The Devil's Due

We all have that little problem; hostile intent, imbalance of power, repetition, distress, and provocation.

Bullying can have a wide spectrum of effects on a student including anger, depression, stress and suicide. Additionally, the bully can develop different social disorders or have a higher chance of engaging in criminal activity.

If there is suspicion that a child is being bullied or is a bully, there are warning signs in their behavior. There are many programs and organizations worldwide which provide bullying prevention services or information on how children can cope if they have been bullied.

This is one of those programs.

I don't know where this show came from, but I remember the show's title, Stop Bullying Now. No joke, that's the show's title. I only saw it on YouTube, and I can remember the show's characters. They were anthropomorphic animals like: a dog named KB, a pink cat named Cassandra, and much more. I don't remember the rest of the characters, so this was new to me.

I remembered an episode (or was it Webisode?) about KB's first day of school, till she bumps into Cassandra on the way to her classroom, I don't remember what number it was. And another episode where KB befriends one of Cassandra's friends, a rabbit. But, one out of three episodes were far more different than the rest. I don't remember what episode they were, or what the episode's production number is. But one thing is for certain, it scared the ever loving shit out of me.

I remember constantly covering my eyes and praying it would be over soon, but I couldn't stop watching it anyway. I felt drawn to it, like a moth to a flame, despite me feeling increasingly frightened more and more as the episodes continued.

It started out with one episode where KB was at soccer practice with her new friend, till Cassandra ruins her shot by blocking the goal. She brags about her winning the soccer tournament till a new kid steps in. I remembered him vividly.

His name was Steve, and he is a cat like Cassandra, except his fur was a light blue color and wore a grey hoodie and some black denim jeans. And I also forgo to mention that he is shy and antisocial. He would periodically cover his face with his hood and usually talk in a quiet voice, like Edward in those Twilight movies. One of the many challenges he had to face growing up, was growing up with a major disorder that deemed him many insulting nick names in the short time he attended grade school, before he was moved to home schooling, Tourette Syndrome, which caused him to tic and twitch in ways he couldn't control.

The kids would tease him and mock him with exaggerated twitching and laughing. It got so bad he turned to homeschooling. It was too hard for him to be in a common learning environment with seemingly every kid poking, or more like stabbing fun at him.

Cassandra takes this opportunity to make fun of Steve with exaggerated twitching while the other girls laughed. KB and her friend watched as this happens, till the gym teacher sends Cassandra to the principles office. KB tries to make friends with Steve, but he's too shy to even say a simple greeting.

As we cut to the second episode, Steve was seen outside the school as KB watched him from the classroom window. KB was interrupted by the school bell, then the teacher then notices KB feeling sorry for Steve. KB asks why Steve never comes to school, he then tells her about his past, and KB finally asks that question, :Can I meet his parents?" And what the teacher says, shocks every viewer watching the series.

When Steve was twelve, he and his parents were involved in a tragic car accident that resulted in their death. Steve's symptoms worsened greatly because of this; he lost his appetite for food, became even less social than before, and slowly began to lose his sanity.

Then, the third episode began.

Steve was picked on by Cassandra once again, and this time KB actually stood up for Steve, almost resulting in a fight. The teacher breaks it up and Steve thanks KB for standing up for him. When school was over, Cassandra threatens to tell her dad on KB, and calls out Steve for letting KB attack her. Steve began to protest against her, till KB let's Cassandra off with a warning: To either back off, or she's telling an adult (mostly in this episode, a police officer). Cassandra ignores KB and goes to hit KB, but Steve blocks it, causing Cassandra to accidently punch Steve in the jaw. Both Cassandra and KB were shocked at this, but the pink cat shakes off the cobwebs and attempts to go for KB, but Steve blocks her again, by grabbing onto her wrists and throws her into the ground, like a teenager wrestling a child.

He tells her that he's not scared of her anymore, and they'll deal with this tomorrow. Cassandra gives up and goes home, leaving KB to thank him for saving her life.

The fourth episode began quite differently. And it did raise a little eyebrows. It starts off with Cassandra getting dressed in the middle of the night, and sneaking off into the school. She calls her friends over, but they were too busy sleeping. So she went by herself. She then attempts to open the windows and slip through, but the wind made it slam by itself, trapping Cassandra half-way. She then tries to pushing herself free, but she knew she is already stuck. She pulls harder, and harder, and harder till she tires out. She then reaches over at the lock, open the window and she falls to the ground.

She then stuffs KB's locker with a jar of green substance, which turns out to be sulfuric acid. She then smiles to herself and leaves.

Episode four ended, and episode five was no better. KB opens her locker, and was severely burned. Images cut to quick sessions, as the school is filled with the sounds of KB's screams. Steve rushes into the school to find out what happened, but was stopped by police. He quickly blames the bully's for KB's injury. He swore vengeance against anyone who tries to hurt KB, and angrily storms back home.

Episode six was the last one before it got deleted.

It cuts to Cassandra and her friends chatting on their phones.

"Cassandra: OMG! Did you see her face?! xD"

"Daisy: Yeah, it was like 'aaah! My face my face, look at all the burns!'"

"Cassandra: LMAO!"

"Gretchen: Hey, what are you up to this weekend?"

"Cassandra: Well, I might need to think of something, 'cause with 'Teacher's Pet' finally out of the way, I'm looking forward to..."

"Daisy: Tooo, what?"

"Gretchen: Cassandra? Helooo?!"

"Cassandra: Hold on... Did you guys hear that?"

"Daisy: Heard what?"

"Gretchen: Cassandra, is this another joke?"

"Cassandra: OMG! OMG! SOMEONE'S OUT THERE! HE'S HOLDING A KNIFE!"

"Daisy: What?! Who's out there?!"

"Cassandra: I DON'T KNOW, BUT HE'S WEARING A DEVIL MASK AND HE'S TRYING TO BUST DOWN THE DOOR!"

"Daisy: Cassandra, listen to me! You need to call the police!"

"Cassandra: No! They'll get suspicious, they're already on me like a pack of wolves!"

"Gretchen: Well you can't just sit there and wait for him to get in! You need to get out of there now!"

"Cassandra: HE'S IN THE HOUSE! HE'S IN THE HOUSE!"

"Daisy: Who's in the house?!"

"Cassandra: I heard a window shatter! Now he's coming upstairs!!"

"Daisy: Get out of there!!"

...

"Daisy: Cassandra?!"

"Daisy: Cassandra?! Are you there?!"

"Gretchen: Cassandra! C'mon answer!"

"Daisy: Cassandra?!"

The text messages went on and on. But no sign of Cassandra anywhere on their phones.

Police arrive at Cassandra's house later on in the night, the neighbors heard a girl's shrill screams from Cassandra's family home, and her parents were out on an anniversary dinner. They haven't gotten the news till later on when Cassandra's body was discovered in her room, stabbed to death. A long kitchen knife was present in the crime scene.

And the episode finally ends.

The episodes were deleted for graphic content and adult situations, making it hard to watch for children under age. The only evidence is that the show wasn't aired on television but online where it couldn't be seen by kids, so that these graphic episodes wouldn't be seen.

But one thing is for certain though, all of the scenes I described earlier, are based on true events.