Fox Within

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Nicholas was an unusual student, one that no one could ever forget or want to remember.  Clever, he was a fox and just as devious. Nicholas had a "history" and would create more in his future, of that all were certain.

When he walked by with his mother as she pushed a stroller, Nicholas was normal compared to his mother and brother.
  
Mother was a ragged woman, worn out, face drawn and gray, a face that drooped.  Tattoos laced up and down her bone thin arms, even onto her brown stained fingers.  Little brother looked straight ahead with dim eyes, no sound or smile, with a flat face like a paper plate.

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Nicholas was as canny as a fox, eyes dashing from side to side, up and down, casing sidewalks and trees.  He focused on people and their eyes, and they immediately looked away. Something about his eyes pierced them as his next prey.

School Principal escorted Nicholas to his second grade classroom and handed him off to his teacher. He spoke a few words, almost in a whisper.  They both led Nicholas to his seat, in front row to the far right.  His desk was placed two feet away from students to his left and behind him.

First day, second day passed quietly.  Third day, all hell broke loose.  

It was hard to describe a whirlwind in a classroom where desks flew and students ran to back of classroom.  

Principal came running, scooping Nicholas up in a grip, while the boy screamed maniacally, biting and scratching.  The principal ran with the boy to the nurse's office, phoning his mother and psychiatrist.

Mother had forgotten Nicholas' medications that morning. Psychiatrist raced down to this school and administered meds himself.  What were they?  This, then that, and that, and more of this.  Finally, there was Lithium.

Fourth day, fifth day, weekend.  On the sixth day, Principal walked through second grade classrooms with a fourth grade girl, blonde and clearly shaken.  She gazed around the room and shook her head.  Principal saw Nicholas' seat was empty and caught Teacher's eyes.  She shrugged her shoulders as he nodded, understanding.

He was late, about eight minutes late, and when Nicholas swung open the door, he ran to his seat, hugging his backpack to his chest.  Fox eyes, darting side to side, a gleeful smile cut across his face.

Principal made another round with the girl, who pointed to Nicholas , nodding.  Yes that's him that's him!

Principal sauntered up to Nicholas, "Hey, how are you doing?" Just as casually, Principal opened the backpack and retrieved a steak knife. Replacing knife into backpack, he said, "Let's go talk about this..."

Apparently, Nicholas walked to and from school, following this girl and her friends.  Each day, he hissed, "I'm gonna kill you..." And this one day he ambushed her from his hiding place in a bush.  

Natural born killer

Straddling over her, he stabbed on one side and then the other of her face with a knife stolen from home. He laughed and howled "I'm gonna kill you..."

Friends ran to her, Nicholas stuffed the knife into his backpack, raced away.  

Cumulative folder and information shared that Nicholas' father was incarcerated in Astascadero Prison for the Violent and Criminally insane, and Mother had just been released from Los Angeles County Jail Division of Mentally Ill.  Nicholas had been diagnosed as bi-polar before he was seven.

What happened to Nicholas the Fox in the years that followed?

I don't know, sure wish I did. It has been 25 years since that time with Nicholas in my classroom.  If I saw him again, I would cross the street and hide.

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