Storytime:
Prelude: I was exceptionally ill when I was 7 of Croup and almost died. Had experimental medicine that was heavily steroid based and it stunted my growth for 2/3 years. So when I went to High School I was the size of an 8/9 year old. We were also very poor, my parents were shit with money, alcoholics etc.
Bullied mercilessly for my size by a gang of "friends" (5/6 of them). I was a smart arse, so I'd quip back while being punched and ridiculed. Worsened the beatings, but made me feel a little better about it. Carried on for 3 years. There was this one game called "red arse" where if you were still in goal at the end of break, they'd all line up and kick the football as hard as they could at your back. They'd find reasons for me to be in goal. Then this evolved into "tunnel of death" where they would line up on both sides and you'd have to walk through while punches and kicks came from both sides. I was always the worst beaten. Couldn't get other friends, wasn't confident. Couldn't do the logical thing and not spend time with them, was stupid. They'd do things like fill my blazer with grass and put worms in the pockets so when I'd go for lunch I'd find them.
Anyway, the breaking point was when they decided to tie me upside down with electrical tape to the rugby posts. I told a teacher after that, I mean - they found me and asked wtf had happened. They put me in a room with them all (most terrifying experience of my life, I'd just "tattled" on them all, they were giants and I was tiny. Imagine an 11 year old stood against 15 year olds. "Boys will be boys" and was sent on my way.
Plan: individually they would never attack me, they were my friends. Collectively was when the shit would start.
Bully 1: Sent a letter to his father about his wifes infidelity that I knew about because of my mothers friends. They split, he moved. Bully 2: Framed him for stealing a teachers purse, put it in his bag while we were doing a "fire alarm" test. Bully 3: Spread a rumour that he was into child porn, he gained the nickname "Pedo Paul" Bully 4: Had one of my cousins beat the ever living shit out of him when he realised they went to the same youth club.
By the time bully 5's time came around, I'd left the school (mother refused initially because it would have cost more in transport) I';d been learning Karate. Went back to the village the school was in, waited outside the shop I knew he'd go to and surprised him. Sweeped him and he hit his head pretty hard on the concrete. I just left him to cry while the shop owner ran out.
Bully 6 has evaded me. I'm 17 years old, but if I got the chance I'd probably just ask why. I'm done with vengeance.