Here is chapter 16. We're creeping closer to the end of this fanfiction. It's been a great ride...
Some familiar characters from JtHM and Squee appear...
Nny switched off the engine when he pulled up outside his house, and now silence fell over the car.
He read the time on the dashboard.
2 am.
Way past Molly's bedtime...
Well, time to reunite her with her mother.
He glanced across at her house. The lights were still on. Of course they were. Who could sleep knowing their child was missing?
If that had been Squee's mom, then she'd be knocked out cold from all manner of narcotics. She wouldn't even realise Squee was missing; she wouldn't even realise she had a son in the first place.
Nny thought about Molly's father. The man was on life support at the hospital as he closed his eyes, gripping a tight hold of the steering wheel.
Nny had never been much of a believer in heaven or hell (even though he may have travelled to both), but he hoped someone, somewhere, would spare the little girl sleeping beside him, and just let her have her Daddy back.
A kid needs their dad after all...
"Listen, God, you fat little garden gnome. I don't ask for a lot. I don't even have any questions for you this time, but please... let Molly's dad live. Don't doom him to an afterlife of sitting in a goddamn chair with exploding head powers. Just... return him to Molly. That's all I ask. A-amen..."
Nny had never been a praying man, but maybe his prayer would be answered this time. Maybe God would wake up from his nap and actually do something. Who knows...
It was always worth a shot.
There was also Mr. Satan to consider too, but he was the devil, and you don't go around making deals with the devil now of all things.
Nny was done with being a slave for the supernatural, but he would gladly sell his soul if that's what it took to bring Molly's dad back.
Hell wasn't so bad. They made yummy bagels...
But would he really risk so much for a child he just met a couple of weeks ago?
He peered down at the sleeping child in question and smiled. Yep, he would. He would do anything to make her happy again. Nny was supposed to be the villain in this story, but ever since Molly came into his life, he had learned the true meaning of selfless love.
After all, it was just so easy to hate this day and age. Violence and death were rampant in the media. But love was so much more elusive. Something that had always been out of Nny's reach until now.
Hopefully, he wouldn't have to sign his name on a dotted line just yet. There was still time. Molly's dad may just make it.
Molly looked so precious snuggled up under his dark coat. It still swallowed her, but it made for a good blanket. It was still cold out after all.
He leaned across and nudged her gently. "Hey, wake up. We're home."
She stirred, opening her eyes. "N-NNY?"
"Yeah, it's me. We're outside my house."
Startled, the little girl jerked upright, glancing out the window. Her eyes lit up the moment she saw her house. "Mommy..."
Nny grinned. "That's right. Looks like she's been waiting up for you. You'll have to go on alone now. Your mom can't see me, after all."
The child looked at him then, an inscrutable expression forming on her face. It seemed she didn't want to leave him, but their night was over now. She had no more reason to linger in his car.
Bowing her head slightly, she grabbed his coat and passed it back to him. "Thank you for letting me borrow it. It was nice and warm..."
He took the coat, taking note of how the material was warm with her body heat now. "Thanks."
More agonizing silence.
Without warning, she leaned across and threw her arms around him, and now that warmth of hers seeped into Nny's clothes.
"Thank you for bringing me home."
He patted her on the back. "You're welcome. It was my pleasure, Molly."
Apart from the whole thing with the doctor, it had been a pretty fun night. Nny hadn't had such a fun night since his date with Devi three years ago.
He really needed to get out more.
"And thank you for taking me to see the pretty view..."
He chuckled. "No problem. Anytime."
She let go now and opened his car door. Before she stepped out, she glanced back at him unsure, biting her bottom lip.
He waved her along. "Go on, off you go. Your mom's waiting."
The little girl smiled again, and something passed through her eyes. It was brief, but Nny saw enough to recognise it as sadness.
She may be home, but her troubles were far from over.
Finally, she stepped out and shut the door car. Nny remained in his seat, watching as she walked to her house. He waited while she knocked on the door; he waited when the door finally opened and the sound of her mother's tearful cries woke up the entire street.
He even waited when the door closed behind her, and even when the lights finally went out in the house.
Suppose he just wanted to ensure she was fully settled. She'd had a long night after all.
Finally, he climbed out of his car and entered his own house. Yet there was no one waiting for Nny on the other side of the door. Just empty silence.
Well, apart from Reverend Meat.
"Long night, huh?" the burger statue said.
Nny ignored him, going straight down into his basement. He had to ensure there were no more stragglers left, no more doctors who liked to prey on little girls.
He had a long night ahead of him indeed.
...
Molly gazed down at the sleeping form of her Daddy, tears threatening to escape her eyes.
That wasn't her Daddy...
He looked wrong, covered in all those bandages. The doctors and nurses said he had been gravelly injured in the car accident, and that he may have scars for the rest of his life.
That's if he wakes up.
After a few more discussions with the doctor, she and her Mommy left the ward at last. Molly barely paid attention to anything her Mommy said. Even when she suggested they should go and get ice cream, she couldn't rejoice.
Her Daddy was hurt.
Mommy was putting on a brave face, not wanting to cry in front of Molly, and for that reason, Molly wouldn't cry, either.
For both her Mommy and her Daddy, she'd be brave...
Ever since Nny brought Molly home that night, her Mommy had been acting very strange. She never let Molly out of her sight, and as a result, she was hardly allowed to play outside anymore.
Molly had said she had run away at first, but in the end, she had to tell the truth. So she told her Mommy and the police that a really bad man took her away, but she left the part out about Nny. Instead, she said an angel saved her and brought her home...
Molly had overheard the police officer telling her Mommy in the kitchen that they'd found the doctor behind the alleyway, along with Molly's DNA.
She didn't understand. What was DNA?
Yet they couldn't understand how a small girl could hurt a grownup in such a horrible way, and Molly was worried for a moment that they would blame her for hurting him.
She didn't, it was Nny! And he had to hurt the doctor, or the doctor would have hurt her...
That wasn't all, though. They found the DNA of another man, and Molly's whole world fell apart.
It was Nny's DNA.
Oh no. They were going to take Nny away!
But then the officer said they couldn't trace the strange man's DNA as it was like he didn't exist, and Molly breathed a sigh.
It was all right. Nny would be safe.
Now the men in white coats won't take him away from her.
It was bad enough she may lose her Daddy; Molly couldn't stomach losing Nny, too.
That was why she was afraid to leave the car the other night; she was afraid it would be the last time she saw Nny.
Since Molly wasn't allowed to go outside anymore, she could no longer go and visit Nny. Her Mommy made sure the windows were locked too, so Nny wouldn't even be able to visit her through the window anymore.
But that was all right. They still had the scary tunnel that connected their houses.
Molly was too afraid to go down there again. She knew if Nny wanted to, he would come and visit her, but she hadn't seen him since the night he took her home.
Did he not want to see her anymore?
Molly would sneak out to his house sometime and see if he was okay.
She only hoped Nny was all right.
...
Nny stood outside the bright yellow house, disturbed by all the garden gnomes in the front yard. Surely, he had the right address; this was the earth home of Mr. Satan, right?
He kept his arms folded across his chest, tapping his fingers nervously along his elbow. Should he knock again? Maybe they didn't hear him?
This was stupid. There was no way Mr. Satan lived here. The man he saw leaving for work the other day was no devil. He had glasses and a briefcase and was far too normal, far too cheerful.
Unless he was in disguise...
Mr. Satan did appear before Nny once as a cheerleader.
He hated cheerleaders after all.
No, it couldn't have been him. There was no way the devil was real. That had all just been some fucked up dream.
There was no way cream cheese guy had been real, too. Or lint lady or eye-rubbing man.
They had all just been a part of his crazy, dysfunctional mind. Nny dreamed them all up (as he dreamed everything else up).
When the door finally opened, he caught the distinct scent of sulfur and acid. A waft of black smoke billowed out from the door, and he jumped back in alarm.
Wow, spooky hell magic...
When the smoke cleared, a floating child took its place, one with horns, a pig snout, and an enlarged eyeball of all things. Nny rubbed his eyes, doing a double-take.
Well, what do you know? It's the Devil's son, the Anti-Christ.
Looked as if Nny's dream had been real all along.
Oh, well.
Now it appeared Nny would be spending his eternal damnation with cream cheese guy. Was he still running out into the road and getting hit by that hell bus? Fifty cents extra for cream cheese was a little much, though.
Still, he supposed it was better than sitting on a chair in heaven all day. However, exploding heads did sound pretty fun.
"You must be Johnny C. My father has been expecting you..." the floating child said in a spooky, ominous voice.
Nny blinked. "He is? Well, that's a relief. Seems I won't have to explain myself so much when he returns home from work."
"Yes, damning the damned..." the child said matter-of-factly, keeping his glowing, red eyes on Nny.
Well, obviously. What else would the devil be doing?
Nny scratched the back of his shaved head. "So, uh... should I just wait out here? I don't mind waiting around."
"No. Father told me to invite you inside and tend to you. He shan't be too long now. He just has a few more souls to burn, and then he can finally see you..."
A tendril of black mist stretched from the child's form, wrapping around Nny's wrist, and this was it.
Nny would be meeting the devil again.
...
Nny sat on a floral sofa in the devil's living room, and he couldn't believe it. He was inside the actual devil's house.
There were portraits of Jesus Christ on the wall, and a Holy Bible on the coffee table, but Nny didn't question it.
That was because he was too busy enjoying his tea.
Earl Grey. Nice.
The devil had good taste.
Pepito—the name of the floating demon child—never took his glowing eyes off Nny. He just continued to hover in the air, watching Nny sipping his tea.
The boy's mother entered the room with a plate of cookies next. "Pepito, what have I told you about floating in the house?"
The child dropped back to the floor, and his spooky smoke vanished. "Sorry, Mother."
The woman gushed, squeezing his cheek. "Aw, I know how you like to scare our guests. Mommy's scary little demon boy..."
She planted a kiss on his face, leaving a lipstick stain, then shuffled back into the kitchen. "Mr. Diablo will be arriving shortly, Mr. C. In the meantime, help yourself to some cookies."
Nny stared after the kitchen door the moment she vanished. She even wore a cross around her neck. It appeared Mr. Satan's wife, by all means, was an honest Christian woman.
"Your mother is quite lovely," he said.
Pepito glared at him once again, his eyes glowing in that spooky fashion. "Of course. Father knows how to pick 'em after all. Who else could carry the offspring of the Prince of Darkness but dear mother?"
Nny had no answer to give. He supposed Pepito was right. His mother was a perfect vessel for such evil.
Time went by. The clock ticked down the seconds, and Nny was becoming rather agitated. He hoped the devil wouldn't be too long.
Molly's father didn't have a lot of time left.
"So..." Pepito said, hovering closer. "How is my dear friend Todd Casil doing these days, aka Squee? You two were neighbours, right?"
The child peered deep into his soul. Before he could answer the Anti-Christ, the door opened, and there he was at last—the devil.
"Honey, I'm home!"
Pepito's mother appeared from the kitchen, a wide smile on her face. "Sweetheart, you're back! How was work?"
The devil chuckled and waved his hand. "Same old. Screaming, burning, cries of regret. It gets rather tiresome after a while."
His wife returned his infectious laugh, then disappeared back into the kitchen. "Oh, you..."
Nny sipped his tea. Yep. Perfectly normal.
The devil shed his human suit at last, stretching towards the ceiling until he became a tall, wispy spectre of a man with sheep horns.
"Ah, Johnny C. I have been expecting you..."
Nny grinned at the devil, waving his hand like a happy idiot. "Ooh, it's the devil again. Long-time no see, Mr. Satan. So it's true... You are living on earth. I see you finally got fed up with the souls of hell. I don't blame you. You have a beautiful home and family..."
He sipped his tea again.
The devil gave a deep, baritone laugh then floated into the room. His long, dark cloak hid his feet from view, so it made it look as if he hovered wherever he walked.
"That I do, little man, that I do. Oh, I see you have met my son Pepito. He misses his little friend Todd Casil, after all. Being near you makes him feel closer to Todd, I suppose."
Pepito bowed his head. "They called him Squee, Father, and... he was the only friend I had at that insufferable skool. I wanted to save him. The humans are insipid creatures, unaware that their world will soon be under a sea of—"
The devil stopped his son's tirade with a cheerful pat on the head. "Now, now, Pepito. Not in front of a human. Although, I suppose this one isn't like one of those stupid ones you speak of."
The two demonic life-forms gazed at Nny curiously. Nny chomped on a cookie, almost dying and going back to heaven again when he got that fill of doughy goodness. The cookie was crumbly on the outside, but soft on the inside...
Mr. Satan's wife could sure bake.
"No need to worry, Mr. C. Pepito was only going to say: "A sea of happiness and rainbows"... Weren't you, Pepito?"
Nny finished his cookie, wiping the crumbs off his lips. "Hhm?"
Appeared he hadn't really been listening, too lost in his cookie. The devil sighed at Nny's ignorance. Nny had heard enough though, and he got the gist that the Anti-Christ didn't like the humans at his skool, hence why he found a friend in Squee.
Nny could relate. Little Squee had been his only friend at one point too, and he also hated other humans. Also, the kids at Squee's skool were mean, which was why Nny sometimes took it upon himself to run them over when he drove past.
"It's all right, Mr. Satan. I know the apocalypse will soon be upon us. You don't have to sugarcoat it for me."
Mr. Satan widened his black pits of eyes, eyes that were like little windows into hell. When you gazed inside them, you saw the damned writhing and burning in pain, or running out onto the road over something as inconvenient as cream cheese.
True suffering indeed.
"Yes... I forget that you are rather 'abnormal' when it comes to humans. You were a waste lock, after all. A pity."
The devil gave a mock tutting sound.
"Yeah, seems I became a flusher for nothing, hey. The word's only going to collapse in on itself again eventually. Who needs me or anyone else painting walls with the blood of their victims?"
The devil hummed in agreement. "Yes. Very sad indeed. Well, it's time we finally talked. Pepito, please take my briefcase to the basement, and then when you're finished, go and help your mother in the kitchen. I wish to be alone with Mr. C."
Pepito peered back and forth between his father and Nny, his gaze landing briefly on the latter before he took the briefcase and floated away. "Yes, Father. I obey."
Once the child vanished, the devil took a seat opposite Nny, folding his legs rather elegantly. Then he grabbed the teapot, poured himself tea into a fancy china cup, and sipped. "Now, Johnny C. Tell me why you have graced me with your presence this sunny afternoon?"
Nny placed his cup down onto the coffee table, releasing a sigh. "It's a long story..."
The devil waved a dismissive hand. "Well, tell me. I have all the time in the world now."
Nny drummed his fingers against the sofa, wondering where to start. He may as well go from the beginning.
Well, it's time to talk to the devil.
...
Señor Diablo mused over Nny's words, thinking his proposal over. "An interesting proposition, Johnny. C."
Nny closed his eyes. He couldn't believe he was doing this. Did he really want to throw away all of his hard work? His ultimate goal was to achieve coldness, yet enjoy life without becoming a slave to endorphins.
It was a perfect plan at the time, but things had changed as of lately. To be able to scuttle around his house like Mr. Samsa, grazing on candy corn and other shit that ended up on his dirty floor, seemed like a distant dream now.
Nny would never be completely cold. Reverend Meat was right.
It turned out he hadn't reprogrammed himself after all; his old, corrupt files were still there, but he'd been close. So, so close. All he'd needed was a few more years, and then Nny would have been colder than an iceberg.
But then everything changed once Nny met Molly. Not at first, but the more time he spent with her, the less cold he became. And then before long, he was nothing more than a heap of melted snow.
The warmth of her friendship left him vulnerable.
Emotions made you weak, but they also made you strong.
They made you real.
Nny had never been so sure of anything in his life. He wasn't meant for this world anymore; this life had only ever been cruel to him.
He would get a new life elsewhere while still being able to keep an eye on Molly. It was a win-win.
Plus, he was sure the police were on to him now. There were reports from eyewitnesses the night he rescued Molly. Apparently, the police were on the lookout for a Hispanic male in his twenties with a skinny build, blue-black hair, and a five-foot-nine frame. Oh, and don't forget the leather, steel-toe boots, too.
Yep. That was a pretty apt description of Nny...
It looked as if the wall monster's protection was finally wearing off, and what a shame. He had a good run. But killing that doctor seemed to be the tipping point for him, and now it seemed he'd finally been caught.
Loving Molly had truly left him weak, yet he was all the more stronger for it too.
Such bitter-sweet irony.
Nny exhaled, meeting the fire inside the devil's eyes. Of course, now he knew it was all an illusion. There are no rivers of fire or puddings of shit in true hell. It was just a crappy version of earth where everyone was dumb as fuck.
It seemed people created their own hell, after all. Go fig. And Nny was willingly going back there.
Maybe he would be better off sitting on a chair in heaven, but there was no way heaven would have him back.
Heaven or hell, it had to be better than being stuck inside a padded cell for the rest of his life. Earth was no longer an option for Nny; he would lose too much of himself.
He would leave this world with dignity.
"So, what do you say? A deal?" he asked the devil.
The devil tapped his chin, thinking it over. Then he said in that smooth, refined voice, "So, you want me to take your soul in the place of a comatose man at the hospital?"
Nny shut his eyes. "Yes. I have already made up my mind. I will join your dark legion of hell in favour of keeping that man alive. So long as I can come back to earth regularly, then I'm satisfied."
The devil raised a vacant eyebrow. "What makes you so sure that this comatose patient will end up with all the damned souls of hell?"
Nny looked pointedly at the horned man before him. "Because... he will die with regrets. People create their own hell after all, and he will die with nothing but a guilty conscience. He had no desire to be content in life. This I know. Otherwise, he would never have abandoned Molly on her sixth birthday..."
Mr. Satan raised another brow. "My, you certainly are full of surprises, Johhny C. I always assumed it was a case of "What you see is what you get" when it came to you. But it turned out I was wrong. You have many facets. A truly complex creature."
Silence trickled between them. The sounds of Mrs. Satan and Pepito could be heard from the kitchen. They were drying dishes.
The devil leaned forward. "So, tell me more about this little Molly. Was she truly worth melting for?"
Nny thought back to all the times he spent with her, and it played back like one of those cheesy montage sequences in a movie. Someone was playing the piano, and he wished they would stop (or he'd saw their fingers off). But she truly was worth melting for.
He was no longer cold and unfeeling, yet he had never been so sure of himself. Things made so much more sense now ever since Molly came into his life.
He may even remember his own childhood too, but that may be taking it a little too far. His memories still resembled shitty photographs printed on wet toilet paper.
It would be a long time until Nny could finally connect with the crying little boy of his memories, but that child was long gone now, replaced by the ghoulish creature he'd become.
"She was. Coldness is something I no longer seek. All I ask for now is for my wish to be granted. That way, she can finally be happy. That's... all I want now..."
"Her father won't die. So you needn't have to switch places with him."
Alarmed, Nny peered back up at Señor Diablo, hope rising in his chest. "He won't?"
The devil chuckled. "No. He may be filled with regrets, as you say, but it seems his desire to live is strong. So you don't have to join my dark legion now, Johnny C. Besides... what made you so sure I would even want you back in hell?"
Nny barely paid attention to Mr. Satan now, too busy smiling to himself. So, Molly's father would live after all; Nny didn't have to sell his soul...
But then that meant he had to stay on earth. Sooner or later, the police would converge on his house and lock him away in a special facility where he would never see Molly again.
He would no longer know freedom...
That was all Nny wanted in life, to be free from any external thing. He was through with being a prisoner, a slave.
He released a heavy breath. "I see. Well, I guess the whole deal is off. Excuse me while I prepare for a life of captivity. Maybe they will give me one of those masks like Hannibal Lector?"
The devil looked truly sickened. "That sounds awful..."
"It is, but I'm crazy after all. What else could I hope for? But I have no regrets. I don't regret spilling that doctor's blood."
"Yes, and sending him my way, no doubt. But it turns out that even hell has no place for such... excrement..."
Nny widened his eyes. "Where has he gone?"
The devil sat up straighter, fire burning inside his eyes. "Somewhere far worse than hell. Even I want to projectile vomit at the thought of a paedophile. I have a young son after all. So, they go somewhere where even I don't have to look at them anymore..."
Mr. Satan shivered, sipping his tea once again, and how strange to think that there were humans less civil than the devil.
The devil was even more civil than Nny was. For one, his house was much cleaner...
Well, so long as Doctor Dick Cummings was suffering, Nny was satisfied.
Still. He didn't want to end up in a padded cell for just killing that man, being spoon-fed for the rest of his life.
Some fates were worse than death...
"Don't despair, little man. I may have no place for you in the dark bowels of hell, but I know of an offer that may be of interest to you. Heaven and hell share a job board after all, and, well, you pretty much fit the job description..."
Nny's interest was certainly piqued. "Well, what is it? So long as I don't have to remain on this dust-filled planet, I'll take it. But... if it keeps me away from Molly..."
"Oh, no. This job would be perfect for you... You would be able to leave earth and continue to visit your little friend."
Nny rose to his feet. "Well, tell me, Goddamn it! What's the job?!"
Fire flashed inside Señor Diablo's eyes. "Did you just curse God in my own home...?"
Nny fell back onto the plush, floral sofa, scratching the back of his head. "Uh, yeah... sorry. I can be quite the potty mouth..."
More tense silence. Then Mr. Satan rolled his eyes, tenting his long, clawed hands as he leaned forward. "How do you feel about having your very own scythe, Johhny C.? One with magical, harvesting abilities..."
Nny leaned back on the sofa, keeping his eyes peeled on the horned man before him. "I'm listening."
The devil went on. "I believe the current holder of this position is handing in her notice as we speak. She works at the mental asylum as a doctor. A nice woman, but... her contract is coming to an end."
Nny ground his teeth. The devil certainly liked to beat around the bush. He was more to the point when they first met.
"Well, are you going to tell me the job? The anticipation is keeping me alive..."
The Prince of Darkness told him at last, and Nny pondered his options now. Well, he was right about one thing; Nny did fit the job description, but he would technically still be alive and on the earth. He would still be visible to humans, even though he wouldn't be human anymore. Not really.
Not that he really was, anyway, after all the killing he'd done. But on the bright side, he still gets to kill. Mostly bad people and that was a plus. Sure, he may become a slave for some supernatural thing again, but he would have far more control. He'd be the one calling the shots now.
But the best part? He gets to be immortal. The current job holder had held the position for a very, very long time...
After all, where there was life, there was death...
"I'll do it," he said.
It's so sweet Nny would be willing to die for Molly. The idea of him, a serial killer, willing to die for the one he loves just moves me...
I do truly think Nny had that kind of capacity to love deep down, but I am a bit of a hopeless romantic, I guess, so for what it's worth, I hope you have enjoyed my character development of him.