Here is chapter 5. More wholesome goodness ahead. Prepare.
Molly's Daddy had to go away for a while.
Her Mommy had explained to her that he needed to go so that he and Mommy would stop fighting, and like the good girl she was, Molly didn't cry.
When he left through the door with a suitcase and a bag of his things, he knelt down and looked into her eyes.
Daddy had blue eyes just like hers, and was so handsome. He always had a smile for Molly, and she was going to miss that smile...
But she would be a big girl; she wouldn't cry.
"So long, squirt," he said, reaching across to ruffle her head.
Molly glanced down at her buckled shoes. Her Mommy had dressed her nice today. She wore her favourite pink pinafore dress and her hair in matching ribbons. Her Mommy had said she looked sweet, so Molly didn't want to make her Mommy sad by crying...
So she took a deep breath and looked her Daddy straight in the eyes. "Bye, Daddy. I'll miss you..."
Sadness flickered inside his blue eyes, but the smile never left his face. Next, he leaned in and pulled her close, hugging her to his chest as he buried his nose into her hair.
"I love you, Molly. Be a good girl for your Mommy now."
Keeping her nose against his chest, Molly nodded, wrapping her arms around his neck. She was too afraid to let go. She wanted to cry and beg him to stay, but she didn't want her Mommy or Daddy to be upset.
She would be a big girl, just for them.
"I love you too, Daddy..."
He held on a little longer, and Molly took the moment to memorize his scent to memory. Daddy always smelled nice, like leather and pipe smoke.
Finally, he let go and rose to his full height, glancing over at Mommy. Mommy wouldn't meet his eyes; she looked at her own shoes, her arms folded across her chest.
Molly wanted so badly for her Mommy to look at him, to tell him that she loved him too like she always used to say when Molly was little.
They still loved each other, right?
"Goodbye, Liz," Daddy said.
Her Mommy still wouldn't look at him. A few moments passed by. When her Daddy realised she wouldn't say goodbye back, he sighed and left through the door, taking his suitcase with him. He climbed into his car, and with one last look in Molly's direction, he pulled out the drive and disappeared.
Her Mommy glanced up at last, a tear rolling down her cheek. She wiped it away quickly and smiled down at Molly.
"It's just going to be you and me from now on, Molly. Just us girls. We will stay up late, paint our toenails, and have makeovers. How does that sound?"
Molly blinked, unsure of what to say. Again, she didn't want to upset her Mommy, so she said, "O-okay..."
Mommy smiled then leaned down, tapping her nose. "And we'll order your favourite pizza. How does that sound, my little princess?"
The nickname tugged at the corners of Molly's lips, and finally, she smiled for her Mommy. "Yes, Mommy..."
Her Mommy leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek. Then she stood up and walked into the kitchen.
"I want you to play in the back garden today, Molly, all right?"
Molly's shoulders sagged. She had hoped to ride her bike today out front. Was it because of the story on the news? Her Mommy and Daddy thought they'd switched the TV off on time, but Molly had heard about the girl who'd been hurt. They found her behind a Dumpster in an alleyway, and the newsman had said a strange word: Raped.
What does that mean? Was it a bad word? Is that way her Mommy didn't want her playing outside today? In case she got hurt too?
Well, not to worry. Molly would still have fun in the backyard.
She loved the way her Mommy called it the garden...
She was not from America, after all, like her and her Daddy. Mommy grew up in Ireland. Apparently, everything was green over in Ireland, and four-leafed clovers grew everywhere. There were rainbows too and a pot of gold at the end of each one with... leprechauns...
Molly was scared of leprechauns.
Hopefully, everything would turn out all right, and she and her Mommy won't have to move to Ireland.
Molly rushed to the backyard, running straight towards her swingset. Maybe today she would finally go all the way around and swing over the top.
As she sat on the swing, kicking her legs in the dirt to move back and forth, she heard a voice.
"Fuuuck youuu, Eff!"
Molly's heart pounded. It was Nny...
And he just said a very bad word.
Jumping off her swing, she approached the fence where she heard his voice, peering through a hole. He was talking to a pair of scary-looking Pillsbury Doughboys, and Molly did not want to poke their bellies...
"Got nothing to say? Neither of you has spoken a word in three years. I'm not buying the silent act."
He leaned down, pointing a knife at each Doughboy. Neither one replied, since they were made of Styrofoam.
Styrofoam doesn't talk.
"No "Kill yourself, Johnny," or "Go out and kill, Johnny"? Just... nothing? No noise... no... nothing...?"
Molly stared at the strange man fascinated. It was actually like he believed they were real. Molly sometimes liked to pretend that her dolls were real too, but that was only play.
Did the Styrofoam Doughboys talk to Nny? Sometimes Lucia talked to Molly, too. The cabbage patch doll was still hiding under Molly's bed since she only had mean things to say to her lately.
Nny rose to his feet and stepped back, placing his hand on his chin. "Hm, seems you two really have gone for good..."
Molly breathed a sigh. Thank goodness. He sounded normal again and not scary. Nny scared her when he acted strangely.
But the moment wasn't to last. In one swift move, he grabbed the Styrofoam Doughboy with the swirly eyes and pinned him to the tree with the knife, and bits of Styrofoam poured from his belly like blood.
Molly yelped, staggering back.
Nny froze up immediately when she squeaked. Then he jerked his head around, his eyes widening when they found her peeking through the fence.
Molly whimpered. Oh no. Would he be mad at her for spying on him? She didn't mean to spy on him... She'd heard a noise, so she wanted to see what it was.
His eyes appeared too large for his face. She could see the whites of his eyes, which were covered in veins, and his brown irises had never looked so small.
Quickly, he pulled the knife out from the Doughboy, and it fell to the ground with a soft thump. "M-Molly... how... how long have you been standing there?"
His voice was shaky, and for a moment he sounded just as terrified as Molly felt
No, she wasn't terrified. Nny was her friend now and he promised he wouldn't hurt her. Also, he had made her feel happy the other night when her Mommy and Daddy were fighting. He'd told her to smile.
For Mommy, Daddy, and Nny, Molly would be a big girl and always smile...
Carefully, a smile spread across her face, and Nny slowly changed. He went from tense and anxious to happy and relaxed, and Molly was glad she made him happy again.
"Hi, NNY! Are these friends of yours?" She pointed at the Doughboys.
The funny-looking man blinked, peering down at the creepy figures at his feet. He nudged them aside with one of his steel-capped boots, then stood in front of them, hiding them from view. "Uh... no. They're not friends..."
Molly peered at the Styrofoam figures behind his legs. She'd heard him say they used to tell him to hurt himself or hurt others, and friends don't tell you to hurt yourself...
Friends don't make you feel bad and tell you to do mean things. That was why Lucia was hiding under the bed right now.
"Are they mean to you?"
Nny wouldn't look her way, appearing a little embarrassed and ashamed of himself. "They... used to be. But not anymore..."
Silence merged between them. Molly glanced down at her shoes, thinking of something to say to make him feel better.
Molly hated it when Nny looked sad. She knew how he felt after all because Lucia said mean things to her too, and now she knew what to say.
"Well, don't listen to them, NNY. Whatever they say is not true."
He looked up at that, a small smile spreading across his face. "Thank you, Molly. I can always count on you to make me feel better."
Molly's smile widened."That's what real friends are for, NNY. They don't say mean things to you and make you feel bad. They make you happy."
Life returned to his eyes at her kind words, but only briefly. They soon turned soulless again, and then he went back to being sad. "Yeah... you're right..."
More silence and Molly could only guess what Nny was thinking. She had to keep him talking. She didn't want him to be alone right now; he may hurt himself or someone else.
She just wanted everyone to be happy, and that goes for her Mommy and Daddy, too.
Molly sighed. "Lucia is mean to me too."
Nny startled, then a flash ran through his eyes. He grabbed onto the handles of his twin blades, keeping them inside his pockets. "Who is Lucia?"
Molly kept her eyes on the knives, wobbling her lip. Then she peered back up at his angry face. Again, he had never looked so mad, and for a moment she was scared. But she pushed the feelings aside and smiled again.
"Just my dolly."
Nny blinked in confusion, then let go of the knives. "Just a doll? All... all right. But... if you ever want me to stuff her with rats... well, you know where to find me..."
The smile never left Molly's face. "It's okay, NNY. I know she's not really talking, and it's just my imagination. Mommy said I have an overactive imagination after all."
He chuckled nervously. "Heh, yeah, me too..."
Nny glanced back down at the Styrofoam figures, fear passing through his eyes for a moment. But then his face settled back into a lifeless mask, and now he kicked them aside again.
Molly thought about what he said. He had an overactive imagination, too? Did that mean he liked to make up stories like her? Molly had an entire world of her own after all, a world where only she could go to.
Since Nny was her friend now, maybe he could join her in her imaginary world?
"Do you like making up stories, NNY? My Mommy brought me a notebook so I can write down stories. I'm going to be an author when I grow up!"
He was barely listening at first, too distracted by the Doughboys. Then he peered up and raised an eyebrow. "Author? You... write?"
"Well, I'm not very good at it yet, but I like to draw too! Mommy says I'm good at it! I could show you my drawings sometime. Would you like that?"
That spark returned to his eyes, and now she had his utmost attention. "I would love that! I... draw and make up stories too... I guess..."
He looked off to the left, running a hand over the back of his neck.
Molly gasped. "Cool! What do you like to draw?"
Nny gave a sheepish laugh. "Nothing much. Just stick figure men. I'm rather popular with the homeless insane."
Molly giggled. "You're funny, NNY. Would I be able to see them sometime? I bet your drawings are really pretty."
"Yeah, pretty insane, but sure... all right. I will show you Happy Noodle Boy. I should warn you; he's crazy. Expect to vomit from every orifice when you read about his adventures."
Molly laughed even more, and Nny looked at her as if she was the insane one now.
"Molly? Who are you talking to?"
Molly jumped and peered at her mother. She was standing in the doorway to the house, a worried expression on her face.
Molly glanced back at Nny. He had vanished, along with his Styrofoam figures. She decided not to say anything. It's not like her Mommy would believe her, anyway.
"N-no one, Mommy! Just my imaginary friend, Johnny! The funny neighbour man!"
Her Mommy was convinced that the scary house next door was empty and that no one lived there, and whenever she brought up Nny, her Mommy just told her she was imagining him.
So in the end, Molly decided to go along with it. Her Mommy would only get mad at her if she argued with her.
Nny was not imaginary. He was real...
Her Mommy disappeared back into the house, and then a voice said across the fence, "Has your mom gone?"
Molly jumped then looked through the fence again. Nny was hiding behind the tree. She smiled.
"There you are, NNY! I thought I lost you forever."
He emerged fully, and leaned down in front of the tree, propping his legs up in front of him. "No, not lost. I was here all along..." He glanced up once he made himself comfortable. "Why did you tell your mom I was your imaginary friend?"
Molly glanced down at her feet."Because she doesn't believe me when I talk about you. You... you're not imaginary, are you, NNY? You are real, right?"
Nny's eyes widened at the question, and then his face turned five shades lighter as he thought about what she said. He winced, reaching up to rub his forehead. "I... I don't know. I wouldn't be surprised if I did turn out to be the manifestation of some small kid's fears, but... no. I have complete autonomy, Molly. I am not your imagination. Funny... I had the same thought about you the other day..."
Molly giggled out loud again, and Nny smiled slightly at the sound. "Me, imaginary? Don't be silly!"
He chuckled, "I know. My messed-up mind could never dream up someone as cute and lovely as you are. I... have a pretty twisted imagination after all..."
Molly blushed when he said she was cute, and now she stepped away from the fence, playing with one of the ribbons of her pigtails.
More silence passed, and it was a while before any of them talked again. Molly prepared herself, trying to keep the tears at bay. She wouldn't cry again. Just keep smiling...
But she had to get it off her chest, had to tell someone. Her chest felt like it would explode if she didn't after all.
"My... Daddy has gone away for a while. I... don't know when he will be back. Mommy says it's to stop them from arguing, but... I don't want him to leave. I... just want my family to stay together..."
She glanced down at the ground, unable to stop the tear from falling. Nny was quiet by the tree, and she knew she'd made him look sad again. He'd looked sad when she'd cried against him the other night, and she hated making him look like that.
Nny should smile all the time...
"I'm sorry, Molly."
Finally, she glanced up. Nny was the one looking away from her now, and as she feared, he was sad.
"Please don't be sad, NNY. I'm sorry. I... I will be happy, I promise..."
Shocked, he peered back up, a look of disgust on his face. "What? Don't be so stupid. You're a feeling creature, Molly. It is normal to feel sad. Never obliterate your feelings. If you ever want to cry, then cry. Don't smile through the pain. Sure, you can still smile from time to time, but you're not a robot."
Molly hung her head, and the tears poured freely now.
"Just... don't bleed too much though, okay? The pain will only consume you, otherwise... Pants! Sorry... I'm giving you mixed messages now. It's hard, I know... just..."
He never finished his sentence, and it appeared he'd forgotten what he was going to say.
Molly sniffed, wiping her eyes. "No, it's okay, NNY. You make me feel better. I'm so lucky to have you as my friend..."
Slowly, a smile curved Nny's mouth, and now he stood to his feet, meeting her by the fence. He kneeled down to peer at her through the hole. "I'm the lucky one, Molly. You have no idea how miserable I was before you arrived. So, thank you... for... for talking to me..."
Molly had stopped crying at last. Now she grinned, extending her baby finger through the hole. "Swear we will always be friends?"
Nny gazed down at her finger curiously. "As in... a pinkie swear?"
Molly giggled. "Of course, silly."
"I've never done a pinkie swear before..."
"Well, now you will have. So come on, pinkie swear with me. We will always stay friends."
A huge smile flashed across Nny's face, and then he linked his pinkie with hers to seal their promise. "I pinkie swear."
So bloody wholesome, I can't even...
You have no idea how good this felt to write. Nny finding a true friend at last. We all remember The One Who Got Away, but now he has Molly.
A romantic relationship can die after a while once the honeymoon period is over, I feel, and it truly needs work to be maintained, but true friendship, not so much. It truly is unconditional. The kind of bond that lasts forever...
That was Psycho Doughboy who Nny skewered against the tree. Always hated that fucker. There's a scene where he pretends to be Nny's friend, telling him to kill himself, and it just makes me... ugh! Especially when you see Nny crying with a tear running down his cheek. At least Mr. Eff wanted to keep Nny alive... well, long enough for him and Psycho Doughboy to break free of the wall monster.
They were both assholes, but still. They're dead now. If I recall, they reincarnated into Sickness and Devi has them now... Serves them right for picking on tortured artists!
Think about it, though... who is the imaginary one here? Molly or Nny? Who is imagining whom 😨