Chapter 2 - KIDS

May 8, 2022, " Sun Valley Center For Lost Children " is getting a new resident.Norman is being walked through the hallways with his mother aside him and a security guard walking from a distance.Norma felt awful to have to do this but the "Thomas " incident pushed her and Theodore to make this decision.

"It's gonna be okay …." She says as two men escorted Norman into the facility.A psychiatric technician and a man who stood with such confidence walked behind them as Norma yelled out

"You're gonna be okay !"

The doors closed as they took him to the ER, Norman felt out of touch.

"Why am I here ?" He asked as they ignored him.

"I want to leave- please !"

They continued to ignore him as they put him in a room and locked it shut.He was there for a while as Norman looked around in confusion.

Suddenly the door open as a man entered,

"Hello boy ….." he said as he had a clipboard with him.They did a quick evaluation on him, they talked and talked as Norman got more frantic with each question.

"Okay, I see …" he said as Norman still felt frustrated.The man walked out as Norman aggressively but kindly approached the door, the security guard got in between them as he said

"Whoa now kid, step back !"

Norman paused as the man chatted with some other men nearby, it was all whispers for a Norman.

They quickly got him out of there and took him to the inpatient unit.

"He was already checked in right ?" Asked a staff member as another replied

"Yea but he hasn't been tested yet …."

They quickly did the usual routine, checking for self-inflicted wounds, taking his vitals and urine and blood samples.After all that they got him changed in a gown.

"I don't wanna be here, I don't have to be !" Yelled Norman as you get to see this all fade away.What you don't see about this facility is it's not like the usual hospital that help trouble teens, it's far more boring and worse.

August 8, 2022

Norman finally is let go after so many occurrences and tragic events in the span of 6 months.His father was waiting in the parking lot of the facility as Norma went in to get him out.

"Oh my dear boy- " she says as Norman has changed rapidly.He's gotten taller and had a buzz cut, he was back in his outside clothes as he was given back to his mother.

"Hey mama, I really did miss you …." He said as they both left quickly out of the place.Theodore saw them approaching as he started up the car,

"Oh there's papa, I missed him too !" Said Norman with such excitement as he ran to the car.

"Slow down Norman !" Yelled Norma as Theodore looked at him sprinting at the car in embarrassment.Norman got in the backseat of the car as Norma was still catching up.

"How you been Son …." Said his father as Norman had a big smile and replied

"I'm been feeling…..happy you know, just happy to be here …."

His father excelled a bit as he said

"That's good to here, we've missed you- you know your sisters back in town …."

Norman filled with even more joy as Norma entered the vehicle.They started as Norman said

"Penelope's back ? Oh that's wonderful father …"

His parents felt odd at how Norman spoke and presented himself but they were just loving with having their children back.

As they still drove home, they got to a light in a busy street.Norman looked around as he sees his old "friend " Reagan.

"Holy shit …" he said out loud as his mother turned and asked

"What is it ?"

He pointed at Reagan as he lowered his window,

"Hey Reagan it's me Norman !"

Reagan felt shocked at seeing him again as Reagan quickly replied

"Oh shit, hey man !"

The light turned green as Reagan added on

"Crazy to see ya again !"

As they drove off Norman yelled back

"You too man !"

They arrived at home as Norman got out and got the door for his mother as she was surprised.

"Why thank you Norman !" She said with a smile.His father got out as they all headed into the home like one big happy family again.

They entered the home as they see Penelope in the kitchen, in a bathrobe; heating up some left over pizza in the microwave.

"Penelope look who's back !" Cheered mother as Penelope found it hard to hear us as she had music playing on a speaker.She was listening to

"Radio Ga Ga " by Queen, mother approached her in the kitchen as she turned.

"Oh shit- you scared me Ma !" She said laughingly as Mother turned her body, she saw me.She burst with joy as she walked over and gave me a hug, he accepted it.Father headed towards the restroom as Penelope told Norman

"Gosh look at you man, you got taller- shit ….hehe…."

She said jokingly punched his arm as Norman laughed and replied

"Or maybe you got shorter-haha"

They both laughed as Mother lowered the music a bit,

"You asshole !" Said Penelope as the microwave ding went off.She hurried over as Norman looked around the home, it's still the same.

"Norman just go unpack in your room okay, I'll call you down when foods ready okay ?" Said mother as Norman replied

"Alright mama …."

Norman walked calmly upstairs as he entered his room, it was different.The door was different, the drawers were different and the walls were a different color.Normans smile and happy attitude faded away as he felt back into in a demeanor, he seemed more sinister.You shall now be reading a piece of writing he did in his notebook,

"08/08/22 ,

I'm finally free, no more bullshit; those friends I made in there will be missed.No more being checked on and feeling creeped out by it.No more needles, no more being told "we'll need you a bit longer so we can sort out these issues."

No more shitty rooms, no more of those damn socks and awful staff, no more playing cards, no more sitting around doing nothing.I am out and I'll never go back, god; you're a son of a bitch you know that ?

Of course you do, you made me.I feel ever so distant from my friends, did I ever have any ?

Hell I just know I can't figure it out just why, why punish me for the things you've done ? "

The very next day Norman was on a little hunt, a devious one.He walked around his neighborhood around 8:00 pm and searched for little critters roaming around.He had a a pocket knife in his pocket and a stapler in his coat pocket.Along with a black trash bag, he found a cat.An black cat with yellow eyes, the cat seemed friendly as Norman approached him,

"Hey there boy- tss tss , come on now …" he said as the cat walked around his leg and started gently rubbing its head around it.Norman gently picked him up as he looked around to see the coast was clear, the streets were empty.He walked home as he quickly walked upstairs, his parents weren't home and his sister was out.

He locked his room as he placed the cat on his bed, he got out his Polaroid camera and snapped a quick picture as the cat stared directly at the flash.He waited for the film to finish as he placed it on the counter top of his drawer.The car meowed as Norman starting petting it as he laid next to it on the bed.

"It's okay buddy, it's okay …" he whispered as the cat got on his thighs, he laid there as he started to stretch, he found it adorable.

He quickly changed his demeanor as he slowly got out his pocket knife, the cat looked like it was sleeping.Norman took a moment as he started to sweat until he said

"Sorry Buddy- Ahh !"

The cat screeched as Norman stab it multiple times in its head, the cat did let off some scratches as on his arms but Norman finished.The cat twitched a bit as it still died slowly, Norman looked at in worry as he slowly let out a little laugh and a little smile.Norman got up as he let the cat's corpse hit the floor.He took off his jacket as he got out the stapler and pocket knife, he then proceeded to get out a box from under his bed.He got out a little white towel from the box as the cats blood started to drench in the floors carpeting.He placed the towel on a little white table he had in the corner of the room.He then put on gloves and a face mask, he picked up the cat.He carried it to the table as he got out a hammer and kitchen knife.He laid the cat on the white towel as he got out a black trash bag.

He began to experiment some more as he threw the cats corpse into the bag and knotted it tight.He got the hammer as he stared out the window to feel the void of his future be determine with the actions he's about to endure.

He swung at the bag as you hear mushing and cracks, it was a sound you can't imagine.He swung until he got tired, he breathed heavily.

He dropped the hammer nonchalantly as he took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

"Mamas not gonna like this …." He said to himself as picked up the bag as he shook it around like it was a bag of yogurt.He laughed as you hear the gushing and crackling noise of an innocent creature.He stared out the window again as he started to scheme, he warned this gone and wanted to clean the blood; so he did.

He changed into some blue basketball shorts and a white graphic tee with John Wayne on it, he also wore some white tennis shoes and blue striped socks.He walked out of his room as he held the trash bag closely so it doesn't make noise.He headed downstairs as nobody was still here, he smirked.He got out the home as he thought to himself

"Don't dump it here, that's stupid …"

He walked a couple blocks as he was about a quarter mile from his home.He always remembered a big black trash in the upcoming neighborhood.It's pitch black as the only source of light is the dim streetlights.He arrived as he quickly threw the bag in, he looked around as he felt secure.He breathed in relief as he started to walk back until he started to witness shadowy figures, it messed with his head.He continued to walk the sidewalk in a calm manor as he looked around to the streets are emptying.He smiles as he knows he's got away with this, he now knows he can get away with anything.