Kenny dragged himself home in the cold rain, slogging in waterlogged clothes. He ached all over. How can you be the guardian and protector of the Earth if you cannot even protect you own sanity?, a part of him asked. He had no answer. What did he care. Good and evil. Truth and lies. It seemed impossible for him to tell the difference anymore. The piercing bright lights of a car peered into the dreary night. If nothing else this would be a shortcut. Kenny waited for the car to come closer and wished, not for the first nor the last time, that this would be the end, and he ran out into the street. And into the deep white.
The New Kid shivered as the rain pelted his back, soaking though his parka. The thing was useless. Even though he had found Jesus, during the fight against the Nazi's, he was still able to mutter a curse towards heaven. He doubted the old man upstairs would listen. In his experience, big people cared little for what 4th graders, such as himself, thought.
Tree Mouse Girl had left Dougie at the hospital, after first calling his house to tell his parents what had happened. She hadn't waited for them to show up.
She couldn't bear to face them. The way they'd look at her. She had merely been Kenny's accomplice, but Tammy knew enough about parents to know they didn't feel kindly towards anyone who harmed their children. No matter how tangental the connection. In truth she probably did more harm by leaving the younger boy alone at the hospital. He had begged her not to go, not to leave him alone, even for a few minutes, in the cold ,sterile white hospital. She'd probably have to face them anyways.
Her parents were poor just like Kenny's, poorer in fact. But unlike the McCormicks they were the classy sort of poor who worked their multiple menial jobs, which stole so much of their time that they were rarely home to spend time with their daughter, without complaint, went to church, if they Drank they did so quietly, stewing in their own misery and self hatred, and not lashing out at their daughter, most of the time anyways. And they taught their young daughter that no matter what if you worked hard you could go far in life. Even at the tender age of 11 Tammy realized this was a lie. Her parents own sad lives showed this. When they found out they would drag Tammy in front of Dougie's parents and demand she apologize, like she had already done to their son. And she'd feel like shit anyways.
Before she headed home, Tammy decided to check the warehouse, to see if Kenny was still their. She had tried to text him but for some reason he wasn't answering his phone. The New Kid could have gotten the best of him, given him a real beating. Or worse, smashed his phone.
She couldn't bring herself to abandon a friend, even one who had let her down so much in the past. As she walked she thought of other friends who had left. Olivia hadn't always been an evil psychopath. When she returned to the warehouse she found that Kenny and the New Kid had gone.
She texted him yet again, and started the trudge back home. Rain pelted down from above, soaking her costume. Her phone buzzed and, involuntarily, her heart fluttered. Was it Kenny. She read the message. [[I own you now.]] It was not from Kenny.
The new kid eased himself up onto the window sill. He had let the window open a peep when he had left, so as to let in as little of the cold as possible while allowing himself a way back in. He gingerly pulled it open, only for the window to respond with an un oiled groan as it opened. A wind cold wind blew at his back and his balance gave way, sending him plummeting to the floor. He hit with a crash, and yelled in pain. Moments later the lights went on. Dovakiin heard the thump of footsteps on the stairs. He was so going to get grounded. He had tried to take the high road, be a hero, and what had it gotten him? Nothing. No more Mr Nice Guy. They would pay.