He’s used to strangers calling him names. He can’t even count the times he’s heard the words animal, monster, or even weapon spit into his face. He gave up fighting their prejudices a long time ago. After all, those labels turned out to be true.

Recently, someone added a new name to the long list of identities. A name he’s not sure he deserves. A label he’s not sure he can live up to. Strangers may call him an animal, a monster, and even a weapon, but the kid, who knows him from the inside out, calls him her hero.

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• Challenge: 100 words
• Word: Hero
• Original date: June 21, 2006