BB Villain: Attack the Weak

     It is a strange twisted lie that makes a weak person attack someone weaker than himself.  Newel fell into this trap.  Feeling insecure, he wanted to be conqueror like his father and brother but was too cowardly to challenge someone equal to himself.  He turned to attacking those who could not defend themselves.  Soon after the embarrassing public appearance, Newel trapped some insects and took a cruel delight in removing wings and legs and watching the insects' struggles.  In some twisted way, this made him feel stronger.  But it fed his fear, as well, making him sneakier and more cowardly.

     The story below takes place when Alton was nearly a man and Newel was around 12 years old.  As I have said before, all his life, Alton fell naturally into the things expected of him, and, the older he grew, the stronger he became.  He had a talent for leading men and an ability to make swift decisions.  He never understoon his little brother’s shyness.  At 12 years of age, the younger boy seemed sullen and resentful, at odds with the world.  All of Alton’s attempts at befriending his little brother were repulsed, and eventually, Alton let him be. 

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     On the day of this story, Alton was getting ready to join his father on a trip through their country.  As he strode down to the barns, he heard a piteous yelp.  Turning off the path in search of the cry, he stumbled on a scene that filled him with anger.

     A dog was tied on a short rope.  It was a mangy-looking mutt.  Over and over, the poor dog threw itself against the end of its rope, trying each direction, in its attempt to escape.  And, perched in a tree out of reach of the dog, sat Newel, throwing rocks at the tethered dog and grinning at every yelp of pain and fear.

     “What are you doing?” roared Alton.  He stormed across the grass and pulled his younger brother from the tree with a yank.

     The boy looked at him defiantly.  “Target-practice,” he said, sticking his chin out.

     Alton stared at his brother in disbelief.  This was cruelty and cowardice – to torture a defenseless animal – and he would not tolerate it in anyone, let alone his own brother.  For a moment, he glared into his brother’s eyes.  Then he leapt into action.  With a decisiveness fitting for a prince, he grabbed Newel by the collar and dragged him toward the dog.

     “What are you doing?  Let me go!” Newel protested vehemently.  He had seen that look in his brother’s eye and it filled him with fear.

     “I’m going to change the tables,” Alton said, grimly, never slacking from his purpose.

     Newel’s mouth went dry as he realized Alton’s plan.  “No, no, don’t do it!  He’ll kill me!  Alton, no!” he cried.

     Alton did not slow his walk until they reached the dog.  Then he threw Newel down within the dog’s easy reach, pinning his blubbering brother defenseless on the ground.

     At first, the dog jumped away from them in fear.  But then, slowly, the dog realized that it was safe.  Cautiously the dog moved closer to the two boys.  Alton watched the dog in wonder as the poor beast sniffed the crying boy on the ground.  The retaliation that both Alton and Newel expected did not come.

     Slowly, Alton let Newel up from the ground.  “Don’t let me EVER catch you torturing a defenseless creature again,” he said, hoarsely, awed by the reaction of the dog.  Newel scrambled to his feet and ran toward the barns.  Alton let him go.  He knelt in front of the mangy dog and untied its rope.  From that day on, Alton could not look at his brother without remembering the cruel and cowardly behavior but also the heart of the poor dog. 

     Newel only remembered it as one more way his brother had shamed him.

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     I wish that I could say that Newel learned his lesson and started becoming the man he was meant to be.  But instead he only became sneakier in his attacks.