KILLER
Dave was a blue jellyfish, but no purple jellyfish liked Dave because they were racists. Actually, they hated Dave, everyone did. Dave was a disappointment to the entire ocean. His own parents didn’t show up to his birth. Dave would always tell stupid jokes, which was part of the reason nobody liked him. Dave was also extraordinarily ugly. Nobody wanted to be friends with Dave and when he tried to make friends with anyone they would say,
“Go home Dave, nobody likes you.”
“I like me.” Is how Dave would sadly reply.
Dave was raised by rocks, which explains why he’s so stupid. Actually Dave would just do as the rocks do, sit and try to make conversation with them. Even the rocks hated Dave, but they had no way to show it, for they had no mouths or ability to move.
Dave almost had a friend once. He had found a little, lonely fish, shivering in the icy water. Dave went to hug the fish, but it lied deaf in his tentacles. Dave had stung the fish. I’m a monster, thought Dave I destroy everything I touch. Dave had tried to drown himself for a whole 45 minutes until he realized he was a jellyfish, and could breathe underwater. Dave floated away sadly, just letting the water’s current take him, then he heard a splash and saw a horrific image of a giant furry leg and hoof coming into the water.
• • • • •
There was once a young llama named Dale. Dale was always “special” at least that’s what his momma told him. Sadly, this was just a way of people to call Dale stupid without hurting his feelings. Dale’s mama was always trying to make Dale feel good about himself. Dale’s own father left him and his mother because of his stupidity. Dale was so stupid that at the age of two, he forgot how to walk. The Social Services had claimed Dale as a threat to society and took him from his home and ripped him from his family. Here are just a few acts Dale had committed in a month before he was taken away: set 3 orphanages on fire, threw a toaster out a window and paralyzed a man, and almost caused World War III. The social services decided it was best to move Dale to a mental hospital where he could be treated, but have no family visits.
This had made his parents outraged. Dale’s mother was a sweet and loving llama, but was also bipolar. About three days after Dale was taken away his mother had a spell, stabbed herself with a Bald Eagle, and died. Dale’s real father left him and his mother when he saw how stupid he was, but Dale had a step-father, who was more like his real father than anyone. Dale’s step-father had always loved and been there for him, for his true, stupid self. Dale’s step-father, who was normally a funny, silly cat, had not taken his wife’s death or step-son’s separating well. He felt so guilty about not apologizing to his wife for a fight they’d had the night before her death. The only way Dale’s step-father could cope with all this through work. He worked long shifts and lots of overtime at the Meow-Mix factory. He was pushing himself too hard and barely got any sleep. He just kept pushing himself even further, trying to distract himself from Dale and his wife. One day he fell asleep on the job and died in a Meow-Mix accident.
So there Dale waited in his wheelchair, he hadn’t even known what happened to his mother or step-father. Dale was constantly physically and verbally abused by the staff in the mental hospital. The one true passion Dale had was singing, and he was very good too. Ever since he’d been separated from his family, Dale had wasted his voice on very sad song; it was all he could ever sing. After years of going through this torture all alone, Dale ran away. He was searching for someone, anyone, just to be his friend. He ran and he didn’t stop running, except he wasn’t looking where he was going and he fell.
• • • • •
A chicken named Bawkchickea couldn’t be happier living as a lawyer with his wife and wonderful son, as well as his newborn daughter. Bawkchickea was already wealthy, but one day he won the lottery. He quit his job to be a stay at home father, because he cared so much about his family. Sadly, this was all part of a scandal and the family was left with nothing; no money, no car, no insurance, and they’d have to sell their house and move into a smaller one. Bawkchickea, unable to find a job, retreated into the drug business to support his family. It was just enough, so he kept doing it.
Once a deal went wrong and he ripped off a client. Next week Bawkcickea returned home to find his house in ashes. The same client he ripped off burned down his house and his family alive. On that day, Bawkchickea swore to get revenge.
After years of searching, Bawkchickea finally found the murderer, a rooster, named Foghorn Leghorn. Bawkchickea followed rich, old, Foghorn’s red Ferrari to a small bar just outside of town. Outside he had waited for Foghorn to get out. When Foghorn finally stumbled out of the bar Bawkchickea slammed him against the wall. The birds fought a long, bloody battle, but in the end Bawkchickea was clearly the winner.
• • • • •
One day, several months after this incident, Bawkchickea realized something. All the searching and hunting, even killing Foghorn; couldn’t and wouldn’t bring his family back. So here Bawkchickea hunched over the old, familiar road he’d known far too well. This was the very spot he’d killed Foghorn so long ago. He took his first limp step onto the road, then his second, just gazing at his feet. Then he saw the light; no two lights. It was the headlights of a speeding car. As the car came closer to him he could hear his family whisper in unison: “You’re finally home Bawkchickea. You’re finally home.”
• • • • •
It turns out the car didn’t hit Bawkchickea with enough impact to kill or even seriously injure Bawkchickea. The car had swerved just in time to hit with just the corner of the car and send him flying into the ocean. Down, down the little chicken fell, thinking he was going to die; wanting to die. Instead of hitting the water Bawkchickea landed on something soft, no someone, Dale.
• • • • •
The poor llama was almost completely submerged in the water, splashing and thrashing every direction. The chicken was clinging onto him for his life with his talons, only making it worse for Dale. And the jellyfish just watched in horror as this all happened. Dave wanted to help, but he knew his touch could be deadly. Dave had to think fast if he wanted to save them. He grabbed a long water-logged stick and told Dale to grab onto it. Fortunately Dave’s plan worked he successfully dragged them to an island.
After they were all safe on the island they got to know each other. They talked about their stories, and terrible pasts. Most of all they talked about their dreams. Dave of course, wanted and friend, and all Bawkchickea wanted was to be happy again. Bawkchickea’s dream came true for now he’d finally had people to talk to and even if just for a few moments he started to forget about his past. And all Dale wanted was too win America’s Got Talent and pursue a singing career. They told stories and talked and played until the sun went down.
They all woke up in the middle of the night to a roaring thunder. But something wasn’t right, there was no rain or moon or stars in the sky. Was that even thunder? The sky smelled of smoke and that’s when they noticed the lava inching towards them.
“Come on into the water everyone!” Dave motioned toward the water.
Dave thought he heard them say something, but he was already too far away. Dave kept swimming and didn’t look back, he couldn’t. When Dave was far enough and deep enough to be safe from the lava he turned around. Dave noticed his friends weren’t there, they couldn’t even swim. It would be too late to go back for them now. He’d abandoned them in the time of need, he surely could have thought of something. Dave was what he had always been… a killer. And that’s what he would have to live by for the rest of his life.