Goodbye, Shatter Glass School

school can be a miserable place especially with a wicked teacher along with the whole class hating your guts for something you can't help.

Gentle specks of light glistened off different shades of glass and bled through the sheer curtain draped across the old stained glass window. Colorful shadows were illuminated along the half-conscious young man as the sun began to rise. Aaron groaned uncomfortably under the weight of his son, who was resting peacefully on Aaron's numb hands. He groaned as he struggled to wiggle one of his arms free from underneath the orange mess of hair. After getting his arm free, he stretched his stiff muscles to ease the pain of pins and needles flowing underneath his skin. He gathered up the snoring child in his arms, heaving up his dead-weight limbs close to his chest. "Come on, kiddo. Let's head up to bed before school," Aaron whispered.

"Do I have to, Daddy? Nobody seems to like me,” James begged as he stirred uncomfortably in his dad's arms. He wanted to break free and hide from that terrifying place. "You said it was going to be a happy place. Please don't make me go back. Please! I will do extra chores, anything to not go back," James sobbed as he pleaded. Tears slipped down his rosy cheeks. Aaron rubbed his back gently.

"Honey, I believe you, and I also know that the teachers can be cruel," he whispered heartbrokenly, with his son sobbing in his arms about things that should never happen to a child. Sighing, he thought, I need to do something to help him. Maybe we can move to a new school or a new town where no one knows of his reputation, but how I am going to afford that? Aaron groaned in frustration, grinding his teeth as he continues to think. He sighed wishing life could give them a break once in a while. 

"Dad...Dad, please don't be mad. I will try harder to be normal," James sobbed. James's words stabbed Aaron's weary heart. 

"No, son. You are perfectly normal by my standards. It's just the other kids that are different, and when people don't understand different, they get afraid, which causes them to be angry because they can't wrap their heads around the new concept." He leaned in closer to his son until their foreheads were touching. "You are unique. Nothing more, nothing less. I love the way you are, my son. You are perfect." He smiled at the hope glowing brightly in his son's glossy eyes. As Aaron pulled his head away from his son's, he stepped onto the old wobbly wooden steps to his and James's bedroom. Maybe I can call one of my friends… maybe Derick would help us out; Aaron thought as he continues to climb the stairs.

"Daddy, are you okay?" James asked.

"Yes, I am just thinking of any way to make our lives easier.  Maybe moving to a new school and possibly a new town to get away from these aggressively mean people. How do you like that idea, kiddo?" Aaron asked with some concern in his voice, unsure of what James's answer would be. However, he had a slight idea he was going to say yes.

James's face exploded with excitement; he was not able to hold back his joy. "Yes! One hundred times! Yes! I want to move away from these people who are mean to me for no reason," James screamed, desperately wanting to leave everyone behind in this unforgiving town. "When do we leave? Now?" he smiled, trying to jump out of Aaron's tight grip.

Aaron tightened his hand around the leaping child. "Hold on, kiddo. I need to prepare and figure out where we are going to stay before we get up and leave, so don't give me those puppy dog's eyes. You know no one can say no to that look." He sighed, trying to deflect the guilt he felt deep inside at seeing James's stinging puppy dog eyes.

"Why do you think I do it all the time?" James said cockily with a grin plastered on his trembling lips.

Aaron just shook his head. He'd never get used to his son using the power of guilt against him. Sighing with defeat, Aaron delicately placed his only son under his favorite superhero sheets. He smiled as he pulled his wife’s old purple blanket up to his slender shoulders.

"You will save us all one day. I know it," he softly whispered before placing a kiss on his pale forehead. "I will make the move soon but only if it makes you smile more."

James nodded his tired head as his eyes gently fluttered shut, in an effort to forget about the long day of insanity. He hoped that tomorrow would be better or more bearable. After tucking in his sound asleep child in, Aaron switched off the light and walked forward through the old, cramped door of his bedroom. He slammed his worn-out body onto his lavender-scented sheets. As the sweet scent engulfed him, he hoped it would ease his mind for just a little while before drifting off to dreamland.

***

Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!

The tiny black box screeched full blast, filling the small room with its ear-splitting screams. Instantly yanking a hand from the warmth of his blanket, Aaron groaned, "Morning is evil."

He slid his numb fingers across the base of the small kid's chair, knocking off envelope after envelope of bills and letters of complaints. Either from teachers about how James's constant accidents caused fear in the kids' eyes or from parents saying they should leave or homeschool the beast before their children get injured because of Aaron's improper parenting. None of their words bothered him much anymore. However, their children's words had destroyed James's self-esteem. After shoving the pile of letters to the ground with disgust, he continued to fumble around for the off button. He sluggishly swiped his numb fingertips along the edge of the familiar snooze button. He clutched his hand in a fist and was ready to aim, but three big red numbers caught his eye.

"Seven-ten!" he blurted out in a loud, angry voice. He banged his head against his bookshelves hanging above his bed as he attempted to get out of bed. "Man, we are late again!" He smacked the big gray button to shut off the sleep destroyer, which was what he called his alarm clock, ever since he got it. He ran his fingers through his pale orange hair, ignoring his throbbing head as he had no time to care for it. He peeled away the warmth of the plush material, welcoming in the cold, stiff air of his non-heated home in the middle of winter. He headed through the hall, to his son's room, and tapped softly on the big wooden door that read JAMES in big plush letters. He slowly turned the rusty black knob, revealing a world full of innocence. Animals were scattered all across the floor. He smiled to himself as he thought of James's reason for not putting his animals in their proper places. He said it helped keep the monsters away. Aaron tiptoed past the line of bunnies and bears to the dreaming little boy with a smile on his face. These precious moments were always Aaron's favorite time of the day or night�" James sleeping so peacefully without being haunted by the words or threats. Just gumdrops and pixies were scattered around his head. Aaron felt bad for waking the child from his peaceful dream for the sake of another day of school, but he had to because James had already used all the absent days that were assigned to each student at the beginning of each school year. Softly shaking the small boy's shoulders, he whispered, "Wake up, James. It is time for school, and I have a surprise for you when you get up."

Aaron stumbled back in an effort to block James's overly excited bounce out of bed as he leaped up like a shooting star. Aaron watched as James rushed to his dresser and fumbled around in the almost empty drawers for a decent, clean shirt and pants that smelled good. Next, he quickly dashed to the bathroom at the end of the hall. After discarding the old, stinky set of clothes and slipping on his fresh set, he jumped on the old stool in front of the mirror and readied himself for the day. He scrubbed away the bad breath of last night, swooshing the germs down the drain. He combed through the jungle he called his hair with the teeth of the comb. He was still not sure why his dad called them teeth since they were not used for chewing, but when Aaron explained the whole concept of a comb, it blew James's mind. Aaron had told him that the teeth of the comb were used to eat apart knots and leave tangle-free locks of hair. After he had finished, he leaped off the bathroom stool with one quick hop and ran full-speed back to his bedroom. He dashed across his room to gather up his homework and favorite book for story time and stuffed them both in his beloved Sticker Man book bag, along with scissors and crayons. He snapped up the small straps, swinging them around his thin shoulders.

"I am ready!" he cheered, breathing heavily, waiting impatiently for his dad to say they were going to move soon.

"You think you are ready," Aaron teased with a grin, pointing downward.

"Yes," James whined, wanting to know the surprise now. He reluctantly followed Aaron's finger that pointed at his bare, cold feet. After a few seconds, he realized what was wrong, and he screeched, "Shoes!" Then, he ran from side to side in an attempt to find his lost footwear.

He found them shoved in between the floor and his bed and covered in a thick layer of brown mud. Pulling with all his might, he stumbled backward as they popped free. He, then, struggled to slip his freezing cold toes into his moist shoes and tied the laces into a secure bow. Now that he was fully dressed, he went and stood near his dad and, playfully elbowed his stomach.

“What's the surprise? Will you tell me please?" James asked standing on his tiptoes, wishing he knew by now.

"Okay, okay! I'm going to call some of my old friends to see if I can get a job nearby," Aaron explained with a smile, noticing the excitement forming on his son's face. "This means I can put a down payment on a home away from here." Before Aaron could finish his sentence, James bolted up with cheer.

"We're going to move! Yay!" James cheered.

Aaron put up a hand, halting James's one-man happy parade. "But first, we need to get you to school. Who knows? This could be your last day," he whispered, guiding his still-cheering son to his beat up, old, rusted gray Mustang, bathing in the sun. James quickly jumped in his car seat with a flame design and waited for his dad to buckle him up.

"Man, you are in a hurry today," Aaron chuckled, making sure every buckle was nice and tight to secure his safety.  He swiftly blasted the heat to the max before journeying to the one place they both dreaded�" the Shatter Glass Schoolhouse.

***

Forty-five minutes later, Aaron whispered, "Honey, we are here." Then, he swiftly jumped out of the front seat and dodged the oncoming traffic until he was on the other side, panting up a storm. He flung the old rusted down car door open, making an ear piercing loud squeak as the hinges began to move. Awakening the sleeping child from his slumber. Aaron quickly unbuckled the many straps that kept his son safe from the reckless drivers that they encountered each day. He lifted the drowsy boy to his feet and guided him through the dusty glass door and down the hall to Mrs. Black's classroom.

"Sorry we are late," Aaron apologize, laughing nervously when he noticed the teacher didn't look please with his sudden intrusion into her classroom. She walked toward him and James, pointing a finger in both of their faces.

"Tardiness is serious business, especially since Mr. Misluck has missed almost half of the semester because of several suspicious illnesses. So I wouldn't be laughing if I were in your shoes," she said sternly before turning back to her class.

"I bet you don't even know how to laugh," he mumbled under his breath. 

"What was that?" she yelled, turning around with daggers shooting from her piercing black eyes.

Backing away slowly, Aaron stuttered, "See... you... soon, son." Before turning around nervously and rushing out of the school as fast as his legs would run. He could still feel the teacher's eyes stabbing his childish spirit to death. He took a deep breath before heading home to make some calls.

***

"Hello, Aaron. Is that you? Why are you calling so early in the morning?" a worn-out voice questioned on the other end.

"I'm calling to ask a favor, I mean, a huge favor," Aaron answered, patiently waiting for his old roommate to reply.

"Sure, but you're gonna owe me big time, dude," the voice snickered with contentment.

"Fine. What do I have to do?" Aaron sighed.

"Tell me your favor, and I will explain payment," the voice said simply.

Aaron felt uneasy about asking for such a big favor from his old roommate, but he felt he had no choice.

"Derrick, I need a place to live that's not too expensive." He hesitated before asking. "Do you know any place that's suitable for a kid and an adult to live?" His voice was trembling. He pressed the phone closer to his ear, listening to Derrick's faint sighing combined with the rustling of paper in the background. He paced back and forth, waiting impatiently for his friend to answer with a yes.

"Perfect," Derrick cheered in Aaron's ear, forgetting he was on the phone. "Oh, sorry for that. I just found the perfect home for you. Also, it intertwines with the favor I get in return."

Feeling sick to his stomach with nerves floating in his mind, Aaron nervously asked, "Is it that good?"

"Yeah, it is something in your budget, and I have greater news that intertwines with my favor. I need help around my general store. So I was thinking, maybe you could offer a hand five times a week with pay. Does it sound like a plan?" he asked.

Aaron was speechless. He didn't know what to say about such an incredible offer. Am I finally getting a house for me and James to live in, in peace, for a decent price and a job? he wondered. This deal is more than I could ask for. He sighed, unsure how to thank Derrick for such a great deal.

"Aaron buddy, are you okay? You are not saying anything," Derrick asked, concerned.

Rubbing the back of his neck, Aaron apologize, "Yeah, sorry, dude...I guess I am still in shock." He cleared his voice and then asked, "When can I move in?"

"The question is not when; it is, how much trouble are you both in and when do you need to get out? If you need it now, I can let you both stay at my house with my wife and kids for a bit, so you can save for a down payment on your own house." Derrick offered, not knowing what he was getting into.

"Thank you so much, Derrick. You are the best friend a guy could ever ask for. Can we come down tomorrow, if that is possible?" Aaron asked with some hesitation in his voice. "I know you're wondering, why so early?" He chuckled with a hint of embarrassment in his deep voice. "I will explain everything when we get there."

"Did you kill someone?" Derrick blurted out without thinking.

"What? No! My kid keeps getting slammed with threats and insults from the whole town for the same reasons I had when I was his age. I told you about it when we were kids, remember?"

"Okay, I get it, dude," Derrick said with a serious tone, knowing very well what Aaron meant. Derrick knew that, if they didn't leave soon, it could get very serious.

After both guys giving their good-byes, Aaron gently placed the phone back on the receiver. While staring at the phone, a grin spread across his lips. He felt terrific, and soon James was going to, too, when he got home. Sighing as he looked around the rundown apartment, he mumbled to himself, "I guess I need to pack up. By the time I finish, it should be time to pick up James from school." Sighing with relief, he went to grab some cardboard boxes, hoping everything would fit.

***

Five or so hours later, Aaron had finished packing. He was utterly exhausted. While wiping his glistening brow with the back of his hand, he glanced back at the clock, expecting it not to be too late. His eyes widened as he stared at the big red numbers flashing 2:05 p.m.

"Man!" he exclaimed, leaping to his feet before rushing out the front door to his beat-up old car, ready to pick up his son from his last day of school.

***

Forty-five minutes later, Aaron pulled up to the small school building, watching the dim windows shimmer with the rays of the sun. "How can a place that looks so uninviting, especially with the name Shatter Glass, be allowed to educate the whole town's kids, teenagers, and young adults for twelve years of their lives?" he wondered aloud while shaking his head in disbelief.

He listened to the distant ringing of the school bell that announced the end the classes for the day. Aaron searched through the crowds of overexcited kids rushing out the front door. He sighed when he saw no sign of his son among them. His anxiety level rose as he feared that his baby might have been injured again or worse. Fearfully, he scanned the school yard one last time, before leaping out of his car. He rushed like a madman through the glass door, sliding to the right to his son's class. Glancing in with a worried look, he spotted James, who had an ice pack resting on his black and blue arm. Aaron could feel all the blood drain from his head, he breathed in a big blast of cold air, trying to calm his racing mind. Then, he gently knocked on the door to get the teacher's attention.

"Oh, Mr. Misluck! I was just about to call you. James had a mishap in class today," Mrs. Black explained. She sounded irritated, as if she was mad at James for getting hurt.

"What...happened...this time?" Aaron tried to clear his stuttering voice.

Sighing, Mrs. Black continued, "Some boys were teasing him earlier about the scar on his back and how unappealing it was to look at during gym class. I guess he tried to stand up for himself for a change, and it didn't go as well as your boy probably hoped it would. He didn't stand a chance against the three angry boys. They beat him up, and... then... one of them snapped his arm, before leaving him on the ground to rot." She whispered with a hint of sorrow in her voice for the small child. "The boys got expelled, and so did your boy for supposedly provoking them to fight." After looking back at her trembling student, she said, "You can go now, Mr. Misluck." While glancing back up at Aaron, she spoke up, "Please get his arm checked out on the way home. That will be all for now. Good day, gentlemen." She turned back to her desk to finish up her paperwork for the day.

Aaron couldn't believe what he had just heard. How could a teacher be so mean to an innocent kid who was just trying to protect himself from bullies? Aaron cautiously lifted up the trembling child in his arms, not wanting to accidently bump his mangled arm. He wrapped his sweaty fingers around his son's bruised, limp arm, locking his fingers together, resting the banged-up limb against his stomach.

"We are going home to a great surprise," Aaron whispered, so the teacher wouldn't overhear. As he brushed his forehead against James's, he whispered, "We are leaving this all behind." He smiled as he watched James's expression change from hurt and misery to one of the biggest smiles he had ever seen on the child's face.

"You mean it, Daddy? We don't need to come back to this scary place?" James asked with sorrow in his terror-filled eyes.

"No. I packed up everything earlier today, and we are heading out tonight after the doctor checks out your arm. Sound like a plan, man?" he said, pointing a fist at his son, "Don't leave me hanging, dude."

"Yeah," James cheered softly, bumping his dad's fist. His face gleamed with pure happiness. "Let's go. I can't wait to leave," he whispered before drifting off into an uneasy sleep. It was just too much excitement for an eight-year-old kid.

Aaron heaved the injured child up further against his chest, not wanting his body to sink down as he walked to his car. But before they left, Aaron turned back quickly to stick his tongue out at Mrs. Black one last time. I am glad James never needs to see your ugly attitude again for the rest of his life, he threatened in his head, sticking his nose up in disgust before heading down the abandoned halls of Shatter Glass School. He looked back at the countless, sorrowful memories of his son standing alone, crying his eyes out passing him by. Kicking the front door open, he allowed the light to drape across his cheeks, covering him in a warm blanket of blithe. He breathed in the fresh air of winter in order to cleanse the negative emotions this school had brought from his mind. Allowing the memories and tears to remain in the past, they both were going to leave it all behind.

"Good-bye, town I never bothered to learn the name of," Aaron called out before driving off to their new home.

Author's Note

Don't be afraid my friend and read on to the end.