Trigger Warnings: Mentions of School Bullying
They call her Rhonda The Retard, Rhonda The Idiot Savant, and the painful irony is the former nicknames were the kindest ones she's heard. Yet what they don't know is that Rhonda isn't as simple as they like to believe. Sure she carries on in a manner that's extraordinary than the regular kids but she's well aware of what they say behind her back and that is one of the reasons why she likes Halloween. It was a sense of escapism. It provides her a chance to be someone other than herself. It was also the one event where she's genuinely happy.
But when she met Macy, Schrader, Sara, and Chip thats when everything changed. Upon first impression she knew that there was an agenda but to her Halloween was a special event, she hoped that she might be lucky to make a friend. Even if its for one night. Schrader was the only one among the group was genuinely kind to her. Who wasn't befriending her in an attempt to set her up for humiliation. Last time it happened to her, she contemplated not going to school all together. And she couldn't tell her parents, as much as she wants to she couldn't properly form the words that express how she felt. So she kept her torment to herself. Yet as of this night, perhaps things were looking up.
Then it happened. The prank. She wasn't stupid, she knew supernatural monsters doesn't exist. However she's aware that real ones do. And are worse than the supernatural ones, at least those she can understand why they do what they do? The real ones are so alien to her. It wasn't the zombie kids from the school bus massacre that she ran away from. It was running from another repeated humiliation attack from Macy and her friends. When she hurt herself she was surprised to find Schrader not only there but calling Macy out on her indifferent sympathy towards the person whom they pranked and hurt in the process.
Unknown to her and the others. The myth is real. Rhonda manages to make it to the elevator. She sees Macy, Schrader, and Chip but notice Sara wasn't among the group. The rational part of her brain believes she's hiding. Well the rational part that's keeping her from freaking out anyways.
They plead with her to open the door. She can see it in their faces, there was no hint of trickery. She looked at Macy, giving her the cold indifferent look she gave her. She acts like she presses the button to make the elevator to go up. There was a small part of her that got satisfaction in the terrified and panicked thought that Rhonda was going to leave her to die. But instead she lets them in. Maybe it was for the fact that due to Schrader's act of kindness it pardoned the other two. Or perhaps it was that one question that seeped through her mind. Will she live with it? Will she live with letting them die?
As they got up she took a glance and notice Sam sitting on a log. Silently observing her. Giving her a nod of acknowledgement. The others must not have seen her but Rhonda gave a small nod of acknowledge aswell.
The walk back home was a silent one. None of them said anything to one another. It wasn't until Rhonda stopped by her house. Before she went her way she heard Schrader say to her."Thanks, Rhonda"
She nods at him then went inside her home. She isn't sure what tomorrow will bring. Will she still be friends with Schrader? Or back to business as usual? All she knows is, she wasn't a victim anymore.
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