Grafitti

I run through the forest, a creature chases me. I can see it pounding away behind me, it's tongue hangs out like a dead snake. It screams at me through the hair draped over it's face,

"There's no use! Give up! Let yourself go!"

I continue running as the landscape changes from green to black, in the place of a lush canopy, dark brown ashes cloud the sky. I look around wildly, how could this have happened so fast? I look over my shoulder, the monster is right behind me, screaming my name in almost hysterical laughter. I begin to cry, why am I still trying? I have nothing in this foul place of ash.

A shadow darkens the sky and I duck to the left. A giant burning picture frame falls from the sky. It smashes into the place were I was just standing. I glance over at it in a confusion and fear. Its my family picture. My eyes widen as it begins to burn, crumbling into a giant pile of ashes in front of me. I fall to the ground beside it and turn, giving myself up to the monster behind me. It hurls itself at me and right before it hits me I see it's eyes, my eyes.

I bolt upright in my bed, sweat soaks the sheets making them cold and wet against my pale skin. I sit there breathing, trying to calm myself down. I slowly get up and stumble downstairs, I glance at the clock. It's six-thirty, Monday morning. I put my school uniform on and drag myself to the table and pour my self a bowl of cereal. My dad's not home, even if he was I would avoid him. He'd either be drunk or nursing a hangover.

I finish my cereal, grab my backpack and ride out on my bike. School is a mile away and I expect to run into a bully before I get there. Sure enough, halfway down the hill I live on someone kicks my bike out from under me. I am thrown off and roll down the cement sidewalk. Two kids burst into laughter as I lay there whimpering. The bullies throw my bike down on top of me and walk off down the hill. I slowly stumble to my feet. The logical explanation for this type of behavior is neglect or insecurity from either the parents or from earlier encounters, sadly, logic wont help me fight two seniors that work out at the gym every chance they get.

I slowly pick up my bike and pedal down the hill while trying to keep blood from gushing out of the gash on my leg. Finally I make it to school, I see the nurse to patch up my leg wound and start the school day ten minutes late for first period. The rest of the day goes by at a snails pace. I see my friend Mat from time to time but something is wrong with him today. I know he gets bullied as much as I do, maybe even worse, and he lives in an orphanage. His parents died when he was four. Anyway, he wont talk to me, he wont talk to anyone, he just sits at his table and looks at his paper. I decide to meet with him to see whats up. After school, I catch him walking at a quick pace towards the front gate. I shout to him,

"Hey Mat!"

He glances at me then quickens his pace, I jog up to him,

"Mat, where you going? I just want to talk to you."

He slows and turns to me,

"Yeah I know, look I'm sorry, I just feel really tired and I want to go home. I'll see you..."

He stops, he knows I don't believe him,

"Dude, whats up? You seem really depressed, I mean more than usual. Please tell me whats going on?"

He continues looking at me then bursts into tears.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry Jack."

He falls towards me and I catch him, he cries into my arm and I catch a glimpse of something shiny in his backpack. It's a knife. I pull it out, aghast.

"Mike what the fuck?"

"I'm sorry, It's to much." He sobs.

I just stare at the knife, then hurl it away from me.

"Mike you cant think like that, you can't give up. Please, you've got me, I can help you man."

"No, you cant." Mike sobs, he pulls himself up from my shoulder and looks me in the eyes,

"I going to do it. I can't deal with this anymore."

"Mike ple-"

Mike pushes me away from him and sprints out the gate and around the corner, I take a step in his direction then realize he's gone. Gone.

I walk home. The bullies stole my bike.

I begin up the hill towards my house, they day is winding down to an end. I feel the sun burning the back of my neck, I duck into a nearby alley. The sun vanishes and I am left in the dark. I shudder and press my self against the wall, something sticky meets my hand, I yelp and pull away from it.

I turn to find a large paragraph written on the wall in black paint. I stare at it in wonder, the words, so precise and detailed. I begin to read it, pushing away all the whirling thoughts in my head. I picture every word as I read:

A Note to All,

Two blind men sit at the top of the highest peak contemplating the beauty of the setting sun. One man turns to other and says,

"The sun must seem so beautiful to those who can see, If only we could watch this alluring scene unfold. It id not fair, how can we be so cursed as to no longer see the miracle of nature unfold?"

The other man simply smiled and replied,

"But my friend, I can still hear the sounds of evening coming upon us, I can sense the night enveloping us with her sweet blankets of darkness, is that not beauty in itself?"

The other blind man slowly nodded but there was still doubt in his eyes,

"But I know many who cannot hear, how can they experience beauty?"

The second man just laughed and replied,

"But my friend, there is nothing like the sweet smell of dusk, the cooling air bringing the scents of the night to you from miles and miles away. Is that not also beauty?"

The first blind man nodded, he could no longer deny his friends response. The two men turned back towards the sun and again contemplated the beauty of the setting sun on the highest peak.

So you see? beauty can never be extinguished, you may think yourself worthless, useless, ugly, and completely disposable but there is always beauty in you whether you see it or not, whether others can see it or only mistake you as worthless there is still beauty.

Slowly, I take out my phone and snap a picture of the flowing black text. I step out of the alley, it is night now, the sun has disappeared behind the horizon and i slowly walk up the hill. Finally, i get to my house and turn on the T.V. Mat stands on top of the Citi Bank tower Downtown. The bottom of the building is surrounded by police and firefighters trying to get him to come down. I know what he's going to do. I lift my phone again and send him a picture of the alleyway. I know he's gonna come down from that building.

On T.V. I see him take one step forwards and drop from the ledge of the building. As he falls I get a text from him. Just before he dies he sent me one word.

Thanks.