1 comments/ 5522 views/ 0 favorites Troubles Beyond Trouble Ch. 01 By: DraggingMyLeash Walking down the street clad in his signature Tax Collector gear Daniel scouts the parking lots for potential cars that could possibly take a sizeable chunk out of his debt to Mario. But this isn't where the story starts off; it begins with Daniels' childhood, the reasons he became what he is. Now sit down, spark a bowl and chill as I tell you this story of a young man with more troubles than a late eighties Thunderbird 5.0 and little time to deal with them. That strange, pungent scent accompanied by thick white smoke which tentatively creeps out from under his parents' room door isn't an uncommon occurrence. Lying down lazily on the front room sofa with the television blaring late night shows at him from no more than five feet away, Daniel enjoys the quiet life and only notes the odd scent for a moment. Daniel doesn't quite know what the smell is but it is common enough he doesn't even think about it for more than two seconds before dismissing it. In these early years he had never seen a pipe or a bong since his parents are rather good at keeping such things out of his sight even while the relationship between them is degrading, as it had been ever since his father lost his job. A loud crash rings out from the back room where his parents sleep and Daniel leaps to his feet with all the agility of a twelve year old accompanied by the speed of youth he is standing at the door within seconds. As his small hand turns the door handle and he pushes it open a wall of thick sweet smelling smoke collides with his tiny form. "Mom! Dad? Are you alright? What happened?" With the words barely off of his tongue something heavy and solid collides with his small jaw and he can feel the bones crunching under the impact as Daniel begins to black out and fall back. Since puberty had begun to change him Daniel had felt something itching at the back of his mind, something that scares him even though he won't admit it. This something that he cannot describe seems to rush forward and already he can feel his body stretching and becoming distorted and the last thing he remembers before the "beast" takes control of his body is the sound of his mother screaming; "John! God please no John, please don't hurt him!" Next, Daniel watches from behind eyes that don't seem to be his own and are instead showing everything as black and white with exceptional detail. The vision he sees through now almost makes him feel more alive but the following events dim any excitement he may have found in these new eyes. John, Daniels' father is crouching over him throwing punch after punch almost unaware of what he is doing in his violent bout of rage. The red tinted images barely reach this full mans brain and prevents him from noticing the not-so-subtle physical changes occurring in his son. Daniels' hair grows coarse and thick, his shattered jaw begins to mend and protrude out from his face. Arms and shoulders that were once so skinny and weak begin to broaden and become solid with muscle. The small nose in the center of his face also begins to broaden and lengthen, its tip turning a dark black as it becomes glossy with moisture. Teeth lengthen and turn the gray color of steel as they begin to glint in the dim light as they drip saliva. A deep guttural growl shakes the walls as Daniels' transformation begins to take root and his internal structure becomes more metal than bone, the long silvery and pointed cylinders which can be nothing besides nails prove that fact as the beast that once was Daniel begins to fight back against its father. The once strong fist that was slamming repeatedly against his face shatters against the new indestructible skull hidden beneath its flesh and the large man that once overpowered the small child is thrown back with enough force to shatter the sheetrock concealed beneath the wall paper. Four deep gashes stain his chest red where the claws had caught flesh and bone rending open his ribs to reveal the heart beating beneath as it spits blood and sputters in his dying moments. Daniel screams and yells, beats against the beast with arms that don't exist anymore. He fights against the thing that has taken his body but he only finds a solid wall between him and the control of his body. Without a seconds hesitation the now seven foot beast which resembles a wolf in key characteristics leaps on top of the dying man and begins to tear in to his chest with terrifying ferocity. Nancy, Daniels mother cowers in the corner for now, blood splattering against her face and leaving dripping trails of crimson crisscrossing her bruised body. She once protested spiritedly against her husbands beating of Daniel but now she fears for her own life. Nancy wants to run, she wants to put as much distance between herself and that... That thing as she can but, "is that my son?" she continuously repeats in her mind, trying to reason it out with her muscles frozen and her eyes locked on the horrible scene of that... That thing that couldn't be her son, her son couldn't do that to anyone, and so it couldn't be her loving and quiet son. Before thinking she throws herself at the "thing" and lands hard against its solid shaggy body and begins to beat her small fists against it. "No! Stop! Please don't hurt him! Leave my son alone!" The words sound foreign to Nancy and she couldn't quite decide where they came from but she doesn't stop none-the-less. As she fights a futile fight and beats her useless fists against the beast she catches a glimpse of her husbands' lifeless corpse lying on the bed where he landed. The ribcage is gone and only the shattered edges of bone remain any of the vital organs that should have been found there are gone and his glossy eyes stare at the ceiling. Nancy freezes and her muscles seem to turn to jelly, her small fists pause against the beasts' coarse hair. Daniel fights hysterically against the overwhelming presence that has control over his body. Daniel can feel the blood dripping from the lips which aren't his own. Daniel can feel the torn flesh lodged between his teeth and the scraps under his feet, but worst of all he can feel his mother beating against his back and trying with all her strength to save the abusive husband that is already dead. The beast turns its attention toward Daniels mother and he screams inside its head, fighting even more fervently than he did for his own father. It's too late though; the beast turns on Nancy and backhands her in the stomach letting her intestines free from their encasement of skin and flesh. With a horrified screech she is thrown back against the wall next to the door as the beast turns to look at her and wait for some kind of reaction which doesn't come. Nancy's eyes roll back until her pupils and irises disappear behind her eyelids and she squirms under the pain engulfing her mind. With slow calculated steps the beast walks toward Nancy with every intention of devouring her just as it had Daniels father John but as it gets closer it stumbles as if tripping over its own feet. Daniel, buried deep in the back of the beasts mind screams, kicks and fights with all of his mental strength to take control back from the beast that has murdered his parents. Hot tears burn at his cheeks as they run down what isn't there, this young man has encountered his worst nightmare, and it is himself. The beast begins to recede to the back of Daniels mind from where it came, the physical changes happening more rapidly as the form of the young twelve year old Daniel emerges from that of the beast. The clothes he had worn are now torn and only the remnants remain, yet this is the last thing on young Daniels mind as he crawls up between his mothers legs and curls up. Daniel looks as if he is nine years younger and wishing only for the comfort of his mommy. The bloodstained form of Daniel tells another story as he ignores the feel of his mothers intestines against his face as he seeks her warmth and comforting arms, but nothing happens, she doesn't lean down and pull him in to her embrace, she only lies there perfectly still and propped up against the cracked wall looking across the room in sheer horror. This is where I come back and tell you the obvious; Daniel had a happy childhood up until this point. The cops came to Daniels' house over all the noise and screaming and walked in to find the dead parents and Daniel in the midst of it all without a scratch. With DNA testing they discovered an abnormality, making him a mutant and came to the conclusion that his parents death blame is to be laid on him. The next several years Daniel spends in a specialized insane asylum for those with such "problems." These years Daniel spends doped up and unaware of where or who he is, that is until he begins to build up a resistance to the medicine they are shoving down his throat... Troubles Beyond Trouble Ch. 02 The first thing to come to him is a groggy sense of awareness concerning his surroundings. The sanitary smell of an asylum coupled with the moans, groans, and screams of other patients. Still half medicated Daniel isn't aware that five years have passed since the horrible incident with his parents; in fact Daniel isn't quite sure of his name right now. Sitting up and trying to reach to his eyes and rub them Daniel soon realizes that he is in a straight jacket with his arms wrapped around to his sides and pinned firmly in place with the coarse fabric. In a sudden fit of panic Daniel begins to fight against the straight jacket, screaming and kicking his legs as he tries to wriggle free of the device. Curses and words come out jumbled and gargled as if he had forgotten how to speak English. Soon Daniel begins to calm as half remembered memories begin to slowly filter in to his mind. Before many images of his childhood flash across his minds eye the door to his room opens and a large man steps in wearing all white carrying a large needle in his left hand and watching Daniel cautiously. Moving carefully to the far corner away from the big man Daniel opens his mouth to speak but nothing comes out besides a strangled gurgling sound. Standing at the other end of the room the man regards Daniel with contempt in his eyes and a deep scowl on his lips, in his two years of attending this patient he had never seen him conscious once and until now had hoped he never would. Daniel is finally able to speak but his words are slurred in odd places and he trips over his verbs as he tries to make sense of what is happening. "Who... Who... Who... Who, are you? What... What are...? What are you doing? W-what... Do you... Want?" The large nurse doesn't answer him but begins to walk across the room and close the gap, his grip tensing on the hypodermic needle in his left hand as he readies himself to forcefully inject Daniel with the strong sedative. Daniel begins to react, trying to push himself with his weak legs but he only finds the wall behind him pushing back just as hard. That itch in the back of his mind returns and begins to strengthen against the sight of a man four times Daniels' size and carrying what could be something dangerous. Daniel begins to scream and try to hold his head as a feeling that it is going to split open washes over him. "No! No! No! Stop! Please don't!" The large nurse thinks Daniel is pleading with him so he rushes in to grab the young man and force the needle in to the side of his neck, tricky business with a struggling patient. The itch in the back of Daniels' mind only grows stronger, the beast trying to claw its way to the front of his mind and seize control while it still has the opportunity. It had not been sleeping sweetly in the back of Daniels' mind all these years but it was fighting against the narcotics continuously pumped in to Daniels' veins. This beast does not intend to let this male nurse stab another needle in to Daniels' arm. The changes in his flesh happen fast, much faster than when his father had triggered it. Daniels' consciousness recedes in to the back of the beasts mind and becomes a quiet voice that screams frantically with the volume of a bee. Memories begin to flood back to Daniel, the faces of his parents frozen in horror as the beast slashes and tears at their flesh. Screaming frantically Daniel begins to call for his mother as he watches the scene before him fold out as a replay of the horror he had been forced to witness at his own home. The male nurse notices the changes in Daniels' physical appearance almost instantly and in a last ditch effort he slams the needle in to the side of his neck with all his strength and forces the strong liquid sedative out of its tip. To his horror the male nurse feels the sedative streaming on to his hand and down to his wrist where it drips to the beasts' coarse hair and disappears. The needle, broken almost perfectly in the center had failed to deliver what may have calmed the beast and put it back to rest. Now the male nurse is staring the beast in its eyes, its breath still clean of any distasteful smell which is soon to change. It rages, the beasts breath becoming heavy and warmer on the male nurses face as it lunges forward. Within a fraction of a second it has its maws clamped hard down on either side of the nurses' head with its metallic teeth digging in and tearing at his flesh and attempting to force in to his skull with sheer force. The thick bone on the sides of his skull begins to fracture and full out crack as the nurse screams with ear-shattering power. The nurse screams more from fear of the gaping throat directly in front of his eyes. This nurse knows what's going to happen; his is this beasts' second meal in five years. With the sickening "crack" of the nurses skull finally crushing under the force exerted by the massive jaws that conceal almost his entire head. The gelatinous mass of brain inside the nurses' skull turns in to more of a fluid than anything else as it finds escape in the only direction it can. Like squeezing a tube of toothpaste the brain shoots in to the beasts' mouth and its jaws close around the shattered skull as it swallows down what's left of the brain and skull matter. It tears at the beasts' throat but the moment the long gouges are made in the soft flesh they begin to heal and mend and it leans down for a better taste. Crouching over the body what's left of the straight jacket slides from its back and falls to the crimson stained padded floor. A long flexible tongue snakes from its mouth and begins to scour the inside of the skull like a small child trying to lick up the rest of his ice cream. While the beast licks and attempts to clean the inside of the skull another nurse, this one female and rather old, looks through the small window to check on her co-worker. Without a single noise she stares in horror at the scene inside unable to move or scream. Even with her lack of noise though the beast can feel her eyes and leans back to look up, to see what is next. It had been kneading at the male nurses' chest with its half human front paws like a cat enjoying a good petting. The ribcage is bare and torn flesh hangs off the side of his body, the deep gouges slowly oozing blood, the thick red fluid slowly making its way to the drenched fabric below the man. With a flash of motion the beast rushes at the door and with the strong impact its hinges shatter as if made of glass. The wrinkly old woman is pinned to the door as it is pushed across the narrow hallway and in to a wall. Most of her organs become more of a gelatin and her bones splinter and pierce her own flesh as they do. The poor old woman is dead before she even realizes the beast had made it past the door. With deep growl of rage the beast slashes and tears at the door leaving deep gouges in its thick gauge steel trying to get to the soft body it is shielding. The glass window at the top of the door shows the old woman's head with blood oozing from her nose, mouth, ears and eyes which by now are mostly a fluid themselves. The very moment the door was taken from its hinges a loud alarm rings out and echoes down the hall and it is bathed in a deep red glow. Armed security personnel round the corner and freeze the moment they see the blood drenched beast clawing at what's left of the door. Within a split second their training kicks in and without warning they begin to fire their standard issue nine millimeter Glock hand guns rapidly at the beast. Suddenly its attention is diverted from the old dead woman as it feels the bullets pierce its skin and shatter on its metallic ribs and vertebrae leaving behind molten led left to cool under its flesh. With a loud screeching howl that seems almost a scream it turns and faces the security officers. The moment it turns and provides a wider target for the guards they fire more rapidly. What bullets that don't miss catch the beast in its chest, arms, legs and face which seems to enrage it more, as if it is feeding off of the pain. Dropping down just enough for its half human forepaws to reach the floor the beast begins to gallop towards the guards with their bullets still ripping in to its body. The guards watch in horror as the beast doesn't die, or even flinch from the bullets fired in rapid succession. Two of the guards freeze in terror of what they are witnessing but the third, in between the two begins to back up as he fires. By now the beast has becoming nothing but a blur as it gallops forward in its bounding style. As it reaches the group of three it passes the first two and lunges for the third as he backs away. It's too late for him and the mass of hair and muscle crashes in to his body, its gaping maw opening to wrap around his throat and then close with a loud crunching, as if it had just munched down a mouth full of potato chips. Sliding across the linoleum floor with its recent meal under him it watches as the other two guards slowly turn around in time to see it tilt its head back and swallow down the remnants of their fellow guards adams apple. The second guard to be attacked has enough time to throw his arm up to shield his face before the blur of salt and pepper hair overtakes him also and bites down on the arm, tearing through it with all the trouble it would have biting in to a cheese cake. The chunk of flesh and bone still in its mouth drains its blood down the beasts' throat before it is swallowed almost whole and the beast begins to shake at the thin strips of skin still connecting the guards' wrist to his upper arm. The thin flesh tears easily and a severed wrist and hand falls the once unstained linoleum floor as the guard falls back under the immense weight. In one single and horrific bite the beast tears in to the guards chest rending open his rib cage and tearing at his lungs and heart before he has another chance to scream for help. As the third guard watches his colleague being torn open and feasted upon a dark stain begins to form in his pants and he shakes uncontrollably, the nine millimeter Glock pistol in his left hand forgotten as it drops to the floor with the loud "clank" of weighted metal bouncing off of a solid surface. As the sound reaches the sensitive twitching ears of the beast it looks up, still dripping blood and scraps of flesh from its stunted muzzle. It looks at the third guard for what seems like hours to the guard. Its expression at first seems confused and not sure of itself, as if it had forgotten about him but soon turns to what can barely be described as an expression of delighted joy at finding another meal. Springing from the crouching position over the second guard it pins the third guard to the wall with a disfigured paw/hand on each shoulder taking no time to lean forward and sink its teeth in to his throat. It takes its time as it sinks carpenters' nail length teeth in to the guards' throat and shakes its head back and forth to rend it free of the flesh casing. The guard gurgles and thrashes in the throws of death and his last sensation before finding himself in darkness is that of the beasts' long tongue lapping up the blood that shoots from his arteries before taking a last bite that removes his head from his shoulders. Suddenly losing interest in its food it stands up, if awkwardly, and looks from side to side. The tiny mental capacity it contains knows that it is here to protect Daniel and it must free him from this imprisonment. Daniel, having been silent the entire time, is curled up in a fetal position in the back of the beasts mind, feeling as if he is in a dark room which is filled mostly by a giant inflatable balloon that is always pressing in on him, this of course is the beasts' consciousness while it is in control. It fills almost every corner of Daniels mind trying to suffocate him in a way that will keep him from fighting for control but not harm him. Silent sobs rack his small frame, for in his mind Daniel is still only twelve and just recently comprehending what has come of his parents. With Daniel safely tucked away the beast stares at a window, steel bar there to supposedly keep prying eyes out and uncooperative patients in. Without much thought to the damage steel bars could inflict on soft flesh, or what floor it may be on the beast rushes forward and lunges at the bars. Making a solid contact with the plate glass shatters in a spray of razor edges that slice at flesh. The bars bend and groan in protest before the anchors in solid concrete are ripped loose and the concrete shatters also in a spray of gray dust and chunks only about the size of dimes. It is a disheartening five story fall, but the beast will gain no lasting injuries and simply disappears leaving the looming asylum behind with its dead nurses, guards, flashing lights and ear piercing sirens... Yes, I'm back, the Author, Daniel has escaped... Or, actually, the beast escaped for him, now he will spend time on the streets while the officials confer and try to decide how to track him. A lost little twelve year old in the body of a seventeen year old. I can't tell you whether or not he will have his freedom for very long, you'll just have to wait for the next badly written chapter to find out. I do hope you enjoyed reading this second installment, and please, vote and/or leave a comment when you're done; the options are just under this paragraph. Troubles Beyond Trouble Ch. 03 Daniel wakes surrounded by the stench of blood and vomit with the cold fluids pooling around his body. Awakening suddenly to the stench Daniel sits up and his world begins to spin as more bile builds up in his throat. Leaning forward as much as he can Daniel spews his stomach contents on the stained asphalt of the alleyway, blood and chunks of what can only be described as bone mixed in with what he last had to eat. Slowly standing to his feet and using a near dumpster to steady himself Daniel begins to try and make the world quit spinning around him in fear that he feel throw up again even though he can't feel anything left in his stomach. Dripping blood and vomit Daniel begins to make his way down the alley, his bare feet making slapping sounds that echo down the narrow path and his eyes seemed glazed over and he looks barely aware of where he is. The heavy smell of urine and trash that permeates the alleyway goes unnoticed for now but the trash he stumbles on and the paper sticking to his feet begin to become a nuisance. Catching a large piece of scrap wood with his right foot Daniel falls to the asphalt barely catching himself before his head has a chance to bounce off of the solid surface. As he holds himself up on hands and knees the heavy scent of urine finally reaches him in his half daze and Daniel begins to dry heave in an attempt to empty his stomach even though there is nothing left to be purged. The door to his right opens with a loud screech from hinges protesting their lack of oil and neglectful users. An average sized man steps out for a cigarette, his genetically tan skin marking him for some kind of Latino and the fleck of white powder under his nose marking him for a user of drugs much stronger than Marijuana. The unknown mans' brown eyes scan through the alley after noticing Daniel and the horrible stench radiating from him so strongly that it is almost a physical barrier. With his hand still on the door handle he contemplates just going back inside and using the front door to step outside and smoke a cigarette. As the thought crosses his mind Daniel looks up with his strong green eyes locking them on the smoker with a mix of depression and deep fear swimming through them. Mario is about to turn and walk back inside when something in the kids' eyes stops him, something swimming around beyond the fear and depression. Even in this sad state the eyes of a predator stare back at Mario veiled deep beneath a chaotic ocean of emotion. With a deep grin Mario turns back around and kneels down a safe distance from the smell coming off the boy in strong waves. Putting a hand over his mouth he begins to speak slowly to the boy; "do you want a job kid? Or how about maybe some clean clothes and a bath?" With the last words he lets out a quiet chuckle and gently takes Daniels' arm and helps him up being as careful as he can not to get any of the filth on his pristinely clean clothes. Daniel stands up hesitantly as the world continues to spin around him but with any offer of help Daniel feels a spark of life well up inside of him. Stepping through the door he finds himself in a kitchen, the sounds of pots and pans clattering filling his sensitive ears and the smell of so many different kinds of food helping his mouth to start watering. Wide bright green eyes attempt to look in every direction at once as Daniel follows Mario through the kitchen and to a flight of stairs with a quiet whimper as the sights and sounds of food being prepared and cooked dwindle behind him. Vomit drips from his shirt and every second that he wears the tainted clothes his own smell of filth grows in his nostrils and his throat threatens to tighten and release a new flow of bile. Mario watches the young man a little worried about his health as he notices the pale skin and sunken eyes, eyes so bright they only exaggerate the caverns from which they stare. Maybe he was a crack baby? Or worse? Maybe he is already addicted to the stuff? These questions go unanswered as Mario steps in to a hallway clad in dark brown fake wood which cover the sheetrock and supporting studs. The carpet beneath his feet is soft even through the loafers and its' bright red clashes with the dark wood but Mario never thinks about such things. Taking the door handle of a dark brown oak door he twists the handle and pushes the door open, beckoning for Daniel to follow him, which he does after a short pause. A woman with a full head of long white hair sits on the couch centered almost perfectly in the room and facing away from an unused, windowless wall. The first reaction to grace that seemingly perfect face is one of mild satisfaction that Mario has returned so soon, the second is disgust at what he is dragging along behind him. "What the hell is that, and what is it dripping all over my floor?" Judging from her face you could say she soon realizes what "it" is dripping all over her floor. The once beautiful face scrunches up in disgust and she brings her hand up to hold her nose closed against the stench. Mario turns to look at her as he motions Daniel towards the bathroom hidden behind a solid oak door. "What does it look like? It's a kid; you said you always wanted one didn't you?" A sly grin plays on his lips as Mario waits for the exaggerated reaction he knows is coming. "A kid? A Kid! That isn't a kid! It's a street urchin! It's dripping with filth! How could you bring something like that in to our house?" Mario hold up his hands and waves them down in a subtle manner as he tries to get the woman to quiet down, knowing the young kid is hearing every word. "Shut up would you? He's right there in the bathroom, he can hear every word, besides, he's a good kid and you know you're going to fall in love with him once he's all cleaned up." "Mario! This isn't some stray puppy you're bringing home! It's a person! What if somebody is looking for him huh? What are you going to do when its parents come looking for him and slap abduction charges on you? You of all people should know how things are these days, there are pedophiles everywhere and they're going to think you are one!" Mario only shakes his head in response to her loud lecture and steps past her to sit down. The leather couch creaks slightly with the sudden weight as Mario falls down on it, trying only to think of some way to combat the loud debate that is still echoing in his mind. Mario knew for sure that he couldn't just say "I like his eyes" without sounding like a pedophile. "The kid has promise, I can tell, now will you drop this? He needs a home and I'm going to give it to him." The look in Mario's' eyes is that of pure determination and the woman's mouth opens for a moment but soon shuts with a "humph" and she falls on to a couch cushion next to Mario. "You know Alice; you can sometimes be the most understanding woman in the world, when you're not being a complete bitch." With a playful laugh he leans in close and presses his lips to her own in a deep kiss, their tongues entwining and a quiet moan escaping Alice's lips. Daniel stands quietly in the bathroom, their words had gone unheard, drowned out by the images flashing past his minds eye. The scenes of blood and torn flesh racing through his mind as if it were all happening again and Daniel's eyes widen in horror as he watches everything over again. New images flood in to his mind, those images depicting the brutal slaughter of two nurses and three security guards, those images he had missed while he was cowering in the back of the beasts mind. Falling to the floor Daniel begins to cry quietly, the hot tears streaming down his face until the fall to the floor and begin to pool up. Curling up in to a fetal position Daniels' crying begins to strengthen and soon becomes deep sobs that easily penetrate the thin walls of the bathroom. As Mario is interrupted by the resounding sobs of Daniel in the bathroom he lets out a disappointed sigh before reluctantly pulling away from Alice and standing up. With a few steps Mario is standing at the door to the bathroom and slamming his fist against it wondering if even that would get past the loud sobs of the boy inside. "Hey! Kid! You alright in there?" Alice strides up next to Mario and places a hand on his shoulder to gently push him to the side. "Be quiet baby, I don't think he really needs anyone yelling at him." Mario is about to speak in protest that he is only trying to help but Alice puts a single finger against his lips as she steps closer to the door, her face almost pressed against the cold oak surface. "You alright in there baby? I really didn't mean what I said, no one is going to hurt you here, you're safe here." The words Alice speaks can be heard through the sobbing but still they pass over Daniel unnoticed. Even as the door creaks slowly open Daniel does not stir, he only lies there coated in drying blood and vomit, the stench filling the bathroom so completely that Alice almost gags as she steps in. Thinking quickly she reaches towards a towel rack and pulls her hand away clutching a pristinely clean and white towel to drape over Daniel. As she kneels down Alice drops the towel over Daniels' shoulders before pulling him up and wrapping her arms around him pulling him in to the warmest embrace Daniel has ever felt. With a hand reluctant to feel the filth in his long shaggy hair she begins to gently stroke his head as she hums a quiet song in to his ear. The sobs racking Daniels' body begin to slow and his eyelids become heavier with every passing second. The last words Daniel is able to mutter before falling in to a fitful, nightmare filled sleep are filled with sorrow and meaning only known to Daniel himself. "I'm sorry, so sorry mama." Mario stands at the doorway leaning against the frame and watching Alice with a kind smile. The smile soon turns to a curious frown as he strains to hear Daniels' words and after hearing them he tries to figure out what they could mean. Shaking off the curiosity he finally steps in to the bathroom and kneels down beside the two using a single finger to brush away a few strands of clumped up stray hair. "You know, he's going to have to sleep in here, if he sleeps in any bed there will be no way to get the stink out." Alice only nods in response and continues to stroke Daniels' head not worrying so much about the filth gathering on her hand. "Could you get him some blankets? Can't just let him sleep on the hard tile floor." Mario nods and steps out of the room only to come back a few short moments later with two blankets and a comfortable looking pillow. Alice and Mario set up his bed and carefully lay him down in it so as not to wake him up. For one more night Daniel will have to endure his own filth, but the moment he wakes up Daniel will be forced to take a shower and his bright, glorious new life in the drug trade will begin with his clean slate. In normal situations his past may have caused problems with that but he is able to fabricate one that meets Mario's approval. I hope you have enjoyed these last three chapters and I will begin another the moment this one is approved, until then Daniel will hang in limbo for a short time, but I promise, in the fourth chapter things will begin to speed up and Daniel will have new, exciting dilemmas to resolve and the beast will be back. Please, vote for and/or leave a comment on this story, I love reading feedback and watching my rating bounce around, that way I know whether or not I am doing a good job and can change my writing habits accordingly.