A Dish Best Enjoyed Cold

One boy, one bully, one accident and one act of revenge. Stephen Inglis thought running away would help but that was not the solution. The bullies at his school teased him for sleeping with a teddy bear. Stephen was not at all sporty, at a prep school where sport was a key popularity; he had joined a term late and he had found it hard to make friends, he missed his family. He was nine and his father had said he would be fine. That was not what Stephen felt, he felt… (more)

One boy, one bully, one accident and one act of revenge. Stephen Inglis thought running away would help but that was not the solution. The bullies at his school teased him for sleeping with a teddy bear. Stephen was not at all sporty, at a prep school where sport was a key popularity; he had joined a term late and he had found it hard to make friends, he missed his family. He was nine and his father had said he would be fine. That was not what Stephen felt, he felt like an outsider, a stranger without a friend. Stephen had an opportunity to get revenge on one of his tormentors. He had to decide what to do. Should he try to save his enemy, or, should he let him perish? With his demise, he could at least expect a silent, grudging respect from the others and to be left alone. Did Hollister deserve to be buried alive? One hundred and fifty boys, one hundred and forty-nine happy, one miserable. Did Stephen's wish for happiness justify the taking of another life?