"Don’t Bully Billy" by Veronica Smith

Don’t Bully Billy

by Veronica Smith

Billy was hiding behind a tree, panting, and trying to catch his breath. The bullies just wouldn't leave him alone. He ran as fast as his skinny legs could carry his twelve-year-old body, but they always caught him. And usually right before he could get to this front porch. 

But this time he ducked into the woods and jumped behind a tree. He heard them run down the street, passing the woods without pausing. 

His head was tilted up, tears running down his face. He hated this town. Ever since he and his mom moved her two months ago, he'd been a bully target. A flash of red light ahead caught his eye and he stepped from the tree to see what it was. He left the safety of the tree and walked deeper into the wood, his curiosity overtaking his fear.

He walked for almost ten minutes but couldn’t catch up to the flash.

“I give up.” He called out. “If you don’t show yourself, I’m going to go home.”

By this point he thought it had to be a person to keep moving so fast, or maybe an animal. Maybe he should just go home and prepare for tomorrow’s chase.

Tomorrow? I can’t do this anymore. 

Now he was deep in the woods when he heard a branch snap. 

What the hell?

The glowing red eyes were different, as was the long, shiny blade in his hand, but other than that, he was looking in a mirror. His doppelganger didn’t look threatening to him, despite the knife, so Billy took a few steps closer to him.

“Who are you?” he asked the twin, studying him for any differences. 

He did notice that the doppelganger had the exact same scar on his eyebrow that he had gotten when he was young. He had been playing baseball with kids in a different neighborhood, back when his dad was still alive. The batter caught him in the right eyebrow on the back swing. Billy noticed that the twin had the same scar, but it was on the left eyebrow and mirrored. 

I have a mirror twin?

The twin walked closer as well, and they stood about ten feet apart from each other. 

Would this mirror twin use the knife on him?

“No.” the twin replied, as if he’d asked out loud. “You’re me and I’m you.”

Billy was shocked at first. Was the twin in his mind? 

“Then why are you here?” Billy asked.

The twin sat down on a fallen log and Billy sat next to him.

“Because deep down this is really where you want to be. Away from everything.” The twin replied. “I know you hate the places you’ve had to move to since Dad died. Mom’s been trying, but it’s been hard on her too.”
Billy let the tears flow. It was true.

“I can help you with those bullies.” The twin said, again holding the knife, making marks in the dark brown earth.

“How? Billy asked. “I always try to outrun them and usually lose. I can’t fight.”

The Billy-twin stood up and looked at Billy, his red eyes flashing in anger.

“But I can.”

Billy still wasn’t afraid. He knew that anger wasn’t directed at him, but at the bullies that made his life hell.

“Bring them into the woods. Right here where we are standing.” The doppelganger said. “Tomorrow let them chase you to this spot. I will take care of them. Me and the woods.”

“Why are you running, you little asshole?” Stanley called out. 

“Yeah. You know we’re going to catch you.” Rocky added.

“We might go easy on you if you stop.” Kenny said.

Rocky elbowed Kenny, almost knocking him down.

“The fuck we will.” He told him angrily.

Like clockwork the next day on the way home the bullies popped out from behind a parked plumber’s van and started the chase. Billy turned into the woods next to the tree he hid behind yesterday. Without a single trip or ankle-twist he made it to the fallen log. He didn’t see his mirror-twin yet, but he wasn’t worried. He knew he would come.

Without warning Kenny screamed in pain as a long shiny blade emerged from his left eye. Billy and the bullied looked at him and saw Billy’s mirror twin step out from behind Kenny, yanking the knife out of the back of his head. Kenny dropped to the ground, dead before he fell.

Rocky and Stanley looked back and forth at Billy and his mirror-twin.

“Holy shit!” Stanley yelled. “Let’s get the fuck out of here!”

Billy’s twin just smiled, and the trees came alive. They closed in around the boys in a circle. There was no room for them to get between any of them.

“What’s happening?” Rocky asked, all bravado gone and fear taking over.

“You hurt Billy.” The twin said. “Now I hurt you. The woods need fresh blood once in a while and you three are the perfect ones to provide it.”

“Billy. Dude. We are sorry.” Stanley said. “I swear to you, we will never hurt you again.”

“No.” Billy and his mirror-twin said in eerie, perfect unison. “You won’t”

The roots from the many trees burst from the ground below the bullies and wrapped themselves around their bodies and heads, squeezing tight. The bullies couldn’t even get another word out before the roots constricted and their heads popped like grapes. Their bodies crushed as if broken branches and their blood poured to the earth, being absorbed instantly. Then all three bodies were root-wrapped and pulled beneath the dirt.

Billy could swear he heard the trees sigh. His mirror-twin smiled, and he smiled back. He planned to keep visiting him here. He knew there were a lot more bullies and even criminals back in town. He planned to bring one or two along each time. 

After all. The woods saved him. He needed to save them.