"That" Boy. - Comments

It's sad that he passed and that people just stepped over him, like he wasn't there, but it's good that he's out of his misery now.

You bring new meaning to the term 'heart-wrenching'.

Just...fjkdosofd. He knew nothing meant anything, anymore.

If the title wasn't enough, then this made it certain for me. When you're lost in a world that's lost all meaning, there's really only two places you can possibly go. And something's always told me from this that one of those was never going to be an option. This was never going to have a happy ending.

He didn't love anyone, no one loved him. His parents saw him as nothing but a burden, another mouth to feed at the table. They didn't want him around. They pushed him away.

They refused to believe he was their son.

So much for the so-called unconditional love of parents. What is it about him that makes him so unwanted? So he doesn't speak. So he hasn't grown up. So he gets bullied in school, and mercilessly so.

What in that gives anyone any justification to reject him? What in that doesn't make them heartless?

He used to grab a plate himself, and take it up to his room, where he shared it with his animals.

It feels almost monotonous for him now. He has to everything by himself, for himself, and it's just playing out his routine of life until something gives. Because there's not a lot of him that needs to give before he disappears completely. He's just entertained by his own imagination, nothing more. No-one else seems to want to even acknowledge his existence. Even the avaricious bullies have stopped caring.

But because no one really knew who he was, or really cared, they didn't call an ambulance, they just stepped over his body, like a tree branch in the way.

No one noticed he was gone.

You know, I thought at the start of this that it was a sad ending, but in a way, it's not.

The world never cared about him. No-one in this world cared enough to tend to his broken, shattered body.

But that's always been. That never changed. All he's ever needed is himself, his own imagination, his own mind.
And that he now has for all time.

Thank you for taking that boy out of his hell. :arms:

(Man I feel bad, my comments are always so short :( )I wonder what happened to traumatise him to the point where he loses his mind... I'd love to find out. Awesome wicked mad chapter (as per usual) more when you can please?

Have you ever watched a who-did-it movie? I can't stand them, I need to know who the criminal is 5 minutes before the crime was even committed. I usually hate stories that hide things for me, or that leave enough space to wonder. I hate not knowing things. The story made me think about autism, more than it should probably, because just some symptoms match and then comes the obvious they thought he had a mental disease. But he didn't. He had just been tormented to the brink of insanity. But still. It seemed to match. Incredibly brilliant, incredibly introverted. Not even I can always be right. Or maybe he is autistic just the narrator doesn't [or doesn't want to] know it.
-sigh-

Now the story itself is a puzzle of careful little pieces that you have to put together. I think [and I may be wrong] the timeline varies. One chapter in the 6 year old perspective, one in the 16 one. And although there's a 10 year difference the character is exactly the same. It's so odd how we expect a person to change dramatically in as little as 5 or 6 year [even less] and then to stay that way for over 50 years. Growing up is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's so painful you don't want to do it again.
I am somewhat curious of the what's next so I'll keep an eye on the story. Somewhat curious because I know the 16 year old will either die or try to die.
He never thought about suicide. The thought never passed through his mind. But with a mind of a six year old, that wasn't too uncommon. He didn't believe that it could be a way out. He'd barely even heard of it. Wasn't that odd, really.

Now I'm going to slip into the ever-so-cliche part of my comment. Oh he reminds me so much of me it's painful. I know he's meant to remind everyone of themselves, and the universal nameless-ness makes him all the more adorable. But. It's just, that kind of kid. The kid no-one knows, and the kid who doesn't want to be known. It's painful how much I've changed from that, how I've abandoned loneliness and quiet brilliance for the sake of some smiles, hugs and numbers. Oh or better to make someone proud. Thinking back on it, ''he'' should be proud in a way, of himself, for hanging on to what he believes in. For not giving in and for not letting his inner beauty fade out in the hot wind of the shallow world.
I wonder if it's possible to envy a character so tormented and hurt, because I sure envy him. I wish with all my heart that he wouldn't go through Hell like that, but yet again even if you do fit in, the world's still a Hell, just not yours, the Hell someone built for you.

They didn't want him to join.

He didn't either.

It's like he hates being rejected and insulted, and yet at the same time, doesn't really mind it happening. If they hate him, they'll keep their distance. If they can't understand him, they'll leave him alone. If they leave him alone, bar getting insulted and hated, he gets what he wants; solitude. It's like one unending contradiction of his life. He hates it, and yet is sometimes okay with it. That can't help to do anything but fuel his own confusion, really. But then again, it could just be him reciprocating the sentiment. I mean, who'd want to join a group that can't see you for who you are? Why would you enjoy complany when half the company you get is fuelled by pity or disdain?

When he did get shoved in the car, he would often have to contribute to the conversation. That never went well. He liked to walk. Gave him more time alone.

He liked being alone. Almost as much as he liked his animals.

He seems pretty down to earth for someone so rocked, shaken and stirred (seriously, I wanna see how far you manage to go with the three-word titles :tehe:)
The silent part of his character is an interesting quality, because he seems to have so many things to say, and yet doesn't want to say them. Not to his peers at school, not to his teachers, not to his psychiatrist. But how long can silence last before it has to be broken?

He didn't believe he could do anything safely.

Neither did anyone else.

It's so sad to think that he thinks as much of himself as those who tormet him do. It's a very sad commentary of the situation. He doesn't even have a name

---

He was always beaten at school.
^This sounds so flat, so factual. It makes it seem just as it is; another hard fact of his life.

He never thought about suicide. The thought never passed through his mind. But with a mind of a six year old, that wasn't too uncommon. He didn't believe that it could be a way out. He'd barely even heard of it.


He isn't even a troubled kid who wants to take his life. He's just an innocent child who can do nothing but be subject to horrific insult everyday without knwoing (or even wanting?) a way out. How it wasn't that odd for someone like him, someone so young and innocent to even consider something like that. I guess that's a brighter side of youth--you're blissfully oblivious of the many things you can do.

He saw the other children throw tantrums when they didn't get what they want.

He never got what he wanted.

He never asked for anything...


Why doesn't he ask for anything???
He deserves everything more than he has now, he at least deserves some choice of asking for things. Or maybe he is just happy with what he has. Maybe he doesn't want to be a burden by asking for anything?

As always, you fail to disappoint. Ily:arms:

Chapter 1:

The fact that I keep picturing this as if it were a movie, seeing a little boy lost and troubled at such a young age brings tears to my eyes, even though the description is absolutely beautiful.

They showed him who was boss.

Daily.

So no wonder he had grown up from being a shy 6 year old, scared to talk, scared to walk, to a shy 16 year old, scared to talk, scared to talk.

I really like this, mainly because you've summed him up in about three sentences. It must have been really hard on him, especially if this kind of behavior followed him throughout his childhood and teenage years. Such a shame the way these people brought him down... They've played with his emotions and used it for their benefit... leaving him like shattered glass on the floor.

He was broken broken shattered torn and broken.

He knew it.

This poor boy... so helpless, a fragile child already feeling this way... at six years old. Really sad chapter, but well written.

---

Chapter 2:

Whenever people saw him, they thought he had a mental disease. But he didn't. He had just been tormented to the brink of insanity.

This line makes me wonder why, why people were judging him at such a young age... and it really amazes me how he's able to feel this way even though he's so young. Not able to live a "normal childhood", play around with the other children... but having to see a therapist. Being abused by the other classmates. It gives me this feeling of guilt, wanting to reach out and help him with everything going on in his life... just so he won't have to suffer anymore.

School was just torture. He was teased for the way he looked, the way he didn't speak, the way he acted. He still played on the playground equipment.

He was brilliantly intelligent, but never paid attention to the teacher, or any of his work.

Too busy holding back tears.

I can't imagine what he had to go through that young... I really, really liked this chapter.

---

Chapter 3:

For some reason, a song plays in my head when I read this chapter... especially when reading this line:

He was content, sitting and playing alone. On the swings, on the jungle gym. Not even the preschoolers joined him, they left him the hell alone.

It's almost as if he had become his worst enemy, as if all this rage boiling up inside him was about to overflow, like water running through a kitchen, flooding the entire room... Was it going to happen?

He didn't believe he could do anything safely.

Neither did anyone else.

You left me hanging on to my chair. I'm really curious to know what happened...

One thing I've noticed is that the little boy is nameless... almost anonymous. Will he stay that way throughout the story?

:arms: It's beautifully written, Jack. I want to read more -- I want to see things from his eyes.

P.S. Sorry for the long review (that probably made no sense) ...

Aww...I love this story so much :tehe: He's so fragile and the amount of ridicule he's given must be unbearable. More when you can please?

Wow.
You are to good! I feel like crying.
More soon? because I'm subscribing!
<3

Why is it I always forget to subscribe first time?:cheese:

Anyway:

He sucked his thumb when he was in the trolley. Whenever people saw him, they thought he had a mental disease. But he didn't. He had just been tormented to the brink of insanity.

I still wanna give him a hug! He just seems to be one of those kids who can't deal with the harshness of reality. One of those few who simply choose to remain a child. You often hear people say how they wished they could stay as kids, wished they didn't have to grow up, and I guess all this boy's doing is just living that dream...however nightmarish it is.

They had grown boring and mundane, but his his mind, they were still as new as the day he first laid eyes on them.

I like how imaginative he is. It's almost like the one saving grace for him, the one good part of being so tormented; he's left alone to think his thoughts, he's given room to let his mind go wild. He's a genius, and yet will never show it, for fear of ridicule, for knowing that he'll still be met with the same hatred, albeit for different reasons. Brings a whole knew meaning to the idea of the failure of the school system.

Too busy holding back tears.

This must be the hardest thing for someone so fragile, to try and block out their emotions, not letting anything through, because it'll just affirm the idea that he's broken, it'll just give the architects of his misery more reason to hate him.

You're sodding brilliant at this, Jack. I'm so glad you updated.

Jaack

I love this so much. I wanna find this boy and give him a hug.

Just another innocent emotional being lost in the sea of harshness and cold. He didn't have friends at his school, they didn't know how to be fragile. If understanding isn't reached, the next option is more often than not utter denial. They rebuke him because they don't get him. They bully him because they can't even begin to look into his eyes and see the depth of his soul.

He had never grown up. The only release he had from this cruel, cruel world was in the form of his stuffed toys, and gaming consoles. Why would he want to grow up, anyway? Seeing what people his age act like, with their disdain, their disrespect, their insults and torture, why would he want to break free of the bonds of childhood, from imaginary friends, toys and games? What kind of person would pick a harsh reality over that, and voluntarily so?

The animals were his only real friends, the only ones who talked without scorn, or hate. They never bullied him, tortured him, made fun of him.

This bit actually made me cry. He only has his toys! They're his one sanctuary against the evil he faces, and they're the only ones who even begin to understand him. Just...ahh.

He was broken broken shattered torn and broken.

He knew it.

It's so sad, to think the only person who truly understands him is himself, and all he can do is just see what everyone else has made him to be--that broken little boy, torn to pieces by words and hate, who's only protection from the world is his own imagination.

fhduiofhduias. You made me cry. That's just evil!

Ifly for it though:arms:

Good story, update soon