Prologue

It was just a regular day at another bland elementary school. The bell rang as a line of eager faced children stared excitedly at the playground and the field of open grass. Suddenly they raced off, to play with each other and do exciting things.

One group raced off to form a circle. The kids were all pretty much normal...except for the kid with wild orange hair and bright green eyes. And his name was most peculiar too. Sock, they called him.

" Hey guys, let's go somewhere else', one kid suggested. The rest followed, including Sock. But their circle was smaller now, and no matter how hard Sock tried to be included, no one would let him in.

" Too many people", was always one excuse

" not enough people", however illogical, was another

or " Why don't you go catch us a squirrel?" was another, however improbable.

Discouraged, Sock went off as he wandered into the woods by the school. No one cared where he went.

" I got it!", Sock said proudly, a wide eyed puppy grin on his kids stared at him in horror. He hung the squirrel by its tail. The squirrel was not moving.

" What?", Sock asked confused. He gave the squirrel a shake. The kids slowly started to back away.

' I caught it didn't I?", Sock said defensively.

" You're a monster", one kid scolded .

"I'm teling Ms. Franny!", said a pretty little blonde girl with pigtails.

I don't get it, Sock thought to himself

I caught it

" Oh, what am I going to do with myself?", Sock said aloud miserably as he moped along in his bedroom. They hate me. Tears started welling in his eyes. He sat down on his chair by his desk. Stupidly he went through his backpack for homework, then found his fuzzy little friend.

" Atleast I have you", Sock smiled as he set the dead squirrel on his table. The squirrel's black eyes gleamed ominously.

" They wanted me to catch you, so I did", he cried a little.

" I hate those kids, they're so mean", he looked at the squirrel.

" but at least I have you", he smiled hopelessly. He took a knife from his drawer, and started mindlessly caressing the squirrel's fur. Sock stopped crying the instant he drew blood.

It was comforting, watching the liquid leave a deceased body.

" Your fur will make a nice hat, little friend", Sock timidly smiled.

Chapter 1

Sock stared proudly at his secret collection hidden in his closet. About a dozen mousetraps, and two dozen squirrel pelts hung from the walls. And an oddly designed bright, colorful hat. Sock had kept his word. And children left him alone.

A bland white book was hidden in a drawer under his pile of neatly folded clothes. Sock laughed adorably as he sat on his bed going through pages of his blood diary. He loved blood, and would do anything to collect as many different types as possible.

But Sock could never share his unique interests with his parents. Not even casual hunting. Even the boys at school who loved smashing frogs and eating bugs ignored him.

No one would ever know. Just animals, not people. Sock reminded himself quietly.

By the time 3rd grade rolled by Sock had fallen for a girl named Jojo. She had bright blue eyes and blonde pigtails. Sock thought Jojo was adorable, but Jojo couldn't stand his starring.

And every time they had to do group work, they always were put together. Not by coincidence, rather the teacher felt sorry for Sock. Today was Valentine's Day, and the class was busy doing times tables. The classroom surrounded with hearts.

" Hi…", Sock told her enthusiastically.

" Hi," Jojo replied shyly, looking away.

" I'm Sock", said Sock.

" Joj..", she whispered. "what?", Sock asked.

"Jojo.", she replied. Why him? Of all kids. she thought.

" I have something for you", Sock perks up reaching down into his bag.

Jojo looks away.

" Here", Sock says, smiling. He hands her a heart shaped box.

great, Jojo thought.

Suddenly Jojo gets up and walks to the teacher's desk.

Sock listens in.

" Umm.. ?', she asks in her usual nervous tone.

" yes?", she asks.

" Can I work with someone else?", she begs. Sock's heart sinks.

" No", was all she heard.

" Ok", Jojo sighs, slowly walking back to the desk. She makes an even louder sigh. Sock frowned, then looking up, he gave her the present.

Jojo angrily shreds the wrapping paper and opens the box.

" I made it myself", Sock smiles at her.

Jojo glanced disgustingly inside.

She pulls out a necklace made of mouse tails. "eww", she mouths. Then she sees a card underneath it. She takes it out. It's a picture of Sock and Jojo together holding hands. She notices a small letter is written above it. All of it is written in blood. She frowned in terror, Her face turned a shade of pink, then red. She threw the presents in his face.

" I HATE YOU!", she screams so that the whole class can hear her. Then she starts crying. Sock is crying too, as he hides under the table. Too embarrassed to come out. The class turned to look, then returned to their work, unphased by the drama.

"What's going on?", the teacher asks. Jojo, with her face buried in her hand, points to her desk. Sock gets up. The teacher looks at him, disgusted. Jojo cried hard, and the teacher let her work with the mean kids. Sock looks away, trying to hide the fact that he's crying. As he shoves his present in the trash.

Ohe part of the letter read: Sock and Jojo forever.