Insides - creative writing

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Insides

The realisation that he was being followed crept into the boy’s consciousness slowly. It was not the first time it had happened, so it was surprising he had not become aware of it sooner. He knew the sounds to listen for: the occasional crack and crunch of sticks, dehydrated plant life being crushed underfoot; the muffled echo of his footsteps; the quiet whispering breath that was not his own. Mature trees flanked either side of the uneven road on which the boy was travelling, golden light illuminating the green foliage and casting mottled shadows on the ground below. The boy came to an abrupt stop and plucked a leaf. Holding it up to the sun, he pretended to admire the delicate skeleton embedded in its opaque flesh, whilst he strained his ears. He could hear only the gentle chorus of the trees moving in the wind.

Suddenly he felt his feet being pulled from under him, the left side of his body slammed into the solid ground before he could break the fall with his hands. Dazed, he rolled onto his back and gazed at the passing clouds until three furious faces obstructed his view.

A wave of panic surged through him: he recognized his attackers.

A tall, pale boy with light hair and a cruel face towered over him like some monstrous giant. His handsome face was contorted by the ugly expression of his mouth and eyes, and there was a cold brutality to him that terrified the boy. Standing either side of him were two others: one with heavy features and a vacant expression, and the other with a tense pinched face who was filled with a nervous excitement.

“Well, well…” the tall one leered, “look what we’ve found ourselves here, boys: a dirty little half-breed dog. Go on, Benjamin. Gonna give us a woof?”

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The boys laughed appreciatively at their leader’s sparkling wit.

He bent down, bringing his face close to his victim’s. Hate seemed to radiate from his pores like heat. “It’s time people learnt to keep to their own kind, Benjamin. The mixing of whites and blacks is… unnatural. An act against God. And it’s their filthy offspring who will pay for the sins of the parents.”

A heavy foot pounded into Benjamin’s abdomen, his muscles locking into spasm as he struggled to breathe. The blows came again and again, colliding with his chest, his stomach, his face. The pain ...

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