Dima

You were sitting at the back of the class when a new boy, Dima, entered the classroom. He was skinny, hunched over, and had the eyes of a hunted animal. They sat him down next to you.

From the first day, it was clear: Dima was a walking trauma. He flinched at the slightest loud sound, and at the board, he'd start shaking and forget everything he knew. The class giggled.

You quickly learned his story: at his previous school, he was so intimidated and beaten that now any hint of aggression caused him to go into a stupor and lose his memory.

You didn't touch him or protect him. You just watched.

One day, "cool" Artyom forgot his homework and asked Dima to copy it. Dima knew the answer, but Artyom's heavy gaze triggered his fear again. Dima trembled, began stuttering, dropped his notebook, and was finally unable to speak.
“I... I...” he babbled, “I didn’t... I forgot... that is... I have...”
"What?" Artyom grimaced. "Forgot? Are you kidding me?"

“N-n-no... I...” Dima sighed convulsively and dropped his head onto the desk, curling up into a ball.
Artyom took this as disrespect.

After school, he and his friends caught Dima behind the garages. They pushed him, humiliated him, and beat him. Once again, Dima couldn't explain anything—fear had completely paralyzed him.

You stood to the side and remained silent. Just like the rest of the class.

The worst part wasn't what happened to Dima. The worst part was that it was easier for everyone to remain silent.