Branded

He was normal just like you and I

He went to school, hung out with his friends, and worked

He was you basic average student

The only difference was that he was gay

An infinitesimal lifestyle choice magnified so the world knew

He was afraid to tell his parents because he thought they would judge

The only person he told was his best friend

He had no partner because he wanted to keep that side of him secret

He put all of his trust into his best friend to only be betrayed

His best friend told her parents which in then told his parents

The parents blamed the school

They had a huge argument with the principle

The school responded by holding assemblies in which dealt with homosexuality

He felt like he was being watched

The principle accidently said his name instead of being anonymous

That same night, his email flooded

He received nothing but hate mail and death threats

His best and only friend transferred schools because her parents made that decision

They thought that if she hung out with him, she would turn gay too

He was alone

Everyone at school avoided him

Nobody wanted to talk to him

He received pity from his teachers and counselors

Nothing was left of him; he was stripped of his dignity and replaced it with shame

He was walking home from school one day when three guys cornered him

They started to hit him

With each vicious blow to the face, the bullies yelled “We’ll beat the gay out of you.”

He returned home bruised, bleeding, and crying

He ran straight into his room

His parents did not notice because his dad was drunk and his mom was out relieving stress

It almost seemed to him that his parents were disappointed in him

The next day at school, with scars and bruises, everyone questioned him

He refused to talk because of fear

Not fear of getting beat up again but afraid of never getting a friend because he was a snitch

That is all he wanted, a friend

Someone to listen to him and hear his stories

Someone to share his day with

It was a cold February day

He was walking to school

This time, a random stranger pulled up to him in a car and threw a rock at him

With the rock a messaged was wrapped around it

It read: “Die. We do not like you infesting our schools”

Nobody wanted him

Nobody cared for his existence

Boiling with anger and filled with shame, he ran home

He ran as fast as his heart could handle

With tears in his eyes, never looking back, he ran a path that people do not understand

He entered his house

Ran into his parents room

Grabbed his dad’s hunting rifle

Tears in his eyes

Heart pounding

Thoughts of shame and hate

He looked at himself one last time in the mirror and smashed it

His life was damaged and he lost his peace of mind

With a desperate look, he stared into the barrel of the rifle

And with that he was liberated from the scrutiny of his community

With that, he became immortal in the memories of those who stand for what is right

A symbol of freedom and revenge

Freed from the pain and vengeful by instigating guilt into the minds of the guilty