"No! I can't let you kill it! You can't make Shmee go away!" he yelled angrily. Johnny glared at the boy, but was caught up again before he could speak. The creature grabbed Devi too.
"Ahhh! Such clarity of mind. You know your master. You alone will be spared," it hissed. "Friendship, loyalty, love.... you won't miss those. They mean so little to you as it is." Suddenly Todd grew cold. He had just betrayed the two people who were kindest to him. Why? For the sake of a voice in his head. But he didn't want Shmee to leave. Todd was torn. But he knew that it was too late, so he resigned himself to his fate. The best he could do was to turn around and try not to acknowledge the deaths of Johnny and Devi. He trudged slowly towards the door, too numb to cry. He felt like he was a dead thing walking. He wished he could block out the sounds of them yelling and cursing. Todd looked up from his feet at the door, but he heard something approaching. The door swung open and in charged Tenna.
"Hi guys! This teddy can talk!" she yelled up at the two dangling humans, holding Shmee out. "Come down here and see! It's amazing!" Todd heard Shmee talking to Tenna.
"Tenna, you can show them later. First, you have to squeak Spooky," the bear ordered. Tenna nodded, and pulled Spooky out of her pocket. Even in this life-threatening situation, Devi's all-consuming hatred of Spooky surfaced, and she began thrashing around wildly.
"NOOOOOOO!!! I DON'T NEED TO DIE BECAUSE I'M ALREADY IN HELL!!" she screamed. Johnny, despite his impending doom, couldn't help but snicker under his breath. Tenna raised Spooky in front of her, towards the monster, but on her face was a look of determination and focus, rather than her usual mindless grin. She squeezed the toy tightly.
SQUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!!!!!!!!
It sounded more like a foghorn and it shook the house to its core, and everybody screamed in pain, covering their ears. The creature, however, was the worst off. It flailed wildly, and limbs sprayed off of it like a dog shaking off water. It was now immobile. Todd took Shmee from Tenna and cradled him in his arms. The teddy bear spoke to Todd in a soft, gentle voice. "Alright, Todd. You know what you have to do now. We must finish it off together." Todd squeezed the bear to himself tightly, shaking his head defiantly.
"I don't want to..." he whined. Johnny strode up to Todd angrily, but his voice was neutral.
"Todd, you have to. That was a very selfish thing you did, taking it upon yourself to decide the fate of billions of people. Now I'm not exactly fond of people, but even I wouldn't want the whole human race to die. Not only that, but you were willing to have me and Devi killed. Now you have a chance to make it up, if you can do this one thing." Johnny turned away at this, and moved back beside Devi. He held himself in check, trying not to show emotion. He had never had reason to be strict with Todd, and it hurt Johnny more than he let on. He hadn't missed Todd's fear-stricken eyes, gazing up at him in terror. Todd was now hurt and more than a little afraid of him. He was no longer Nny, but the Scary Neighbour Man again.
"He's just a boy, Nny. Don't you think that was a bit too harsh?" asked Devi.
"Was it really, Devi?" countered Johnny, fighting to control his internal turmoil. He was aware of Todd's conflict. The poor boy not only faced the prospect of losing his lifelong companion, but now he was close to losing Johnny's acceptance and approval. He wasn't exactly a model citizen, but he was someone Todd looked up to, a sort of father figure. And Johnny knew this. But there were some things that were totally unacceptable.
"Ok, Nny. I'll do it," Todd managed weakly. "... Are you still... my friend?" he whimpered. Johnny's only response was to smile approvingly. Todd smiled broadly, glad he still had the strange man's approval. Johnny ruffled up Todd's hair, and Todd stared up at him, his eyes shining with adoration.
"Alright, Squeegee. Go for it," Johnny said encouragingly, and Todd picked up Shmee.
"Don't worry, Todd. I'll always be a part of you. If you need me, just look inside yourself," the bear said warmly, and after a final hug, Todd held the bear out towards the creature. Invisible wisps of energy coursed from the diminished monster to the bear, and the creature howled feebly, then grew silent. It began crumbling, turning to dust, until at last, nothing remained. Todd looked at the bear's eyes, glazed-over and dead, and sighed deeply. He lifted his head, mustering what dignity he could, and said with finality,
"It's over."
"Ahhh! Such clarity of mind. You know your master. You alone will be spared," it hissed. "Friendship, loyalty, love.... you won't miss those. They mean so little to you as it is." Suddenly Todd grew cold. He had just betrayed the two people who were kindest to him. Why? For the sake of a voice in his head. But he didn't want Shmee to leave. Todd was torn. But he knew that it was too late, so he resigned himself to his fate. The best he could do was to turn around and try not to acknowledge the deaths of Johnny and Devi. He trudged slowly towards the door, too numb to cry. He felt like he was a dead thing walking. He wished he could block out the sounds of them yelling and cursing. Todd looked up from his feet at the door, but he heard something approaching. The door swung open and in charged Tenna.
"Hi guys! This teddy can talk!" she yelled up at the two dangling humans, holding Shmee out. "Come down here and see! It's amazing!" Todd heard Shmee talking to Tenna.
"Tenna, you can show them later. First, you have to squeak Spooky," the bear ordered. Tenna nodded, and pulled Spooky out of her pocket. Even in this life-threatening situation, Devi's all-consuming hatred of Spooky surfaced, and she began thrashing around wildly.
"NOOOOOOO!!! I DON'T NEED TO DIE BECAUSE I'M ALREADY IN HELL!!" she screamed. Johnny, despite his impending doom, couldn't help but snicker under his breath. Tenna raised Spooky in front of her, towards the monster, but on her face was a look of determination and focus, rather than her usual mindless grin. She squeezed the toy tightly.
SQUOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOONK!!!!!!!!
It sounded more like a foghorn and it shook the house to its core, and everybody screamed in pain, covering their ears. The creature, however, was the worst off. It flailed wildly, and limbs sprayed off of it like a dog shaking off water. It was now immobile. Todd took Shmee from Tenna and cradled him in his arms. The teddy bear spoke to Todd in a soft, gentle voice. "Alright, Todd. You know what you have to do now. We must finish it off together." Todd squeezed the bear to himself tightly, shaking his head defiantly.
"I don't want to..." he whined. Johnny strode up to Todd angrily, but his voice was neutral.
"Todd, you have to. That was a very selfish thing you did, taking it upon yourself to decide the fate of billions of people. Now I'm not exactly fond of people, but even I wouldn't want the whole human race to die. Not only that, but you were willing to have me and Devi killed. Now you have a chance to make it up, if you can do this one thing." Johnny turned away at this, and moved back beside Devi. He held himself in check, trying not to show emotion. He had never had reason to be strict with Todd, and it hurt Johnny more than he let on. He hadn't missed Todd's fear-stricken eyes, gazing up at him in terror. Todd was now hurt and more than a little afraid of him. He was no longer Nny, but the Scary Neighbour Man again.
"He's just a boy, Nny. Don't you think that was a bit too harsh?" asked Devi.
"Was it really, Devi?" countered Johnny, fighting to control his internal turmoil. He was aware of Todd's conflict. The poor boy not only faced the prospect of losing his lifelong companion, but now he was close to losing Johnny's acceptance and approval. He wasn't exactly a model citizen, but he was someone Todd looked up to, a sort of father figure. And Johnny knew this. But there were some things that were totally unacceptable.
"Ok, Nny. I'll do it," Todd managed weakly. "... Are you still... my friend?" he whimpered. Johnny's only response was to smile approvingly. Todd smiled broadly, glad he still had the strange man's approval. Johnny ruffled up Todd's hair, and Todd stared up at him, his eyes shining with adoration.
"Alright, Squeegee. Go for it," Johnny said encouragingly, and Todd picked up Shmee.
"Don't worry, Todd. I'll always be a part of you. If you need me, just look inside yourself," the bear said warmly, and after a final hug, Todd held the bear out towards the creature. Invisible wisps of energy coursed from the diminished monster to the bear, and the creature howled feebly, then grew silent. It began crumbling, turning to dust, until at last, nothing remained. Todd looked at the bear's eyes, glazed-over and dead, and sighed deeply. He lifted his head, mustering what dignity he could, and said with finality,
"It's over."