I sat huddled on the damp gravel floor of the playground. The cold seeped straight through my thick, woolly joggers, making me shiver violently.

I buried my head in my arms, muffling my ears, but I could still hear them, in my mind. Ringing in my ears, shocking me senseless. Words I would never dream of using, not even to my worst enemy. Words I cannot, will not, write here.

Racist taunts and jeers, thrown casually at a little girl from the year bellow me. I can only imagine how she feels now, cowering in a corner like a hunted animal.

"You've got to do something!" I hissed furiously at myself, wishing I was a braver person. Self-loathing filled me, gripping my heart, tearing at my gut. But still I did nothing.

The shouting got louder, and the petrified girl began to sob, tears coursed down her cheeks, her whole body shook.

I imagined myself storming across the playground, shoving her tormentors aside, and leading her away.

"Hi," I might say "My name's Jane. What's yours?"

Her face lights up with joy and relief, and she laughs at last. It's a perfect moment, until the image dissolves before my eyes, leaving me only reality.

I turn around and walk away, saving my own skin, just as any other nine-year-old would. I made my choice, but it will never stop hurting.

---

Written as a piece of exam practice. I had 40mins from seeing the tittle to write this, and origional was handwritten. Not really edited since then, I haven't had the heart, but I kinda liked it so I decided to see what people think.

Not a true story, but insprired by various events at different times in my life.