Mean Boy

“Why do you hate me, mean boy? Is it my poetry? Do you not like it? I know first graders are not supposed to write poetry. But my teacher likes it. I could teach you to draw. It’s fun to draw. You could draw my freaky hair — make fun of it in your drawing. I wouldn’t mind. I can show you how to draw aliens. I know you don’t believe me, but I can make you see lots of pictures of aliens in your mind. They are wonderful to draw — all life is wonderful to draw. If I show you, it will be like you could always draw. You would draw like a high school person, not a third-grader. Your teacher would be proud and show your artwork to everyone. Just stop hurting me! My mummy scares me. She checks my head every day. I am scared for you, mean boy, scared of what my mummy will do. I haven’t seen the last boy who was mean to me in a long time. I’m so scared. Don’t make me cry. Let me touch your head and I can take away your pain. I don’t know why, but it works, I promise. Please mean boy. Please!”

 This character monologue is an expansion of the story surrounding this illustration. This illustration, by Matt Curtis, is from book #1, "The Saeshell Book of Time Part 1: The Death of Innocents."