The Writers' Circle

They were coming. Alex knew it as sure as he knew his football team were never going to stop being bottom of the league. No matter how long he lurked by his open locker or how long he spent leaning against the toilet cubicle door they would be waiting. I should have left earlier Alex thought, when there were teachers around. His footsteps slapped on the linoleum floor, loud in the empty corridor. The stench of boiled meat lingered as he passed through the canteen.  
A solitary figure stood in the playground.  The ring leader stood without his companions.  Alex wondered if it was the cold that had driven them home. He stepped outside and shivered. The winter evening of mist and shadows made everything seem a little more dangerous.
'I've been waiting for you Alex. Hurry up mate.' 
Taylor grinned. His hand encircled Alex's arm, a snare around a rabbit's leg.  Alex limply let Taylor march him towards the bikesheds.  His knees knocked as Taylor pushed him against the wooden slats.  'Give us everything you've got. Nice and quick and I'll let you get home in time for tea.' 
Taylor did not want to wait around. He blew impatient smoke trains in Alex's face. A cigarette hung from his protruding bottom lip. His hand pressed tight against Alex's throat.  Alex thought he could probably win a fight, if it was simply between himself and Taylor. But he would suffer at the hands of Taylor's friend the following day.  He handed over bus fares, an Ipod and a watch in silence. 
'More. I know there is more.'
Alex handed over lunch money. Taylor chuckled, his bad breath caressing Alex as he cringed away. 
'And the phone. Don't think I haven't seen it.' 
Alex opened his bag. Taylor's hand never left his throat.  He found the phone and brought it level with Taylor's face. 
'Good boy,' Taylor crooned. The beatings and the injustice of their long standing arrangement had been grinding on him. All it took was Taylor's smug voice to make Alex crack.  He slammed the phone into Taylor's temple.   The larger boy stumbled away, his face a blank slate of confusion. Alex slammed his fist against his opponent's face. The phone cracked as it impacted. Sparks skittered along Taylor's forehead and down into his ears. They darted up his nose and through his tear ducts. Alex was too busy seeing red to notice. His attack slowed to a few stunned kicks as he realised he was still alive. Taylor had passed out.  Alex ran off. Elation made it hard to think of the consequence. He pocketed his cracked phone, laughing with glee. 

                                                ***

Taylor arrived late to his first lesson. This in itself was not unusual. What was unusual were the large purple blotches on his face.  Alex kept his head bent.  Gossipy whispers passed around the classroom faster than a fire in the outback.  Taylor began to sing. 

'Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh- Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh- Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh- Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh- Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh- Duh-duh-duh-duh-duh-  
Just a small town girl, living in a lonely world. 
She took the midnight train going anyway where.  
Just a city boy, born and raised in south Detroit. 
He took the midnight train going anywhere. 
Pow-pow-pow-pow!
A singer in a smoky room.
Smell of wine and cheap perfume.
For a smile they can share the night.
It goes on and on and on and on!'

'Mr West would you care to sit down?'

Alex's teacher stared, half annoyed half bemused by Taylor's antics. Taylor blinked. 

'It's for Alex. It's his mum.' Without another word he started singing again. 
'Strangers waiting,
Walking down the boulevard...'

'Mr West! That is quite enough.'

Chuckles turned Taylor's cheeks red under their bruises. He sat down. Alex frowned at him. The lyrics had come from his ringtone, 'Don't Stop Believing' by Journey. How had Taylor known? Was he trying to mock him? It hadn't worked in any case.  Taylor waited for Alex at the end of the lesson.
'You've got voicemail,' he muttered and darted off. Alex shook his head in disbelief. He got his phone out of his bag. To his surprise the voicemail symbol appeared. He checked the caller identity.  It was his mum, exactly as Taylor had said. An idea almost too strange to be conceived began to formulate in Alex's head. He went out to break. 

                                                         ***

Friends surrounded Taylor.  He looked his normal self, laughing and knocking over first years.  Alex's own friend stayed in the library every break time. However Alex had no inclination to join them.  He chose a secluded spot in the playground and got out his phone ready to test his theory.  Alex flicked through the menu to settings.  He selected Outdoor and turned it up as loud as possible. Instantly Taylor's voice shouted over the hubbub. The playground fell silent. Taylor kept on shouting.
'Anyway I was saying to the little runt that if he touched my bag one more time I'd bash his head in and he did so I...' 
Taylor's words choked into nothing. He clutched his mouth in horror.  Alex's teacher walked across the playground, meaning business. Alex selected Silent from the menu.
'I won't tolerate anymore of this behaviour. You have one chance to explain yourself.'
Taylor opened his mouth. No words came out. The teacher scowled. 
'Nothing to say? Exactly as I thought. This kind of attitude won't get you anywhere.' 
In a moment of evil inspiration Alex changed his phone to vibrate. Taylor shook violently. His eyes were wide, his limbs flailing uncontrollably. 
'Eruuuugghhhh,' he chattered. The offended teacher took the shaking boy by the hand.
'That is it! The head will hear of this. You have no respect for the staff, the school and even your own class mates. It just won't do. I don't know if you think you are being funny but it is not...' 

Alex changed the phone back to Personal. Taylor stopped shaking. It was too late. He disappeared into the school building with the teacher still ranting in his ear. Alex held his phone tightly. He savoured his revenge. Something must have happened when he had been banging the phone against Taylor the other night. Whatever it was meant Taylor could no longer bully Alex.  Alex's power was a simple tap away.

End P.1