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That is deep and cutting.

things that keeps me up at night. 

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This has Oh Sangwoo written all over it.

Villains with tragic backstories

[x]

#killing stalking #sangwoo #yoon bum

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Chapter 1: Childhood

Brett always had an uncanny ability to know exactly when people are trouble. It sort of plagued him as a kid on the playground; anytime there was someone who was being bullied he felt it. That sadness. He never considered himself an empath, even after doing extensive research following a conversation with his mom about it. He didn’t feel other people’s happiness or love. Just negative emotions. Brett hadn’t considered it much of a gift until now, when he thought back on how his life had played out so far, especially in regards to Aaron. It’s how they met after all.

Brett was playing on the jungle gym with his normal group of friends when he felt an overwhelming sadness. He looked in the direction of where he felt it coming from and saw him. A shaggy black haired kid had been tripped and landed face first in the wood chips covering the playground. His glasses flew off his face inches away from his hand as Andy Johnson and his friends just laughed. Andy was in Brett’s grade.  Andy had a reputation amongst the third grade class as being the terror of the playground. He stole people’s pencils and character eraser tops. He even stooped so low as stealing kid’s hard earned candy from answering questions right in class. He was rather big and round compared to the boy’s scrawny physique; he was pretty short which meant that Andy dwarfed him.

At first, Brett just watched.

“What are you doing down there?” Andy peered down at him, sneering. Aaron tried to stand up but was pushed back down. “So, you’re the new kid in Mrs. Crawley’s class, right?” the boy looked around for his glasses but couldn’t find them. “What are these? They’re huge! What a dork,” Andy held up the tiny boy’s glasses and tried to look through them.

“Give them back! I need them!” He stood up and was met with Andy’s notorious cohorts, Zack and Colin, grabbing his arms. Colin was the only third grader that wasn’t subject to Andy’s bullying only because he could be just as ruthless.

“Well, why don’t we play a game? You try to find us without your glasses and if you do we’ll give them back. Okay?” Zack and Colin pushed him back to the ground and ran. Brett jumped off from the equipment and started walking over to the scene. The kid pulled himself up and began looking for Andy.

“Over here, four-eyes!” He walked in the direction of Andy’s voice. Brett went to get a teacher from the blacktop who was supposed to be observing but was actually just talking to another adult. He got the teacher’s attention and pointed over to the scene as Colin side-swiped the kid, knocking him over. Immediately, she walked past Brett and entered the fray.

“What are you doing? Come get me!” Zack pelted the boy with wood chips. They hit him in the eye, blinding him with dirt. He started crying and rubbing at his eyes.

“What is going on here?” The teacher intervened.

“Uh, we were just playing and he fell down. Right guys?” Colin and Zack agreed with every word.

“Whose glasses are those?” she asked.

“Mine,” the boy cried.

“Give those to me. Now go play somewhere else. I’ll be watching you boys.” Andy and his gang ran off. “Now let’s get you up, are you okay?”

“My eye…” The teacher swatted his hands aside and pulled the lower lid of his eye down with her thumb.

“Look up.” He obeyed. “Look down. Well, whatever it was I think you cried it out of your eye.” Her lipstick was bright red against her curly blonde hair. “Try not to touch your eye. Here are your glasses; try to be more careful, okay? I’m on the blacktop if you need me.” She smiled, stood up and walked away.

The boy placed his glasses tentatively on his face. He looked up at Brett and looked afraid that he was another bully.

“Are you okay? As soon as I saw what happened I went and got the teacher. They’re mean to everyone,” he watched as the boy brushed the wood chips out of his black shaggy hair.

“Yeah, I’m okay. Thanks.” His eyes looked ridiculously huge when enlarged by the glasses. No wonder he became an instant target of Andy’s.

“I’m Brett MacIntyre. Are you new? I don’t think I’ve seen you before.” He extended his hand and the boy shook it.

“Yeah, this is my first week. I’m Aaron Macaulay.” Andy was definitely the last kid Aaron wanted to meet in his first week at Hawthorne Elementary.

“What grade are you in?”

“Third.”

“I’m in fourth. Since our school's so small they combine some of the grades for recess and lunch. That’s why third and fourth are always together. Did you make any friends yet?”

“No, not yet.” Aaron mumbled.

“Do you wanna play with me? My friends and I were playing Shark if you wanna join.” Brett gestured back to the jungle gym.

“Sure,” Aaron smiled. “What’s Shark?”

“It’s like tag but you play on the equipment.”

“I’ve never heard of it.” Aaron pushed his glasses up.

“The person who’s ‘It’ can only tag people from the bottom like a shark and everyone else stays on the equipment like a boat trying to avoid the shark. It’s harder than it sounds.” They walked over to the equipment where the other kids were waiting.

“Hey guys, this is Aaron. He’s a third grader. He’s gonna join our game.” Brett smiled and when Aaron wasn’t looking he nodded furiously with a look that said they didn’t have a choice.

“I’m in third grade too!” A curly brown haired girl bounced to the front of the group of boys. “My name’s Dani!” She leaned sideways to view Aaron almost upside down.

“Dani Lubinski is Ash’s sister,” he gestured to a boy with curls that rivalled his sister’s. “He’s in fourth.”

“Hi,” Ash said and waved.

“This is Josh Bennett,” Brett pointed at a dirty-blond boy with big ears wearing a bright green hoodie. “And this is also Josh, but we call him JT.” They all snickered at the double Josh joke as Brett gestured to the kid standing next to Josh. He had bright red hair and freckles. He smiled to reveal a gap between his teeth.

“Hi, Aaron. I’m the shark right now,” he snapped his teeth loudly. “I’ll give ya a minute to get on the equipment before I come get you. Raw!” He roared.

“Run!” Dani squealed and the group scattered. Aaron clambered up the ladder onto the platform. He dashed across the rickety bridge to where Josh was already positioned.

“Get ready, here he comes!” JT struck his hand out onto the bridge as Ash jumped over it joining Josh and Aaron.

“Watch this!” Ash swung onto the monkey bars and off onto the ground.

“He’s crazy!” Josh screamed. JT saw Ash move and bolted around the bridge after him. Ash darted across the field with JT in tow. Brett stomped over the bridge and joined Aaron on the other side.

“Ash likes to live life on the edge!” Brett giggled.

“RUN ASH, RUN!!” Dani screamed on the other side of the bridge. Ash circled back around to the equipment and leapt up towards Brett’s outstretched hand pulling him up.

“That was amazing!” Josh squealed. JT finally caught up and jumped onto the ladder smacking his hand down onto Brett’s shoe.

“You’re it!” he heaved and climbed up.

“Aw, man.” The other kids chuckled as Brett hopped down.

“Alright, get ready,” Brett yelled. Ash dashed across the bridge heaving with Josh close behind him. JT climbed higher up into the tower catching his breath. Aaron decided to chance the bridge and follow the others towards the slide. Brett locked eyes with Aaron and could see what he was about to do. Aaron stepped forward and Brett moved slightly following his every move. Aaron looked across to see Ash and Josh beckoning him forward. He took a deep breath and leapt onto the bridge missing the first swing from Brett. The wave of the bridge made him lose his balance slightly. He back-stepped to keep from falling but also stepped right into Brett’s reach. He felt a hand lock around his ankle.

“You’re it, Aaron!” Brett shimmied onto the bridge under the ropes on the sides. He stood up and began to jump making the bridge shake again. “You’re the shark now!”

“Stop bouncing so I can get down,” Aaron shouted. Brett immediately stopped so Aaron could walk over to the ladder. Once he was down, the group ran back and forth on the equipment picking their spots and calling to each other. Aaron looked like he wasn’t even sure how to begin except for the bridge since that’s where the rest started. He swiped his hand out trying to touch anyone but the bridge smacked his chin and then pinched his hand as it settled again.

“Ow!” Aaron backed away from the bridge. Before anyone noticed, a teacher blew the whistle and the kid’s raced each other to line up on the blacktop. Ash and JT pushed each other to see who would make it first with Dani falling behind. Josh shoved his hands into his sweatshirt pocket and walked casually back. Aaron felt Brett next to him before he saw him.

“What happened?”  Brett peered over Aaron’s shoulder.

“I-I pinched my finger…it really hurts.” He scrunched up his face and was trying really hard not to cry again.  Brett felt bad and so decided to make him smile.

“I stubbed my toe on a brick once and, you know, I know what makes it feel better. My mom taught me.” Brett smiled looking proud.

“What’s that?” Aaron looked up and Brett gathered him in a hug, squeezing him and lifting him off his feet. He put him down and said: “Hugs always make me feel better.”

“Do you feel better?” His smile made Aaron smile through his tears.

“Yeah,” Aaron beamed and giggled. “You should be a doctor.”

“That’s why I’m in fifth grade. We know more stuff.” He put his hands on his hips and puffed out his chest like Superman.

“Come on, we’re one of the last kids on the playground. If we don’t hurry they’ll be mad. I don’t wanna lose a card in my first week!” Aaron said as he began running. The card system was meant to regulate children’s behavior, each kid having three cards, green, yellow and red. When all three cards are “pulled” by the teacher the child loses recess or worse, a phone call to parents.

“I’ve never lost a card!” Brett yelled as he sprinted across the playground. They got into their designated lines and as his line began to follow the teacher’s aide inside he heard Brett call to him from the back of his line, “Play tomorrow?”

Aaron turned around and gave Brett a smile and a thumbs up. He’s been Brett’s best friend ever since.

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#childhood #lgbtq #gay #first meeting

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Thoughts for Brett and Aaron

not sure what should happen next in your story?

Embarrass your protagonist. Make them seem weak and vulnerable in some way.

Shoot someone. That always takes the reader by surprise. 

In relation, kidnap someone. Or, rather, make it seem to your protagonist like someone has been kidnapped. 

Have one of your side characters disappear or become unavailable for some reason. This will frustrate your protagonist.

Have someone kiss the wrong girl, boy, or person, especially if you’ve been setting up a romance angle. It’s annoying.

If this story involves parents, have them argue. Push the threat of divorce, even if you know it won’t ever happen. It’ll make your readers nervous.

Have someone frame your protagonist for a crime they didn’t commit. This could range from a dispute to a minor crime to a full-blown felony.

If this is a fantasy story involving magic or witchcraft, create a terrible accident that’s a direct result of their spell-casting. 

Injure your protagonist in some way, or push them into a treacherous scenario where they might not make it out alive. 

Have two side characters who are both close to the protagonist get into a literal fist-fight. This creates tension for the reader, especially if these characters are well-developed, because they won’t know who to root for.

Make your protagonist get lost somewhere (at night in the middle of town, in the woods, in someone else’s house, etc.) 

Involve a murder. It can be as in-depth and as important as you want it to be. 

Introduce a new character that seems to prey on your protagonist’s flaws and bring them out to light.

If it’s in-character, have one of your characters get drunk or take drugs. Show the fallout of that decision through your protagonist. 

Spread a rumor about your protagonist. 

If your protagonist is in high-school, create drama in the school atmosphere. A death of a student, even if your protagonist didn’t know them personally, changes the vibe. 

If your story involves children, have one of them do something dangerous (touch a hot stove, run out into the road, etc.) and show how the protagonist responds to this, even if the child isn’t related to them. 

In a fantasy story, toss out the idea of a rebellion or war between clans or villages (or whatever units you are working with). 

Add a scenario where your protagonist has to make a choice. We all have watched movies where we have screamed don’t go in there! at the top of our lungs at the main character. Make them go in there. 

Have your protagonist find something, even if they don’t understand the importance of it yet. A key, a document, an old stuffed animal, etc. 

Foreshadow later events in some way. (Need help? Ask me!)

Have your protagonist get involved in some sort of verbal altercation with someone else, even if they weren’t the one who started it. 

Let your protagonist get sick. No, but really, this happens in real life all the time and it’s rarely ever talked about in literature, unless it’s at its extremes. It could range from a common cold to pneumonia. Maybe they end up in the hospital because of it. Maybe they are unable to do that one thing (whatever that may be) because of it.

Have someone unexpected knock on your protagonist’s door. 

Introduce a character that takes immediate interest in your protagonist’s past, which might trigger a flashback.

Have your protagonist try to hide something from someone else and fail.

Formulate some sort of argument or dispute between your protagonist and their love interest to push them apart. 

Have your protagonist lose something of great value in their house and show their struggle to find it. This will frustrate the reader just as much as the protagonist.

Create a situation where your protagonist needs to sneak out in the middle of the night for some reason.

Prevent your character from getting home or to an important destination in some way (a car accident, a bad storm, flat tire, running out of gas, etc.)