I like the reference to the bully’s ‘neck’. Fun read.

Excellent ending. Odd word choices pepper this piece throughout, specifically ‘cooed’. but I rather liked them— they lend a certain variety and looseness of meaning (like poetry) to the story. But the ending is the best part… that last line is so fitting, so perfectly placed, succinct, and well done. Hard not to give it 5 pencils, and hey, I’m sort of a 5 pencil machine so get used to it :) They are always earned.