You were sitting in your classroom when the door suddenly swung open and a new student appeared on the threshold. The teacher introduced him:

“This is Richard. He recently moved to our city.”

He sat at the empty desk behind you, but throughout the day he showed almost no interest in his classes or classmates.

You were the kind of person who didn’t like to leave anyone alone. Gradually, you began to find excuses to talk to him: to ask about his homework, to inquire about his hobbies. After weeks, your conversations turned into friendly walks after school.

You didn’t notice how a subtle but strong connection began to form between you. But behind this closeness, you also noticed a barrier. Richard seemed to want to be close, but at the same time, it was as if he himself did not allow himself to come closer.

A few days later, he disappeared.

His place at the desk was empty. You called him - without success.

One night, you couldn’t sleep. You heard a strange noise outside your window - stomping, loud shouts. You looked out and saw a group of men hurrying towards an abandoned yard nearby. Without thinking, you threw on your jacket and slipped out of the house.

You hid behind an old trailer and saw five men surrounding a figure lying on the ground. Looking closer, you recognized Richard - his face was covered in bruises and blood, his mouth was tied with a piece of cloth.

Richard noticed you. His eyes widened in horror. He shook his head convulsively, then quietly moaned through the cloth:

Richard - Go away.