Someone's Hero

In an age of time when the destruction of modern civilization slowly descends upon us we must look to a future when someone, anyone will rise up and take the reigns so long ago dropped and lift us back to our rightful path. This at least was the thoughts and the most constant staple of Professor Damien’s lectures. He knew that the inner cities were going to hell and also that his student ratio had jumped by 60% over the last few years. At the ripe age of 45 he was still younger than the larger portion of his peers but also older by leaps and bounds from his students.

He often wondered how he would cope in his older years as it got more dangerous around the city, his thoughts drifted as he sat behind his mahogany desk and he tried to focus on the weight of the future before him. It was a threat to his mortality to step out of the car and walk into this school each day as well as a threat just to walk down the hall. Kids bringing weapons to school albeit guns, knives, or shanks fashioned out of metal or any material handy. It was a virtual battle zone when one of the gangs that walked through the school butted heads against another. He wondered how much longer he would be safe slipping from one corridor to the other and not catching a bullet or knife in the back.

Even as the thoughts slipped through his head the bell rang and his most promising student slipped up to his desk and waited for him to notice her. “Ahem, sir,” she coughed.

“Oh, Ms. Dana, how can I help you today?” he inquired.

“Well, Mr. Damien,” she started with a reluctant look on her face, “my brother David has gone and gotten himself into a dangerous situation with that thug Scorpion.”

Damien waited until she paused and then his mind started to run rampant, this could be just his chance to step in and help save someone just as he always lectured about. Perhaps this would be the time he stepped forward and guided one of those lost souls back to the light and he may find a way to redeem himself for all his own self insecurities. His mind focused as Dana started to speak again and she laid out the most horrific tale that he had heard in many years.

Dana went on to explain that her brother had apparently ran into the Cadillac that Scorpion drove, upon this happening the boy, Scorpion as he was known, jumped out of the car and pressed a gun to David’s temple. This in itself was bad enough but she went on to relay that David had reacted swiftly and lethally by spinning and kicking Scorpion in the head and dropping him to the ground after which disarming him and pointing the gun right at its owner. He had then pulled back the hammer, cocking the gun, dropped the safety and told Scorpion to kiss his ass goodbye.

“Then some revelation must have hit Professor Damien,” Dana said through her tears, “ David flipped the button on the side of the gun dropped out the clip, tossed the gun and walked away with the clip in his hand.”

“So the problem is now Scorpion who got faced in front of his boys needs retribution. He is out for David’s life and won’t rest until he gets it, sir.” Dana whimpered.

Damien thought for a moment and it quickly occurred to him that indeed today was going to be that chance to strive forward and grasp a bit of his destiny. For he thought destiny lies deep within each of us not some fabric mapped out prior to our stumbling into it. He knew that there was a higher being out there but his best beliefs were that he controlled everything himself, that each and every time he chose to do something it was of his own will and not something else.

“Alright Dana here’s what we are going to do,” the professor finally told her after a few minutes had passed. He lay out his plan and then told her to do exactly as he had instructed, if this was going to work it had to be fast quick and done with pinpoint accuracy.

Two hours later outside the school a SWAT team was waiting in concealed locations, and snipers had assumed their places on the rooftops of the surrounding buildings adjacent to the parking lot. Professor Damien’s plan was a go thus far. He had alerted to principal of the school and also got in touch with David and set up a way out for the boy, without him losing his “props” to his peers. He was going to be giving Damien a ride home supposedly and then when the other boy confronted them, which he undoubtedly would, the swat team would wait until Scorpion brandished his weapon and then strike. This would be the last of a three strikes your out program for Scorpion and he wouldn’t be returning to school or even to the domesticated civilized society anytime in the next thirty to forty years.

“Thanks Professor Damien,” David shyly whispered as they walked out of his classroom with Dana.

“Not a problem young buck,” Damien replied with a hearty laugh. He knew what it was like to be young and face your fears head on, although David would have taken a bullet for honor and pride today he decided to stick with the plan and let Professor Damien lead the way and perhaps keep his own life and have more to look forward to further down the road.

As they turned the corner and headed out of the building there stood Scorpion, his little thug posse right along side of him. The boy that was trying so desperately to be a man stood there with a awe of misguided authority of those around him. He had a gun in his hand and he stared down the trio as the neared him.

“Look player,” Scorpion said to Damien, “you are involved here so I don’t wanna be forced to bust a cap in your tired old ass too.”

Damien stared the boy down and opened his mouth to speak, “Alright James, or Scorpion whatever it is you go by now, I don’t want a beef with you either. So let David and his sister here slide right on out to their car and I promise you that nothing will come of this.”

“Nope Mr. Damien, this punk crossed the line today and he’s got to come correct for his fucking errors,” Scorpion replied.

“Last chance S, drop the gun and walk away and it gets squashed right here, move another inch and you can say goodbye to your future son.”

Scorpion thought about it and figured the professor was trying to call his bluff but he wasn’t about to back down now, he raised the gun and aimed it at the three of them standing there. His hands were clearly shaking and he was having trouble picking a steady target. As he decided on David a shot rang out and Scorpion immediately recoiled and was sent to the ground in a heap of wailing pain.

The other boys around him scattered at once and ran for their lives, most likely trying to stay alive and keep out of jail. As Scorpion lay there twitching on the ground Damien walked up to him and knelt over him pulling the gun away from the boy’s hand. “I told you to drop it you’re just lucky that it was only your leg that got shot young man.”

Several days later David walked into the professor’s room and handed him a small box with a note attached and then turned and walked out. David opened the box and inside was a small four leaf clover pendant, he opened the note and read it slowly.

Teach, I’m sorry for getting you involved in the whole ordeal with Scorpion, but as a token of my appreciation and esteem I want you to take this pendant that my mamma passed down to me from her father’s father. You see professor, I have worn that pendant every day of my life somewhere on my body and I don’t need it anymore. You taught me that I make things happen and with a little faith and a lot of thought any goal may be accomplished. Once again thanks professor. David.

Damien just sat there dumbfounded and as he thumbed the pendant he realized that maybe he was someone’s hero.

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