Hands

• Alan Carrington
• Short Story
• 2004

Everyday is the same for me, the boy with no thumbs, I was born with no thumbs and that’s the truth. But at school there’s a gang of toughs with a leader who has a something against me. Everyday whenever they get the chance they say, “thumbs up Fred.” The teacher doesn’t believe me. Today everything changed.
It was a glorious morning. The sun was up and shining but I couldn’t enjoy it because I was dreading the “thumbs up” offence I would soon acquire. In truth I was getting used to it, but I was in a bad mood today. I am going to settle the score. I don’t know how but I will.
As soon as I got to school I received the “thumbs up” offence. I burst into tears and ran, as I ran I heard them yell back to me, “Baby, go suck your thumbs.” Once class started I was happy again. I love school but it’s got a problem, them. Today we were learning algebra. Our teacher’s cool. We don’t have to write half the answers. We just to tell them to him. But I was annoyed today and they were hitting me with spitballs! “Mr Rex, Leon and his gang are using peashooters,” I whispered. “Leon, Peter, Pug and Lance go to the principal’s office!” Mr Rex boomed. “We’ll get you Freddy no thumbs,” they whispered to me.
At playtime I was in the library when the accident happened. The teacher’s assistant had to go to the toilet. I was marvelling what a lucky school we were to have eighteen computers and a shredder. Suddenly they burst in through the door and surrounded me. They let Leon “fight” me. They held my hands firmly behind my back. Then a surge of rage burst into my blood. I spun my arms out of my back and punched Leon’s gang. Leon backed away and ran forwards then seized my hands. He pulled my hands towards the shredder. He turned it on and murmured, “ Prepare to lose more than your hands!” I slithered my hands out of his grip. I ran back a bit and back to the shredder. Leon lunged out with his hands but I dodged. For an instant time stood still as I watched in horror as Leon’s fingers on both hands fed through the shredder and blood spurted everywhere. The first thing I did was call the ambulance on the phone.
A week later Leon came back to school and everyone was teasing him. I was going to join in but I’d only be as bad as them. “Leave him alone!” I yelled.
Everything turned out okay in the end, Leon and I became best friends and learnt to stick up for each other. We still get teased from time to time but when we put our “hands” together we can do anything they throw at us.