Years passed

Years passed.

But Vince never noticed.

Time was meaningless to Vince. A memory of something that once was.

All that Vince remembered was Merton. All Vince knew was Merton. The rest of the world became distorted, as did Vince's mind. All time was measured as Before. Before the chest. Before the Dark. Before.

Vince became… different. Became obsessed with finding a way out of the chest. And, when Vince finally realized that Vince would never leave the chest, Vince became obsessed with remembering Merton. Vince's memories of Merton began to change in small ways. Vince forgot about Becky, The Mom and The Dad, forgot everything but the moments that Vince was with Merton. And Vince began to plan what Vince would do when Vince escaped from the trunk. Plans of death and destruction and fire consuming Pleasantville. Before the chest, Vince had been a scallywag, slightly out of control but never dangerously so unless Merton was threatened. But now, trapped in the chest, far way from Merton's calming influence, Vince began to dream of blood, dream of killing everyone who had ever come between Vince and Merton.

In short, Vince went insane.

~~

The world moved.

Vince, half-awake, realized that the world was moving. The Chest was moving.

This was all very upsetting for Vince, who immediately sank down to the bottom. Vince couldn't remember the last time the Chest had moved. Quite some time ago though since movement from the outside.

Words were spoken by an unfamiliar voice.

Than Vince heard the voice. Vince still couldn't understand the words but Vince's heartbeat doubled just the same. Vince knew that voice. Vince had spent eternity in the Chest, listening to the same voice over and over again in Vince's head.

It was Merton!!

Part of Vince wanted to climb out of the Chest immediately but Vince remembered that Merton had locked Vince inside the Chest. Quietly, Vince waited for Merton to leave.

And Vince smiled.

Merton would be his again.

~~

Vince watched Merton sleep.

Merton had changed in many ways. Vince was just now realizing this.


Merton was bigger and he had grown from a small, week child to a small, yet slightly stronger adult. Vince no longer had to worry about breaking Merton when they played. But…

Merton no longer wanted to play with Vince. Merton had new toys that were better and friends that were real. And what Merton wanted had changed.

Before, Merton had just wanted to play with Vince and have fun. Now Merton wanted so much more. He wanted to go on dates with girls and to get good grades in school and play with his new friends Tommy and Lori.

This disturbed Vince. The Merton that Vince remembered was almost nothing like this Merton. But… Merton was still Merton and Vince was made to love him. No matter what.

Quietly, Vince walked over to Merton's bed and sat on the edge beside Merton. In his sleep, Merton looked like the Merton that Vince remembered. A wonderful child who loved Vince with all his heart.

"Vince is here little buddy," Vince whispered as Vince ran Vince's hand across Merton's hair, "And Vince won't leave you ever again. Vince will stop anyone who tried to take you away from Vince."

Merton made a sound in the back of his throat, a cross between a whimper and a sigh. Vince took this as a sign that Merton agreed with Vince.

"You'll be Vince's again." Vince said as he gazed at Merton, "And no one will take you away."

~~

The fire burned quickly.

Vince stood back and watched at the pile of rags was consumed by the orange flames. Vince smiled, imagining of what it would look like when the entire town burned. Vince could almost smell the scent of ashes and burning flesh. Of course, Merton would be beside Vince when this happened and they would watch together.

Right now Merton was at school, leaving Vince to explore the Lair. But Vince had first decided to see if everything that Vince remembered was still in the same place.

The oily rags and matches were in the same place in the house.

Vince grabbed the fire extinguisher off of the tabletop and, with a spray from the nozzle, put the fire out. Then, Vince put the extinguisher away and scraped the rags into the garbage can. Then, Vince began to dig though Merton's room, discovering all sorts of lovely toys that Merton had picked up since Vince had left.

Many of these toys had extremely sharp points and multiple cutting edges. Some of the more dangerous looking toys Vince set on Merton's desk. When Merton came home, Vince would ask him about them.


Until then, Vince planned on playing with them.

~~

~~

"Maybe Vince should get rid of Merton. Right. Now."

"I'm not quite on board with that last suggestion." Vince could see the fear in Merton's eyes.

"It'll be just like old times little buddy. Like when we used to play hide and go seek. Only this time, if Vince finds you, it's your turn to go in the trunk for ten years," Vince let Vince's voice take on a cheerful tone, "You have thirty seconds." Vince fluttered Vince's eyes.

"You know, when you give into vengeance the only one you hurt is yourself. And possible me."

"Twenty-five seconds."

"But!"

"Nineteen."

"Ah…"

"NINE!"

Merton gave out a whimper and ran out the door, leaving Vince alone the lair. Vince would give Merton a chance to hide. And when Vince found Merton, Vince would lock Merton in the chest. But not for ten years. Just until Merton came to his senses and realized the truth. That he didn't need anyone else except for Vince.

And, after that, they would kill everyone in Pleasantville, starting with Tommy Dawkins and ending with The Mom.

It would be glorious.

~~

"It's nice to have an imaginary friend," Merton said this as he opened the chest. Vince felt his heart leap in his chest. Maybe Merton had seen the light.

"But you know what?" His voice suddenly changed, became cruel. "It's better to have real ones."

"What!" Vince was shocked.

"I don't believe in you anymore." Merton's words pierced Vince's heart. Vince realized that Merton had set up Vince. Merton who Vince loved with all of Vince's heart.

Vince heard a slapping noise behind Vince and Vince turned around just in time for Tommy and Lori to kick Vince in the stomach.

Vince fell backwards, arms spiraling. Vince's legs hit the back of the chest and Vince fell backwards into it. Before Vince could do anything more, Merton slammed down the lid.

Vince lay frozen in fear at the bottom of the chest. Vince was back in the darkness, back in the dream world Vince had lived in for ten years.

"Maybe I never left," Vince whispered, "Maybe it was just a dream."

Then Vince felt Merton sit on the chest, just above Vince's head. Anger just filled Vince and, enraged, he attacked the top of the chest, screaming at the top of his lungs. He felt Merton get off and leave.

And suddenly all the anger left Vince and Vince collapsed at the bottom of the chest. Tears began to run down Vince's face.

"Vince just wanted to love you," Vince sobbed, "That's all Vince was meant to do."