Todd Casil, armed only with his best friend Shmee in his arms, started down the hall. The screams from his parent's rooms were different than normal. They sounded of terror. "Shmee," Todd whispered shakily, "You don't have to worry; I'll protect you." Shmee simply smiled as usual, giving Todd a small bit of courage. He tiptoed noiselessly forward, trying to keep his shaking down. He was ten after all, almost a teenager which is almost a grown-up; he could handle whatever was there! As he got closer he thought he heard faint laughter when his parent's bedroom door flew open and there stood in the doorway, covered in blood, the scary-neighbor-man. Johnny C.

"Hmm?" Johnny questioned what blocked the door when he looked behind it to find Todd Casil squished between door and wall. "Ah, Squee! I was just looking for you." The boy couldn't help but shiver in fear at the deranged man's smile that glittered like the knife in his hand. "Guess what I've done for you Squeegee," He beamed and leaned against the window frame invitingly. Todd stared in awe and fright at the massacre before him. His parents, Mommy and Daddy were dead. If possible, even more than dead. By the appearance it seemed Johnny C made them suffer greatly.

Todd "Squee" Casil shook violently now, tears flowing in waves down his cheeks. "Nny…" He whimpered, "What did you do…" Nny looked down at him confused. "Why did you kill them?!" Squee tried to scream, yet his voice came out hoarsely. Grabbing at the madman's coat and tugging it he began to cry uncontrollably, "Why?! Why did you kill my parents, Nny? Why?!"

"Why not?" Came the reply. Todd stared at his neighbor speechlessly. Why not? Because they were his parents, that's why. "They were useless beings, simply there stealing breath." Nny stooped down and tousled the boy's hair. "I thought you'd be happier, I did you a favour after all. They didn't care about you; don't tell me you didn't notice. So I killed them before it could get worse…"

"Worse?"

Johnny sat alone in the darkness of his room. The dark felt warm and safe; like a mother's hug, a metaphor that held no meaning to him. He knew what was coming, tonight he knew she'd come. It'd been too long.

"Nny?" She cooed from the doorway. Looking up he watched her slink through the dark like a snake, her deathly skinny body moving gracefully over the floor. Johnny went mechanically into her arms as she held them out. "Nny… I need you do to Mother a favour, yes?" He nodded his head against her silently, as it wasn't as if he had another choice. If he was good, he got these seldom hugs, that even if she frightened him and smelled of death offered subtle comfort. He was never bad… he didn't have that choice.

The brightly lighted room always made him feel raw and exposed, not at all like his room. Mother held him and whispered how thankful she was; that he was a very good boy. He forced a smile despite that her breath smelled like something burnt and he wished to turn away. Then she left. He was left alone in the room and waited with apathetic patience for his directions. He wondered silently if tonight he was going to be alone under the lights or if tonight someone would pose with him. He prayed for the former.

"Hello little Nny." He heard a deep voice come from the doorway and a shiver crawled across his skin. He immediately had a bad feeling about this man, worse than the others. "You're making Mommy a lot of money aren't you?" The man said as he loomed over Johnny. Johnny knew this man was trying to make him feel more at ease, but the malicious glint in his eyes chilled Johnny beyond any possible comfort. "So, Nny," The man kneeled in front of him to be on his level, but Johnny averted his eyes, "How old are you?"

Johnny stared at his hands and began to count out on his fingers. Without looking up he held his hands up in front of the man's face; six fingers were extended. He heard the man chuckle. To Johnny it sounded evil.

"Well Nny, should we get started?" The man suggested.

"Nny, sweetie, we need you to take off your clothes now, yes?" Johnny heard Mother direct him from all sides, her soft crackling voice echoing off the walls. He stripped himself obediently; like a good boy he did as Mother told him. The man did the same. His movements in rote, Johnny climbed upon the bed in the middle of the room and reaching the head board he spread his legs open. He waited now for the man to come pose with him. Mother told him he was a star once, and that they were taking pictures in the room so he had to look his best. He didn't feel like his best, yet he lay as the men and Mother told him to.

The man came toward him now. Johnny tried to smile as the man began to touch him and position him, but it failed. He barely felt the stranger's fingers on his skin anymore, poking and prodding him, he thought simply of darkness. But this man made this hard to do, as he began doing things the other men hadn't; touching him more harshly and strangely.

"M-Mother?" He stuttered, "What is going on?" The man growled and shoved something in his mouth, making him gag.

"We're making Mommy more money than ever, Nny," He hissed, gagging Johnny more now. "Don't you want to make Mommy happy?" Johnny tried to nod but his head was pitched forward suddenly, then back. He complied silently.

The man seemed in charge now. Johnny let himself be positioned again, this time on the man's lap. "Now's time for the big finale, ready?" The man whispered cruelly in his ear, not trying to be kind anymore and instead mocking him. Johnny was too frightened by now by this man to ask what he meant, he just shivered in fear of the upcoming. Without any other warning than that, Johnny felt his bottom begin to sting. It seemed in the same moment agonizing pain shot up his spine and he cried out.

"S-stop!" He cried. "You're hurting me!" The man held his waist tighter and for a moment the pain lessened, then returned with a vengeance.

Johnny couldn't help but to cry in agony, both physically and from the betrayal. He'd been a good boy hadn't he? He'd done what Mother asked of him, even if he didn't like it. He was never bad, so why was he being punished? He was a good boy… wasn't he? What did he do wrong? Nothing. He did nothing wrong and yet he was being punished. He resolved that if would not be rightly recognized as a good boy, he would be a bad boy.

He woke up in darkness. He hugged his sheets closer to him accentuating the comfort the black abyss brought. His first thought was that it was all a nightmare, but he knew deep down that that was a lie. But it was okay to lie now, because he was no longer a good boy. And now that he didn't have to worry about being good, he could punish those who'd unjustly punished him. Starting with Mother…

Nny hesitated a moment then shook his head violently to clear it. Squee wondered briefly what that was about. Nny turned toward the front door and rested his hand on the door frame, looking back at Squee.

"Well, are you coming or not?" The maniac asked. Squee was stunned. Nny noticed his hesitation and he tried smiling reassuringly. "I'll explain at home; you need a place to stay now right?" Todd supposed he did, and looked at Shmee for guidance. Shmee's smile seemed reassuring as well, and hugging him to his chest, Todd Casil grabbed onto the coattail of his parent's murderer and followed him home.