The sound of cruel laughter and the sharp sting of punches clung to William’s mind like shadows in the twilight. In the nightmare, he was back in school, the weight of his tormentor's fists heavy against his side, the jeers of his classmates a deafening blur. His heart pounded against his chest, a relentless reminder of the brutal, humiliating reality of his teenage years.

Over the cacophony of laughter and mocking, there pierced a blood-curdling scream, a sound so chilling that it seemed to freeze the very air around him. It was a scream that cut through the chaos like a knife, yet it seemed that no one else apart from William could hear it. The scream was filled with an indescribable agony, a primal terror that made his blood run cold. As his vision blurred and he started to lose consciousness, the chaos of the bullying around him dissolved into a murky haze. The scream, once so vivid and horrifying, began to fade, morphing into the blaring, insistent ring of his phone alarm.

He jolted awake, drenched in sweat, the remnants of the nightmare still flickering in his eyes. For a moment, he lay there, his arm wiping the sweat from his brow staring at the ceiling, wrestling with the ghosts of his past and the relentless grip of his memories.

William groaned as he swung his legs over the side of the bed, rubbing the last vestiges of sleep from his eyes. His deliberately messy hair stuck out in carefully styled chaos, a stark yet intentional contrast to the well-kept beard that framed his face. He ran a hand through his artfully tangled locks, ensuring they maintained their dishevelled allure, then sighed in satisfaction.

The morning light filtered through the curtains, casting a sort of aurora over the room. He pushed himself to his feet, the cool floorboards giving him that final push to waken up. Padding over to the bathroom, he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror and smirked wryly at the reflection staring back. It was a meticulously curated look that mirrored his complex personality, polished yet with a hint of untamed edge just enough to keep him from sticking out to much.

After getting ready and heading off to work, William locked his door and bumped into his neighbour, Ruth. To William Ruth was a breath of fresh air, always immaculately dressed in vibrant colours that matched her lively personality. Her eyes sparkled with warmth and curiosity, framed by straight chestnut hair that cascaded smoothly over her shoulders. As she looked at William, she gave him a warm smile and said, "Good morning, William, off to work as usual?"

William gave a small, timid smile while answering, "Yeah, back to the normal weekly slugfest."

Ruth chuckled, a soft, melodic sound that always seemed to brighten William's day, but he continued to head toward the elevator, not wanting to keep Ruth from her day. Despite this, she matched his pace, her presence a comforting companion as they walked. She continued to chat with him all the way down to the apartment front lobby, her lively conversation making the short journey feel a bit less mundane. Ruth's kindness and genuine interest in others made her a beloved figure in the building, and even in brief encounters like this, she had a way of making people feel seen and appreciated.

As William descended in the elevator, Ruth's questions echoed in his mind. She had a way of probing gently, asking about his day in a manner that suggested genuine concern. As he walked to work, the memories of his torment during school years surged forward, vivid and unsettling. The jeers, the shoves, and the relentless bullying played out like a haunting movie in his head. Each memory was a blow he felt anew – every punch, every kick, every insult etched into his psyche.

Despite the flood of painful recollections, William remained composed. He focused on his breathing, steady and deliberate, refusing to let himself be overwhelmed by the darkness of those memories. With each step towards his workplace, he willed himself to stay present in the here and now, away from the ghosts of his past that threatened to engulf him.

The bustling streets and familiar sights helped ground him. He nodded to passing colleagues and exchanged brief pleasantries, masking the turmoil within. Deep down, he knew that confronting these memories was necessary, a part of his journey towards healing. Yet, in the midst of the daily grind, he carried on with determination, his outward calm a shield against the storm raging within.

As he reached his office building and stepped inside, a sense of relief washed over him. The familiar routine awaited, providing structure and purpose amidst the tumultuous currents of his thoughts. William settled into his workspace, grateful for the distraction of tasks and responsibilities that awaited him. Amidst the hum of ringing phones and clicking keyboards, he found a temporary refuge from the memories that threatened to pull him under.

As the day wore on, William's conversation with Ruth began to feel like a distant memory, overshadowed by the old scars that seemed to become more apparent with each passing hour. His boss's unexpected demand that he stay late to finalize an important sale only added to his burden, a reminder of the relentless pressures that mirrored the bullying of his past. The weight of the task kept him glued to his desk, working through dinner and into the night.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, William completed the sale. It was late, and his stomach growled in protest, a clear signal that he needed sustenance. Planning his route carefully, he decided to pass by a shop known for its late-night hot food counter. The thought of a warm meal brought a flicker of comfort as he stepped out into the dimly lit streets.

The street lamps cast long shadows, interspersed with the occasional glow from shopfronts. William glanced around, the old anxieties prickling at the back of his mind. He walked briskly, his destination clear – a familiar shop where he often grabbed a bite when work kept him late.

Support the creativity of authors by visiting the original site for this novel and more.

As he approached the shop, he noticed a group of men stumbling outside, their loud laughter and slurred voices cutting through the quiet night. The stench of stale alcohol wafted from them, making him wrinkle his nose in disgust. He coughed softly as he passed them, doing his best to avoid drawing attention, and slipped into the shop.

Inside, the warm aroma of hot food greeted him, providing a brief respite from the tension gnawing at him. He moved quickly, selecting his meal as the sounds from outside grew increasingly rowdy. The clanking of bottles and crude swearing pierced the relative calm of the shop, making William's pulse quicken. Recognizing the potential for trouble, he opted to take his food to go, eager to leave the area before things escalated.

He stepped outside, clutching his meal, only to be met with chaos. One of the men, shoved by his companion, staggered into William. The impact sent both men sprawling to the ground, the contents of William's carefully selected meal scattering across the pavement. He groaned, a mix of frustration and resignation washing over him as he tried to push himself up. The night had taken an unexpected and unpleasant turn, and now he had to navigate not just the literal mess at his feet, but the figurative mess of confronting his past fears head-on.

William barely had time to register what had happened before he was pulled to his feet by the scruff of his collar. The drunken men, their aggression fueled by alcohol, turned on him with a ferocity that made his heart race. "You looking to start something" the man slurred to William his breath rife with the stench of the alcohol. William tried to protect himself by shaking free of the man but this only irritated the man more. "Hold still" the man said as he slammed his fist into Williams stomach.

Memories of schoolyard beatings flooded back as he tried to shield himself, curling up on the ground. The man saw the opportunity and said "Look lads a punching bag lets have ourselves a wee training session". The man started to rain down kicks and punches, each one a painful reminder of the past he had worked so hard to leave behind.

He didn’t fight back even when the other men came to join in. The old fears paralyzed him, making it impossible to do anything but endure the assault. His mind raced, searching for a way out, but his body seemed rooted in place, stuck in a helpless defence.

As the men kept bearing down on William he thought to himself “why is this always happening to me, why can I not change to be able to help myself?” Just when these thoughts were racing through his mind he heard and all too familiar voice calling out.

"Hey, leave him alone!" Ruth shouts as she sprints up the street, her heart pounding after noticing William being beaten. Panic and anger fuel her steps as she closes the distance. As she gets closer, a few of the men notice her and move to intercept, blocking her path to William.

"Mind your own business, girl," one of the men snarls in a gravelly voice, stepping forward menacingly.

"No!" Ruth exclaims, her voice shaking with defiance. "You need to leave him alone; he hasn't done anything to deserve this!" She attempts to push her way through the wall of men, her desperation giving her strength. However, one of the men shoves her back roughly, causing her to stumble.

Determined not to be deterred, Ruth raises her hand, intending to slap the man and clear her path to William. But before she can connect, the man catches her wrist in a vice-like grip, his eyes cold and unyielding. Ruth struggles against his hold, her eyes blazing with fury and frustration, as the chaotic scene unfolds around them.

When he see’s Ruth raise her hand the man became enraged “ who the hell do you think you are trying to slap!” and in one fluid motion he turns her and slaps her across the face. As Ruth falls to the ground the man then grabs her by the hair pulling her back onto her knees Ruth trying desperately to ease the pain by trying to stand but at every movement the man pulls more on her hair.

“How about you sit her all pretty and watch the fun and then we will get to you” the man whispered in her ear. Ruth looked in disgust as the men lifted up William and started hitting him repeatedly in the stomach laughing all the while. William holding his head down trying not to show any emotion as to try and not give a reaction as he had learnt from the scrutiny he had faced in school when he let any emotion show.

Ruth had had enough. The frustration and fear boiled over, and she struggled fiercely against the man's grasp, even resorting to pulling at her hair in a desperate attempt to free herself. Her breaths came in ragged gasps as she twisted and turned, her determination unwavering.

However, the man was quicker than she anticipated. Sensing her defiance, he acted without hesitation. As swiftly as a fleeting thought, he drove his knee into her stomach with brutal force. The pain was immediate and overwhelming. Ruth's eyes widened in shock, and a strangled gasp escaped her lips. Her body crumpled as she doubled over, clutching her abdomen, desperately trying to catch her breath. The world around her blurred, and for a moment, all she could focus on was the searing pain.

The man loomed over her, a sinister grin spreading across his face. "Not a smart idea, girl," he taunted, his voice dripping with malice. "Now we are going to have some fun." His words hung in the air, thick with threat, as Ruth lay curled up on the ground, her mind racing to find a way out of this nightmare.

The moment William saw this happen something in his mind snapped and a scream that could only be described as primal came from within and then to William everything went black.

As he started to regain consciousness he could hear Ruth calling his name and as he opened his eyes he was looking up at her face both smiling with what looked like joy but also wincing in pain. When William went to sit up the pain in his stomach was enough to nearly knock him back down but as this happened a new pain that he couldn’t explain came radiating from his hand and when he looked his knuckles was covered in cracked skin and slight blood coming from the cracks.

When he realised something had happened and look around he noticed that the men who had been causing the commotion and that had hurt Ruth were all lying on the ground beaten and battered.

With confusion in his eyes and a look of terror coming across his face Ruth hurried him to his feet “Can you stand, come on we need to get out of here.” William realising the urgency of the situation and seeing more people coming towards and a crowd forming pushed his feet under his body and his arm around Ruth.

They slipped out past the chaos that was forming outside of the shop and while walking the streets sirens blaring in the distance getting ever closer the pair made their way back to the apartment complex. “What happened there William ?” Ruth asked “you were like a different person back there.”

“I have no idea, I can’t remember what happened,” William stated, his voice trembling with terror. In the back of his mind, the scream he kept hearing in his nightmares was constant but fading. The horrifying sound that echoed persistently, leaving him with an uneasy feeling that he couldn’t shake.