Not So Happily Ever After

By: Lesley Graham

"I'll give you twenty-five cents!" Cindy shouted. There was an auction going on and the prize was Jimmy Neutron

"Fifty cents!" Shean chimed in.

Cindy glared at the spiky haired boy.

"Shean!" Jimmy protested.

"Sorry Jimmy, I've always wanted to buy you since I was five years old!"

Cindy began to dig in her pockets and got out two dollars. She smiled. "I'll give you two dollars!"

"Two dollars going once, two dollars going twice..."

"Come on, we need more money!" Shean cried

"Jimmy Neutron is mine."

"SOLD, to the blonde haired girl!"

Fade Out

Jimmy woke with a start, panting and covered in cold sweat. For the last nine years, he's been having the same reoccurring dream. He never seamed to have any good dreams, not since he was sold off to that devil of a girl, Cindy. Jimmy ran his hand through his hair that once used to be a brilliant light brown color, was now a sickly ash-brown color. He sighed. Why did this ever happen to him? If only he hadn't built that blasted sales-robot. No, he realized, if only he hadn't been so mean to Cindy. In fact it would be better if he hadn't been born at all. Suddenly there was a creaking sound and light flooded the dank, stripped basement. Jimmy had to squint his eyes to see who it was.

"It's time for your 'medicine'," Cindy grinned.

Jimmy frowned. "Please... I've been really good. Can we please skip today's 'medicine'?" Jimmy pleaded.

Cindy paused as if to think it over. "No. Now up against the wall, Neutron."

"Yes ma'am." Jimmy sighed, getting up and faced the wall.

"Off with the shirt," Cindy instructed. In her hand was a nine tail whip.

Jimmy obediently did what was told and took of his shirt and braced his hands against the wall.

Cindy lifted the whip high in to the air and brought it down with a loud crack.

Jimmy winced in pain, trying not to cry out.

Cindy kept this up until Jimmy's back bled. "You had enough, Neutron?"

Jimmy shook his head knowing well enough she's continue no matter what he said.

Before she could strike again, the doorbell rang. "DAMN IT!! I guess that's enough for today."

When she was gone, Jimmy collapsed to the floor, sobbing in pain. When was the torture going to end? If he had a weapon... any kind at all he would happily end his life... or Cindy's. Which ever, at least the pain would be gone.

"Hey, Cindy, we were wondering if you wanted to go out with me an' Libby to Nick's party. He just got his own apartment and we're going to celebrate his independence from his parents! It's gonna' be great! Even better than the Ultra Lord movie!" Shean exclaimed excitedly, when Cindy answered the door.

"Yah, there's going to be music, pizza and we're bringing the bear!" Libby said, holing up a six pack of Bud-Lights. "Maybe you could even bring Jimmy."

"No... I'm really not in the mood tonight. But thanks anyway."

"Aww, come on! Maybe you and the Jimster can do the dirty deed!" Shean smirked, thrusting his pelvis as if he were humping someone.

"Why do you think I would even want to do it with Jimmy?!

"Aw come on, Cindy. When you were younger you always looked like you wanted to fuck him!" Libby replied.

Cindy sighed, shaking her head and rolling her eyes.

"Don't deny it either! Everyone knew you had the hots for Neutron."

"I said no, okay? Now if you will excuse me, I have chores to do!" Cindy said and she went to close the door.

Libby placed her foot in between the door and the door frame before Cindy could close it all the way. "Cindy, you haven't gone out in years! Your friends are worried about you!"

"Look, I appreciate your concern, but I'm fine. I've just been really busy, that's all. So just go on without me, okay?"

"Well... okay..."

"Come on, Libby, we'll be late for the party!" Shean exclaimed, pointing at his watch.

When the two were gone, Cindy frowned and went down to the basement.

"Cindy!!" Jimmy looked up startled.

All of a sudden Cindy began to hit him. "WHY?! WHY DO YOU MAKE ME LOVE YOU?!" Cindy cried, tears streaming down her face. "I HATE YOU, I HATE YOU!! I–I" Cindy fell to her knees and began to sob. "...hate you..."

Jimmy crawled over to her and tried to comfort her.

Suddenly her gaze snapped up. "GET AWAY FROM ME!!" She shouted, backhanding him against the wall. "YOU'RE SCUM AND DESERVE TO BE TREATED SO!!" Cindy got up and kicked Jimmy in the stomach., "Tomorrow you're getting a double dose of 'medicine'!" With that she left him lying on the floor, bruised and bleeding.

"Hey Shean, hey Libby. Cindy not coming?" Nick asked.

"Libby and Shean shook their heads. "Puh you'd think she'd take a break from solitude to hang out with her friends. I guess she's too busy screwing Jimmy." Shean scowled.

"Hey, lay off man! She hasn't been herself ever since her parents died in that car crash!"

Everyone looked over at Carl. The once fat, timid kid was now a strong, out-going young man.

"Yah... but that was five years ago! Don't you think she would get on with her life?" Libby asked.

"Come on guys! What are you just standing around for? It's a party!" Courtney exclaimed. "Turn those frowns upside down!"

"She's right, come on guys!" Nick smiled and joined the festivity.

"What have we got to lose?" And Shean, Libby and Carl all joined in as well.

Jimmy groaned sitting up and wiping the blood from his face. He looked to his left and saw a bowl of broth and a piece of bread.

"I must have been out longer than I thought..." he mumbled to himself. He took the piece of bread and dunked it in the broth and took a bite. The bread was stale and the broth tasted bitter, but Jimmy didn't care. This was the only meal he got all day and he wasn't about to waste it. Suddenly he began to feel dizzy and the room began to spin and he passed out.

Jimmy groaned and everything came back in to focus.

"Well, well, well... look who's back among the living."

"Whe-where am I?"

Cindy grinned. "You're I an underground room right under the basement.

"Jimmy realized he was hanging upside-down. He moaned as the blood rushed to his head. "Wh-what are you going to do to me?" He asked fearfully.

Cindy began to spin him around. "I'm going to have a little fun." Cindy stopped spinning him and pulled a rope, pulling higher so that now he was face to face with her. She smiled coyly just before kissing him on the lips.

"MMMPH!" Jimmy exclaimed, trying to struggle away from her. All of a sudden he bit Cindy's bottom lip.

"FUCK!!" Cindy cried, jumping back, clasping her hands over her lip. When she looked at her hands she was mortified to find them covered in blood. "WHY YOU SON-OF-A—!" Cindy shouted, slapping Jimmy across the face. "Ow... I'll be right back..."

As Cindy turned to leave, Jimmy noticed a pocket knife sticking out of one her back pockets. Jimmy swung forward and quickly grabbed the pocket knife, hiding it from view.

Cindy spun around and glared at him. "Don't try anything funny, Neutron. Of course, I don't think you'll be going anywhere anytime soon!" Cindy laughed, leaving.

When Cindy was out of view, Jimmy used the pocket knife to first cut the bonds at his wrists and then reached up and cut the bonds at his feet. Jimmy fell to the floor with a lout thud.

Cindy paused what she was doing and looked toward the stairs. "What the hell was that?!" She put down the cotton swab and antiseptics and went downstairs.

Jimmy heard her coming and quickly hid behind the door.

"Jimmy? What was that— oh no... no, no, NO! WHERE IS HE?!" Cindy cried. "Now calm down, Cindy... he couldn't have gotten too far. I'll find him... and when I do, oh how I will make him pay!"

When Cindy was gone, Jimmy came out from behind the door and made sure Cindy was nowhere in sight and he ran for it.

"Boy, that was a great party, huh?" Shean said, the two walking in the door.

"Yah, but now I was hoping we could have a little fun of our own," Libby replied, stroking his arm.

"Are you sure you're ready?"

"Oh yah." Libby smiled just before pushing Shean on to the couch. She straddled him and began to kiss him fervently.

Shean stopped her for a second. "I don't know, Libby, I feel like if we have sex... some masked maniac will come barging in and murder us! Have you ever seen the movie "Friday the 13"?

"Aw come on, Shean... what's the possibility of that ever happening? Besides that, that was just a movie. It never happened."

"Well... if you say so." Just before Shean was about to kiss Libby the door bell rang, causing the couple to jump. "I–I'll get it..."

"SHEAN, YOU GOTTA' HELLP ME!!!" jimmy cried bursting through the door and tripping on his shoelaces.

"J–Jimmy?! What the fuck happened to you?!

"Cindy happened to me!" Jimmy growled as Libby and Shean helped him up. "She's been keeping me locked up in the basement and torturing me for nine fucking years!!!"

"What are you talking about Jimmy? You've been gong to school for the past nine years unscathed!"

"THAT WAS A FUCKING ROBOT!!"

"A ROBOT!?"

"Oh come on Jimmy, stop fooling around." Libby replied.

Jimmy fell to his knees and began to cry. "Why won't you believe me?"

"Oh my God, Libby... I don't think he's fooling around..."

"We... we believe you, Jimmy... we do...." Libby helped Jimmy up. "Let's fix up those cuts."

Just then the door bell rang. "Oh God... it's her! Hide me!"

"O–okay... uh... IN HERE!!" Shean exclaimed, pushing Jimmy in to the hallway closet.

"Oof!"

"Cindy, what brings you here so late?" Libby asked, answering the door.

"Have you seen Jimmy around lately?"

"Jimmy? Here? Of course not! Why would he be here— right now?" Shean stammered from behind Libby.

Cindy looked at him strangely. "Are you feeling okay? You look a little pale."

"I'm fine, just fine! No need to worry about me!"

"Well... okay. If you do see him, tell me okay? He needs to take his... medicine."

"Okay, you'll be the first one we tell. Bye." Libby said.

When Cindy left, Libby and Shean breathed a sigh of relief.

"Okay Jimster, you can come out now," Shean said, opening the closet door.

"Jimmy tumble out. "Ow..." He rubbed his head painfully. "So... what are we going to do now? I can't hide her forever. Cindy will find me for sure. It may be hard to believe, but she's almost as smart as me!"

"See, Jimmy that's just the attitude that got you locked up in the first place!" Libby replied.

"Libby, this is not the time to send Jimmy on a guilt trip!"

"No, Shean... she–she's right. If only... if only I had tried to make friends with her... if only I had been nicer..." Jimmy looked down.

"Hey, Jimster... it–it's okay." Shean tried to comfort him. "Besides... I'm sorry to say it... but even if you did apologize, there's nothing you could do to help her. She lost her mind five years ago– when her parents died. She's a lost cause now."

"That's not a good enough excuse!"

"Come on Jimmy, you need your rest. You can sleep in my room," Libby said, helping Jimmy up. "Shean and I can take the couch. That way we can keep a look out for Cindy."

Jimmy looked at the two and sighed. "Okay... if you say so..." Jimmy had to admit, it had been so long since he actually had a good night's rest.

When Jimmy laid down on the bed he sighed in pleasure. The soft sheets felt good against his bruised and battered body. Just then he heard a noise from outside that caused him to sit up. He slowly got up and went over to the window. He quickly searched around and sighed when there was nothing there. "It― It was just the wind..."

Just then a pair of glowing eyes appeared and he screamed falling backwards.

"What's wrong, Jimmy?!" Libby exclaimed, as Shean and she ran in to the room.

"L-look outside! I-it's Cindy!"

Shean looked outside and sighed. "Don't worry, Jimmy, it was just a raccoon."

"A... a raccoon?" Jimmy looked out the window again and sure enough a raccoon went running off. "Oh God..."

"Don't worry, Jimmy... it's okay." Libby said patting his shoulder. "Now why don't you go back to bed." Libby helped him to the bed and tucked him in. "Good night, Jimmy."

"Guys...?"

"Yah?"

"Thanks..."

"No problem." Shean and Libby left, turning the light off and closing the door behind them.

Jimmy yawned and in a couple of seconds he was fast asleep.

Nick was fast asleep in his bed when suddenly he heard a crash come form the kitchen. He quickly sat up and turned the light on. "He–hello?" There was no answer. Only the crash of thunder answered him.

He got out of bed and grabbed a flashlight and began to search the house. Without warning, the flashlight went out, leaving Nick in darkness. "GOD DAMNIT!" He cried, hitting the flashlight. That's when he heard light footfalls coming towards him. "Aw crap..."

Thunder and lightning crashed to reveal Cindy standing in the hallway, holding a machete.

"AAAAAHHHH!" Nick cried, running away. He hid in the closet. Just then he heard Cindy approaching and he quickly held his breath. When he was sure she had gone, he breathed a sigh of relief.

"THERE YOU ARE!" Cindy exclaimed, opening the door. Before Nick could scream Cindy impaled him with the machete.

The next day

"Slow down, Jimmy! We don't want you chocking on a doughnut!" Libby chuckled, as Jimmy scarfed down his breakfast.

"Yah Jimster, I don't want to have to give you mouth-to-mouth."

"I'm sorry, it's just that... I haven't had a decent meal in so long and I―" just then the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it," Libby said, getting up."

"Oh God Libby! He's dead! He's really dead!" Courtney cried, when Libby answered the door.

"Whoa, calm down, Courtney! Whose dead?"

"Nick! I just went to visit him this morning and.. and I found him in the hallway closet with a machete sticking out of his head!!"

"Oh my God!"

"Not just that but I found this as well..." Courtney handed Libby a note.

"Bring me Jimmy, or see more of your friends die... Cindy..."

"What are we going to do?! Why is she doing this? Who knows who Cindy will go after next!!" Courtney cried. "What if she comes after me? I mean... what have I ever done to her?! Libby, I'm scared..."

"Calm down, Courtney. Why don't you go home and rest... Shean and I will work things out, okay?"

"O-okay... bye, Libby." The two hugged and Courtney left.

"Nick's dead..." Libby said, walking in to the kitchen.

Jimmy coughed up his doughnuts and Shean spit out his orange juice. "WHAAAAAT?!" They seemed to cry out at the same time.

"What the fuck happened?" Shean exclaimed.

"I'll give you three guesses..." Jimmy scowled, wiping his mouth with his sleeve.

"Cindy? She killed Nick? THIS IS JUST HORRIBLE!!"

"HOW LOW WILL CINDY STOOP?!" jimmy shouted bashing his fist against the table.

"She left this note as well." Libby handed Jimmy the note and he read it.

"We have to stop her... before anyone else gets hurt..."

"But how? We don't know where she'll strike next." Shean said, wiping the orange juice off the table.

"I have a plan." Jimmy smirked his usual smirk.

"I really appreciate what you're doing, Shean."

"Hey, don't mention it. No one will hurt you now that I'm here to watch out for you. And while Libby's making sure Jimmy's out of Cindy's hands, everything's going to be fine."

No sooner had he said it, did the power go out.

"Aw man! Wait right here, I'll go get the power back," Shean said, getting a flashlight and going downstairs.

"O-okay..." Courtney looked around the dark room shaking. "Calm down, Courtney... there's nothing to be afraid of..."

Just then she heard a noise.

"Eeep! Who― who's there?"

All of a sudden someone came up from behind her and slit her throat.

Courtney grabbed her throat, a pained gargle escaping her lips. "He-lp..."

"Oops..." Cindy chuckled. "I didn't do the job right. HERE! Let me finish it!" Cindy laughed driving the knife through Courtney's neck, killing her. Cindy heard footsteps coming up the basement stairs, so she dropped Courtney's dead, lifeless body to the floor and hid behind the couch.

"It looks like someone cut the power lines. So I can't fix it. But I got candles." When there wasn't an answer, Shean searched the room with the flashlight. When the light fell on Courtney he screamed. Shean scanned the room franticly. "Cindy? I... I know you're here! Now show yourself."

There came a mocking chuckle. "All you have to do is tell me where Jimmy is."

"NEVER, YOU PSYCHOPATHIC BITCH!"

"Never, is a very long time."

Shean could feel her breathing down his neck. He spun around and tried to hit her with the flashlight, but she ducked and slashed him across the chest with her machete. Shean cried out in pain and he staggered backwards.

"Now tell me! WHERE IS HE?!"

"B-bite me..."

"Very well, if that's how you're going to be." Cindy lifted up the machete and brought it down, piecing Shean's heart.

Shean fell to the floor, breathing his last.

"I hope Shean is alright," Libby said, looking out the window.

"I'm sure he's fine. He can take care of himself."

Libby looked at Jimmy and smiled hopefully. "I hope you're right." Just then, there came a noise from outside. "What was that?" Libby opened the window and scanned the yard. "That's strange... there's no one he-ack!"

"Libby? Libby, are you okay?" Jimmy walked over to her and pulled her back in. "OH MY GOD! Holy..." Libby's head was gone. Jimmy felt like retching.

Cindy came through the open window, an axe in one hand and Libby's dismembered head in the other.

"Oh my God... you're insane!!"

Cindy chuckled. "You shouldn't be saying that to someone hooking an axe. You might loose your head." Cindy tossed Libby's head to the side. "Now come here so I can kill you."

Jimmy spun around and made a run for it.

"Damn it Jimmy, come back her. Do as I say!"

Jimmy ran up the stairs and picked up the phone and tried to call Courtney's house, but all he got was the answering machine. "Oh no..." He backed away from the phone and hid in the closet in Libby's room.

"Jimmy..." Cindy walked in to Libby's room. "I know you're in here. You won't get out of here alive!"

Jimmy heard Cindy walk toward the closet and he held his breath.

"Are you in there, Jimmy?" Just then she heard a noise from behind her. "Jimmy?"

All of a sudden a cat jumped out at her scratching and biting her. She screamed trying to get the cat off her.

Jimmy saw this as an advantage and jumped out of the closet and tackled her to the ground, causing her to loose her grip on the axe.

There the two struggled on the floor; screaming and punching. They were so busy fighting they didn't realize how close to the stairs they were and ended up tumbling down the steps.

Cindy weakly got up and got a knife from the kitchen. "End of the line, Jimmy!" She lunged at him with the knife but Jimmy dodged it.

He twisted her arm and she cried out letting go of the knife. Jimmy tried to grab it but Cindy kicked it out of his reach.

Cindy reached down and grabbed him, throwing him against the cabinets in the kitchen. A gun fell from one of the cabinets. Cindy ran towards Jimmy with her machete.

Jimmy grabbed the gun and shot her.

Cindy dropped to her knees, letting go of her machete. Blood spilled from her stomach and mouth.

Jimmy got up and walked over to her, gun in hand. "Say goodbye, Cindy."

Cindy looked up just as he shot her, once again, in the head.

"Hey Jimmy," Carl said, walking in to Jimmy's room. "You feeling any better?"

Jimmy didn't say anything, he just stared in to space.

Carl frowned. "Don't worry buddy, everything will be fine. I'll help you through this." Carl said, rubbing his shoulder.

"I can't believe they're gone... Libby... Shean... Courtney..." Jimmy's eyes brimmed with tears. "And it's all my fault.."

"No, no, no! Jimmy, it's not your fault. You couldn't have know..."

"Carl,... just go... I just want to be by myself..."

"Okay, Jimmy..." Just before Carl left he stopped at the opening of the door and looked at him. "Will you be coming to Shean and Libby's funeral?"

Jimmy sighed. "Yah... I wouldn't miss it for the world..."

"Okay... goodbye, Jimmy," Carl said and he left.

Jimmy took out a photo of Cindy and looked at it for a moment, then ripped it up and threw the pieces to the floor. He wouldn't be needing it anymore.

The End