I

“Johnny!” A voice yelled from downstairs. “Get up! You’re going to miss school again!”

The smell of frying eggs wafted up through the air to Johnny’s nose. He sat up and yawned loudly. The clock next to his bed read seven in the morning.

Oh shit! Five minutes before the bus is here. Fuckin’ homework ain’t done either.

Johnny felt a pit form in his stomach as he thought about what his aunt might say. He rushed to put his clothes on and raced down the stairs. A bacon-egg-and-cheese sandwich was waiting for him on the table. He threw his backpack onto his shoulders and grabbed the sandwich. Johnny slammed the door on the way to the bus stop. The big yellow monstrosity was there to greet him upon his arrival.

“Hey Johnny, nearly left ya there. Be on time tomorrow…” The driver said trailing off to a mumble. “Not that ya’d ever be early.”

The bus ride was not very long, but it afforded Johnny the time he needed to finish his homework. By the time he’d finished, the bus had already arrived at school. The students filed out of the bus. Johnny followed. He had always hated high school. The teachers and the other students had always made him feel stupid.

The day was boring. It didn’t matter that the early fall weather beckoned Johnny outside. No, he was stuck in that god-forsaken rat-hole called “high school” for the rest of the fuckin’ day.

His mind inevitably turned to the entrance exam in a couple weeks. It was the only test that really mattered this year. If he didn’t do well, he knew that he was in for it. His aunt may not be married, but she sure made up for the missing parent. He had been beaten many times for not having good enough grades. He didn’t really care though. School wasn’t his thing. He’d rather do what he liked and be happy; but no, things just couldn’t be that way. Anger welled up inside of him at thought.

His tense anger faded to boredom fairly quickly, and he laid his head on his arm. A dream from just before he got up that morning crept slowly into his mind. Piece by piece it came back to him. He’d forgotten he’d even had the dream. There was a man in it. Yes, a man; and he was being chased by some people. Johnny didn’t remember much else, save for the bit about the man dying at the end. It interested him for the rest of the period, after which he forgot all about it.

II

The remainder of the day passed by rather quickly, and Johnny found himself where he always did: on the couch with a game controller in his hands. Johnny clicked away his afternoon. Dinnertime was upon him before he knew it. He sat at the table and dug in.

“So Johnny,” asked his aunt, “how was school?”

“Sucked.” Johnny said with food stuffing his mouth.

“Your manners Johnny!” She said, smacking his face.

“Sorry Auntie.”

“How’s the studying coming? You have that entrance exam in a few weeks, are you ready?”

Johnny groaned. “No Auntie, I’m not. I can’t even study with you being up my ass all the fuckin’ time.”

His aunt stood up and slapped him again. Johnny stormed out of the room and back up the stairs to his room. He slammed the door loudly, making sure he locked it.

God. I fuckin’ hate when that bitch pushes me around! I wanna do it my fuckin’ way! Fuck this shit!

I can help you pass that test, a deep voice said in his head——a voice that was alien.

Who the fuck are you?! Johnny screamed into his brain.

All in due time my boy, it said. As I said before, I can help you pass that test. What do you say?

Fuck no! I ain’t crazy! Get out of my fuckin’ head!

Fine. But if you need me, you know what to do.

The presence left Johnny’s conscience.

What the hell is going on?! Thought Johnny, his head beginning to hurt.

Unable to find an answer, Johnny went on to his homework. Two minutes of frustration later, he just gave up and played a violent game on his TV. He went to sleep early, forgoing the usual and habitual ritual of brushing, washing, and pissing. His dreams were very troubled that night.

III

Studying took up most of his time for the next couple weeks, and all thoughts about the voice emptied from his mind. The day of the test arrived long before Johnny was ready. The red and gold leaves of early fall had begun to, well, fall. Johnny wanted to be outside. If he did well on the test then he could, so his aunt said. Today was the big testing day, and everyone had exams. It was the big one too, not a measly school exam, but the college entrance test. Johnny was nervous and very wound up.

He made sure his pencils were well sharpened, and went over some of the information in his head. Johnny knew it would be hard, but all of the waiting around just made him all the more antsy. Even though he saw his friends, he couldn’t talk to them. Not now. Not when this test was hanging over his head. After it was over, he might try to go to one of their houses. For now though, it was time to go. He heard the proctor assigning the rooms call his name.

The room, his hell for the next three or four hours, was institution white. Chairs neatly aligned in rows, just far enough away that cheating would be impossible, but close enough to fit the maximum number of students. His seat was in the very front of the room, exactly where he hated to be. The tests were handed out face down. They were a lot thicker than Johnny had expected, and he felt the pit in his stomach growing by the minute. Any longer and the pit might start sprouting.

Please be a fuckin’ easy test. I need to do this shit to get into college, or Auntie is gonna fuckin’ kill me!

The test began with a short essay. This was the part he dreaded the most——he hated English with a passion. He didn’t know what to write, so he just wrote down anything that might get him points. He figured that, at least, he’d get some points if he wrote a couple sentences. He knew the system: no pencil marks means no credit whatsoever. The next section was reading, equally bad for Johnny. He liked reading a bit more than writing; so at the very least he didn't have to think as much. That suited him just fine.

I don’t fuckin’ get this shit! He yelled in his head, pulling some of his hair out in the process. I wish I could do it like those fuckin’ smart kids always do. God, I hate them so fuckin’ much!

I can help you.

It was the same deep voice as before.

You again! What the hell do you want?! Johnny thought in frustration.

I want to help you; I want to ace the rest of this exam for you.

Fine, just do it. Just fuckin’ do it ‘cause I can’t take it anymore!

Johnny felt an extremely sharp pain in his head. Something was intruding into his consciousness. All these ideas, all these memories, all of this knowledge flooded his mind in an instant. He looked at the page in front of him. There were only five minutes remaining in the section. The words all made sense now. He finished just in time, but he finished. The answers were right——Johnny knew they were right. But how did he know? It was as if a thousand years of knowledge and memories had been accrued in a mere instant. The thought puzzled him for a moment but the next section began. He didn’t have time to think about it now, there was a test to finish.

The rest of the test was a breeze for Johnny. He finished each section quickly and accurately, something he’d never been able to do before. The test was the last thing on his mind as he left the building. He saw one of his friends out of the corner of his eye, but paid him no attention. Going to a friend’s house was out of the question. Johnny’s head hurt like hell, and he felt strangely exhausted.

IV

Johnny arrived home about thirty minutes later. His aunt had lunch waiting for him.

“How did the exam go Johnny?” She asked.

Johnny grunted and slowly walked away.

“Did the test go badly?” His aunt asked him as he walked up the stairs. “Johnny! Don’t walk away from me like that, boy?”

Johnny locked his door in a hurry, just in case. She would be pissed when he went down later, but he didn’t care. He had his escape. The controller fit snugly into his hands. Johnny played games for the rest of the afternoon. By the time evening came, he felt hunger gnawing through his gut. He didn’t care though, there would be time for that later. The one thing he did need to do was piss. The bathroom was down the hall to the right.

The porcelain goddess sat next to the sink, and above the sink a mirror hung like a painting. The mirror was a large square of reflecting glass that Johnny remembered buying a few years back. The previous occupant of that spot had been an ornate oval mirror. It met its sticky end one day after he fought with his aunt.

Glancing into the mirror while pissing, Johnny saw his reflection. He needed to shave badly, but something above his prickly chin stuck out like a sore thumb. His eyes were no longer the light blue they had been his entire life, but were dark brown, almost black. Johnny’s heart skipped a few beats. His pulse quickened, and he ran back into his room.

What the fuck is going on?! Why the hell are my eyes brown? What crazy fucking disease do I have? What the fuck is wro—!

It has begun! The voice in his head exclaimed, laughing.

What the fuck did you do to me you fuckin’ asshole?!

Hey, watch your language Johnny. After all, I helped you pass the test.

Then why the fuck are my eyes brown?!

Your eyes? It said incredulously, I beg to differ. Those are my eyes.

WHAT?! WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING TO ME?!

Calm down Johnny. I’m only here to help.

HELP?! YOU CALL THIS HELP?! I WANT MY FUCKIN’ EYES BACK!

I’m sorry Johnny, my boy. That was part of the deal. That was the price you paid to ace the test.

GIVE ME MY FUCKIN’ EYES BACK!

No, echoed the voice, sinking back into the recesses of Johnny’s mind.

Johnny was furious. Whatever the hell was happening, he didn’t like it. Somehow, he had to stop this. He wanted to run away from it all. He has considered it many times before. His aunt was always up his ass. If he got away for a while, maybe everything would go back to normal. Then maybe he could move on with his life. Yes, that would work.

He decided that he would sneak out of the window tonight after his aunt went to sleep. Johnny wondered about leaving a note, and decided that maybe she wouldn’t go after him if he did. In his best handwriting, he scrawled down what he thought would be most deserving of his aunt.

Auntie, the note read, I’m running away from this fucking house. Don’t fucking look for me, I don’t want to be found. You’re always up my fucking ass, and you never seem to fucking get it. I’m sixteen, I can handle myself now. You won’t get off my back so I’m going. You can’t fucking stop me. I hope I NEVER see you again!

Johnny

Johnny began packing in his room. First went the clothes of course. Those would be the most important. Then some soap for washing and a toothbrush too. He took whatever money his aunt had in her room and put it into his wallet. He would need it more than she would, the ungrateful bitch. A hand-held video game would be essential to pass the time. In it went, spare batteries too.

When he was done, his aunt called from below.

“Dinner!”

Johnny went downstairs slowly, looking down at his feet. At the table, he didn’t talk much, despite his aunt’s many attempts to goad him into telling her about the exam. Dinner was over quickly and he was back in his room in a flash. The slowly ticked by, so slowly in fact that Johnny decided to sleep now so he could be awake later.

V

The time had come. Johnny snuck downstairs into the kitchen. He opened one of the cabinets and took as many cans as he could. He took a can opener too. It took several trips, but everything was finally packed away. Opening the window, the cool night air hit him. Johnny shivered. It was a cold night for early October. He slipped on a coat. Johnny lifted the duffle bag with all of his things onto his back and crawled out onto the roof above the porch. He felt a pang of guilt for leaving the house, but ignored it. It was the right thing to do after all. She didn’t really care about him. He closed the window behind him quietly. He looked down at the ground. It was about ten feet below. Johnny closed his eyes and leapt.

The ground was hard, and pain shot through his legs as he landed. It was nothing serious, but jolting nonetheless. The driveway was long and dark. Johnny slipped a hand into his jacket pocket, feeling around for the paper. He felt nothing.

Shit! It must be in the damned room. Fuck it. The bitch will find it when she breaks down the fucking door in a day or two.

Johnny passed the mailbox and kept on walking. He didn’t have a destination in mind, but something in instincts told him that the forest would be the best place to hide for a while. About a mile down the road, the houses on either side of the road he was on thinned out. Trees filled much of the landscape between them. This sort of landscape was something he has always disliked. It scared him.

A long stretch of darkness to his left across the street seemed like the perfect place to hide for the night. Johnny entered the dark forest with the fear of the unknown gripping him tightly. About a hundred feet in, he decided that he’d gone far enough to be safe until morning. He laid his head on a fleece from his duffle bag and looked at the darkness above. The odd sounds of the forest creeped him out, but sleep did come eventually.

VI

The world Johnny woke up to was beautiful. The sunlight danced through the autumn leaves. Johnny’s whole body ached from sleeping on the hard and uneven ground. He was cold too. The jacket he had on was adequate when he was awake, but not so as a blanket. At least it was softer than dirt.

He left his campsite and surveyed the surrounding area, gathering any small branches he could find for a fire. He’d seen on TV that rubbing two sticks together made fire. He took two sticks and started rubbing them furiously. He tried for over half an hour before his arms were sore and his energy was spent. Johnny threw up his arms in frustration. As much as he wanted to, he knew that he couldn’t go back home anymore. Certainly not after all he’d said in that letter. His aunt would beat him senseless as always, and he couldn’t bear that abuse. He was free, but at what cost? He couldn’t make a fire and he knew the food and money wouldn’t last forever.

“How the fuck do you make fire?” Johnny said to himself.

I can show you. The voice said quietly.

No! Not you! He screamed at it. Get the fuck out of my head! You’re the fuckin’ reason why I’m out here!

The voice faded again, leaving Johnny on edge. If he couldn’t have a fire, at least he’d have a place to sleep tonight. He’d always seen Indian teepees in the movies and; he figured, they couldn’t be very hard to make. Johnny laid several large sticks vertically against a tree with smaller sticks placed horizontally in between. He then picked up armfuls of leaves and sprinkled them on top of the horizontal beams. Most of the leaves littered the inside of his shelter, and a few stayed where he wanted. It would have to do.

Johnny ate some of the provisions he’d packed away in his bag while sitting in the poorly thatched teepee. A light rain began to fall through the holes in the shelter, dampening Johnny’s spirits even further. He curled up in a ball on the floor and cried. He was cold and wet. He wanted to go home, but the image of his aunt about to beat him… He didn’t know what else to do except stay there and suffer.

“I can’t make a fucking fire,” he cursed himself, “I can’t fuckin’ keep the rain out. And I can’t fuckin’ go home either!”

I can help you, the voice said from deep within.

Johnny sat there shivering. The cold air mixed with even colder water made every drop feel like a pin pricking his skin.

I can help you, the voice said again.

Johnny’s situation got the better of him this time.

Please, help me, he begged the voice.

In a flash, the knowledge he needed flooded his mind. It was as if he’d known how to do it all along. The same pain as before accompanied the newfound knowledge. In less than an hour, he’d improved the shelter so that it was dry. In front of the entrance to the teepee, a fire roared and crackled. The warmth of the fire was enough to keep at least one side of his body warm.

Crack! Johnny jumped. It was a clap of thunder. Boy was he glad to have the shelter and the fire. At least he would be somewhat comfortable. Johnny fetched his handheld video game to pass the time. He knew it wouldn’t last forever, but at least he was doing something to keep his mind busy. God only knew what kind of things might happen to him if he went home.

Hours passed before the storm lifted. Johnny ate some of the canned goodies, after heating them on the fire of course. He was tired. It had been a long and frustrating day. He lay inside his shelter looking up at the roof. It was quiet and it was peaceful. He was safe; he was alive; he was Johnny.

VII

Colors swirled around his body, and he felt the sensation of slipping backwards off the ground down head first into another world. The world around him stabilized itself. It was a scene from several years ago. His aunt stood in the kitchen; and Johnny, he stood in the hallway just outside of the kitchen. His aunt was mad. He had just broken the mirror upstairs, and she looked like a devil. Johnny was afraid for his life. In her hand lay a large, thick, wooden stick.

Help! He heard himself scream, but he had no control. The actions played out like a sick orchestra of dead cats in which the conductor had four arms. He wanted it to end, to stop, but the inevitable conclusion would eventually come.

Johnny stood there glued to his memory. He was petrified while she leapt at him. His aunt grabbed him harshly by the front of his shirt and thwacked him head to toe with the stick. Johnny felt the same excruciating pain as he had that day. The hate welled up inside as he felt himself lying on the floor bruised and bleeding.

The scene shifted. Snippets of memories flashed before Johnny’s eyes. He wondered with trepidation at what horrors could possibly be in store for him. After a short time, the flashes settled down and a new image emerged from the shadows.

Johnny felt a smile on his face. Tears were streaming down his face this time as well, but they were tears of joy. In front of him, the world was blanketed in a sheet of red. Everything was coated in a demonic glow. It was blood. The remains of some slain foe lay at his feet, the body completely obliterated. Little bits and pieces clung to the surroundings, but nothing big enough to be considered a chunk. The blood that seemed to hang in the air began to fall like rain all around him. It made a wondrous sound in his ears. Johnny felt ecstatic. Nothing he had ever seen before had felt so good. It was as if this was his life’s calling laid out before him.

The scene shifted once more, destroying his newfound joy. Anger rose in his stomach. Johnny wanted to enjoy that scene again. The swirling colors steadied themselves around the memory of his aunt’s treacherous act against him. His anger mixed with hatred, and then the dreams vanished.

VIII

Johnny awoke still feeling quite tired. The morning air was cool but humid. A thick fog hung in the air around him. He was uncomfortable. He didn’t remember much from the night before, just that he was angry about something. Whatever it had been was so real that he was still in a sour mood.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Johnny was nearly out of food, and knew there wouldn’t be any left by the end of the day if he didn’t do something about it soon. He had no idea how to get food in the wild like this, but at least he knew that he couldn’t get anything in town since his aunt would probably be after him. All of the plants around him were green. To his untrained eyes, they all looked alike. Any animals he saw were too quick for him to catch. Johnny tried a few of the plants but all of them were bitter and eventually made him wretch all over the ground. Nearly half a day was wasted before he gave up and sat down.

What the fuck can I eat out here? I’m fuckign’ hungry!

I can help. The voice chimed in as if on cue.

Johnny figured he’d starve if he didn’t get some food that day or the next.

Please, help me.

As you wish, the voice cooed.

Johnny braced himself for the painful rush of knowledge he thought would flood his brain in an instant, but it didn’t come. There was only a single thought. He stood up and trudged loudly through the woods slightly over a mile before coming to a clearing. Through a thicket next to the clearing, he spotted what he was after.

A white painted house shone brightly in the mid-afternoon sun. Green grass grew from the house to the thicket, shaved to perfection weekly. The bright red foliage of a maple stood in the middle of the yard. A car sat in the driveway running while a man ran dressed in a black suit ran inside.

The man was his best friend’s father. He was back in the car a few minutes later, then he was gone. Johnny crossed the lawn to the back door, carefully making sure no one was home. The latch on the back door was loose. It always had been, at least as long as he could remember.

Johnny had practically grown up in that house for much of his life. He remembered playing catch in where he was standing. There was also the time he’d nearly cracked his head in two on the stone wall by the back door. Johnny entered the house through the back door in silence, just in case someone was home. The moment he stepped in, he was hit with the familiar aroma of freshly cooked venison.

The venison was in a pot on the stove, still cooking for dinner later that night. Johnny dug into the food like a dog. He was done stuffing his gullet in less than a minute. Opening one of the cabinets in the kitchen, he found some canned food. It would come in handy so he took it. Johnny’s instincts told him to look in the basement. In the basement, a closet yielded the real prize. It was a rifle. Grabbing it and some of the ammunition next to it, he headed up to the kitchen and out of the back door. The back door swung shut with a small clunk. He was on his own. Before leaving the property, he took a stick and scribbled a message in the ground.

Thanks, the gun will come in handy.

Johnny

That should be enough for my friend to understand. Johnny thought with a smile. Only his best friend knew of the troubles between him and his aunt. They had both said it was only a matter of time before he ran away. The friend’s father took a more neutral approach, but had hinted pretty overtly that if he needed help, he could take what he needed as long as he returned it later.

The couple days he spent in the forest had turned Johnny’s heart away from civilization. He loved the adventure, the beauty, and even the solitude. Being out there was like the world’s best videogame. He had freedom.

The forest brought him comfort. The trees and bushes made sure no one could find him.

It was late in the day by the time Johnny got back to his camp. He had another day’s worth of provisions from his friend’s home. Tomorrow, he’d hunt.

IX

Johnny woke up bright and early the next morning. The pains he had from sleeping outdoors were gone now. He was jovial in the early morning light. The sky was clear. The hunt was a go. The easiest place to get food would have to be the lake. It was just east of where he was camped. Thinking of the camp, Johnny figured it might be time to move on. He needed to move away from the road to a place where it would be much harder to find him. Destroying the shelter and fire pit took but a fraction of the time it had taken to build them. Before long, he was packed and ready to leave. Johnny heaved the heavy duffle bag onto his back, and left in the direction of the rising sun.

The trees had thinned out by the time he reached the lake. The lake was an expanse of black water, bounded on all sides by the autumn reds and yellows. On the lake, geese crowded together, preparing for the day’s flight south. For about a month every fall and spring, geese filled the lake from shore to shore. It was as if the lake experienced a deep freeze. Only problem was, no one could skate on it. Johnny and his friends had always affectionately called the lake “Geese Shit Lake” for one simple fact: the whole shore was a veritable minefield of geese shit. It was thick enough, in fact, that one might consider it the first significant snowfall of the year.

Johnny shouldered the rifle and aimed at the goose nearest to him. It wasn’t so much aiming as it was pointing in the general direction of the goose. He’d shot a rifle before, so it wasn’t an entirely new experience. He pulled the trigger. Bang! The birds flew away in an instant, leaving a dead bird floating by the shore. It wasn’t the one he’d shot at for, but considering the amount of birds, it was probably harder to miss. He rushed to the shore. In his haste, he slipped on the geese “snow.” His backside slid at least five feet in it before coming to rest. He got up. Once he got to the edge of the lake, Johnny looked into the water to see how much of a mess he had become. The back and sides of his head were covered in geese shit, his clothes were ruined, but at least he had a meal.

Johnny threw the goose carcass high on the beach, away from the shit. He dunked his head in the water and took off his clothes. He carefully washed his body, making sure not to miss any of the nastiness. Looking at his reflection in the lake again to make sure he hadn’t missed anything, Johnny gasped. His ears were differently shaped, his mouth too. The alien image of his new face looked starkly older .

What the fucking hell did you do to me?!

You asked for my help, the voice said sardonically. You know the consequences.

Arrrrgh! Johnny screamed as he punched the water.

Get the fuck out of my head! This is all your damn fault!

Pardon me? The voice asked with a hint of sarcasm.

You fucked up my face!

I held up my end of the bargain like the honorable man I am.

Then who’s fucking fault is it?!

Wasn’t it really your aunt who has done this to you? She was the one who pressured you every day. She beat you when you didn’t do what she wanted. It is her fault. I am just here to help you. You would probably be dead without me.

Maybe you’re right. I don’t fucking know, someone will have to pay for my face. We should go eat some of that shit we killed. I’m fucking hungry.

Johnny put his slightly cleaner but still wet clothes back on. He headed off into the woods with his kill. The wet clothes rubbed his arms and legs raw by the time he reached a suitable site for a new campsite. The clothes also chilled him to the bone. The first order of business? Get dry and put on new clothes. When that was accomplished, a new lean-to needed to be constructed. Johnny set about the task for about an hour and then dug a fire pit. He lit a fire, and looked at the goose in his hands.

What the fuck am I supposed to do with this piece of shit?

Cook it, the voice said.

How?!

I can show you, the voice said with much restraint. Johnny would have picked up on it if he wasn’t so hungry.

Johnny agreed. Within a second, the knowledge he needed was in his fingertips plucking the bird clean. He fashioned a skewer from a long, straight stick and used it to roast the goose. The skin turned golden brown above the dancing flames and then charred black. It was done. Johnny ripped off a large chunk of the meat and stuffed it down his gullet. It made him feel better. He ate the rest of it; and before long, he was stuffed.

Night was soon upon Johnny. He crawled into his new home after gathering enough wood so that the fire would last the night. Even with the knowledge, making a fire was always harder than keeping one going. He laid his head on the soft fleece and drifted off soon after.

X

Johnny had the same dream as before. He saw his aunt beating him to a pulp and he grew angry again. He remembered now why he’d been in such a foul mood two days ago.

With a sudden ferocity, the scene changed. Johnny was jarred about within the dream. It stopped, and Johnny felt himself fall down into an alien world. It was quiet. Around him he saw tall pines arching over a fast-flowing stream. The full moon above cast a bluish-white glow upon all it touched, rendering a clearing behind him well lit. Viewing his reflection in the stream, Johnny saw his newly formed face that he’d seen earlier that day. He liked it. It truly suited him.

AAAAARGGGGH!!!

Johnny’s heart jumped. The high-pitched scream came from the direction of the clearing. It was close by. What it was, he couldn’t tell. All he knew was that he was scared. He saw a shadowy figure leap from the tall pines into the clearing behind him. He twisted around to get a better look. It was the figure of a woman, but she looked wretched. She had talons instead of hands and was splattered with the blood of past victims. The wretch cocked her head back at an odd angle then rushed forward. She was upon him in an instant. Her talons dug deeply into Johnny with unrivaled precision. The talons tore a large gash across his chest. Johnny screamed. Blood poured out in globs.

He felt his heart stop when he got a closer look at the monster. The face on the beast was his aunt’s! Hate, fear, and anguish gripped his body. Johnny grabbed for something. For anything. Something hard hit his fingers. He gripped it with his hand and he took a swing at the wretch. The world was in slow motion the instant Johnny connected.

Crack!

The skull of the wretch exploded, sending a shower of blood and guts sailing all around. It bathed the trees, the ground, and his body in red. He dropped the weapon. He felt elation. He felt excitement. Tears began to stream down his face. He was smiling broadly. This was the best feeling of his young life. Johnny wished to feel that joy for the rest of his life. The colors began to swirl and the world slowly faded. There had been too much blood spilt.

XI

Johnny awoke with a smile on his face. The dream was still fresh in his mind. It had been the most wonderful of his life. He’d give anything to have enjoyed it more. Sitting up, Johnny felt something wet slide from his chest. Pain erupted into his brain in an instant. He looked down. His shirt was turning deep crimson, and it smelled funny. It was blood. His hands moved of their own accord, ripping his shirt in two and then wrapping it tightly across the wound. The pain stopped as suddenly it had begun.

What the hell just happened?!

Then he remembered the face. It was his aunt who had torn up his body. He wanted revenge. Today would not simply be about survival, that was for sure. He didn’t have time to waste on that kind of shit. No, today would be the big day. The dream brought the realization of what he needed to do. It wasn’t ok to just run away anymore. Johnny needed to make sure that his aunt could never hurt anyone again. And there was only one way to ensure such a thing; she had to be killed. She must die in a way befitting of her crimes. Johnny slung the rifle over his back and set off for his old home.

He arrived at his old house by mid-morning. Dark grey clouds obscured what might otherwise have been the beginnings of a beautiful day. The air was cool and still. The crunch of the fallen leaves cracking under his feet as Johnny strode across the front lawn was the only sound. His aunt had already left. He had the rest of the day to prepare. His heart leapt with excitement. This was going to be fun.

In the back of the house, there was a tool shed. Johnny opened the door. Like the back door of his friend’s house, it was never locked——probably a dangerous thing, but perfect for what he wanted to do. He laughed. Inside the shed, he found a chainsaw, some gasoline, and a canister of stump remover. The voice inside told him that these things would be necessary. Putting these on the back stoop, Johnny went back into the shed and retrieved a hammer and some nails.

Under a fake rock next to the back door was the spare key. Johnny let himself in, bringing all the gear with him. He went upstairs with the gasoline, the hammer, and the chainsaw. The door to his room had been broken down. His entire room looked as if a hurricane had gone through. He was furious. Why would she have done such a thing?!

Johnny took the chainsaw and cut down the bathroom door and then the one from his aunt’s bedroom next-door. He would need them for later. Going downstairs past the kitchen and into the living room, he cut the legs off a coffee table in the living room. Johnny brought the tabletop out back and nailed it firmly over the outside of the back door. This ensured that the door was completely sealed. Letting himself in the front door with the key, went into the dining room. Johnny cannibalized the dining room table and used the pieces to blockade most of the other possible exits. Johnny did leave one exit: the bathroom widow. He thought the game would be a little more enjoyable if he locked the door to the bathroom. It was done. He climbed out of the window and back into the house through the front door.

Johnny went back upstairs with the hammer and knocked nails through the doors so that the sharp tips stuck out like a pincushion. He laid the doors down on the banister for later. He then went into his room and cut apart his bed. He brought the pieces out of the front door and hid them in the bushes nearby. His aunt would not be able to see them there at night. Johnny took the canister of stump remover and sprinkled a clean white trail along the hallway towards the bathroom in the shape of an arrow.

That should be quite interesting, especially if it explodes while she’s near it.

He raced back up the stairs to the second floor. Johnny took the two doors and nailed them across the doorway top of the stairwell, making sure the sharp exposed nails were facing down the stairs to stop his aunt from trying to escape from up here. Johnny went into his aunt’s room. He opened one of the windows in the room and stepped out onto the roof. The wires that hung from the corner of the house nearest him were the ones that connected the phone and electricity. With several hammer strokes, they were both disconnected. There would be no help for that bitch. All that was left to do was sit and wait. Soon his aunt would arrive.

Johnny rubbed his hands in anticipation. Soon the beautiful chaos would begin. He smiled. It was going to be fun.

XII

It had begun to rain heavily by the time his aunt arrived home. Hearing the motor of a car coming down the driveway and then turning off, Johnny quickly spread gasoline across his aunt’s room with a trail leading back to the edge of his room. As soon as his aunt was inside, he ignited the gas. Orange flames raced out of his room. He opened his window, and climbed onto the roof above the porch. It was time for some fun! Johnny carefully slipped off the roof onto the porch as quietly as possible. He grabbed the pieces of his bed that he had hidden in the bushes earlier. He used the pieces to nail the front door closed. He heard banging on the door as soon as he had finished nailing it closed. To dissuade her from trying to break out, he knocked a couple nails through the door hoping that one would be shoved in her hand. No such luck, but his aunt did stop banging on the door.

Johnny casually walked behind the house to the tool shed and found a lawnmower inside that she had always made him use. It was old and small. It had always taken forever to mow the large lawn, especially considering he would never get dinner until after he was done. Just that thought made him hate her even more. The bathroom window was on the side of the house, paralleling a row of trees. Johnny positioned himself and the lawnmower in the row of trees just out of sight. A high-pitched scream echoed throughout the house. Certainly loud enough for Johnny to hear.

And the fun begins.

I’m definitely enjoying this as well, chimed the voice.

Glad you are.

The voice laughed.

Crash!

A window on the second floor rained shattered glass on the ground below. Black smoke and flames erupted from within. The fire danced along the top of the window, licking at the supports of the house. Like a pile of tinder, the roof ignited with a bright light. It was an eerie red glow. Johnny heard pounding coming from within the walls.

That bitch must be enjoying our little game.

Part of the roof collapsed onto the floor below, and sparks shot out in all directions. Puffs of black smoke from some dangerous and nameless chemical rose with the rest of the smoke to join the dark grey clouds above.

Crack!

The sound of wood breaking reached Johnny. The sound was nearby.

“The time has come,” he muttered as he started the lawnmower.

A figure leapt from the burning building. It landed right next to him. The look on its face was priceless. Behind it, the red flames danced their eerie glow, lighting up its charred face. That figure, that bitch, was charred where flames must have eaten at her during her escape. But there would be no escape. Not after all that she’d done. Johnny stepped out smiling from ear to ear. The look of pure terror on her face made him laugh.

She screamed. Johnny swung the business end of the running lawnmower at her. It connected with her hip. The blades dug in deeply. Blood was ejected, covering everything in sight with its ethereal presence. The crunch of breaking bones made Johnny cry with excitement and joy. His aunt’s body fell, still screaming.

“Keep screaming!” Johnny said. “There will be no mercy for the wicked! Tonight you will die by my hands, auntie; just as I nearly died by yours!”

Her eyes bugged out as she finally realized who he was. Her screams only intensified more. Johnny lifted the lawnmower and swung once more. The blades cut into her skull, releasing her innards in a glorious red rain. She was no more, and his revenge was complete. Johnny felt tears running down his face as he fell to his knees. He felt happiness like no other. This was surely the best moment of his life. He had finally acted it out. His fantasy had come true!

Johnny looked at the ground below him. Strewn everywhere were pieces of what had been the aunt he hated. Her brain lay like pudding all around where her head had been. Blood oozed out of the deep gashes covering her charred body. The falling combined with the blood to form a torrent of red. The body looked nicely roasted, and Johnny’s mouth began to water. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and he was very hungry. The charred body looked like a tasty meal for later. Despite being far off of the road, Johnny knew that with the fire and hit aunt’s screams, the police would be there at any moment. He used the butt of the rifle to break off one of her arms.

Johnny carried the still bleeding arm with him back into the forest from whence he’d come. By the time he got back to camp, the rain had finally come to an end. He noticed that his fire had gone out from the rain, leaving a bit of steam rising from the coals. Almost an hour of intense work later, the fire was back and roaring higher than ever. Johnny skewered the arm with the same stick he has used for the goose, and slowly roasted it over the fire. The flesh of a fallen foe would certainly bring him strength.

With the arm finally cooked, Johnny bit off a large chunk. It tasted great! Like beef mixed with chicken but only better. It was a hard-won meal, and he deserved to enjoy it. Cannibalism wasn’t so bad. It certainly made hunting easier. Humans were always plentiful.

XII

Johnny went to bed soon after finishing his meal, and was asleep before his head hit the fleece.

The dreamscape steadied itself as it had before. It was as if Johnny was really there. It was the same moonlit world from the previous night, with one exception. The stream that flowed was no longer its original pristine color. It was red. Red as the torrent of blood and water he’d seen earlier. Johnny felt a cold, hard, object being held by his right hand. He looked down. It was a bloodied baseball bat. Johnny realized that he was naked as well; the scar from the battle the night before was imprinted across his chest.

In the distance, a rustling sound caught his attention. Johnny turned to see what it was. A beast erupted into the clearing in front of him. It had a long pale face and a slender body. It was the figure of a woman; but this woman was only partly human. Her figure was grotesque, twisted beyond recognition. She was tall with lanky arms and legs. From the back of each wrist, a blade sprouted that ran to her elbow and then off of her arm to a point just behind the elbow. The mere sight scared him, especially since he could not recognize it. In an enchanting female voice, it spoke.

“Welcome to my world.” She said laughing.

“W-who are you?” Said Johnny.

“I am you. Well, not you exactly, but I will be very soon.”

“What the hell do you mean?

“I am your conscience. I have been the one helping you.”

“Get the fuck out of my head!”

“No. It’s my head. It’s my body now. Tonight I will take what is rightfully mine!”

The creature came at Johnny. The blades on her arms were flared out, ready to slice his body to pieces. All Johnny had in his defense was that bloody baseball bat. The stream was to his back, making escape all but impossible. He had to fight. He had to win. He knew his survival depended on destroying the thing in front of him. Johnny swung at the beast, his bat hitting one of the blades. The blade sliced clean through the bat. The other blade missed his face by a couple of inches. That was too close. Johnny turned and ran. He ran as fast as his legs would let him. The beast was right on his heels.

“Afraid of being beaten by a woman?” It said with glee. “That body will be mine, boy!”

Johnny just ran faster. She scared him more than even his aunt. Whatever that thing was, she certainly had it in for him. All he could do was run and hope he’d wake up. Without warning, his foot caught a root and he fell. The beast stopped above him. Her blades gleamed with blood. Somehow, he knew it was his blood——his dripping blood from the previous night’s attack! He suddenly realized that he’d been tricked. It was this beast, the voice in his head, who had really killed his aunt. The feelings, the emotions, they were all fake. They weren’t his, they were hers. His heart dropped. It was too late to do anything about his aunt, but he surely wished to rectify his mistake somehow. He was going to die tonight. He would pay for his sins in hell for all eternity.

“This is the end of you, my darling.” She said, smiling. “And the beginning of me!”

“Stop!” Johnny screamed in desperation.

“Why? This is the fear that bitch felt when you killed her. It’s only fair if you feel the same!” The woman laughed. “Well, let’s get down to business.”

“NO!”

“What, you think you can stop me? I don’t think so. Accept your punishment. You are as bad as your aunt. This is my body, and you can’t sto—“

Johnny smashed what was left of the bat into the side of the beast’s head. She screamed. The dream cracked and began to fade.

Fall asleep again and you will be mine! The beast’s screeching voice echoed within his head as he awoke.

XIV

Johnny sat up. His foot hurt. His instincts pounded fear through him. He had to run away. He couldn’t sleep. He needed to make sure that beast couldn’t get him anymore. Without bothering to take anything, he just ran through the woods. The bare branches scraped his body in many places, leaving his clothes in tatters. Johnny winced in pain at every stroke, but he had to keep running. Not doing so meant certain doom.

Johnny was afraid. He had done terrible things to his aunt and her corpse. As much as he hated her, he truly felt sorry for what he had done; no, for what the beast had done to her. His thoughts turned to his own plight. November first was his birthday. He knew he wouldn’t live see his seventeenth birthday. It was just not possible to stay awake for that long without falling asleep for a moment. That moment would surely ring his death knell. Johnny decided to fight the beast that night in order to rectify his mistakes and avenge his aunt. He knew that he probably wouldn’t win, but it would put his conscience to rest. At least it was better than going crazy and giving up. Johnny was going to be ready. That beast inside of his was going to pay for what it had done!

Johnny stopped running and slowly walked back to his camp. It wasn’t hard to find the camp with all of the broken branches along the way. He was hungry, he was tired, but at least he was calm. He accepted his fate, whatever it might be; but he certainly was not going to let that beast have his body without a fight. When he got back to the lean-to, Johnny ate his remaining food and prepared to fight the beast.

Time is a funny thing. Waiting for something makes it inch along, but doing something enjoyable makes time run by in a flash. The waiting was eating at Johnny. He wanted to resolve this once and for all. He lay down in his lean-to, trying to sleep. But sleep would not come. The excruciating wait finally ended when night fell. It was time.

XIV

The dreamscape came together as it had so many times before. The crimson stream gushed through the landscape. The moon shone brightly through the tall pines onto the clearing behind Johnny. The baseball bat was clasped tightly in his hands. He turned around. He was ready. The beast slowly walked towards him; it was like an old west standoff. Both figures stood silently, sizing each other up. The beast cocked its head back, laughing.

“Ready to give me your body, huh,” the beast joked.

“In your dreams bitch!” Came Johnny’s retort.

They both charged each other. The beast was fast, but that didn’t stop him. Johnny swung as if his life depended on it. It did. He swung, and the bat missed by a large margin. The beast brought down one of her arms at Johnny and scratched him slightly with the blade. He winced in pain; and the beast laughed. His misery was the beast's pleasure, that was for sure. The beast came at Johnny again, arms ready to strike. She swiped with her left arm and he parried the blow with his bat. The blade sliced a large piece of the bat off, leaving him with even less of a defense. Johnny swung again. He missed again.

“You aim like my grand-ma!” She taunted.

Johnny was furious. The damn beast was toying with him when it was such a serious matter. It was his fucking body at stake, not the time for joking! He kicked up dirt at the beast and then swung, hoping the confusion would help. It did. The bat connected, but only just. The beast howled in pain.

At least I hit the damned thing. I can’t use the same trick again, but at least it isn’t untouchable.

The dirt Johnny had kicked puffed up into a big cloud, blinding him. Things certainly were different in dreams than reality. He took this opportunity to flee. He ran towards the river, knowing the beast would only be able to come in front of him. As he reached the river, the cloud covered his position in thick brown fog. He heard the beast laugh.

“I’m coming to get you my darling.” It cooed.

A shadow passed over him, and he looked up. The beast’s eyes locked with his. He froze. The blades sliced deep into his back, forcing Johnny to his knees. Johnny screamed. Nothing had ever hurt so much. Not even the time he fell out of the second floor at school. Blood gushed from his flesh, adding yet more blood to the river. The beast laughed again, and Johnny swung his bat. Crack! The bat hit the beast in the leg, knocking it aside. Johnny struggled to his feet. He was tired. With his remaining strength, He swung at the beast. His last effort met with futility. The beast hopped on top of the bat and sliced into Johnny’s neck.

Johnny fell to the ground wheezing. The world seemed to be getting brighter and out of focus. Everything just hurt; but the pain was slowly easing its grip on his body. He heard laughter from that beast, but it grew fainter with each passing second. It was the end.

XV

Lilly woke up and stretched. The side of her leg hurt where Johnny struck her during the dream. She stood up and left the lean-to. It was a brand new day. She finally had a new body. The transformation was complete.

Thanks for the body Johnny. I could have gotten it sooner, but you afforded me some fun along the way. Now I can get my revenge!