Dan always hated getting bullied, but the guys always seemed to pick on him. Being small and smart didn't help matters. He was always a target for their taunts.
One day, after school, Donnie M., the kid who loved to torment him, appeared around a corner. "Hey, Danny-boy! I got somethin' for ya!" And began to chase him with fists flying.
Dan ran faster than he had in weeks. He just couldn't face another "beating". Through some alleys and across some unfamiliar streets, he ran full force, trying to outpace Donnie's footsteps.
Tearing around a street corner, he saw a shop with a dusty window and, hoping to find a safe place, threw open the door and ran inside.