Maybe it was the feeling in the air that day, or maybe it was just the smell of all the bantha dung, but something told me there was something wrong. My name is Neezo, and I am a Rodian. I was born on Tatooine and raised on Tatooine; and until I was old enough to know I could leave I thought I would die on Tatooine. Maybe I will, who knows?

I was raised by my foster mother and foster father; they were human, but accepted a Rodian son into their home anyway. I was their only child, and they treated me as if my mother had actually given birth to me herself. They had a small home in Mos Eisley, where they raised me from a baby. Most people wonder why my mother and father took in a Rodian child, instead of having their own. I know why they did, though. Daddy never wanted me, but mommy insisted.

"Neezo, honey, come inside now; it's time for dinner!" That was my mother's voice- soft, loving, the most wonderful thing you would have ever heard in your life. I was eight, I think. I waved to my friends with a grin and waddled inside in clothes that were too big for me, and barefoot to boot. I shook the sand off of my clothes as I skipped down the stairs to the inside of our tiny home, ready to eat whatever my mother had cooked.

It was fried Eopie meat; my mommy knew I loved to eat Eopie, so she made it whenever she could. She always knew what was best for me, always. I never questioned her. She was perfect and nice. I took my knife and fork and started to eat, smiling with every bite. I knew that if I ate all my dinner, it would make mommy happy. I liked it when mommy was happy.

But every day after dinner I had to clean up, and then daddy would make me go study. I didn't like studying, never ever. Daddy knew I hated to study, but he made me do it anyway, like a buttface! Sometimes, though, mommy would come and study with me. She would help me, teach me new words, teach me how to do math and all sorts of amazing things! She knew everything, everything! She was always there for me. Always.

One day, though, after I was done with dinner, daddy came to study with me. He was very mean to me when I tried to learn but couldn't, not at all like mommy! He said I had to learn or he would hit me... and then he did. I hated daddy even more starting that day, I did, I did! Mommy walked in and saw him hitting me and that's when she started yelling and screaming at daddy; so many bad words I didn't even know them all! Daddy got up and started screaming back,

"It's all your fault, Tasha! I never wanted this disgusting alien child!"

"Oh, so it's my fault then? It's not my fault you can't control your temper!"

"Well maybe I wouldn't have such an awful temper if..."They kept going for a few more minutes before mommy walked away. I looked at daddy and his eyes were great big and he was breathing heavy; I didn't like what he said about me, or about mommy. I really didn't like it. He turned around to look at me, like I was some disgusting piece of garbage or a turd... then he turned and walked out the door, too.

I lay down on the floor in the study for awhile, thinking and hoping mommy would come down and tell me everything was okay. She didn't. I was alone down there for hours. I finally got up and walked to my bedroom in the next room over. I curled into a ball and fell asleep; tired, scared, alone.

I woke up the next morning and sat down at the table. My mommy had made breakfast for everyone and daddy was there, too. Nobody said a word, they just ate their food like ghosts; expressionless, dead inside but still alive. Mommy used to tell me stories about ghosts all the time, and I loved them so much that I would beg her to tell me every night. She didn't tell me those stories any more, though, because she said they gave me nightmares... But they didn't scare me that bad!

At least, they didn't scare me as much as mommy and daddy eating their breakfast, speechless, emotionless... I was in a ghost story now, and mommy would always stop right before she got to the end of them; but I knew how they ended. In order to make mommy and daddy free again, I had to set their souls free from their bonds. That was the last part mommy would ever tell me, I knew that line so well... every time I heard it, I would beg mommy to tell me the rest, but never-ever.

That day I stayed inside and mommy and daddy didn't say a word. Daddy cleaned up supper and didn't make me study. Mommy sat in her and daddy's room for awhile and daddy went out. I sat alone in my bedroom for hours, waiting for daddy to come home. I played with the knife in my hands, dragging my fingers along the edge, staring at it.... staring.... staring.

That's when I heard it. I heard the door open and daddy stagger in; I think he was drunk. He walked into mommy and daddy's room and I heard him crash onto the bed. I waited another hour and heard no sounds. Now I would make mommy and daddy free, forever, to be happy!

I left that morning when the suns were high in the sky. Mommy didn't wake me up that morning, and daddy's face would have a grin for the rest of his life. Now him and mommy were together and their souls were free. They wouldn't have to be ghosts anymore, but I would have to leave them now.