Previous Challenge Entry (Level 2 – Intermediate)
Topic: ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL (01/23/20)
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TITLE: I'm A Creep | Previous Challenge Entry
By Kevin Moore
01/30/20 -
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Sitting at the elongated art table, across from my friend Susan, I quickly glanced down the table. I spotted three young boys looking back at me. “What are you looking at faggot?" One snarled, wearing all black with an aggressive expression on his face. I quickly looked away and hung my head.
“Don't pay attention to them,” exclaimed Susan.
“Why do they act like that,” I asked.
“They are ignorant!”
“They are prejudging me without even knowing anything about me,” I said. “I just don't get it.”
From a young age, I had always been questioned and made fun of about my sexuality. This was nothing new. However, I had no idea what my freshmen year of high school was going to entail. This was only the beginning.
As the school year continued, I was constantly harassed by these three boys. Not just in art class, but in the hall ways, at lunch, and anywhere they saw an opportunity.
I remember the day that shook my soul to the core.
I entered the classroom and took my seat across from Susan.
As Susan and I was conversing, laughing and goofing off, I over heard the three boys in deep conversation about me. My heart sank and fear rushed over me like a dark piercing cloud that oppresses one's mind.
“We can dismember him and bury his body parts across the tri-state area,” suggested the boy in black with a devilish grin.
The other boys laughed in agreement as they stared me in the eyes.
Never feeling such fear in my young teenage life, I started to pray. Asking for God's protection and to change their hearts.
Keeping this secret locked in the hidden chambers of my soul, I never told anyone until years later about this incident.
The school year passed like a snail on a turtle's back. It couldn't end soon enough.
With each passing day came more of the same. Name-calling, being pushed into lockers, and spit balls being shot at me. This was the freshman life, I came to endure.
My self-esteem and self-worth were crumbling, and I even questioned if life was worth continuing. Would there ever be an end to this pain? God only knew.
On a March spring day, I entered the art room, and our teacher said she would be assigning us into groups. My heart again sank in my chest like someone had just cut the steel cords on an elevator from the top floor.
“Please don't put me with one of these bullies,” I thought.
Pointing at me, she said, "You are with Jacob."
No! Not Jacob I thought. He was the leader of the pit bull pack. He always dressed in a long green trench coat, and smelt of body odor.
Susan, later informed me the pungent smell was marijuana.
I walked down to the end of my table and sat across from Jacob. I could tell by the look on his face that he wasn't thrilled to be paired with me either.
Over the next few days, Jacob and I, began to talk about things in or lives. We even talked about why him and his friends disliked me so much. He explained, how he felt I was different. I always wore christian shirts and carried my bible around with me. To him, the only way he could describe the weirdness was, I had to be gay. “I thought you were a creep,” he stated.
By the end of the week, Jacob and I, had become somewhat civil with each other. I informed him, that my "creepiness" was really my love and devotion to the Lord. I witnessed to him about the love of Christ and how, if it wasn't for Him, I might not be here today.
Throughout the rest of the school year, Jacob convinced the other two boys to stop the bullying and to establish an acquaintance style relationship towards me. The degrading remarks that had pierced my heart and mind in the hallways, transformed into comforting head-nods and fist-bumps.
God always has a way of working things out for His glory.
In the middle of your darkest storm, when it seems all hope is lost. Be encouraged, the Son is always shining on the other side, and He will bring everything to completion.*
This is a work of nonfiction. *(Philippians 1:6) scripture reference
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My favourite line: The school year passed like a snail on a turtle's back.
That was so descriptive!
One thing - you mention, "One snarled, wearing all black with an aggressive expression on his face." The phrase, 'on his face' is redundant. Where else would that expression be?
Then later on you put your thoughts in inverted commas, but don't do two lines down.
A strong entry, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
You painted a beautiful picture with your words. And there truly is power in selecting the perfect word or words.
Good job, you told a very personal and yet meaningful story. In the first chapter of Joshua, we are told multiple times to be. ' Be Strong and Courageous." You are both Bravo.