1

“You foolish little boy! Can’t you do anything right?’’ a voice barked at Jimmy Willian.

Jimmy looked at up at his lazy eyed teacher, he was scolding down on him for once again doodling ‘non-sense’ in his book. But this was something the bald, fat man who had no neck usually did.

No matter what Jimmy did, he would always get yelled at by the man. Even when others were doing the same, it was as if Mr. Wall had a special pick for him.

Mr. Wall ripped the paper out of Jimmy’s book and examined it closer.

‘’A tree, is this what I taught you in Math class? Detention for a week!’’ Mr. Wall yelled then waddled away.

‘’What? Sir, you can’t do that.’’

‘’This is my classroom, my rules. If you don’t like it then that mother of yours can find a different school for you to attend.’’ Mr. Wall said before walking away.

Jimmy hated the fat teacher, because all he did was yell at him and make him feel small.

Mr. Wall would always compare Jimmy to others, saying how much he was a dunce and didn’t belong in his class. He would always suggest for his mother to send him to a special school where he could be reformed.

And this didn’t help that Jimmy was Mr. Wall’s stepson.

Though he didn’t want to be get special treatment, he would still like it if his stepfather wasn’t so hard on him.

Jimmy began to pack away his books, the bell hadn’t ring just yet, but he knew by the time shown on the clock that it was almost that time for lunch.

‘’What do you think you are doing?’’ Mr. Wall asked.

When Jimmy didn’t answer, Mr. Wall bent the top half of his body and stared right into Jimmy’s eyes.

‘’Class isn’t over and even so, the bell doesn’t dismiss you. I do. I don’t think you understand things Jimmy. I told you that this is my class room, and that means I am God.’’

A boy beside Jimmy gave him a pitiful look when Mr. Wall walked to the front of the class again.

‘’I hate him as well. I can’t wait to be in a new Math class next year.’’

‘’Lucky you, I am stuck with him,’’ Jimmy said miserably.

He never knew why Mr. Wall hated him.

Though he had a son of his own, Mr. Wall thought the world of him. In fact, Dale was the perfect little boy and could do no wrong in Mr. Wall’s eye.

“Shut up!’’ Mr. Wall barked, throwing a duster at Jimmy and he ducked.

‘’That’s it, you have earned detention for a month and one more word out of you and it will be for the rest of your school life.’’

For the rest of the class, Jimmy kept silent and kept his head down but yet Mr. Wall still seemed to have a problem with the young boy.

And so, at lunch, when someone ran by and hit the tray out of Jimmy’s hand Mr. Wall came storming over.

‘’That’s it! Detention for a year! And you should apologize, didn’t you see this boy coming? Maybe your mother should get you glasses,’’ Mr. Wall said.

A teacher who knew how Mr. Wall was, hurried to Jimmy’s defense.

‘’Tom let’s not be so hard on the boy. I saw everything and it was Charles fault, he was running around like a little hooligan and caused this accident.’’

Mr. Wall frowned down at Jimmy. ‘’Clean it up and get out of my sight!’’

‘’What? No, that’s not right at all. It wasn’t Jimmy’s fault, why don’t you punish Charles instead?’’

Mr. Wall gritted his teeth, hating Jimmy even more. Thinking that he was using his little tricks on the other teacher to have sympathy on him.

From a young age, Jimmy was a special boy. He could do unexplained and extraordinary things, but he just didn’t know it.

But Mr. Wall and his mother knew of the strange ability he had, and out of fear, Mr. Wall convinced Hilda that Jimmy was an evil child.

‘’You don’t understand, he did something so your eyes would deceive you! This child doesn’t belong here,’’ Mr. Wall pointed at Jimmy.

A few teachers hearing this hurried over to help with the situation.

‘’Mr. Wall, I understand that Jimmy is your stepson, but that is no way to treat the little boy. Don’t you think it is quite humiliating for him and remember Dale. What if he was the one being treated like this?’’

‘’Yes, it wasn’t Jimmy’s fault. I saw the entire thing.’’

‘’You people don’t know this little trouble maker like I do. And as for Dale, he is a perfect little boy, unlike this…this thing.’’

‘’Mr. Wall, if you continue like this I am afraid we have to report you to the school board. This is no way to treat a child.’’

Mr. Wall’s face went red, and he had no choice but to give in.

‘’Fine, but you all will see this boy for who he is soon!’’

Jimmy wanted to ask Mr. Wall what his problem was but held it in, seeing that he was already on thin ice with the man.

Mr. Wall went on to eat his lunch but accidently his scorching hot soup turned over in his lap.

Looking up, he met Jimmy’s eyes and knew he was to be blamed.

‘’I saw what you did.’’ Mr. Wall mouthed, and Jimmy looked down.

Jimmy thought it was all just a coincidence, he was only thinking of Mr. Wall choking or his food turning over but never expected it to happen.

The female teacher who was defending Jimmy came to kneel beside him. ‘’I am sorry about what happened.’’

She then forced a letter in Jimmy’s hand and gave him a nod before walking away.

Jimmy looked at the paper, but it was blank, leaving him confused.

Just as the bell rang for lunch to be over, Mr. Wall came back into the lunchroom and grabbed Jimmy by the scoff of the shirt.

‘’Hey, boy! You are late for class. I don’t want you to be goofing around and wasting my money, I paid a hefty price for you to come here.’’

Which was a lie, Jimmy attended public school which offered free education.

While his son Dale went to a very prestigious school, that cost more than what Mr. Wall made for salary.

‘’I am getting really annoyed of you Tom. Why do you keep treating Jimmy like this?’’

‘’Because you don’t know him like I do.’’

Mr. Wall stepped back after seeing the teacher’s eyes flashing red.

‘’No wonder, you are just like him.’’

He hurried off and the teacher took Jimmy by the shoulder.

‘’Don’t worry, your father made sure to prepare things for you. So, in another year or so, you won’t have to be with that man anymore.’’

But little did they know, Mr. Wall was crouched down behind the corner and listening to their conversation.’’

‘’My father, do you know him?’’ the woman offered a warm smile.

‘’I’m afraid I never met the man, but just that he loved you dearly and gave his life to save yours.’’

‘’What does that even mean?’’ Jimmy asked, a bit confused.

‘’Your father was a great man, but I’m afraid I was sworn into secrecy to not say much to you. But you will find the truth soon.’’

She then touched his chest and said a word that sounded familiar to Jimmy.

‘’Monzta!’’

‘’Monzta, like the car?’’ Jimmy asked.

The teacher laughed. ‘’No, it’s more like a blessing to ward off evil.’’

But sadly, that was the last time Jimmy had even seen the teacher and because they lived in such a remote back water town, Jimmy soon gave up hope of ever finally meeting his father.

The very same day after the accident in the cafeteria. Mr. Wall packed his family and moved them to where he hoped people like the teacher would never find Jimmy.

But that never stopped the strange things from happening.

The first day they moved in, Dale and Jimmy were out in the yard when a moose, which wasn’t native to that part seemed to appear out of nowhere and attacked Dale, almost breaking his arm.

Of course, Jimmy was blamed, even though he had no idea what he did.

And this caused him to be now locked inside the attic.

Mr. Wall had threatened that whenever he did something strange, he would be placed there as punishment.

‘’Come for din— what are you doing?’’ Mr. Wall asked, pulling the book out of Jimmy’s hands.

‘’The wonderful world of mysteries! Where did you get this book?’’

‘’I… I found it in the draw over there,’’ Jimmy said, pointing to the small table.

Mr. Wall started to fume. ‘’That’s it no supper!’’ And just like that he closed the door behind him, Jimmy could hear the deadbolt and knew that he would once again go hungry.

Mr. Wall threw the book in the fire by the furnace, and it blazed up unexpectedly, burning bright blue.

The crackling noise it gave sounded more like a hiss, as if the strange book was cursing at Mr. Wall.

And that it did, because right after that misfortune took him.

Just as Mr. Wall walked off, he stubbed his toe on one of the table’s legs.

‘’Damn it!’’

And somehow he blamed Jimmy.

He suddenly looked outside and saw more than three dozen birds settle in the tree above his car, they all relieved themselves, causing Mr. Wall’s car to be covered in their excretion and was barely visible.

Of course, he ran off upstairs to blame Jimmy.

‘’You wicked little boy!’’

Jimmy jumped to his feet. ‘’What is your problem? Why can’t you just leave me alone?’’

Automatically, Jimmy lifted his hand and Mr. Wall was thrown back and the door to the attic slammed shut.

Mr. Wall struggled to his feet and banged on the door.

‘’Open this door right now, or I will break it down!’’

‘’One, two, three, four.’’

And before he could get to four, the carpet seemed to start moving until Mr. Wall was at the top of the stairs. And like a snake, the red-carpet strike, causing the man to tumble down the stairs.

Still in shock and holding his elbow, Mr. Wall hurried off to find Hilda. She was telling Dale that he shouldn’t eat Jimmy’s dinner, else he would go hungry again.

‘’He can eat it if he wants. And as for your son—‘’

And for the first time, Hilda yelled at her husband.

‘’Why don’t you leave Jimmy alone!? He has done nothing to you and yet you mistreat him, while this… this son of yours continue to be a pig.’’

‘’A pig!?’’ Mr. Wall got upset.

‘’Yes, just look at him,’’ Hilda pointed, and Dale was there eating like the greedy little boy he was. Using his hands to shovel the mash potato in his big mouth.

‘’I see nothing wrong with him. He is a perfectly normal child, unlike your… your strange little boy.’’

His words upset Hilda. ‘’That’s it!’’ She pointed at Dale and something odd happened.