Some years time ago…
Malcom watched as a girl sang in the schoolyard. He knew that she was a Marked as well.
Everyone knew that despite the administration's attempts to keep the secret hidden in certain classes, it was still pretty easy to guess. Just like that, the school knew who was the Markeds in that place.
Malcom looked at her from afar. Whenever their gaze crossed, he changed his direction. He was not particularly shy, but she managed to make him nervous.
Even from where he was, he could hear her sing, and that was enough for him. When he closed his eyes, he was lost in the melody of her song, and it seemed that the song was dedicated only to him.
They did not know each other, but Malcom always saw her at school. They were in the same year and were the same age.
A few times, the Marked ones differentiated their ages by much, and this was no exception.
Malcom kept his eyes closed while he listened as the girl sang in the distance when suddenly the song stopped.
When he opened his eyes, Malcom looked at how three boys were standing in front of her.
She didn't look scared, but she certainly didn't look comfortable either.
"What a beautiful song, Marked! Why don't you sing it for us some more?" One of the boys said smugly.
Just hearing that word made the anger in Malcom's heart intensified, that he was already looking at the other boy with his fists clenched tightly.
The Marked girl remained silent. Her lips were pursed as if she was so reluctant to deal with the boys at all but could not do anything about it.
"So, what are you waiting for? Sing!" The boy demanded while looking at her impatiently.
He was clearly taller than her with the naked eye, but the truth was that he was taller than all the other boys in his class.
The girl slowly got up and tried to leave.
However, the boy took her hand and said, "Listen, Marked! I told you to sing! You don't understand that you should serve!"
Hearing that, Malcom lost his patience and got up on his way to him.
As he walked, Malcom raised his voice loudly and said, "To serve! She already served, asshole! You don't know that the marked ones already did our part when we were born!"
The boy who was holding the girl's hand looked at Malcom with a smile, and with disdain, he asked, "You again? Don't you get tired of being beaten up?"
The comment embarrassed Malcom, who instinctively saw the girl's face. She seemed scared now, but her gaze was fixed on Malcom.
Malcom took a deep breath before he spoke, "Why don't you leave her alone? Don't you have things to do like learn how to read? Or maybe eat your eighth banana tree of the day!"
His companions laughed, as did everyone around them. The young man looked everywhere.
When he planted his eyes on the faces of those who laughed, they all kept silent, releasing the girl's hand. He walked in Malcom's direction.
While Malcom saw him, his heart was racing. He hated that part. Fear always invaded him, and knowing himself inferior was a martyrdom that did not let him calm down. The boy stood in front of Malcom.
He was a whole head taller than Marked when he, with a smile, and then asked, "How many times have I kicked your ass this month?"
Malcom glared at him, but it was true, he couldn't count the times he had been beaten up for facing them, but that was no reason to stop.
Without giving time to react, he created a board that he grabbed with his hand and, lifting it at full speed, hit his opponent's head.
The boy in front of him received the impact with force, and Malcom crouching down, swept his legs to knock him down.
The young man fell face down to the ground, but at that moment, Malcom saw his two companions advance towards him.
Malcom backed down in time to evade them. One of them threw a strong blizzard that made Malcom cover his face while the other, running at full speed, tried to punch him.
The Marked, after creating a staff, began to spin and held the two boys at bay.
However, suddenly the boy who had received the first attack got up and, looking at Malcom, with contempt.
"A sneak attack, damn Marked vermin!" The boy spat out.
Just as the boy said that he activated his own power, and black hair began to come out of his body. He slowly transformed into a large gorilla.
Malcom gulped fearfully and clung to his staff. His magic was depleted so that one would be his last creation.
"You'll know what happens when you mess with Jason!"
Malcom's eyes widened when he saw the gorilla pouncing on him. With speed, he moved the staff to hit him, but it was shattered when it came into contact with the gorilla.
Malcom tried to create something else through clenched teeth, but his energy was insufficient, and feeling the impact of the tackle, he flew out until he crashed into a school wall.
The pain was instantaneous, and he felt his consciousness fade, but forcing himself to stay awake, he told himself. Don't faint! Don't faint! Don't faint!
But before he could fall, his opponent had reached him and with only his hand transformed and returning the rest of his body to normal, he smashed him against the wall lifting his feet off the floor while holding him by the neck.
Malcom could barely breathe, he threw kicks and punches with force, but nothing was enough to hurt Jason, who, laughing, made fun of him to his face.
"What happened, Marked!! Do you understand your position now?"
Malcom tried to say something, but he couldn't. Jason removed his hand from the neck to let him speak, but the babbling was too small for Jason to hear it.
When he brought his ear to the mouth of the Marked to hear what he was saying, Malcom bit his ear with all the force he could.
Jason angrily walked away and looking at Malcom with force, and he punched him in the face.
Malcom did his best not to fall, but at that moment, the beating began. Jason released fist after fist that Malcom could not avoid.
Each impact made him lose his consciousness just for the other to wake him up. He felt Jason's anger and hatred after each attack.
"Enough!"
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