Chapter 1
Johnny arrived at school a bit late as usual. It was a wet miserable day, and he entered the side door by the car park and bike sheds. He looked round to see Peter Jackson not far behind him but let the door close and headed for the locker room to hang up his jacket. He strolled up the corridor from the entrance as though he had all the time in the world, he was glad it was Friday and was dreaming of the things he could get up to tomorrow. As he was turning in to the lockeroom he spotted George and Izzy further up the corridor heading for class. Izzy beckoned him to come, and get a move on. Johnny smiled and gave Izzy the thumbs up. He entered the locker area and stopped dead in his tracks.
There he was! Johnny was sick to the stomach! Ron Henderson stood between him and his locker. And he spotted Johnny coming in. As Johnny approached, a twisted little grin appeared on Ron’s face! Johnny could feel the heat rise up his neck, and his heart was thumping in his chest. He hesitated for a second before making his way to the lockers
This had been going on for weeks now. Ron Henderson and his mate Eric Ironside, two bully boys making trouble and trying to pick a fight just for the fun of it. Johnny’s mate George Rattray, keeps saying it will be ok, and that it is all talk just to scare him, but Johnny knows it is coming to a head soon, and it makes him feel miserable! George has been a good mate, and always backs him up, and supports him when he can, but he is not always there when incidents occur. Johnny didn’t know why they had started picking on him in the first place. He couldn’t remember doing anything or saying anything to them that might have kicked it off. Only last week he had been walking home from school by the top path, on the other side of the football pitch, when he realised Eric and Ron were coming towards him. No words were spoken, they both just looked straight at him and pushed him against the fence as they barged past. They were laughing as they walked off and shouting "Little prick, buck toothed wimp" This was just the latest, and one of many incidents over the past few weeks that the boys had been picking on him. Johnny had not told anyone about the numerous incidents that had taken place. Eric and Ron were very clever and made sure that no one was around when they tormented him. He was not the same boy as he was some weeks ago, and friends and family knew that something was up.
Johnny attempted to ignore Ron and tried to squeeze past to get to his locker but Ron stepped in his way. “I need past,” Johnny said quietly. Ron put both hands on Johnny’s chest and pushed him back. “Say please and I’ll think about it,” Johnny said nothing and tried to squeeze past again. His heart was racing now and he was on the point of throwing up. Ron pushed him again with more force, knocking him sideways, smacking his head off the corner of the lockers. Ron moved in again as Jonny tried to stand up. His head was smarting from the impact, and there was blood running down the side of his face from a cut above his eye. He was a bit disoriented and fended off Ron holding on to his sweater as best he could. He realised now that the area was filling up with onlookers; and the noise was echoing around the concrete painted walls. Both boys were holding on to each other, looking in to each others faces, both straining to get the better of the other. Johnny was holding on for grim death now, but managed to swipe Ron's legs away from him with his foot, sending them crashing on to the hard floor. Time seemed to stand still for Johnny, and everything was in slow motion. “Fight, Fight, Fight”, the crowd were chanting, it seamed to go on and on. They were back up on their feet again now, pulling and pushing, bouncing off the lockers again and again, spinning round and slipping on the tiled floor ending up back on the deck again, the strain etched on their faces. They were still scrambling around on the floor when a dark figure appeared in Johnny’s vision, half hidden by Ron who had managed to get on top of him. He received a glancing blow luckily on his shoulder, when suddenly it was all over. “Stop it at once” again the shout “Stop it” Mr Strachan was attempting to pull them to their feet. From somewhere behind them the shrill voice Of Mrs MacLauchlan, Johnny’s teacher rang out. Within seconds, the locker room area was beginning to empty and was soon deserted, as pupils hurried off to their classrooms, leaving Johnny and Ron with Mrs MacLauchlan and Mr Strachan, the Assistant Headmaster. Both boys were breathing very heavily from their efforts, Johnny using his arm and wiping the blood from the side of his face. Ron had one last push at him as they wiped theirselves down, and both were silent as they were marched to the headmasters office. Mrs MacLauchlan looked down at Johnny with a disappointed frown on her face shaking her head in disapproval. They were at the office now and Mr Strachan knocked and opened the door. Mr Syme the Headmaster of Abbotswell Academy was standing looking out of the window as they entered. Mrs MacLauchlan left them and headed back to her classroom.
The Gordon household that day was very busy, it was normally, especially first in the mornings, and everyone took their turn getting themselves washed and ready, so the bathroom was a hive of activity. Mum and dad were up first so the bathroom was clear for Douglas and Jane, Johnny's brother and sister. Jane was a nurse so it depended what shift she was working, this week it was day shift, making one extra for the bathroom causing a bottleneck. The boys were always a bit slow to get themselves moving but Douglas being three years older than Johnny gave him seniority. This particular morning Johnny had decided to beat his brother to it. He was desperate, and locked himself in the bathroom just in front of his brother. This did not go down well, and Douglas made it very clear, banging on the door and howling, "Johnny you little weed, get out of there right now, you've been a real pain in the ass lately," "I'm bursting," Johnny shouted. Mum intervened and managed to get Johnny out without too much trouble. As Johnny scooted up the stairs Douglas tried a swinging kick at him but missed, and struck the post of the banister instead. Douglas gave out a high pitched squeal as his big toe cracked against the woodwork. "Your going to get it Johnny," he shouted as he hopped about in agony rubbing his injury. Tex the dog started barking with all the fuss that had started up, and bounded up the stairs after Johnny. "Tex down here now," shouted mum. "Come on Douglas you need to get going now or you will be late for college, so just ignore your brother," Johnny fearing revenge by his brother had dived in to his sisters bedroom. "Johnny you can't just barge in to a girls bedroom when you feel like it without knocking," "Come on sis he's after me, anyway your dressed," "Yes well only just." Although Jane was used to this it was a bit annoying on occaision, he was fifteen for goodness sake, but put up with it just to keep the peace. Hearing a motorbike starting up and heading off Johnny new it was safe. He gave his sister a big kiss on the cheek, threw on some clothes and headed down the stairs for breakfast.
Johnny had been a but sullen lately, it had been going on for weeks now and concerns were being raised. As Jane headed out the door, she and mum shared knowing glances. At last mum was getting peace and quiet, and was alone with Johnny. "You shouldnt wind your brother up like that, you know he is going to react in that way" "I was bursting mum" Johnny mumbled. "Douglas is also studying for exams at the moment, so he really needs to be left alone" Johnny nodded and looked down in to his porridge and milk. "Are you ok, you have been a bit quiet lately, not your usual cheeky self," Johnny said,"Yes just stuff." "Well when you are ready to tell me I am happy to listen". "Jane said you might be having problems at school " "Mum I'm fine honest," "Ok then, we can talk again this evening, go on get yourself organised and head off to school, your late as usual."
Both boys had been given a lecture on school values and were told in no uncertain terms that this type of behaviour would not be tolerated on these premises at any time. Their parents would also be informed by letter in the next few days. The boys had left the headmasters office together led by Mr Strachan. Johnny was sporting a plaster on his head, which covered a lovely bump and impending bruise. As they headed in opposite directions to their classrooms Ron turned and whispered to Johnny in a low aggressive tone. "After school," Johnny ignored him giving him a scowel and carried on up the corridor. He knocked and entered his class room and was met with stares from the entire class. "Take your seat Johnny please, we are just running through yesterday's homework" HOMEWORK Johnny’s day was just getting worse.
