Fiction 6: Potential

299 words

“One hundred percent, Jeremy.  Good job!  You have great potential, and I know you’ll go far!”

Jeremy took his exam back from his Mrs. Gush. Classmates stared at him with a variety of expressions: jealousy, admiration, curiosity, contempt.  They’d heard that line before, a little too often.  A few made arrangements to “meet” Jeremy after school.  They didn’t tell Jeremy.

Jeremy had heard that line before, too.  Returning to his seat, Jeremy re-opened his palm computer to a program he had been working on.  It generated a silent signal that really had great potential, he thought.  Setting the volume to low, so it wouldn’t bother everyone in the room, he got up as if to sharpen a pencil, stopped near one of his tormentors and turned it on.  Sure enough, Bubba got a funny look on his face and touched his chest. 

The bell rang, letting out school.  Jeremy picked up his computer and left with everyone else.  Bubba and two others came up next to him and took his arms on each side.  “We’re walking home together today, Jeremy,” said Bubba.

The bigger boys quickly hustled Jeremy past the buses to the street, away from the school’s supervision.  Within a few blocks, they came upon an alley, dragged Jeremy in, back between two dumpsters, and began to beat him mercilessly, laughing and reciting “You have great potential, Jeremy!  You’ll go far, Jeremy!”  Falling senseless to the ground, his computer already on, Jeremy’s finger brushed the volume control and turned on his signal.

All around, people began clutching their chests, falling to the ground for blocks around.  For days, rescue crews could not get into the area.  The smell of carrion filled the city.

Jeremy had had great potential.  It’s just that no one had known for what.