litters across his face. He was your typical high schooler in every way. He wore a black and white sweatshirt with jeans that just barely fit him.
After being lost in thought for a bit Ben ruled out the ideas he had. He couldn't run away since he'd have to face them again on Monday and devising a plan to fight back would only make things worse. So, out of ideas, Ben slapped his cheeks and to a couple of deep breaths. He then emptied his pockets and put all of his belongings in his backpack, including his keys, wallet and phone. He then took care in placing his backpack in the trash can and covering it up. It wasn't the cleanest place but at least it was better than not having it at all.
Ben then mentally prepared for what he was about to endure. As slowly as he could, he walked to the back of the school. As soon as he exited the building the thick scent of cigarettes immediately attacked his nostrils. Ben didn't even flinch though. He was used to it, as was everyone else. It was almost more unsettling to them when it didn't smell like cigarettes.
Ben made his way around the school to the back where Jain and two other boys where waiting for him. Jain and the two boys where playing with a deck of cards and upon seeing him Jain smiled and stood up. "Great to see you buddy! I've been missing you the entire summer!" Jain motioned for Ben to come closer and sit down next to him. Ben obeyed and sat next to him.
Ben already knew how it went since he had been through it so many times. Jain and his lackeys would act nice at first, then they'd find a fault in every single thing he did, after that he would get beaten up or fight back. Either way it always ended up with him getting beaten up.
"So Ben where have you been this past week? It's not good to miss the first four days of school you know." Jain talked with a playful tone. " Well my dad got sick so I had to stay at home." Ben quickly responded saying no more than he had to.
"Aw that's sad, your poor excuse for a dad can't even take care of his only son." That nearly caused Ben to react but he held himself back. He knew exactly what Jain was looking for, a reaction, and he wasn't planning to give it to him. Noticing Ben's silence Jain turned it up a notch.
"Hey what about your mom, can't she take care of him?" Jain knew the answer already but he just wanted Ben to say it. Ben breathed in and said "M-My moms dead." No matter how many times he was forced to say it. He could never truly get used to it. "Oh yeah I forgot, some drunk driver right? What a sad way to go!"
Ben struggled to shut his mouth and hold back. He wanted it to just end as quickly as possible. Sadly, as much as Ben tried, Jain knew exactly what to do to get a rise out of him.
"I do feel bad for your dad though, if you didn't exist he'd have it so much easier. Have you ever tried killing yourself? You might do him a service."
That was the straw that broke the camels back. Ben couldn't help but clap back. "Have you thought about it? Killing yourself, I mean, you'd do a lot of people a favor." There was a brief silence as Jain's two subordinates stop laying down cards and Ben looked down, silently preparing himself.
"There you are! That's the Ben I know and love." Jain smiled and said "Now then let's get straight to business." He then grabbed Ben's head and pulled him close to his mouth. "Well then pay up, $100."
Ben's eyes widened. That was twice what he was normally forced to pay.
"What's wrong? Surely you didn't think that I was going to ignore your little outburst." Ben internally sighed, of course he would raise the amount after that. Ben knew that he shouldn't have said anything but he just couldn't control himself. "I guess it doesn't make a difference anyway. Since I was never going to pay." Ben said this out loud to Jain's face. Jain was taken aback by Ben's actions. Although Ben would occasionally talk back he never refused to pay.
"Look at you! Did you finally grow some balls?" Jain tightened his grip on Ben an uses his other had to backhand Ben across the face.
Ben had expected this much so he was already prepared for a lot worse. He was simply tired of having to work jobs day after day endlessly to meet their impossible demands. He was like a machine being forced to work and give them money and all throughout his freshman year that's what his life had been. It was miserable.
Ben had already developed a depression he couldn't find color in anything around him at all. The extra work they gave him didn't aggravate him too much. So why was he fighting back? It was for his dad. His dad often told him to stop working so hard and just focus on school. Even though they were dirt poor his dad worked himself to the bone and did his best for Ben. With all the sleepless nights he had it was no wonder he became sick.
So Ben decided to put a stop to the extortion once and for all. He was tired of the needless worry these people were causing his dad.
"Look at you refusing to pay up. Well if you won't give it to use we're happy to do this the hard way." Standing up Jain began to ruthlessly kick Ben. "Well don't just stand there, help me!" Jain looked over and commanded his two lackeys to join in. They dropped their cards and also began to kick Ben.
What proceeded was the worst stomping of Ben's life. One would kick dirt into his eye while the other would kick his body as if he was a soccer ball. Jain kept it simple and continuously kicked stomped on the same part of his body over and over.
It hurt, it hurt like crazy. This went on for who know how long until one of them accidentally kicked Ben straight in the chin. His head snapped backwards and his vision started to fade.
"Oh, crap!"
What are you doing you idiot! We have to leave him conscious!" Those were the last words Ben heard until he blacked out.
…..
Eventually Ben came to. He slowly opened his eyes and blinked a couple of times, his eyes were still irritated from the dirt. Trying to sit up he felt a sharp pain shoot throughout his body as he became aware of the parts that hurt the most. He sat up and rubbed his chin. Although it was bad it could have been a lot worse. Ben remembered the last words Jain had said and was thankful the he was knocked out as soon as he was.
Looking up at the sky Ben saw that it was around the late afternoon. Getting up as fast as his body would allow him he trekked towards the front of the school. He needed to get to home and fast. Reaching into his pocket he noticed that they were turned inside out. "They must have tried to rob me. It a good thing I hid all my stuff-" Ben suddenly realized his mistake. His bag ,which had the keys he needed to get in his house, was still in the school trash can. Hobbling to the front door he found it to be locked, no surprise there. He searched for any unlocked entrance to the school. He looked high and low, but in the end he found no way to get in without breaking something. All the custodians had long since left and it was a Friday so he'd have to wait two day before having any chance of entering the school again.
Sighing, he fell onto his knees and laid back where he started in defeat. It was hopeless. Now his dad would find out about his bullying and also why he was working so much. Things would only get worse from there. His dad would no doubt pull up to the school in his old beat up car and try to fight Jain himself.
Ben had a headache just thinking about it. Was there really no way to get his bag back? Then it hit him. The track can he put it in was pretty full already, so there's a chance that they threw the bag away at the end of the day. Standing up and limping to the large metal trash can he opened the lid and, lo and behold, his bag was there! Sitting next to a bunch of brown paper towels, his gray backpack was inside a transparent trash bag. It was quite far back inside so, regrettably, he had to climb quite far in to get it. Heaving himself into the trash can Ben split the bag open and pulled his bag out.
A wave of relief washed over him but then a frown appeared on his face as he realized something. He was currently in a garbage can sitting on someone's unfinished lunch and smelling like cow fungus. Yet he still felt relief because his bag was thrown away.
Ben cursed the injustice of it all. Why did it feel like he was always taking the short end of the stick? "If only I could just change it all." He thought to himself. If he could somehow turn into someone fearless or courageous, then he'd be able to fight back against Jain. Just then the lid to the trash can somehow slammed shut, knocking Ben into the trash and trapping him inside. "WHAT?!" Ben screamed in shock. He tried to push it open but it was no use. It felt like it was welded shut. "Let me out!" Ben shouted as he tried to push the door open. He was currently being smushed into rotten pieces of food and used napkins so it was understandable why he was freaking out. "Is it Jain again," he thought, "why does this always happen to me?!"
Just then a voice stopped his panic and spoke to him. "Do you truly wish to break free?" It was a smooth and mature woman voice and hearing it immediately calmed Ben down. He stop struggling and listened to what she said. It was of all his worries were washed away when she spoke.
"Do you truly wish to break free?" She repeated herself. "Yes." Ben answered calmly. "Very well then, please state your name."
"Ben King." Ben's mind was as clear as it had ever been. He forgot about the trash, his pain, and every other thought. All that was left was answering her questions.
"Then I will grant you a chance to change. You will receive all that you have wished for, but you must first swear two things." The woman's tone changed, before she sounded apologetic but now she sounded serious, as if what she was saying was a matter of life and death.
"First, that no matter what may happen you'll never, ever, let those close to you slip away. If you do then you consider all of this void. Secondly you must swear that you're truly ready for the transformation and what may come with it. Do you swear?"
Ben thought about what she meant by "transformation" and hesitated a little bit. What exactly would happen to him? He was worried about the ominous warning but then he thought about what his life had been life so far. Jain tormenting him, his dad working himself to death, him working himself to death and the overall general direction his life was going was horrible. "It literally can't get any worse, right?"
"Ben A. King, DO YOU SWEAR?!" The woman's voice asked impatiently, startling Ben.
"I DO!" Ben yelled out, his voice cracking a bit. Chuckling a bit at his response the lady then said, "Then prove it by escaping." After that the lady said no more. However Ben already knew what to do. He placed his hand on the lid of the trash can and pushed as hard as he could. Sadly It didn't budge, it really felt like he was pushing against a solid wall but he didn't stop pushing. Memories of his dad flashed in his mind, how he would never sleep and assured Ben things would be fine.
He pushed harder.
Memories of his mom who always used to comfort him in bed and give him advice. Veins started bulging in his head and muscles started popping out of his body.
He pushed even harder.
Finally memories of Jain and how he would ruthlessly bully Ben for no reason at all, torturing him every day.
"GRAHH"
Ben yelled as he pushed the lid up and up until it suddenly flew open making a loud bang against the trash can.
Ben sat up and took quick, deep breaths in and out. He looked down at his hands and clenched them.
"I'm ready to change."