I was sitting in my special place in my garden digging with my best friend, Sammy. He is very nice and kind to me but sometimes gets me into trouble like the time he made me drop my neighbor's cat from the top of my house. I don't remember how I got on the roof, though.
"Hey, kiddo. Wanna do something cool?" Sammy asked me."Sure?" I said in more of a question. I don't know what he wanted but from his face I could tell it wasn't going to be good. He reached his hand out and I took it, my hand shaking at the fear I was feeling. Suddenly my mind went a blank."I don't see how this is fun!" I called into the inky blackness of the void. A bright light blinded me for an instant and I screamed as I felt a sharp pain in my rear.
"SAMMY!" I screamed as I awoke in my own bed. I looked around frantically before I calmed down soon enough."Breakfast Eli!" My mother called from downstairs and I jumped slightly."Coming mommy!" I called back and rose up."Sammy?" I whispered but didn't get a response and sighed."See you soon." I said and ran down the stairs to the kitchen. I saw my mother cooking still. She was making my favorite of pancakes, toast with butter, and a glass of orange juice.
I sat in my chair across from her's as I watched her finish the food as she hummed away to the theme of that spy movie we watched last night. It was amazing but pretty boring compared to the original. She put all the food on the plate and handed it to me. I added butter to the pancakes but then my head pulsed. I began to not see straight as I looked around, desperate to find something to help this unnerving pain in my skull."Rip it open." I heard in my brain. "W-What?" I asked the voice."RIP IT OPEN!" It screamed at me and the voice kept repeat the phrase over and over again."Please stop...please…" I begged it.
"What?" My mother asked as she looked at me, concerned."Where am I?" I asked her in fear, my eyes darting around to make sure I was safe."Elliott you're scaring me." My mom said and put her hand on my forehead and my cheeks."Well you don't have a fever." She said softly and sighed."I guess it was just that you haven't woken up yet." She said and hugged me."I love you, my precious little boy." She whispered in my ear.
A few hours later I was sitting on the rug in my classroom."The weather is rainy a-and cold." A blonde girl said as she was standing in front of the class."Good job, Hailey. Elliott why don't you tell us the day?" My teacher asked. She is always way too joyful, but none of us want to tell her how uncomfortable it is to speak with her or even be near her."Doomsday." I said in a trance as I began to hear the voice again but this time it brought company."Do it!" One screamed."Pull her hair and cut her!" Another yelled right into my brain and as I was told, I let out a chilling wail and blacked out.
I woke up in the nurse's office with my bag being used as my pillow."Huh?" I asked unknowingly aloud."Hello, sweetie. Are you feeling okay?" The nurse asked."Yeah I think so…" I said to her as the room spun around and around. I saw a white orb and followed it til the light landed on a book I've never seen before."Where did you get that?" I asked her."Huh?OH! A boy about your age brought that in. He said it would help you." She said as Sammy was in the corner of the room and waved."Hello, Ellie. I know you love it when I distort the world, so I made it happen just for you." He said in a teasing tone as I felt like I was going to vomit."Stop it, Sammy." I said as the nurse watched me get up."Sweetie what?" She asked in her country accent."I said STOP IT!" I yelled and attacked Sammy."I'm going to kill you! Stop making my mind break and shatter!" I screamed at him as he fought back."I'm only doing this because I know you like it, kiddo. I know you so well, don't I?" He said and smirked before i slapped him across the face. I smiled proudly as i saw his expression turn to shock as i actually landed a blow on him. My victory, however, was short lived as his expression quickly turned to anger as he grabbed me by my neck and growled."I will make you pay for that." He promised and vanished before i fainted.
I awoke tied down to the same bed."Mommy?" I asked softly as i looked around. Almost like she had sensed me awake, my mother ran in and hugged me."Shh, my precious child, you are safe. You're going to go to a special place for a while, okay?" She said nervously. She appeared to have been crying a while ago and just finished to hide it from me."Mommy why are you crying? Did i do something wrong?" I asked like i normally do when she cries. I always feel like every time she cries it's because of me in some way."No sweetie. I'm just...sooo happy." She said as if she was going to say something else but either forgot or didn't want to say it.
"Mommy who are these men?" I asked her in fear as i saw two strong looking men. "These men are going to escort you to your camp. They need to keep you safe." She said and patted my head."Safe?" I asked her, confused."Safe from what?" I added as she walked to give them my stuff. I saw her jolt and i knew i said something wrong. She turned to me with a frown as she was about to explode in tears."From yourself." She said softly as she did as expected and began to cry."M-Mommy i'm sorry i said anything. Please don't cry." I begged as i tried to calm her down but one of the men grabbed me and began to pull me away."Mommy! I need to help mommy!" I screamed at him before he threw me into a van with barred windows."Mommy!" I screamed as i saw them get into the van and i felt the van move as i saw her get smaller and smaller.
I soon felt the van come to a stop and after that the door opened."Come on you little brat." One said and grabbed me and pulled me out of the van and put me in a weird jacket with buckles."What is this, sir?" I asked him as i struggled some."This is a special jacket that will make you very happy." He said in a tone that i couldn't tell if it was teasing or just being an adult.
He put me in a room with an old lady who looked to be high."Hello, little boy. I'm Ms. Edna. Can you tell me your name?" She asked with a sickening smile."E-Elliot." I said, not comfortable to give her his last name."Ohh that's a good name. I like it. What did you do to get sent here?" She asked as she wrote my name down."Um...i-i don't know…" I said to her as I thought of mommy."When can i see mommy again?" I asked curiously as I remember how sad she was when I was taken."Soon, my child, soon." She said and left before a man that was as old as daddy began to buckle the straps on my 'special' jacket."Sir why are you doing this?" I asked him and looked up at him."Because you've been a very bad boy. You are about to be punished for your crimes." He said in a gruff voice and slapped me. I flinched when he did and shook."Can I know my crime?" I asked him nervously before he looked at me with angered eyes."You're a smart kid, figure it out." He said and walked away before i felt someone grab me from behind and strap me to a rolly thing.
"Where are we going?" I asked whoever it was who was moving me."To your home for the next two years." He said and laughed as he put me in a pillowy room."This place is bouncy." I said happily before he smirked."I'm glad that you're happy with it because you will be living in here for the next two years. Good luck with surviving this." He said and laughed whole-heartedly before he closed the door."This place seems depressing." He said softly and looked around.
An hour later the same man pulled me out and carried me to a loud room full of tables, chairs, and people."Welcome to the cafeteria. This is where you'll eat breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Now go make some friends." He said and pushed me into the room and onto the floor. I got up and walked around before i sat down on a couch in the back and began to cry.'I'm never going home.' I thought before i saw something weird."Hello, dear child. It's great to have someone like you to brighten up my day." A puppet said and laughed. Another one popped up and waved."Hiya, brat! Do you need a spanking?" He asked as i got scared."N-No." I managed to say before the first one grabbed the other one."What should we do to him?" He asked as i begin to think about it before i giggled."I want him to burn!" I cheered happily as the mean puppet shook in fear."N-No! Please!" He begged before the other puppet made a fan with orange, red, and yellow strings on it come out from behind the other couch."Burn! Burn! Burn!" I chanted over and over again as he nice puppet lowered the mean one into the fake flames, the mean one screaming in pain before he fell still."Yay!" I said happily when i saw him dead. An old man looked over the couch and smiled at me before he walked over to him.
"Hello young lad. My name is James." He said and patted my head gently."My name is Elliot. It's nice to meet you." I said softly and held out my hand for him. He did something i would never expect and kissed it."Why did you do that?" I asked as i tried to hide the blood rushing to my cheeks. He looked at me with soft eyes that made my heart skip a beat."Because you are the cutest man here." He said and smiled."Silly. I'm a boy, not a man."I said and giggled."No you are not a man but you'll be treated like one here." He said and rose up and picked me up.
"Don't worry, my precious angel. I'll keep you safe in this place of dogs." He said and after a week, he had protected me from many attacks, mental and physical.
"My dear child." He said to me as he held me close."You know that i will cherish you forever, right?" He asked and looked at me."Yeah. Why are you telling me something i already know?" I asked nervously as his hand rubbed my side."Because i need you to do me a favor." He said before he shoved something into my mouth and i fell asleep."J-Jam-" I said before all i could see was black.
I woke up to nothing but inky blackness."Hello?" I asked, not even sure if i was awake."Hello, dear child." A man said as he flipped on a small light."James what's going on?" I asked as i tried to get up but realized that my hands are strapped down to a chair."James?" I asked in fear before a wet sponge was put on my head."Don't worry, Elliot. Soon you'll be like us and feel right as rain." He said and placed a helmet thing on my head."Please no." I begged as tears rolled down my cheeks."Don't worry. You're going to be so happy." He said and flipped the switch.
I awoke in his arms and looked around."You were right! I do feel happier!" I said and looked up at him and smiled. His eyes were still like i remembered them. Soft and safe."I told you." He teased and poked my nose, causing me to sneeze."Weirdo." He said and began to rock me."I know but i'm your weirdo." I said back as he stroked my hair. It felt nice but i saw something in the corner of my eye and looked toward it. It was Sammy!
"What are you doing here?!" I yelled at him. He simply stared at me with an evil looking smile."Nothing but watching an old man with his boy toy." He replied and i frowned."I am not his 'boy toy'. I am his son til i leave." I corrected a-matter-of-factly. He merely laughed at me and wiped a pretend tear from his eye."Wow! I knew you were an idiot, but god damn you're dumb." He said and laughed. I felt my heart become heavy and looked down."Sorry, Eli, but it's true. That is stupid to think an old man would ever find you useful besides as a slave for his own needs." He teased."B-But…" I said before it dawned on me that...he was right!"Yeah...i see your point." I said to him before i felt a warm hand on my forehead."James?" I asked and looked at him."You were talking to yourself, my beautiful boy." He said to me."No. I was talking to my friend Sammy. He's mean to me." I said back and pointed to him. James looked where i was pointing and frowned."I don't see him, Ellie." He said sadly."But he is there!" I said sternly and closed my eyes.
I felt sad that my protector couldn't save me for the one thing that harmed me most. My own mind. I smiled as it was my nap time but i couldn't sleep, so i was resting in James' arms. I loved the peace of this room as i tried to fall asleep but someone called my name."Elliot." It said. It sounded female but i couldn't be sure."Elliot?" It asked before i opened my eyes and saw someone i never thought i would ever again.
"Mommy!" I cheered and smiled as she hugged me close."Oh my sweet baby it's been so long!" She said happily and kissed my cheek and i giggled."I tried to be a good boy, mommy, just for you." I said to her and she ruffled my hair softly."That's my good little boy." She praised."Mommy this man protected me for these two years. Isn't he nice?" I asked and pointed to James.
She looked at him and gasped."S-Son it's time to go." She said softly."Okay but after i give him one last hug." I said and hugged me savior before i looked up."James i'm leaving. Aren't you going to say goodbye to me?" I asked gently and touched his cheek gently. No answer."Daddy?" I asked him, using the name he wanted me to call him but i refused. Still no answer."Sweetie...he's gone…" My mother said and suddenly i felt it. I felt my heart get torn apart.
"Finally." A voice said behind me. I turned on my heels and saw Sammy with a key."You are ready to become the true you, Elliot." He said to me."No! I'm not going to give in to you, Sammy!" I screamed and launched myself at him. He showed signs of shock before he smirked."Just as i planned." He said and shoved the key into my chest and turned it."Now you're mine." He said before i blacked out once more.
I woke up in my bed and sighed."I got to stop waking up like this."I said to myself as i looked at the ceiling."Mom?" I asked before i saw Sammy."Hey, kiddo. Look at yourself. You look good enough to eat." He teased and licked his lips."Ew you perv. I don't look...delicious…" I said and looked at my hands. I saw a bag filled with candy. I looked down at all of my body and saw the same thing."W-What? Why is there candy?" I asked him as he was now at the foot of my bed."Because, dear Elliot, i covered you in it from head to toe! All you must do is eat it all to find your true self. Go on and give it a taste." He said and smiled."Just one bite and you will see how good it is." He said and chuckled darkly.
He was starting to creep me out so i just did as he asked and ripped off the bag. It was weird that it took a good amount of effort to rip off the one on both of my legs but i figured it was good packaging was all. Once the bag was ripped off, however, all the candy began to spill as well as multicolored liquid.
"Wow! Look at all that candy! It's so pretty!" I cheered and looked at Sammy who smiled and nodded."And you want to know something?" He asked in a teasing manner."It's all for you." He said and smiled.
"All of this for me?!" I asked in shock as i smiled from ear to ear and began to dig in. Most everything was very chewy and sweet but after i finished the second one, i felt tired."Sammy what now?" I asked before i realized he had vanished."S-Sammy…" I said before i fell asleep. This nap, however, was short lived as i suddenly heard multiple screams and i opened my eyes to see my mommy and daddy."Hi!" I said happily."I ate candy. Do you want some too?" I asked before i couldn't see anymore.
Everything was black."I love you. Please help me." I said as i looked around. I heard a soft voice and looked up."Hello, my precious Ellie. Take my hand and we can finally be free." James said and i smiled and hugged him."Freedom." I repeated.
"How is he?" Mommy asked."There was nothing we could do, ma'am. We had to take him off." The doctor said."Oh my little boy. I hope you're safe in Paradise." She said and cried into her husband's chest."I'm sorry, mommy. I might return when there is more candy." I said before i began to play with James for all eternity.