Controversial Challenge (Prayer in school)

by Raymond Finn
originally published at 05:33AM on Tuesday, November 25, 2008

He’d prayed every day of the school year. With the fervour born of fear and desperation, he plead his case to the Almighty. Please stop them bullying me, please let today be a good day.

Please let someone notice.

Perhaps it was just his cross to bear, for they say the Lord works in mysterious ways. However you rationalise it though, his prayer remained unanswered.

So there was a certain final irony that even after a full school year of silent exhortation, that his final words in the study hall were to that intractable unknowable All-father.

“Please Lord”, he whispered, “Forgive me. I wasn’t strong enough to carry that cross.”

His final bullet drowned the Amen.

Prequels

Sequels

Comments

  • from Saint Chuck:

    Brilliant. I honestly felt shivers down my spine.
    Prayers left unanswered drive many people to despair.

  • from Ezzie:

    Ack, I have to compete with this brilliant story? It made me think of the Columbine shooting.

  • from Mistress Elsha Hawk:

    I agree, I thought of Columbine too, though this seems to be a suicide. Great writing! I love the desperation, the silent crying out. Sadly, most either look the other way, or never notice.

  • from John Perkins:

    This is very well done. Can’t really add more than what the others have said.

  • from Writerman17:

    very touching