Riker's Calling - Episode 5

Riker Wednesdays

OFFICER WILLIAMS had been my one and only bully as a kid. I had experienced a few others, but only when standing up for someone else. It started during my first week of high school. I had been battling a head cold, my pockets full of tissue as I would go into these spells of my nose running like a faucet. It was during Art class when I got down to my last few squares, and so I asked my teacher for a hall pass and headed for the bathroom.

Once I stopped the flow and refilled my pockets with toilet paper I was back on my way to class, but as I neared the science lab a big deep voice came at me from behind.

“Hey! What you doing out of class?!”

It was one of the tall black campus cops the school used to try and intimidate the troublesome kids.

“I was just using the bathroom,” I answered.

“Where’s your slip?”

“I searched my pockets. Nothing but toilet paper.

“I-”

One syllable was all I was able to get out before he threw me up against the door of room 187, his baton already withdrawn and tightly presses against my chest and neck.

“You skippin’ class?!”

My line of sight was right on his name tag, the ton of pressure crushing me branding that name into my brain.

WILLIAMS

“I asked you a question!”

“No. I was just using the bathroom. I- I think I left my pass in there.”

Being the skinny fifteen-year-old kid I was, he had no problem snatching me up by the back of the collar with his free hand, proceeding to guide me back down the hall and to the bathroom, my foot falls feeling lighter than ever as most of my weight was held up by this giant of a man.

First he puppeteered me to the sink, where I had washed my face and hands. Nothing.

Next it was to the trash can, where I had thrown the rough paper towel after using it to dry off. He made me dig for the pass, but it wasn’t there either.

“You ready to tell the truth?” he taunted.

My heart was in my throat, but I managed to get out a few words. “I used the toilet.”

“Which one?”

I pointed to the second stall, and he used my rag doll body to push open the door. Tears began to fall from my eyes when I saw the hall pass on top of the toilet paper dispenser.

 I had to catch my weight when he let me go, not a hint of remorse in his voice as he