Original Ficlet: Strangers Can Hurt Without Knowing

[bk_forever]

Title: Strangers Can Hurt Without Knowing

Author: badly_knitted

Characters: OCs

Rating: G

Word Count: 150

Summary: The careless words of strangers can hurt, even when they’re not actually aimed at you.

Written For: The prompt ‘A man with wings’ at dailyprompt

A/N: A snippet of original fiction in a drabble and a half.

As he walks past the school gates, he overhears two boys talking and laughing about the comic book they’re reading.

“A man with wings! That’s nuts, totally unreal. It could never happen,” says one.

“It’d be kinda cool to be able to fly though, don’t ya think?” the other asks.

“Nah, it’d be weird. Wouldn’t work anyway, people are too heavy to fly, I learned about it in biology. Birds can fly ‘cause they’ve got like hollow bones, makes ‘em weigh nothin’, or near enough. If a kid got born with wings, it’d never fly. The parents wouldn’t want it anyway, probably sell it to some freak show, that’s all it’d be good for.”

He pulls his overcoat more tightly around him. He’s always known he’s different from the other kids; his parents say he’s special, their miracle. He’s never been made to feel like a freak.

Not until now.

The End

Comments

[too-beauty.livejournal.com]

ohhhh poor thing! I'm sure that overhearing the boys made him feel truly sad .....

[bk_forever]

For the first time, he's realising how cold and cruel the world can be.

Thank you!

[owensheart.livejournal.com]

Beautiful story and quite sad too.

[bk_forever]

Thank you!

Yes it IS rather a sad little snippet. The world can be a very harsh place if you're different.

[tardisjournal.livejournal.com]

I'm hopelessly behind in my reading and commenting, but I wanted to make sure I came back and commented on this! I read it on my phone the other night and was very moved by it. This is a powerful warning to be careful what we say, because you never know who will be listening!

I really feel for the character in your story and hope he comes to love his gift later in life!

[bk_forever]

I think up until that point, he'd never felt anything but blessed, not a casual comment overheard has made him doubt himself. But his parents love him and will reassure him that he's not a freak. His eyes have been opened to the wider world though.

Thank you.

[timelordshines.livejournal.com]

I like this.
A good warning to be careful what you say.

[bk_forever]

Yeah, although I guess there was no way the kids could have known there really was a person with wings walking past them close enough to overhear.

Thank you!

[jsks.livejournal.com]

Wibbles for the child.

[bk_forever]

Thank you. He's finding out that the world isn't always a kind place.