When the Vulture Screams

when the vulture screams its haunting call, It shouts of victory-

of food to eat, of fresh killed meat,

to fill its empty stomach,

when the vulture screams, of death it means,

for prey stuck on the ground-

already killed by hunters, victims don't make a single sound

when the vulture screams-

so strong it seems but really that's not true

their too weak to hunt on their own

so they steal others food

watch out for vultures everywhere

there waiting- ready to speak

So when they come and attack you- know

That they are just as weak…

Anthony… Anthony was an interesting kid. He was always happy- always the optimist.The boy was tall, skinny, and ready to do the next thing- no matter what. Right now he was sleeping, one arm hanging lazily off of his bed. He opened one eye, then the other. In a sudden burst, he jumped out of bed and scrambled out his door. He flung the bathroom door open and scrubbed at his teeth. He glanced up at the clock and confirmed that he was about to be late for school. He pulled on his jeans and then froze… he closed his eyes and sighed. It was the first day of summer break- of course!.

Lunch… lunch was normally Anthony's favorite meal of the day. At least when he was at school… Lunch was the only meal of the day where you could just sit and talk to your friends. Anthony was going to the arcade with one of his friends right after lunch so he went back up stairs to get ready. When he finished changing into a white t-shirt. He looked up at his reflection in the mirror. a confident boy stood there smiling. he pushed his black hair out of his eyes “ANTHONY!” his mom called from downstairs. “It's time to go!”. “Coming!”

Luke… Luke was a quiet kid- kind- but quiet. He was supposed to meet Anthony at the arcade but Anthony wasn't there yet. The afternoon summer sun turned everything an orange hue that made Luke feel like he was in a movie or something. Finally Anthony's mom pulled into the arcade. Anthony swung himself out of the car. “Ya ready?” Anthony said. “Ready as ever!” The two boys walked down the sidewalk to the arcade.

The arcade… the arcade was big, fun, and a popular spot for the kids in the town to hang out at. The flashing lights and loud speakers made a very stimulating atmosphere. As Anthony and Luke walked inside the room seemed to grow around them. “Yo, check it out, they have a new game!”. Anthony walked up to it and sat down in the seat. It was one of those motorcycle games with the motorcycle body and a screen in front of it. “Dude look at this!” Antony said, and got up to give Luke a try. Luke sat down. “This is pretty cool!” Anthony watched as Luke played. “Aww man- I got 5th place,” Luke exclaimed. “Better than me!” Anthony said” as Luke got up, he saw Brandon walking over to them.

Brandon… Brandon was the mean kid- always picking on Anthony and his friends. “Hey pool noodle,do you like the new game?” Luke snorted- then quickly covered his face. Anthony flashed Luke a betrayed look, then frowned down at the ground, feeling suddenly alone. “Go away Brandon” Anthony said “Ooh, skinny boy wants me to go- I’m so scared!” Brandon shoved Anthony into the wall. “Let's see if Mr. noodle can stay on his feet” Brandon said, slamming Anthony back into the wall.

Suddenly he kicked Anthony's feet out from under him. Anthony landed hard. He tried to sit back up but Brandon kicked him back down again. Anthony's head was spinning. The room was a flying blur of colors and shapes. When things finally came into focus, he saw Luke standing over him.

Summer… summer in California is like dream land. Sun caressing your face, open sky- so vast it could swallow you up. Tripping down the baked sidewalk, falling into the car. The last of Anthony's joy dripped onto the floor in a puddle. Driving down the road, speeding by signs and houses, signs and houses. His mom didn't say anything. She never said anything. Anthony looked out the window so that his mom wouldn't see the big bruise on the side of his head.

The Mirror, the mirror that was in Anthony's room, the mirror that was dusty from lack of use, the mirror that held the truth. Anthony walked in his room, a cloud of silence muffling the house. He walked over to the corner. He stood still. He took a deep breath. He dusted off the mirror and looked at himself. A different boy stood there, a boy that was skinny, a boy that was sad, a boy that was too much of a failure to stand up for himself. A boy that was angry. He kicked the wall, anger pumping through his veins, anger pumping through his heart, anger pumping through his arms as he threw his sunglasses at the ground. He closed his eyes and breathed. Replacing the anger with air. Filling up his body with emptiness- feeling nothing…

Luke… Luke was sitting in his room looking at his mirror. He saw a bully in the mirror. A bully that laughed at his own friend. A coward that was too afraid to stand up to Brandon, he saw a boy that was guilty. Luke Knew that Brandon was mean- but he had never seen him hurt anyone. That night Luke lay awake in bed. He looked out at the endless swirl of stars. Was Anthony upset? Was Anthony mad at Luke?

The sunrise… the sunrise the next morning was stunning, layers of pink stacked on orange and towards the top of the sky, there was a glaze of blue. Anthony was outside already, already wondering, already worried, already thinking. Anthony was liking himself less and less every hour. It was like Brandon had followed him and was pointing out more and more problems about Anthony. What kind of friend was he, was it really his fault that his mom treated him the way that she did? Was it really his fault that he was skinny. Did it really matter? Did any of it matter? The sun peaked up at Anthony sitting on the bench. Anthony, so small in the vastness of the world, so helpless.

The morning... the morning that Luke was in bed, while Anthony was up- that Anthony was messed up and Luke was better. Luke was happy, he almost forgot about yesterday… almost. That afternoon Luke was going to the mall to go summer shopping. As soon as Luke got to the mall, he saw Brandon. Brandon was hanging outside with his group of friends. Strange- Brandon didn't look happy. In Fact- he almost looked sad! Luke could tell that he wasn't as chill as he looked as he walked past Brandon he knew that he should say something- he knew that he should talk. But what would he say!? No he wasn't going to say anything.would he regret that? How was Anthony. Was he still upset- but Brandon had hurt Anthony- he had mocked him. By this time he was already in the mall and it was too late. too late… Luke was always too late. too late to help Anthony… too late to talk to Brandon, too late to say sorry? When he was back home he pulled his phone out. “Hi Luke,” Anthony said. “Hey,” Luke replied.aw He was so bad at talking on the phone!” I- I just wanted to say sorry for yesterday” ''you're good” Anthony said. “Thanks, but seriously man- don't take his word for anything- I…” Luke broke off. “my dad told me that Brandon has had a rough past. He's messed up- and rightfully so. Just don't pay attention to him- don't listen to what he says- or what he does to you… got it?” Anthony was quiet. “Yeah” he said finally” 

“I’m sorry Anthony” Luke said again.”Luke you're fine” Anthony repeated, and Luke hung up.

The house… Anthony's house was so quit. Voices filled the silence… voices in Anthony's head. Brandon, struggles- abusive parents, dead

Anthony hadn't known that. He didn't know that at all.

 Did that mean…

Was that…

Did it…

Anthony was choking out in the silence- he needed to get out- to breath. Rushing down the steps, rushing through the kitchen, “-Anthony '' his mom said. “One second mom!” he said. Anthony flung the back door open and breathed hard. In… out...in… out. He sat down on the bench And breathed hard. He felt like he understood things a little bit better. The door slowly swung open and his mom stepped outside. Anthony scowled. He wasn't talking to his mom. She didn't understand. She looked at things from a different angle, like everything had a tangible explanation- everything could be explained. But sometimes that wasn’t how things worked. Sometimes nothing could be explained- the world was chaos- and the human soul was unexplainable and unpredictable, in a wild, reckless way. This morning, Anthony was upset for a reason that not even he knew. His mom sat down next to him. He slid to the end of the bench. She was quiet for a while. Then she spoke. “Anthony ,how are you.” “good” Anthony muttered. “Listen, I know that somethings wrong… and I know that you don't want to talk about… but please at least listen to me. You are a great kid, no matter what. You may be mad at yourself, you may be mad at somebody else… but I just want you to know that you're doing a great job” and with that, she got up and went back inside.

One month later…

Anthony... Anthony was walking in with Luke. The two boys were better friends than ever now. Brandon still bullied Anthony, but Anthony didn't care so much. Now, when Anthony looked in the mirror, he didn't see a loser, or a wimp. He saw a kid that was happy, a kid that was striving, and even succeeding in life. The mirror showed him things, sometimes it sowed him the truth… and sometimes it sowed him lies, its all about how you look at it.