TW: Physical and verbal bullying, attempted murder

I take the bus to school. In hindsight it’s probably not the best idea considering everybody hates me, but I don’t have any other option. When we arrive at school I’m the last to leave the bus and as soon as I do I’m pelted with rocks. I look up to see the bird students dropping them from the sky.

“Monster! Murderer! Weasel!” They scream at me. I’m used to it. It’s been happening since I was a kid. You can get used to a lot of things if it happens enough, and believe me when I say it happens a lot. I just keep walking, ignoring the pain and the blood dripping down the side of my head. 

I pull the hood of my hoodie over my small, furry brown ears as I slowly walk to my class. As I approach the door I can hear the excited noises of my classmates. Something fun must be going on. When I open the door all eyes turn in my direction. Everyone, from Emily the kiwi to Anae the skink, stabbing daggers at me with their eyes. I look down at the floor as I walk to my desk, my black eyes glancing at their feet. I make my way to my lonely desk in the corner. Sitting down on the chair I notice various things written on my desk.

“‘Go away!’ ‘We don’t want you here!’ ‘WEASEL!’ ‘Die.’” This must be what they were having so much fun doing.

After class starts my teacher tells the class to work on our math assignment. I pull it out of my desk and start working. My teacher walks around the room to make sure that everyone is doing their work. My pencil breaks. I crack open my desk to grab my pencil sharpener without knocking anything off. My teacher walks by as I’m rummaging through my things to find my pencil sharpener. She stops at my desk and asks,”What are you doing?” Her pointy ears flat down against her head.

I finally find it, grabbing it and pulling it out of my desk,”Just grabbing my pencil sharpener Mrs. Jones.” I answer.

She nods and walks away whispering,”weasel,” under her breath as she leaves. I ignore it and continue working.

I take the bus home, sitting in the back where no one else sits. As we arrive at my stop the driver pulls to the side of the road. I slowly stand up, my short tail brushing the seat as I do. As I walk through the aisle. I can feel animals glaring at my back and whispers hanging in the air, stabbing at my skin like an icy breeze. I exit the bus and walk a block to my house. I reach the door and try the doorknob. The door swings open and I walk inside, locking it behind me. “Mom, I'm home!” I yell across the house.  

“Alright darling.” She yells back. “Do you have homework?” She asks me.

“Yeah.”

“Okay, I’ll call you when dinner is ready”

I head upstairs to my room. I set down my stuff and take off my hoodie revealing some of my white underbelly. I sit at my desk and start my homework.

My mom calls me down for dinner an hour later. I sit down at the table, thanking her for the food. “How was your d-” She starts, she never gets to finish the question because a brick wrapped in a piece of paper flies through the window and lands on the table. My mom reaches for it, but I snatch it before she can. I unwrap the piece of paper and look at what is written on it. Written in big red letters,”W E A S E L!” I crumple up the paper and throw it in the trash. 

I get up from the table and start walking toward the door. 

“What did it say?” Mom asks.

“Nothing.” I replied. “I’m gonna go for a walk.” I don’t wait for her to respond. I grab my jacket and my keys and walk out the door, locking it behind me. I walk a couple of blocks to the beach. I sit down on the sand and take off my shoes, putting my feet in the water. I close my eyes and listen to the waves. It’s so peaceful out here. I could just listen to the ocean forever. Suddenly, I hear a noise behind me, but I don’t react fast enough and my face is slammed into the salty water. The same action is repeated over and over again, slamming my face into the ocean and bringing it back up to let me get a breath in, only to slam me back down.

The perpetrators continue this for some time until one of them lifts me by my hair and whispers in my ear, ”Die.” This time when they slam me down they keep me there, I start to suffocate. My vision starts vading when I hear a distant yell.

“Hey, stop that!” or something like that. Well, whatever they said scared my attackers away. I get myself out of the water and gasp for air, coughing on my hands and knees. The stranger comes up to me and asks,”Are you okay?”

I continue coughing, finally catching my breath I answer, ”Fine, but why did you help me?”

“Because I don’t believe anyone deserves to die.”

“But I’m a murderer, a monster.”

“Really? Have you ever actually killed anyone?”

“Well no.” I look them in the eyes when I say this, noticing the distinct smile of a quokka. I didn’t think that they lived here in New Zealand.

“Exactly! Well anyways I don’t think it's right how they treat you. It’s not your fault some of your species are the way they are. It’s honestly infuriating!”

I nod and look them in the eyes once again, ”Do you always smile?” I hope that wasn’t rude, I just want to change the subject.

“Well I don’t really have a choice, genetics,” They shrug.”Ya know we’re supposed to be the happiest creatures in the world and yet I don't have any friends. I’m Poppy by the way.” They hold out their hand.

I shake it,”I’m Harlow.”