From Darkness to Strength

Mark Tenery's life was riddled with obstacles and challenges, most of which stemmed from his difficult upbringing. Each passing day seemed to bring with it a new set of difficulties, contributing to the uphill climb he faced in his journey through life.

His father was abusive and during his depressive days he would get wasted inside his bedroom and he would only come out to eat, use the bathroom and occasionally to release his pent up frustration and anger.

During his life, he worked hard like a madman, but to no avail, he had no talent for business nor as a social climber, he was unsuccessful in his endeavor.

As a result, his mental state began to deteriorate, taking his self-esteem down with it. In an attempt to escape reality, he turned to alcohol and resorted to physical violence against his own son, as a show of power and dominance.

Believing it to be his paternal responsibility, he subjected his son to physical abuse, asserting his dominance and control over him. Even the slightest error would elicit furious tirades, with him repeatedly taunting his son as a mere leech who was living off his hard-earned money.

Whenever his son fell short of his expectations in completing chores, he would resort to wielding his belt, unleashing his frustration with each strike.

In stark contrast, his mother disregarded him entirely - even in moments where he sought the gentlest touch of affection. She would turn away, as if he were a mere shadow passing by.

Despite being their only child, Mark grew up devoid of the care and affection that every child deserves. This left him with a permanent sense of gloom and sadness, as if a vital part of his being was missing.

Week after week, he faithfully attended church, seeking solace in his devotion to God, the savior of humanity. Yet, despite his unwavering prayers and virtuous deeds, no miraculous intervention graced his lives.

The absence of the desired miracle shattered his faith, casting doubt upon the very foundation of their beliefs. Eventually, the weight of disappointment eroded his trust, causing him to relinquish his belief in a higher power.

For a long time, school had been Mark's sanctuary - a place where he felt safe and secure. However, once he reached middle school, that all changed. Within weeks, he found himself the target of unwarranted bullying and harassment.

His cheap clothes and gloomy situation made him an easy target.

Despite his meager wardrobe and despondent circumstances, he possessed an invaluable talent: a photographic memory.

This skill proved to be a boon in his academic pursuits, as he was able to excel despite limited opportunities for studying.

Because of the unnessarily added misery to his life, Mark even contemplated taking his own life, but he ultimately realized that he could not succumb to such a fate after enduring so much hardship.

Instead, he resolved to improve his circumstances and create a better future for himself.

He reported his father to the social service through an anonymous email, and surely enough they came, made a brief visit and never came back.

Mark's frustration at the persistent bullying was palpable, but he refused to let it break him. In a bold move, he reported his father's behavior to a teacher, hoping that it would put an end to the torment. Though the issue was escalated to the principal, the response was disappointing. Rather than taking action to address the bullying, the principal dismissed it as a mere childish prank, leaving Mark to continue to suffer in silence.

As one of the school's top students, Mark's teacher recognized his potential and took it upon himself to call Mark's parents to inform them of the bullying.

He hoped that this was just a misunderstanding and spoke highly of Mark's intellect and character.

Unfortunately, the teacher was unaware that this would result in Mark receiving an extra beating from his abusers as punishment for speaking out.

"Tsk tsk, Genius my ass you are nothing but a dissapointment! As if leeching off my hard work wasn't enough, you even ratted me out, and for what? what a let down, you can't even stand up for yourself, you are nothing but a fucking parasite."

Mark had reached the peak of despair, feeling utterly hopeless and alone. He realized that he could only rely on himself. That night, he cried himself to sleep, releasing all the pent-up emotions that had been weighing him down.

The following day, Mark experienced a transformative shift. Something stirred within him, and he became emotionally detached and indifferent to everything around him. He knew that he could no longer succumb to despair.

It was time to take action and make a change.

So, Mark asked his father to let him join a dojo to learn martial arts.

Unexpectedly his father agreed, mark's father was glad that his poor excuse of a son was finally interested in becoming a man.

Mark began practicing martial arts regularly, dedicating himself to the discipline.

He woke up early each day to build his physical strength, performing exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, sit-ups, squats, and running until he was exhausted.

Due to his diligence, Mark began to make noticeable progress. Within a few months, he made significant improvements in his physical abilities.

His martial arts training proved to be worth the time and effort.

He was now gaining confidence in dealing with his own problems by himself.

Through his dedication to martial arts training, he realized his gift for quick learning, yet his physical abilities remained average at best.

His mind raced ahead while his body struggled to keep up. Nonetheless, he found solace in his exceptional photographic memory, a talent that set him apart from his peers.

Mark had a unique gift for absorbing the teachings of his sensei with just a single glance.

It was thrilling to discover this extraordinary talent, but it also came with a sense of disappointment.

His physical abilities were lacking, making it difficult to keep up with his mental prowess.

He felt like a cutting-edge software running on outdated hardware. But Mark refused to be deterred.

For months, he trained rigorously, staying under the radar at school. He was determined to unlock his full potential, despite his physical limitations.

After some time had passed and Mark had grown more self-assured, he stopped hiding from the bullies and began to respond in kind to whatever they threw his way.

Knowing the dangers of being alone or in isolated areas for too long, Mark kept a watchful eye on his surroundings.

One day, Mark decided it was time to put an end to the bullying and came up with a plan. "Hey f*ck face," Mark called out to the bully, "I think it's time we settled this once and for all."

The bully turned around, an arrogant smirk on his face.

"Oh really? And who do you think you are, calling me names like that?" he sneered.

But Mark stood his ground, ready to face whatever came his way. He even felt the urge to give the bully the middle finger and unleash his anger upon him, but doing so would defeat his intentions.

Mark shrugged indifferently and responded, "Sure, let's meet at the abandoned building in the next block."

The bully, with a sneer on his face, replied, "I am going to give you the beating of your life, and don't bring anyone with you. Let's make it fair and square."

With a nod, Mark left the scene. As expected, when the bully showed up at the abandoned building, he had brought two of his friends along with him.

As Mark waited at the corner of the building, casually leaning against the wall, the bully approached him.

"I had my doubts that you would have the guts to show up," the bully taunted, a sneer forming on his face, "but it seems you're early. Eager to have your sorry ass handed to you, huh? Well, I'm more than happy to oblige. You already know what a fine upstanding person I am. So let's make sure we thoroughly mess you up, you pitiful bastard!"

Mark didn't flinch as he retorted, "What's there to be afraid of? You're simply another piece of garbage cluttering up the streets."

The bully's words hung in the air, as he handed his phone to his friend and instructed him to film the upcoming humiliation.