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His face lit up at the sight of what his brother had hid down in the basement. The lighting was very faint, considering that it was pouring in from the other room. He grabbed the railing, walking down the steps quietly, trying not to make them creak. Alfred's older brother never let anyone but his two friends, Vlad and Lukas, down here. Not even his mother was allowed access there. The wooden stairs squealed, creaked, and groaned as he went further and further down the steps.

The door slammed shut, making the area become engulfed with the darkness. Alfred turned around quickly; a sudden yelp came from him. The door opened back up, then slammed shut. It repeated this as the light seemed to flicker. Alfred ran back up the steps, his hand on the doorknob as someone pushed on it making him unable to push it open to get out.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Alfred panicked, but the person behind the door didn't seem to budge.

"What did you say?" The other answered back, his voice sick and twistedly amused. He recognized the voice; Arthur.

"Let me out! Mom!" Alfred yelled, his eyes starting to water. Arthur laughed, knowing that she was outside tending to the garden.

"I told you not to go in there! You're not coming out!" Arthur snickered, but his mother stood behind him without him knowing. She smacked him on the head. He let go of the door making Alfred push it open and fall on him. Arthur slapped him in the head. Alfred stood up, holding his head.

"Why did you lock him in there Arthur, was there any sense in it?" Their mother said, slapping his head again when he got up.

"I told him not to go in there and he did! That's my space, and he knows that." He was slapped again, he gripped his head. "Would you stop slapping me!?" Arthur hollered.

"Don't do that! Alfred, please don't go back in there, you know he likes his privacy and space." She concluded. Their mother walked back out the door as her white sundress blew back as she opened the door to go back out. When she left Arthur gave Alfred a death glare as Alfred raised his shoulders. Arthur began slapping him on top of his head repeatedly, laughing and giggling as he did so. Alfred covered his head as he ran to the back door while Arthur followed him still slapping the crown of his head that was protected by his hands. Alfred opened the door and ran outside to his mother. Arthur stood at the door, watching him crawl to their mother.

"Damn brat." Arthur said, turning around going to the door of his own hideout. He opened the door, going back down to his fortress.

"Hello Alfred." Their mother said happily, putting the soil over the flower's roots. Alfred smiled.

"Hi mom. What's for dinner? I'm hungry." Alfred asked. She giggled.

"I don't know. What would you like?" She asked, already knowing the answer. They saw a red rusty truck pull into the drive way, a man turning it off and walking out.

"Linda! Work gave me four steaks for us! Really nice steaks, best of the best!" Pat, her boyfriend said excitedly. Alfred was also excited; he hasn't had steak in so long, especially top of the line steaks.

"Oh that's really nice sweetie! How did you get them?" She asked. Pat walked in, picking up Alfred in his arms.

"I won for the least amount of sick days for six months. And I also get a raise!" He said making Linda take a sigh of relief.

"That's really good… Alfred, honey can you please go inside?" She asked. Pat put Alfred down as he hesitantly went back inside, waiting for Arthur to jump out.

Linda's blonde hair shined in the sunlight but her blue eyes were dull. Pat looked at her carefully with his brown eyes.

"What's wrong honey?" He asked. She looked down at the dirt and flowers.

"Alfred's medicine… It's getting pricier. I really think I need to another job again to cover it more and still have money for other things. We're barely making ends meet."

Pat's face went down too, his eyes starting to look sorrowful.

"But I thought his schizophrenia was improving?" He asked. She nodded her head.

"Yeah, it is but we still need him to take his medicine so he keeps getting better." Linda said. Pat brought her into his arms.

"It's ok if I keep working at the paper plant, and keep up with the farm I'm sure we can do something." He reinsured. She smiled up at his brown eyes.

"I hope." He kissed her forehead.

"I know."

Alfred lay on his bed up in his room. He stared up at the ceiling with the glow-in-the-dark planet sticker's glow a greenish color. He had shut all his curtains and closed his door so that the light wouldn't enter into the room and ruin his star and planet gazing.

His curiosity was always strong but once his father had passed it only grew. Alfred always was interested in astronomy but especially chemist. He was very smart for seven. He always wanted to do something great with his life, but not astronomy or chemist, math or science; He wanted to help people.

Alfred did hear voices and also see things that weren't there but he didn't have schizophrenia. He was granted with the gift of seeing ghostly figures and hearing ghostly voices. He helped them find their ways to peaceful living and also would help them feel complete when they did. But he didn't know this was a 'gift' because they all planted the idea in his mind that he was schizophrenic.

But what really happened is that his older brother Arthur placed a curse on him, making the ghost go to him when Arthur grew tired of helping them.

"Arthur! Alfred! Dinner!" Their mother called. Alfred felt his stomach growl with anticipation as he ran down the steps and jumped in his chair that was reserved for him that was next to his mother at the head of the table. Pat sat down at the other head of the table. Arthur came from the depths of the basement, slamming the door shut and walked over to his chair. "Dig in!" she said as she set the steaks, mashed potatoes and home grown green beans fresh from the garden with a dollop of butter resting on top.

Everyone grabbed a steak and ate in silence in till Arthur broke it.

"So mom, can Vlad and Lukas come over tomorrow?" He asked as he took a piece of steak in his mouth. She shook her head. "Ok, I'll call them tonight.

"How was everyone's day?" She asked as Pat shook his head.

"Pretty good," He started, taking a sip of milk from his glass. "I thought it was going to rain, though." She shook her head.

Once everyone finished they all went their separate paths. Pat sat on the couch, watching T.V, Linda cleaned the kitchen, Arthur in the basement and Alfred shut his eyes, getting ready to go to sleep.

"I know how to turn people into demons." Vlad said braggingly. Lukas smiled and Arthur looked at him suspiciously. "My brother taught me how to, he's a demon." He said sitting down on the chair that was by the black pot.

"Oh, really?" Arthur said, looking at Vlad admirably. "How?..." Arthur inched forward in his seat.

"It's really complicated and I think I'd need a testing dumby for it." Arthur smiled.

"I know just the person.."

Alfred opened the cabinet, looking for something to satisfy his hunger. He took a pack of Scooby Doo gummies, popping the bag open and taking a blue Scooby head in his mouth. The basement door opened up and Arthur popped his furry eye browed self out, a sinister smile plastered across his face.

"Want a grand tour?" he asked, Alfred shook his head. "Then come on in…" He gestured with his hands.

Alfred started to walk down the same creaking steps. Getting to the bottom of the steps he saw two empty chairs. He thought one was for him and the other for Arthur, which was correct. "Go sit in one of the chairs." Arthur commanded as he obeyed. Lukas stood behind the chair without Alfred knowing, a rope in his hands.

He quickly put the rope in front of him, pulling it close and tight around his stomach and tied it. Alfred kicked his legs, hollering for help. Arthur put his hand over his mouth.

"Don't you dare yell like that ever again." Arthur said through his pearly white teeth, Alfred shook his head, tearing up just a little.

Vlad stepped in front of Arthur, slapping his hands together. He leaned down, putting his slender pale finger in Alfred's chin. Vlad gleamed evilly as he walked away from him, going to the shelves of supplies. He took a green bottle and poured it into the pot, making it simmer. Then he added blue antifreeze looking substance into the mixture as well. Making it bubble over. He turned away from it, coming back to Alfred. Vlad took a syringe and placed it in the liquid in till it got filled to the top. He flicked the tip, then dug it into his arm letting the liquid fill him in till he felt his eyes glow red. He then filled it back up and gave it to Arthur and Lukas, their eyes glowing green and blue.

Alfred pushed his hands up and out of the rope. While they were turned behind, he then untied the rope and made a dash for the stairs. They heard him running up the stairs, leaving the door open.

"He'll tell someone! Go get him!" Vlad said, running up the stairs, the other two following Vlad closely behind. Alfred ran into the field by the house that was currently growing tall stalks of corn. He pushed the corn out of the way as he ran. Alfred could hear their yells of anger.

"Alfred! Get your ass back here now! ALFRED!" Arthur cried angrily. Alfred started to cry but still pushing through the towering stalks. "I see him! Go!"

Alfred ran faster, his little feet hardly keeping up. He heard them close in the corn field, chasing him down like a blood hound. Alfred trips on a root that sticks up from the ground, landing on his knee. He let out a cry, because of pain and knowing they'd do what they've planned.

Arthur landed on Alfred's back, pinning him down. Alfred started to hyperventilate with fear.

"Any last words of being human?" Vlad asked, taking the needle and jabbing it in his leg. Alfred screamed a blood curdling scream.

~

"You know, I've been through quite a lot." The preacher said, pacing back and forth in front of the church people.

I've been through more… Thirteen year old Alfred hissed in his thoughts. His eyes lighting blue.

"I've seen the ugly side of the world." The preacher continued.

I am the ugly side of the world. I am the ugly that you've seen. Alfred answered back through his mind.

"I've walked away from the ugly, the bad, the corruption that God has put on the earth to test us."

I'm the person you've walked away from. I'm the nightmare you hide from instead of facing.' Alfred gripped the pews cushioning, digging his fingers into them.

"I don't trust the ugly; I don't trust the bad, because once you're bad, you're bad."

'I wasn't ugly; I wasn't bad, but innocent. I was forced to be this way but yet you still walk away from me? What kind of man of God are you for abandoning me in my time of need?'

"But always remember, the bad will stay bad, the ugly will stay ugly. There's no change in them, but only continues change on their body from the marks of what they do to others." The preacher said, taking his sweat hanky out, dabbing it on his forehead as he looked down on at the Bible. "There's no second chance on the corrupted beings."

'Yes there is. There's always a second chance for others. You just want to make your job easier and move on. The ugly can change, I promise you that'

"I will be the one that changes." Alfred said quietly. His mother looked over at him, Pat's arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"Hmm?" she asked. Alfred shook his head, making her look back at the preacher

Description
His face lit up at the sight of what his brother had hid down in the basement. The lighting was very faint, considering that it was pouring in from the other room. He grabbed the railing, walking down the steps quietly, trying not to make them creak. Alfred's older brother never let anyone but his two friends, Vlad and Lukas, down here. Not even his mother was allowed access there. The wooden stairs squealed, creaked, and groaned as he went further and further down the steps.

The door slammed shut, making the area become engulfed with the darkness. Alfred turned around quickly; a sudden yelp came from him. The door opened back up, then slammed shut. It repeated this as the light seemed to flicker. Alfred ran back up the steps, his hand on the doorknob as someone pushed on it making him unable to push it open to get out.

"Let me out! Let me out!" Alfred panicked, but the person behind the door didn't seem to budge.

"What did you say?" The other answered back, his voice sick and twistedly amused. He recognized the voice; Arthur.

"Let me out! Mom!" Alfred yelled, his eyes starting to water. Arthur laughed, knowing that she was outside tending to the garden.

"I told you not to go in there! You're not coming out!" Arthur snickered, but his mother stood behind him without him knowing. She smacked him on the head. He let go of the door making Alfred push it open and fall on him. Arthur slapped him in the head. Alfred stood up, holding his head.

"Why did you lock him in there Arthur, was there any sense in it?" Their mother said, slapping his head again when he got up.

"I told him not to go in there and he did! That's my space, and he knows that." He was slapped again, he gripped his head. "Would you stop slapping me!?" Arthur hollered.

"Don't do that! Alfred, please don't go back in there, you know he likes his privacy and space." She concluded. Their mother walked back out the door as her white sundress blew back as she opened the door to go back out. When she left Arthur gave Alfred a death glare as Alfred raised his shoulders. Arthur began slapping him on top of his head repeatedly, laughing and giggling as he did so. Alfred covered his head as he ran to the back door while Arthur followed him still slapping the crown of his head that was protected by his hands. Alfred opened the door and ran outside to his mother. Arthur stood at the door, watching him crawl to their mother.

"Damn brat." Arthur said, turning around going to the door of his own hideout. He opened the door, going back down to his fortress.

"Hello Alfred." Their mother said happily, putting the soil over the flower's roots. Alfred smiled.

"Hi mom. What's for dinner? I'm hungry." Alfred asked. She giggled.

"I don't know. What would you like?" She asked, already knowing the answer. They saw a red rusty truck pull into the drive way, a man turning it off and walking out.

"Linda! Work gave me four steaks for us! Really nice steaks, best of the best!" Pat, her boyfriend said excitedly. Alfred was also excited; he hasn't had steak in so long, especially top of the line steaks.

"Oh that's really nice sweetie! How did you get them?" She asked. Pat walked in, picking up Alfred in his arms.

"I won for the least amount of sick days for six months. And I also get a raise!" He said making Linda take a sigh of relief.

"That's really good… Alfred, honey can you please go inside?" She asked. Pat put Alfred down as he hesitantly went back inside, waiting for Arthur to jump out.

Linda's blonde hair shined in the sunlight but her blue eyes were dull. Pat looked at her carefully with his brown eyes.

"What's wrong honey?" He asked. She looked down at the dirt and flowers.

"Alfred's medicine… It's getting pricier. I really think I need to another job again to cover it more and still have money for other things. We're barely making ends meet."

Pat's face went down too, his eyes starting to look sorrowful.

"But I thought his schizophrenia was improving?" He asked. She nodded her head.

"Yeah, it is but we still need him to take his medicine so he keeps getting better." Linda said. Pat brought her into his arms.

"It's ok if I keep working at the paper plant, and keep up with the farm I'm sure we can do something." He reinsured. She smiled up at his brown eyes.

"I hope." He kissed her forehead.

"I know."

Alfred lay on his bed up in his room. He stared up at the ceiling with the glow-in-the-dark planet sticker's glow a greenish color. He had shut all his curtains and closed his door so that the light wouldn't enter into the room and ruin his star and planet gazing.

His curiosity was always strong but once his father had passed it only grew. Alfred always was interested in astronomy but especially chemist. He was very smart for seven. He always wanted to do something great with his life, but not astronomy or chemist, math or science; He wanted to help people.

Alfred did hear voices and also see things that weren't there but he didn't have schizophrenia. He was granted with the gift of seeing ghostly figures and hearing ghostly voices. He helped them find their ways to peaceful living and also would help them feel complete when they did. But he didn't know this was a 'gift' because they all planted the idea in his mind that he was schizophrenic.

But what really happened is that his older brother Arthur placed a curse on him, making the ghost go to him when Arthur grew tired of helping them.

"Arthur! Alfred! Dinner!" Their mother called. Alfred felt his stomach growl with anticipation as he ran down the steps and jumped in his chair that was reserved for him that was next to his mother at the head of the table. Pat sat down at the other head of the table. Arthur came from the depths of the basement, slamming the door shut and walked over to his chair. "Dig in!" she said as she set the steaks, mashed potatoes and home grown green beans fresh from the garden with a dollop of butter resting on top.

Everyone grabbed a steak and ate in silence in till Arthur broke it.

"So mom, can Vlad and Lukas come over tomorrow?" He asked as he took a piece of steak in his mouth. She shook her head. "Ok, I'll call them tonight.

"How was everyone's day?" She asked as Pat shook his head.

"Pretty good," He started, taking a sip of milk from his glass. "I thought it was going to rain, though." She shook her head.

Once everyone finished they all went their separate paths. Pat sat on the couch, watching T.V, Linda cleaned the kitchen, Arthur in the basement and Alfred shut his eyes, getting ready to go to sleep.

"I know how to turn people into demons." Vlad said braggingly. Lukas smiled and Arthur looked at him suspiciously. "My brother taught me how to, he's a demon." He said sitting down on the chair that was by the black pot.

"Oh, really?" Arthur said, looking at Vlad admirably. "How?..." Arthur inched forward in his seat.

"It's really complicated and I think I'd need a testing dumby for it." Arthur smiled.

"I know just the person.."

Alfred opened the cabinet, looking for something to satisfy his hunger. He took a pack of Scooby Doo gummies, popping the bag open and taking a blue Scooby head in his mouth. The basement door opened up and Arthur popped his furry eye browed self out, a sinister smile plastered across his face.

"Want a grand tour?" he asked, Alfred shook his head. "Then come on in…" He gestured with his hands.

Alfred started to walk down the same creaking steps. Getting to the bottom of the steps he saw two empty chairs. He thought one was for him and the other for Arthur, which was correct. "Go sit in one of the chairs." Arthur commanded as he obeyed. Lukas stood behind the chair without Alfred knowing, a rope in his hands.

He quickly put the rope in front of him, pulling it close and tight around his stomach and tied it. Alfred kicked his legs, hollering for help. Arthur put his hand over his mouth.

"Don't you dare yell like that ever again." Arthur said through his pearly white teeth, Alfred shook his head, tearing up just a little.

Vlad stepped in front of Arthur, slapping his hands together. He leaned down, putting his slender pale finger in Alfred's chin. Vlad gleamed evilly as he walked away from him, going to the shelves of supplies. He took a green bottle and poured it into the pot, making it simmer. Then he added blue antifreeze looking substance into the mixture as well. Making it bubble over. He turned away from it, coming back to Alfred. Vlad took a syringe and placed it in the liquid in till it got filled to the top. He flicked the tip, then dug it into his arm letting the liquid fill him in till he felt his eyes glow red. He then filled it back up and gave it to Arthur and Lukas, their eyes glowing green and blue.

Alfred pushed his hands up and out of the rope. While they were turned behind, he then untied the rope and made a dash for the stairs. They heard him running up the stairs, leaving the door open.

"He'll tell someone! Go get him!" Vlad said, running up the stairs, the other two following Vlad closely behind. Alfred ran into the field by the house that was currently growing tall stalks of corn. He pushed the corn out of the way as he ran. Alfred could hear their yells of anger.

"Alfred! Get your ass back here now! ALFRED!" Arthur cried angrily. Alfred started to cry but still pushing through the towering stalks. "I see him! Go!"

Alfred ran faster, his little feet hardly keeping up. He heard them close in the corn field, chasing him down like a blood hound. Alfred trips on a root that sticks up from the ground, landing on his knee. He let out a cry, because of pain and knowing they'd do what they've planned.

Arthur landed on Alfred's back, pinning him down. Alfred started to hyperventilate with fear.

"Any last words of being human?" Vlad asked, taking the needle and jabbing it in his leg. Alfred screamed a blood curdling scream.

~

"You know, I've been through quite a lot." The preacher said, pacing back and forth in front of the church people.

I've been through more… Thirteen year old Alfred hissed in his thoughts. His eyes lighting blue.

"I've seen the ugly side of the world." The preacher continued.

I am the ugly side of the world. I am the ugly that you've seen. Alfred answered back through his mind.

"I've walked away from the ugly, the bad, the corruption that God has put on the earth to test us."

I'm the person you've walked away from. I'm the nightmare you hide from instead of facing.' Alfred gripped the pews cushioning, digging his fingers into them.

"I don't trust the ugly; I don't trust the bad, because once you're bad, you're bad."

'I wasn't ugly; I wasn't bad, but innocent. I was forced to be this way but yet you still walk away from me? What kind of man of God are you for abandoning me in my time of need?'

"But always remember, the bad will stay bad, the ugly will stay ugly. There's no change in them, but only continues change on their body from the marks of what they do to others." The preacher said, taking his sweat hanky out, dabbing it on his forehead as he looked down on at the Bible. "There's no second chance on the corrupted beings."

'Yes there is. There's always a second chance for others. You just want to make your job easier and move on. The ugly can change, I promise you that'

"I will be the one that changes." Alfred said quietly. His mother looked over at him, Pat's arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"Hmm?" she asked. Alfred shook his head, making her look back at the preacher