Kanni The Cleaner: Queen Is Dead

**Started August 22nd**

**Finished October 28th**

**Line Count:**

**Everyone else - 649**

**Kanni - 528**

**Bigmouth - 209**

**Halloweenie special of 2021. I’d say it fits.**

**Editors note:** What the fuck is wrong with me? This is the most genuinely disturbing thing I feel like I could ever write. If I go back and read this all the way through. I feel like I would genuinely be disturbed by what I wrote. I ask why I did it. Guess it was to air out stress? But this is a fucking BRUTAL way to let out my stress. Congratulations to me. I disturbed myself with my own writing. Imagine being scared by a prank you set up for yourself.

**Editors note(FROM THE FUTURE):** Ouuuu I'm so edgy that I made a Himiko Toga ripoff!

## E1 - My Name is Kanni!

Kanni: My name is Kanni! I’m the new queen of the school! Well, I will be after I get out of here. See, the silly pigs are talking to me. I got into a fight at school. I didn’t even start it! It’s such bullshit. That bitch called me a chink, I called her a spoiled bedwetter. Mommy says I can’t use swears. She must’ve really been a bedwetter! Since she grabbed my hair first! Why the hair? So naturally, I pulled her hair, and I took in a little more than expected. Tore the bedwetter’s fucking head off. Got her spine too! It’s still in my backpack! I hope it doesn’t smell bad to the piggies. Anyway, her boyfriend starts freaking out. Screaming for help, screaming for anyone. So naturally, I tell him to shut his damn mouth. Or I’ll rip his throat out. Guess who's missing his throat now? Once the teachers and cops came, I just had to start crying. I didn’t want to be taken to jail! I’m a little kid, after all. I’m only fourteen. Well, thirteen in a half, so basically fourteen. A little fourteen year old girl couldn’t do anything like that, right? Anyway, let's see what the piggies have to say.

Pig 1: Kanni, did you see the person’s face? Anything.

Pig 2: Just tell us as much as you can about what happened?

Kanni: Red...Blue...Green,,,No. It was blue, then green then red. Sorry…sorry. It’s just…it’s just all a blur to me. I’m still…I’m still…

Kanni keeled over and fake threw up. The cops were confused.

Pig 1: Why does she keep mumbling to herself?

Pig 2: Who cares?

Kanni: They fell for that, right?

Pig 1: Look, Kanni. Can we search your bag?

Kanni: Why do you need to search my bag?

Pig 2: We just need to inspect it for evidence. I see it’s got some blood on it.

Kanni: Phew, good thing I washed my hands off on my clothes before they found me, then maybe they’d be suspicious.

Pig 1: Let us just look at it for a second.

Kanni: Okay! Okay! I admit it! I was watching porn on my school computer! You don’t need to look!

Pig 2: We…we weren’t going to look for that.

Kanni: I bet you were!

Pig 1: Look, Kanni. We know you didn’t do this. But we’ve made an agreement with your family. They’ve signed over the proper papers. And we wanted to send you somewhere you can get help for your…er….

Kanni: My what?

Pig 2: What are you doing? Look at her! She has no idea what we’re talking about. We need a doctor to tell her this shit anyway.

A doctor came into the room. He was tall and lanky. With big glasses.

Doctor: Hi Kanni. Nice to meet you. I’m Dr. Chipman.

Kanni: Chipman? Like a chipmunk? Or a man who likes chips?

Chipman: Yes, Chipman. Your condition…it’s best explained by a real doctor. Since the writer of this story doesn’t have a doctorate, we’re just going to say your bonkers and send you to a mental hospital.

Kanni: Mental hospital? I’m not sick.

Chipman: Well. In a sense you are. You’re insane in the membrane, ill in the head, Whack-o in the stack-o.

Kanni: I really wanted to rip his brain out. But the pigs were right there. Who knows what they do to girls like me in prison! So there I was. The queen in me was dead. I guess I’ll be princess Kanni until further notice.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni: Sweetness! Sweetness, I was only joking when I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head...Oooh...Sweetness! Sweetness, I was only joking when I said by rights you...should be bludgeoned in your bed...

Kanni was being walked down a hallway by Chipman and a cop.

Kanni: I still don’t get why I’m going to a hospital when I’m not sick.

Chipman: Alright Kanni. It’ll be like being at home. This is your room. Just like yours from home! That’s what your Father said he wanted.

Kanni: Father?

Kanni started laughing.

The cop and Chipman looked at eachother.

Chipman: W-We’ve also got movies and games for you to play.

Kanni: Movies? Can you put a movie in for me?

Chipman: Thank god, something normal. What movie?

Kanni looked through her movies while humming the song she was singing from earlier.

Kanni: This one!

She took out a movie called “Passion of Christ”

Chipman: Passion of Christ? Are you religious?

Kanni: I do watch this movie religiously!

Chipman: Okay. Here you go. If that’s what you really want.

Chipman and the cop went outside.

Chipman: God…what a creepy girl.

They looked in her window. To see her rewinding some gruesome scene of Jesus getting crucified.

Cop: Is she laughing?

Chipman: It’s okay Officer Moonlight. She’s just crazy. But don’t worry. She’s going to get the help she needs.

Officer Moonlight: Well then, give her backpack back. We looked at it for traces of a person who caused it, but we couldn’t find anything.

Chipman: She really was the only person in the room?

Officer Moonlight: As far as we knew. It had to have been a metahuman.

Chipman: They are starting to come back, right?

Officer Moonlight: Yeah. They are. Fucking lunatics…they’re getting harder and harder to track now. Since they're out of the public’s eye now. They just like online porn or that one new video game. Super exciting at first, open up a whole new world. After a couple weeks the excitement wears off. It’s just another thing to put on the shelf.

Chipman: Well, I hope you figure out the case. There’s no way Kanni could’ve done it, right?

Officer Moonlight: We had our physician run a blood test. No signs of metahuman DNA from Kanni.

Chipman: New one, right? Man, she’s hot.

Officer Moonlight: You fuckin’ perv. You're way too old for her and she’s out of your league too.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The physician was still in the testing room. She was hanging from a noose. The life choked out of her. Kanni was lying in bed, about ready to go to sleep. She tied a noose around her finger, and laughed when she tightened it.

Kanni: So now I’m Princess Kanni! I’m going to be here for a while, I think. That’s what my Mommy told me. She said I had to get better. I don’t know what I have to get better at. So I guess I’ll try and make some friends while I’m here.

## E2 - The 25th Ward

Kanni: God I’m hungry, I should go get something to eat. Ha, don’t worry. I’m not a cannibal or anything. I don’t like to eat brains. My favorite food is pretty complex for those disgraceful human beings out there who like Donut Kingdom and Big Belly Burger. I could maybe take their tongues so they couldn’t speak anymore. Hmm…but then they could still write, so I’ll also cut off their hands. There’s no way someone can type with their toes! You’d have to be wicked flexible! Nah, I’d take their toes, just to be safe. The point is, my favorite food is spaghetti! I love it! It’s like someone puked their guts onto a plate and I got to savor the taste of their blood! Spaghetti and spaghetti sauce really gets me excited. Just thinking about it makes me want to…

???: Hey, girlie. Get moving. You're holding up the line. And stop talking to yourself! It’s creepy!

Kanni: Who are you talking to? Me?

???: Yeah, you. I’m not waiting all day to eat.

Kanni: I think I’ll call you Bigmouth. Hi Bigmouth! Nice to meet you!

Bigmouth: Who are you callin-

Kanni: Are you in the spaghetti line?

Bigmouth: There’s no damn spaghetti line. There’s one line for food. That’s how it is here in the 25th ward.

Kanni: 25th ward?

Bigmouth: The mental asylum you’re in.

Kanni: This really is a hospital. I don’t get why they put me here.

Bigmouth: Most of us don’t. Just keep moving, Today’s mashed potatoes, corn, and steak.

Kanni: Wow, I love mashed potatoes.

Bigmouth: Good for you.

Kanni got her food.

Kanni: Wow…this is better than Mommy makes. Especially because she burns the food.

Kanni followed Bigmouth to his table. Full of similar men like him. They were tattooed and had many piercings. They must’ve been a group that was put into the hospital. She sat down right next to Bigmouth.

???: Hey, girl. This is one of our guy’s spots. Go find somewhere else to sit!

Kanni: But I like this seat!

???: Yeah. Go easy on her Adams. She just got here.

Kanni: And I just met my new friend, Bigmouth!

Bigmouth: Jeezus Christ…

Bigmouth’s friends at the table laughed at Kanni.

???: You hear that Smitty? She calls you Bigmouth!

Bigmouth: Ugh, what are you even here for, girl?

Kanni: My name’s Kanni! Your name is Smitty, right?

Bigmouth: Yeah.

Kanni: Well I like Bigmouth better! But I'm happy to call you my first friend!

Bigmouth: Well, I guess making nice with you will get me and you outta here faster.

Bigmouth shook Kanni’s hand. His hand was practically three-times bigger than Kanni’s

Kanni ate with her unlikely new group of “friends”. They didn’t seem to mind her company. Even with her frequent rambling out loud to herself. She went back to her room. She peeked in and out of her room frequently every ten minutes. Until she saw what she wanted. She saw Adams. The man who had told her to go away, and had been unfriendly to her the whole day, Adams went to go into his room.

Kanni: Adams. Mommy dated a sleazy guy named Adams that one time. I think I’ll reduce the odds she’ll date another one.

Adams was laying in his bed and watching TV. He was enjoying a reality TV show.

Kanni: Reality TV isn’t even real. It’s still actors. So what makes it so realistic?

Adams jumped out of his bed.

Adams: Hey! What the hell!? Did you follow me in my room? The fuck do you want?

Kanni was silent. She was staring down at Adams now.

Adams: This must be a fuckin’ dream, man. There’s no way this little girl’s in my room right now.

Kanni walked right next to Adams’s bed.

Adams: B-Back off! You fucking bitch! I’ll kill you!

Adams went into his drawer frantically and pointed his gun at Kanni. She reached to grab his arm. He fired. His eyes were closed, and he looked away. There was silence. He looked at Kanni slowly. To see she was standing there, trying to hold in her laughter. She was holding Adams’s gun. Kanni grabbed his face and put the gun to his head. She heard his breathing get faster and heavier. He started to scream. That was when Kanni fired the gun point blank into his head. Kanni talked to herself as she arranged it to look like a suicide.

Kanni: Guns are so boring. They remove most of the excitement of getting the kill. I did like that one though. It was like fireworks. My favorite kind of fireworks.

She laid him down to look like he had shot himself. She arranged the gun as if he dropped it after shooting himself in the head.

Kanni: God…my heart’s racing. I’m so excited…Okay Kanni! Head in the game. We should make fireworks like that. Nah, fireworks really are boring too. His breathing is getting heavier and heavier…knowing it’s his last breath, and yet he wastes it in a little breath. Not even any final words.

Kanni heard people coming.

Officer Moonlight: Hey! Is anyone there?!

Kanni: Uh oh. They're coming. Whatever should I do?

Officer Moonlight opened the door to see Adams’s body.

Officer Moonlight: Jeezus fucking christ…

Kanni tucked herself into bed.

Kanni: Adams died as he lived. With a bad taste and a hole in his brain.

## E3 - Bigmouth Strikes Again

Kanni went into a room with Dr. Chipman.

Chipman: Okay Kanni. We see that you’ve experienced something traumatizing. You’re here so we can help you overcome your trauma.

Kanni: Oh yeah…I did say I was traumatized by it…

Chipman: I’m talking to you because I want to talk about it so we can help you move on.

Kanni: Well…I had never seen that much blood before. What did you say it was?

Chipman: Oh, we’re suspecting it was a mutant attack.

Kanni: Mutant? What’s that?

Chipman: I’m surprised you haven’t learned in school. We may see mutants everyday. They don’t use their powers often.

Kanni: You’re telling me that there’s tons of these people out there? That can do that?

Chipman: Well, yes. There are. They are very dangerous. But not all of them are like that. Many of them are like me or you. Just normal people trying to get by.

Kanni: Like me or you…?

Chipman: Yes. Kanni, we have two choices for you. Go back to your old school, or go to a new school. It’ll give you a fresh start. What do you think?

Kanni: Old school.

Chipman: Old school…? Why? Are you aware that you’re most likely to be subjected to bullying there?

Kanni: I’m not bothered by it. I like my teachers there.

Chipman: If that’s what you say. Your mother said she was okay with any option.

Kanni: Mommy talked to you? Can I talk to her? Please? Please?

Chipman: I’m…afraid she’s very busy.

Kanni: She’s always so busy…

Chipman: I promise you Kanni, she wants to talk to you. I’ll try and get a hold of her someday for you.

Kanni: Really?

Chipman: I’m a man of my word. Anyway, here. Take this.

Kanni: What’s this card?

Chipman gave Kanni a card.

Chipman: This card is like a way for you to practice telling people about your, ahem. Condition.

Kanni: Condition?

Chipman: It’s nothing to be ashamed of, I insist!

Kanni: You’re the doctor. Are we done here?

Chipman: I suppose we are. Thank you for coming in today, Kanni.

Kanni walked away, as she walked out the door she glanced at the card Chipman had given her and threw it in the trash.

Chipman: Wow…how rude.

Kanni walked through the waiting room and to the lunchroom. All the while mumbling to herself.

Kanni: Chipman is so stupid…he thinks I have a condition. A condition of what? I know for a fact that I’m not sick. I don’t feel like it. I don’t think I’ll mind bullying at school. I’ll just kill the kids that bully me. Maybe I’ll be queen of the school after all…I should make a crown. Yeah. I’m going to make a crown!

Kanni had made herself a little crown that she stuck into her hair. It was made from a small hair clip. She looked in the mirror, feeling as if she had woken up on top of the world.

Kanni: I’m going to forget about Chipman. I think I should forget about anyone who wants to control me. Why do people even want to control me anyway? I’m a weak little girl as far as they know. There is one thing that I remember from the conversation with Chipman...He went on and on about mutants. There really are people like that out there? I’d like to meet one. I think that’d be cool.

Kanni’s stomach growled.

Kanni: Hmm. I hope lunch is ready. Maybe it’s spaghetti day!

Kanni went to the lunchroom. She saw Bigmouth sitting at the table with all his friends. She came over to the table.

Kanni: Why does everyone seem so down in the dumps? Is this seat open?

Bigmouth: Are you fuckin’ serious? You didn’t hear the news?

Kanni: News? No. I don’t like to watch. It’s depressing.

Bigmouth: Adams killed himself. We came here to get over our mental burdens. Then one of our crew just off himself! Not very reassuring for us. He was the poorest of us all. Maybe that was it. He knew he had nothing to go back to.

Kanni: Oh.

There was silence. Kanni started eating her food. Bacon and eggs for brunch.

???: You serious? You psycho bitch! You hear about a dude killing himself and all you can say is oh?

Kanni: I didn’t know him.

Bigmouth: God, Scarface. Calm down.

Scarface: It’s people like you who would kill people! Hell, you could’ve killed Adams!

Kanni: Maybe I did.

There was a deathly silence at the table. Everyone seemed to look at Kanni like she really did the deed. Kanni started laughing. It was a twisted, sadistic laughter. Like a demon she was trying to keep inside.

Kanni: I’m just kidding.

They all started at Kanni.

Kanni: Wow, you all have no sense of humor.

Scarface: You’re lucky you’re a little girl. Or you’d end up having a scar just like mine.

Kanni: Well, I do have a scar. Right here. On my cheek.

Kanni showed them a scar across her cheek.

Bigmouth: How’d you get that?

Kanni: My Daddy. He tried to exterminate me.

Scarface: He tried to kill you?

Kanni: Maybe.

Bigmouth: What the hell does maybe mean?

Kanni: Exactly what it sounds like.

Kanni went outside. She took out her phone and put in some headphones. She laid down and watched the clouds. The only time her mind could go blank. The only time she could stop overthinking. When she listened to music. Kanni got startled when someone tripped over her. She sat up. It was Bigmouth.

Kanni: Bigmouth strikes again! What are you doing out here?

Bigmouth: Weight training. The hell are you doing out here? You’ve been laying out here for hours.

Kanni: Listening to music.

Bigmouth: Makes sense.

Bigmouth laid down on the weight bench and lifted. Kanni had followed him over.

Bigmouth: What the hell are you doing following me?

Kanni: I can’t watch?

Bigmouth: ...No. You know, you freak out my guys. They won’t admit it, but you do. You’re like one of those freaky dolls in those horror movies.

Kanni: I’m not a doll.

Bigmouth: Obviously.

They sat in silence again as Bigmouth did another set.

Bigmouth: You clearly don’t have a lot of friends. Hell, you might have none. I don’t care if you sit with us. But stop being a damn creep,

Kanni: I think I’ve always been a creep. Why’s everyone so afraid of me as if I’ve committed a crime?

Bigmouth: You probably have if you’re here.

Kanni: Can I try?

Bigmouth: Can you what?

Kanni: Cmon. Let me try lifting that.

Bigmouth moved.

Bigmouth: We should probably take off some weigh-

Kanni laid down and put her hands on the bar and lifted it up.

Bigmouth: Hey! I should spot you.

Kanni easily lifted the bar up and down.

Kanni: I don’t need any help.

Bigmouth: How...How are you doing that?

Kanni: Doing what?

Bigmouth: That’s 250 pounds.

Kanni: Guess I’m just better than you.

Bigmouth: The fuck...I must be dreaming, God...I’m going inside.

Kanni: Did I do good?

Bigmouth: Sure.

Bigmouth was walking away. He saw Scarface coming in on his way back into the 25th ward.

Scarface: Wassup Smitty?

Bigmouth: Hey. The girl you got mad at earlier is over there. She’s still as creepy as ever.

Scarface: Damn, maybe I’ll teach her a lesson.

Bigmouth: Don’t rough up a little kid, man.

Scarface: She pissed me off with all that talk about Adams earlier.

Bigmouth: She’s just like any other insane bitch here.

Scarface went over to the weight bench. Kanni wasn’t there.

Scarface: She’s not even here. Smitty must really be losing it. Old bastard.

Scarface got on the weight bench and started doing a set. He finished a set of 10 and sat up. He heard the fence behind him shake.

Scarface: The fuck?

Scarface laid down to do another set. He saw Kanni sitting at the top of the fence.

Kanni: Peek-a-boo!

Kanni dropped a weight on Scarface’s face. Everything instantly went black.

## E4 - What’s going on?

Scarface opened his eyes. To see Kanni’s baggy shirt in front of himself.

Scarface: The fuck…? Get the hell off me!

Kanni: Oh, you’re up.

Scarface tried to move. But he couldn’t move a muscle.

Kanni: Oh no! You can’t move.

Scarface: The fuck did you do?

Kanni: You don’t feel it?

Kanni kicked him in the side of the leg. He felt it now. His leg was throbbing in pain.

Kanni: Haha! I broke your legs!

Scarface: You fucking…! What’s wrong with you?!

Kanni: I remember what you said. At lunch earlier. You said:

Kanni imitated Scarface’s gruff voice.

Kanni: It’s people like you who would kill people! Hell, you could’ve killed Adams!

Scarface: The fuck….You did kill Adams? You killed him and made it look like a suicide!

Kanni took out a hammer and slammed it against the wall.

Kanni: Guilty guilty! I’m guilty! Good job! You have figured it out!

Scarface: How...How old are you?

Kanni: Thirteen and a half! So I’m basically fourteen.

Scarface: How can a girl so young be so…

Kanni: So what? Insane? Such a creep? Creep creep creep!

Kanni continued muttering the word creep over and over. She seemed like she was on the verge of tears.

Scarface: Where the hell are we…?

Kanni: The employee exit. Everyone thinks it’s locked. But it’s open. Perfect place to do this, Especially this room.

They were in a completely blank room. Kanni had boarded it off.

Kanni: I’m the only one who can move the stuff in front of it! That doesn’t matter anyway! Considering you aren’t leaving here.

Scarface: What’s your problem? I’m just a simple dude. I was poor. I just wanted to get outta poverty so I got a job! I’ll admit, Adams was a bum. Probably deserved to die. Despite my name, I never killed anybody! I just ran with a biker gang. That’s it. Worked at the bar as a janitor.

Kanni laughed at Scarface.

Kanni: He’s trying to make me feel for him by telling me his life story. Those two kids...The ones I killed. Sure, they were bullies. But I grew up with them. I met their parents. The girl...I worked with his Dad when I was in drama club. Nobody’s backstory is going to make me change what I’m going to do.

Scarface: Who are you talking to?! You’re always walking around like that, mumbling to yourself! You are a damn creep!

Kanni: I’m not a creep!

Kanni hit Scarface with her hammer. He laughed.

Scarface: Before you kill me, just let me give some last words.

Kanni: Hm. You are higher up the social ladder. You really want to use your last breath for something. Okay. I accept.

Scarface: You’ve gotta come close.

Kanni: Me?

Scarface: Yeah, come real close.

Kanni: Okay.

Kanni got close to Scarface.

Scarface: Such a young face.

Scarface grabbed the hammer Kanni had hit him with earlier and slammed it into her head as hard as he could.

Kanni: Are you going to say something? I’m waiting.

Scarface: Dammit! What the fuck is wrong with you!

Scarface made himself fall forward, and wrapped his hands around Kanni’s throat. Kanni looked up at him.

Scarface: (Shit...I can’t do this...Kill a girl. I can’t kill a teen girl! I’ve gotta get outta here!)

Scarface’s grip loosened slightly. Kanni palmed him in the elbow. His arm was bent outward, as blood spewed out and his bone burst through his skin. Scarface screamed.

Kanni: You loosened your grip. I was actually excited for a second there. This guy really was going to choke me out, I thought. Why’d you stop? Why’d you stop?!

Kanni stomped on Scarface’s body.

Kanni: You’re so weak.

Kanni kicked him in the stomach. She watched blood flood his shirt.

Kanni: This is messy.

Scarface: You...You fucking murderer. You’re a damn monster!

Kanni lifted her foot and went to kick him in his head.

Scarface: No! No!

Kanni lobbed his head off with a kick to the face. His head flew across the room and banged against the wall.

Kanni: You can still hear me, right? I heard that heads are alive for around 20 seconds after they get lobbed off.

Kanni picked up Scarface’s head.

Kanni: Are you going to answer me? Wait…

Kanni counted on her fingers.

Kanni: Dang. 20 seconds is up. Hey, can you fill out the leaving paper?

Kanni showed the decapitated head the paper one would fill out if they were to leave the 25th ward.

Kanni: Ugh. I guess I’ll have to get the info from someone else.

Kanni peeped her head out of the door. To see someone walking past the door. He had tattoos.

Kanni: Hey! Do you know Scarface?

???: Uh, yeah. Why?

Kanni came over to the man and inspected him.

Kanni: No cameras…

Kanni went into the door and grabbed a 2x4. She walked over to him.

???: Hey, what are yo-

Kanni: Sweetness...Sweetness, I was only joking when I said I'd like to smash every tooth
In your head...Oooh...Sweetness!

She slammed the 2x4 into his face, knocking him swiftly on the ground.

Kanni: Oh...Good thing you aren’t a bleeder.

She dragged him into the employee exit door.

Kanni: Sweetness, I was only joking when I said by rights you...should be bludgeoned in your bed…Sweetness! Sweetness, ooh da da da.

## E5 - Rat Trap

Kanni was walking through the halls of The 25th Ward. She was eating some trail mix and listening to music on her phone. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a little hole in the wall, where a tail scurried away.

Kanni: No way...I know rats like cheese, but maybe they’ll…

Kanni went over to the hole and placed a piece of trail mix on the ground and waited. A tiny rat head poked out of the hole. Kanni smiled and chuckled gleefully as the rat ate the trail mix.

Kanni: Hey...Mr. Rat. C’mere. I’ve got more food for you…!

Kanni put down some more trail mix. The rat ate more. Kanni picked him up gently.

Kanni: Are you even a mister…? Oh well. Come on! Let’s go to my hideout. I don’t think the people will like you out here.

Kanni snuck into the employee exit, and walked down the hall. She got to a door that was boarded off with an old vending machine. Kanni lifted it with one arm and walked into the room. She put the rat down. It ran around the room. Kanni sat down in a little chair and gave it some more trail mix. It ate some more. Kanni picked it up and sat it on her leg. It laid down and relaxed on her leg as Kanni patted it.

Kanni: I love animals. None of you call me a creep, or are afraid of me. I’m like an animal whisperer. Rats are my favorite. Nobody seems to understand you. That’s what makes you so cool. I mean, who wouldn’t love you! You have such a cute little face...Come on. Let’s go back to my room. Maybe I can make you a little cage.

Kanni picked up the rat and put it on her shoulder. It started crawling up her long hair. It crawled on top of her head.

Kanni: Aww! You like it up there instead?

Kanni left her hideout and walked out of the employee exit. The rat climbed off of Kanni and scurried across the ground.

Kanni: Don’t worry! You’re safe with me!

Kanni walked, and the rat followed. She opened the door to her room.

???: Jeezus christ! A rat!

Kanni: Oh! He’s just my-

The janitor behind Kanni ran over to the rat, which had started cowering in fear, and stomped on it.

Janitor: God, that rat was following you. You must smell bad or something, Take a shower, girl.

Kanni was frozen. She looked at the janitor’s name tag. James the Janitor. She watched him pull over his mop and mop up the mess around her room. He picked up the rat and threw it into a trash barrel.

James: What are you lookin’ at?

Kanni walked into her room and grabbed a change of clothes. She was in the shower, with the water running talking to herself.

Kanni: How...How could he? What’d that rat do to him? He was just walking along. Humans don’t understand a fucking thing...How would he like it if I crushed him? Threw him on the ground and caved his fucking head in…Who kills animals for fun? Damn murderer! Murderer!

Kanni got dressed and ate dinner. She saw Bigmouth.

Bigmouth: Damn, Scarface and Norman left…maybe that’s my queue to get outta here.

Kanni: Hey Bigmouth! What are you doing?

Bigmouth: Nothing. What do you want?

Kanni: What do you think about people killing animals? I would ask Johnathan. But it takes too long for letters to send.

Bigmouth: Killing animals? It’s pretty normal if you ask me. Why are you asking?

Kanni: Some guy killed my rat!

Bigmouth: Your rat?

Kanni: I got a pet rat, and he killed it! Would you kill a rat?

Bigmouth: Rats are disgusting. But I wouldn’t kill it if it wasn’t bothering me. Animals are killed all the time. We eat animals, y’know. They kill cows and pigs to make steak and bacon.

Kanni: They do?!

Bigmouth: How did you not know that? Did you even go to school?

Kanni: Yeah. I go to school. Maybe I just don’t listen.

Bigmouth: What, are you going to become vegan or something?

Kanni: What’s that?

Bigmouth: It’s where you don’t eat any meat. Doesn’t really change the amount of animals being killed, but you do you.

Kanni: I wish I could kill all those animal killers.

Bigmouth: Sure girl. I bet. Who even killed your stupid rat?

Kanni: A janitor named James.

Bigmouth: That’s his job. It’s what he does.

Kanni: He’s like an assassin?

Bigmouth: Sure. He’s like an assassin. Just go away.

Kanni: That’s why I like animals so much. You’re a best friend to me, Bigmouth. But at least rats don’t judge me like you do.

Bigmouth: It’s life kid. That’s how it is.

Kanni: I’m going to change that.

Bigmouth: Sure you are.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was prowling the halls. Bigmouth was walking back to his room.

Bigmouth: God, I’ve seen you walk up and down these halls over and over again. Are you looking for something?

Kanni: Yeah.

Bigmouth: What?

Kanni: Ja-

Bigmouth: Hold it. I don’t care.

Bigmouth walked away, and back to the safety of his room.

Kanni waited and waited. She walked a little further than last time, and found the janitor's closet. She saw James’ mop was gone. She looked at a list on the door. “Lunchroom, halls, main room, doctor’s office”

Kanni: Lunchroom…

Kanni rushed to the lunchroom. She saw James.

Kanni: Mister! Mister! Remember that rat you killed earlier!

James: The hell are you doing up, missy?

Kanni: Well, I found out where the rats were hiding out!

James: Oh really. Good girl. Let’s go find em.

Kanni: Let me show you.

James followed Kanni. Kanni went over to the employee exit door.

James: Hey, you aren’t supposed to go in there, y’know.

Kanni: I-I’m not?

James: You aren’t an employee.

Kanni: Just follow.

James: Ugh, fine. But you aren’t allowed back in here.

Kanni walked James down the hall. She went to her hideout. Where she had already moved the vending machine.

Kanni: In here!

Kanni opened the door for James. They walked in, and she shut the door behind her.

James: Alright. Show me-

James saw the blood on the walls in front of him.

James: What the hell...How did you find this place?

Kanni: Face me, James.

James looked at Kanni.

Kanni: I found it myself. Nobody’s used it before.

James: So what’s this shit on the wall...It looks a whole lot like…

Kanni: Blood.

Kanni sounded like she was holding in laughter.

Kanni: Just joking. Maybe it’s...Spaghetti sauce.

James: Girl. This isn’t a game I’m playing. I’m here to do my job. I just want to get home to my wife.

Kanni: You think it’s funny to kill rats? To murder animals?

James: What-

Kanni: You killed my rat! My pet! Just killed him without a second thought!

James: What are you going to do, girl? I did kill the rat. I don’t want those furry bastards taking the place over, okay?

Kanni: It’d be good if they did! Now, you’re going to die.

James: Die? You’re like five feet tall. What are you planning on doing to me?

Kanni threw a punch at James. He dodged backward.

James: What are you trying to do? You know what, hit me if you want. Make it a good one.

Kanni pushed James. He was surprised when he felt immense force behind Kanni’s arms. He fell on the ground. Kanni put her foot on his stomach. He tried to get up. But couldn’t.

James: What the-What the hell is going on?

Kanni stomped on his leg with her other foot. Shattering the bone. James let out a wince.

James: You?! What are you?

Kanni: You killed my rat without thinking about it, and were gleeful to kill more. You want to know what it feels like to be stomped on like an ant. Or, in this case, rat?

James: Wait! Wa-

Kanni stomped on his head. His head was instantly crushed by the force of her boot.

Kanni: No last words for murderers like you.

## E6 - Back to School

Kanni woke up in the morning. She dragged herself out of bed. She was wearing pajamas that were Halloween themed. She crawled to her mirror and sat on her bed and looked at it.

Kanni: Kanni, your hair is all messy! You know that Johnathan wouldn’t like it.

Kanni looked at a movie poster next to her mirror, it was of a man holding his fists up like he was about to fight. The poster said “Out of Ammo”.

Kanni combed her hair with what looked like a dog hair brush,

Kanni: My hair is always so messy, maybe I should get a cut. Would people at school like that? I think my long hair makes me stand out.

Kanni walked out of her room. She walked over to the woman’s bathrooms. There was one girl she always saw that was up at the same time as her. They had to be the same age.

Kanni: Good morning Trinity!

Trinity: Morning Kanni! How are you doing?

Kanni: I’m going to school today! I can’t wait! Do you think I look cute?

Trinity: You really have a sense of style. With that crown you always wear around. Hey, where is it?

Kanni: I forgot to put it on today…Stupid!

Trinity: Hey! It’s okay, just put it down after you shower.

Kanni: I guess…I just…I wear it everywhere.

Trinity: It’s alright.

Kanni: Yeah, I guess it is.

Kanni took a shower. All the whole humming and singing tunes.

Kanni: God, Trinity is so nice, she seems to really like me. I’d want to hang out with her one day. Maybe go shopping with her. I mean, did you hear her? She thinks I’m cute! Even with bed head! I hope people at school don’t question why I’ve been gone. What if I slip up? I’ll just tell them…that I went on vacation. With my Mommy and Daddy.

Kanni wrapped herself in her towel, and walked back to her room. Sopping wet. She changed into her school attire. A button-up dress shirt, tie and a dress. She put on her mini-crown. She looked at herself in the mirror.

Kanni: Aww! Kanni! You look so pretty! I think everyone’s going to love me. They’ll be so entranced by me they won’t even ask where I went!

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

???: Kanni, where have you been? Did you leave Santa Barraza?

Kanni: I was still in town!

???: You left after those people died. I’m gonna warn you, people think you did it.

Kanni: People think I did it?! How would I have done it?

???: It’s just a rumor. It’s not like you actually did it.

Kanni: Yeah...yeah. Someone said it’s something like a mutant! Do you know what that is, Scarlet?

Scarlet was a tall girl with glasses and a red coat over her school uniform. Everyone always tells her to take it off.

Scarlet: They're just humans with powers. How did you not know about them?

Kanni: I dunno.

Scarlet: I mean, you aren’t a mutant. Right?

Kanni: No. I never did anything very mutanty. Are you trying to say I killed those kids?

Scarlet: No! I guess...I guess the rumors just got to me. I couldn’t see you doing that.

As Kanni walked through the school, from class to class.

Kanni: Everyone seems weary of me. They really think I killed those people…? I mean...I did. But still. They're scared of me. Little Kanni. Is it the way I present myself?

Kanni looked around at groups of people talking to each other. She saw a group of guys laughing with each other.

Kanni: They're laughing at me...Me…

Kanni kept moving. She went to her next class. English with Miss W. She was teaching in front of the class

Kanni: I hate this teacher...she’s so annoying. She goes up to the front of the class and talks and talks about stuff I don’t care about. There was summer reading one year. We got to choose our own books. Apparently comic books aren’t real books. Oh, and they had to be school appropriate. Why is blood such a taboo? Because it’s connected to death. Death isn’t so bad. When we die, we just don’t exist anymore. We don’t know we’re dead once we’re dead. Because we’re dead. Haha. That’s funny.

Miss W: Kanni! What is it you’re saying back there? If what you’re saying is more important than the lesson, then why don’t you tell the class about it?

Kanni: Tell the class? About what I was talking about?

Miss W: Yeah. Come up here, Kanni.

Kanni stood up and walked to the front of the class and stood next to Miss W. She pushed Miss W against the white board and pummeled her to death. She wailed on her face over and over, until the whiteboard was covered in blood.

Miss W: Hey! Kanni! Get out of your head and get up here!

Kanni: Yes Miss W.

Kanni came up to the front of the class and looked at her classmates. More were paying attention than normal. Kanni smiled.

Kanni: So you want me to what?

Miss W: What were you back there mumbling about?

Kanni: You want me to tell you? I was thinking about summer reading last year. You didn’t let me choose the book I wanted to read. Apparently it had to be school appropriate. No blood. No swears. No nothing! Then I thought about death. It really isn’t so bad. We don’t go to hell or heaven. We die. We see nothing, but we aren’t aware we’re seeing nothing. We don’t know we’re dead once we’re dead. Since we’re dead. That was what I was laughing about. It’s just a funny thought. Y’know.

Miss W: Go...Go to the office. Kanni.

Kanni: Why?

Miss W: You aren’t in trouble. Just go.

Kanni: As long as I’m not in trouble!

Kanni walked out of the classroom.

Kanni: Totally got that dumb bitch…

Kanni looked at the office.

Kanni: I didn’t even say anything wrong.

Kanni was walking towards the office, it read Mr. Kim, instead of going, she walked away. Opting to explore the school.

???: Hey! Kanni! Come into my office please.

Kanni: Sorry! I couldn’t find my way around.

Mr. Kim: It’s fine. Just come in here. I want to talk to you.

Kanni: About what?

Mr. Kim: You aren’t in trouble. Don’t worry.

Kanni: Okay…

Kanni came into his office and sat down. Looking at the paintings on the walls. She seemed to go out of her way to not look Mr. Kim directly in the eyes.

Mr. Kim: Kanni, I just want to let you know, people at the school are...scared of you to put it lightly. They think you had something to do with that whole incident we had about a week ago.

Kanni: I told you already! I had nothing to do with it!

Mr. Kim: Officers have been looking for the guy who did it. But we haven’t found anyone with mutant powers who could’ve done such a thing. Officer Moonlight is the head officer of the investigation. So, could you please tell us anything you know?

Kanni: I already did! It’s like a...blur. I guess if someone pointed out certain things that happened than maybe I’d remember.

Mr. Kim: Kanni, I think you need more time in the 25th Ward. We want you to get over your trauma, have you gotten on meds yet?

Kanni: Medicine?

Mr. Kim: So that’s a no...We want your help with this investigation, but we want you to get better first.

Kanni: I’m not sick though.

Mr. Kim: We understand. We’re going to send you home.

Kanni: Ugh. How am I even going to get home?

Mr. Kim: Officer Moonlight is outside, he’ll drive you home.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was in the backseat of Officer Moonlight’s cop car.

Kanni: Wow..It's like I’m being arrested!

Officer Moonlight: I guess it is. Let’s get you home Kanni, well, I dunno if the 25th ward even is like a home to you. Do you have a real house?

Kanni: Yeah. But space and time is dilated where I live. It’s pretty confusing.

Officer Moonlight laughed.

Kanni: Do you not believe me? Mr. Moonlight?

Officer Moonlight: You can call me Mark.

Kanni: That’s your real name? Mark Moonlight?

Mark: Yeah. I’m a friend, Kanni. I’ll make sure you’re back in school as soon as possible.

Kanni: A friend...Okay! I like that.

Mark: Thought you didn’t like cops.

Kanni: I don’t like pigs. But I love friends!

Mark: I’ll take that as a compliment.

Mark dropped Kanni off at the 25th ward. They walked into the hospital.

Mark: Let’s schedule an appointment with Chipman for you, Kanni.

## E7 - Moonlight

Mark drove to his apartment room. He sat down on his sofa and fell asleep. He woke up after a couple hours and made a sandwich. He walked out of his apartment eating his sandwich. He got a phone call.

Mark: Oh, Estelle! What’s going on?

He heard her yelling through the phone.

Mark: Honey! I’m on a case right now. It’s real important. A case about what? It’s a murder case. Some sick motherfucker killed two kids in school. That’s all I can tell you. But it’s important. Okay, okay. I’ll call em. And I’ll have the money by the end of the month. That’s when I get paid.

Mark got in his car and drove to the school after-hours. He walked into the scene of the crime. There was an investigator in the middle of the room.

Mark: Oh! Dr. Giovanna! You’re here! Finally, I didn’t know it took that long to get someone from out of town to come in.

Dr. Giovanna: Shut up. You just totally derailed my train of thought.

Mark: Sorry.

Dr. Giovanna: I get the police force doesn’t give much of a shit about anything. But you, you do. You enforce the rules.

Mark: Uh, thanks? Did you get results on what could’ve done this?

Dr. Giovanna: I did some research. Those kids were not cut up with a weapon. It was brute force that caused them to die. It was a mutant. A goddamn mutant. I thought those pieces of shit were extinct.

Mark: You know they aren’t extinct.

Dr. Giovanna: All that matters is that you find this person. You’re sure the girl who was there didn’t do it?

Mark: Kanni? No! She wouldn’t do something like that. I also don’t know how she would.

Dr. Giovanna: She’s a regular human, correct?

Mark: Yeah.

Dr. Giovanna: Are you sure?

Mark: Yeah. She came back negative for signs of mutant DNA.

Dr. Giovanna: Okay. Sure, you’re a good man. But you are a horrible cop.

Mark: Okay, ow.

Dr. Giovanna: We’re going to follow this to the end. The right way. We need to get info from that girl who was here. We have no other leads.

Mark: We sent her to the 25th ward. She’s getting treatment right now.

Dr. Giovanna: For what?

Mark: Trauma from this. As well as other mental issues.

Dr. Giovanna: I don’t give a shit about mental issues. I want her file.

Mark: I’m the cop of this town. I’ll decide whose file you get.

Dr. Giovanna: I came here from an actual successful city. Santa Barraza is a shithole. Give the information to the man who can really do something with it.

Mark: Jeez, such a dick.

Dr. Giovanna: I’m not called Dr. Giovanna because I’m a nice guy, because I get work done. We’re going to follow our only lead now. Let’s go.

Mark: Okay, okay. Come with me. I’ll show you to the station.

Dr. Giovanna: Good. Now we’re getting somewhere.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Dr. Giovanna and Mark walked into the police station. Giovanna took Kanni’s file. He opened it up.

Mark: Born 2035. Diagnosed with some sort of severe mental illness. She’s got a mild case of autism. Guess she thinks she’s a “queen”.

Dr. Giovanna flipped over her file.

Dr. Giovanna: No parents?

Mark: More like parents unknown. She has a mother and a father. But we don’t know who they are. That scar there, on her cheek. She said she got it from her Dad.

Dr. Giovanna: We’ll worry about her parents later. I could find them. We need to focus on this case.

Mark: So what does this tell you?

Dr. Giovanna: It’s common for serial killers to have an absence of parents or parents. Or be abused by one. Along with the mental illness.

Mark: But still, that was a mutant that killed those kids.

Dr. Giovanna: How do we know that Kanni isn’t a mutant? Do you really think she’s innocent because she’s a little kid? We live in an unfair world. An even more fucked up world since the war. This kid could easily be a killer. I’ve seen it before.

Mark: Are you serious? She doesn’t seem like she would hurt a fly.

Dr. Giovanna: So did Ted Bundy. Next time we meet up, we’re talking to her.

Mark: Where are you going to go?

Dr. Giovanna: I’m going to find out what we might be dealing with. That girl ripped a girl’s head off just by pulling her hair, and ripped open a kid’s throat. We’re at least talking about a bare minimum mutant. When we talk to her, we’ll make sure we’re in a place with lots of people, and cameras. I’m going to decide what we need to get ready.

Mark: ...Is there anything I can do?

Dr. Giovanna: Become better friends with the kid. Get to know her. It’ll only give us more information to go off of.

Mark: This feels wrong...She’s a kid. How do you think I would feel if my kid was a killer?

Dr. Giovanna: You wouldn’t “feel” anything. If Kanni was your kid, and she knew that you knew she was a killer, you’d be dead. Better choose your words carefully.

Mark: How do you know your hunch is right?

Dr. Giovanna: Because it’s not usually wrong. You pride yourself on your police work. Correct?

Mark: I do. Yeah.

Dr. Giovanna: Well I have great pride in my work as a private detective.

Mark: Then why do you have doctor in your name?

Dr. Giovanna: I’m a doctor too. It pays the bills. Let’s focus on the case.

Mark: Yeah. So when will we meet again?

Dr. Giovanna: You’ll find me, don’t worry.

Mark: Wait, why don’t we exchange numbers?

Dr. Giovanna: I’ve got a lot of enemies. I wouldn’t carry around that death trap. Speaking of which, next time we meet, lose the phone. I’ll see you around, Moonlight.

Mark: Hey, just so you know. I don’t believe Kanni did those things. I’m willing to help you out. But my plan is still in effect, Kanni’s going to get on some meds, as she gets better, we’ll be able to ask her questions and get clearer answers.

Dr. Giovanna: The way I’m planning on doing it, we’ll have this wrapped up much faster.

## E8 - Limelight

Kanni came into the doctor’s office. Chipman was sitting in his chair.

Kanni: Hi! What am I here for now?

Chipman: We’ve decided to administer your medicine to you, Kanni.

Kanni: Medicine for what?

Chipman: Okay, let me try and explain. Your brain is an organ. Like the heart or your lungs. Your lungs and heart can get sick. Your brain has been sick for a while. The chemicals in your brain are out of balance. So this medicine here will put them in balance. So will you atleast try it?

Kanni: I guess I can. I don’t think it will do anything. I never felt anything wrong with my brain.

Chipman: Because it’s always been that way. We want to insert you into society as a normal person.

Kanni: Normal…? But aren’t I fine just how I am?

Chipman: Yeah, of course. But this medicine will make you more of who you are.

Kanni: ...Okay.

Chipman: Thank you, Kanni.

Kanni left the room holding her medication.

Chipman: Hey, wait a second. I want to see you take the med. It’s just something we have to do.

Kanni turned around, huffing and puffing. She opened the medicine and took out a pill.

Kanni: You want me to eat this?

Chipman: Just swallow it.

Kanni swallowed the pill. She did an exaggerated gulp.

Chipman: Open your mouth.

Kanni opened her mouth and showed him her tongue.

Chipman: Under your tongue?

Kanni showed him that she swallowed the pill.

Kanni: There? Happy now?

She walked back to her room and sat on her bed.

Kanni: Aren’t I fine how I am? Why do I have to fit in to make a living? It’s unfair...everyone thinks I’m sick. But I’m not! I’m perfectly normal! He thinks I have to be normal to fit in...Chipman. I’m going to kill him as soon as I get the chance. I hate him. Trying to make me fit in...He’s like mommy...but worse.

Kanni looked at the time.

Kanni: Oh, hey. It’s time for lunch. Maybe I can talk to Bigmouth.

Kanni went to lunch and sat down at Bigmouth’s table. His table seemed to be getting smaller and smaller.

Kanni: Hey, where’d everyone go?

Bigmouth: Oh, you’re back. Everyone seems to be leaving since Scarface left.

Kanni: So what are you doing?

Bigmouth: I dunno...I came here to get over my drinking. I don’t feel like I’m better. But everyone’s leaving. How much is this place even helping me?

Kanni: I hate this hospital. It’s supposed to make me better! But I’m not even sick.

Bigmouth: God, why’d I even tell you this? You’re just a kid.

Kanni: Why shouldn’t you tell me? I’m listening!

Bigmouth: My problems aren’t your problems.

Kanni: I want to hear what’s in Bigmouth’s head!

Bigmouth: Maybe I’ll leave soon…this place feels like it’s making me crazy. It’s supposed to fix that.

Kanni: I…I don’t really want you to leave, Bigmouth. You remind me of my Daddy.

Bigmouth: I thought your Daddy wasn’t good to you.

Kanni: No. But my other Daddy is. Johnathan Wickinson! He’s good to me.

Bigmouth: That’s a movie…but okay. Whatever. You’re insane. Guess I don’t give a shit whether or not you look up to me.

Kanni: So you accept me?

Bigmouth: What’s that supposed to mean? I’m not really your Dad. Alright?

Kanni: I-I know.

Bigmouth: So you know Johnathan Wickinson also isn’t your Dad, right?

Kanni: But he is!

Bigmouth: Whatever, sure.

Kanni finished eating and started walking back to her room.

Kanni: Jonathan Wickinson. He’s from my favorite movie! Out of Ammo. It’s an ultraviolet movie about a man who doesn’t use guns to fight a gangster mob. He fights and kills them with his bare hands after they take all his guns and kill his family! His name, Johnathan Wickinson! I like to call him my Dad. Since I wish he was my Dad! There’s this one scene where Jon tortures the villain's brother to get information. He cuts off his fingers and kills him by cutting off his limbs and then burning him alive, just before he dies, Jon cuts off his head and sends it to the main villain. I was even shocked by that scene! Me! I wonder if I could get away with something like that. Or even get away with the amount of kills he does. He kills like...hundreds of guys.

Kanni laid down in bed.

Kanni: God…I’m hungry for blood. Like a vampire! I only like to kill people who deserve it. It happens a lot. I want to kill for….I feel brain fog kick in. It’s like I can’t get rid of it until I…

It was like a monster in her head was dragging her back to do something.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni threw Trinity against the wall. She punched through her stomach

Trinity: What...what the fuck is wrong with you?

Kanni: Everyone says there’s something wrong with me. Everyone, everyone! You’re just like them all, bitch. I thought you were nice. But I was wrong!

Trinity: Wrong?

Trinity was starting to choke on her own blood. She couldn’t barely talk.

Kanni: What? Can’t talk? You just have to talk, talk and talk at school! You pretend to be nice to make yourself feel better!

Trinity: How...How many have you killed….?

Kanni: I don’t like to count.

Trinity: How...many?

Kanni: 8 with you.

Trinity: You’re horrible…

Kanni: Queens aren’t horrible. Queens are cute and loved. If they aren’t loved, their subjects learn. You know what...Why am I...Why am I talking to you?!

Kanni picked Trinity up by the neck and slammed her against the wall. She felt her heart racing, She didn’t feel anything but the dopamine rush in her head. Kanni punched through her chest. The rush was brought to an all-time high. Then began to come down.

Kanni: Hm. Dead.

## E9 - Wake Up!

A bunch of kids were gathered in a circle at the beginning of the school day.

Friend 1: Well Kyle. You lost the bet. So who do you guys think we should choose?

Friend 2: I mean, unless you all of a sudden got a date to the prom.

Kyle sighed.

Kyle: Nope...Let’s just get this year over with. What could be worse than last year?

Friend 1: You shouldn’t ask that question. You get to ask that murder girl to prom!

Kyle: Kanni? That girl? She’s not ugly or fat.

Friend 1: Sure, but she might, y’know.

Friend 2: Fucking kill you!

Friend 1: And besides, she’s a creep.

Kyle: She is a weirdo. Mumbling to herself all the time…

Friend 1: Especially that. You get to ask her on a date! Have fun.

Kyle: You guys could’ve set me up with someone worse.

Friend 2: Well…

Kyle: That doesn’t mean you should!

Friend 1: Oh yeah! And come on, you have to do it at lunch!

Kyle: Seriously? People are going to think I’m some creep who likes creeps.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni brushed her teeth in the communal bathrooms of the 25th ward.

Kanni: No Trinity...Hm.

Kanni hopped in the shower. She turned on the water. It was cold. But she didn’t care. The cold water washed down her back. She felt a wash of loneliness come over her. She finished her shower and got dressed for the next day at school. She even got to take the bus. She sat next to a fat kid.

Kanni: I can’t believe they tried to take me away from school. I really do love it there.

Fat kid: You really love it here? Man, I hate it. School is shit!

Kanni: Why do you think that? (How could he?! If this kid goes on and on, I’m going to have to kill him.)

Fat kid: Why do you not think that? Everyone makes fun of you. Damn, they think you killed those two kids. It’s all just boring, and there’s nothing but drama.

Kanni: I didn’t kill any kids. I don’t really care about what people think about me.

Fat kid: Pfft. Doubt it. Everyone cares what people think about them.

Kanni: You must have no friends.

Fat kid: Not really.

Kanni: What’s your name?

Fat kid: Alonge.

Kanni: More like Awide! God you are fat!

Alonge: Everyone thinks of that joke the moment they hear my name. You are the first to act on a whim. So, uh. Fuck you.

Kanni: It was just instinct. Not my fault I’m so funny.

Alonge: You're so not funny it’s hilarious.

Kanni: Well, it’s my second day back at school!

Alonge: Where’d you go?

Kanni: The doctors. Apparently they thought I was sick.

Alonge: Hm. What a surprise.

Kanni: What’s that supposed to mean?

Alonge: Why did they think you were sick?

Kanni: They said there was something wrong with my brain. Some sort of...imbalance. I don’t believe them. Everything feels right.

Alonge: I mean, you do you. Don’t let annoying doctors tell you what to do.

Kanni: Yeah! I hate doctors.

Alonge: They are a pain in the ass.

Kanni: Well, queens are supposed to accept everyone. So do you want to be friends, Alonge?

Alonge: ...Fuck it. Wouldn’t want to anger you. You might kill me!

Kanni: …

Alonge: That was a joke. Friends make jokes. Like that fat joke you made earlier. Now you can make them, and maybe I won’t be as annoyed.

Kanni: Oh! A joke!

Alonge: Anyway, we can talk later. I want to go back to sleep. Got none yesterday.

Kanni: Aw...Okay.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was walking through the halls to lunch.

Kyle: H-Hey! Kanni!

Kanni: Hm? (A boy? Talking to me?)

Kanni turned to see Kyle walking up to him. Kyle looked back at his two friends. Who were booing him from the lunchroom.

Kyle: Hey Kanni. On your way to lunch?

Kanni: Yeah! Today’s spaghetti day! I love spaghetti. It’s like someone puked their guts onto a plate and I got to savor the taste of their blood!

Kyle: Great…So, uh. Do you want to go to prom with me? Y’know, Semi?

Kanni: Semi?! M-Me w-with you?

Kyle: Yeah. Uh, totally.

Kanni: You can have me! Of course I’ll go.

Kyle: Of course you said yes…

Kanni: What?

Kyle: Uhm. Great.

Kanni: Hey, shouldn’t we go on a date? Y’know. Since we just met. I think we should get to know each other before prom!

Kyle: I-I mean, it’s not that necessary. I just need someone to go with, is all.

Kanni: So what? I’m just some sort of rebound?

Kyle: Nah! No! Look, alright. We can go on a date. Where do you want to go?

Kanni: We should go to Mcgillis’s across from the 25th ward. I...live nearby.

Kyle: Okay. Sounds good.

Kyle walked away. Kanni didn’t even go to lunch. She couldn’t contain her excitement. Alonge was half-asleep in a private lunchroom.

Kanni: Alonge! Alonge! I got a boyfriend! A boyfriend! It just happened! I-I guess everything is paying off. Things are going to get easier from here!

Alonge opened his eyes and looked at Kanni.

Alonge: Great...I don’t really care.

Kanni: Wake up!

Alonge: Ugh...Shut up. Let me sleep…

Kanni put her hands on Alonge’s head.

Kanni: You can’t even beat your desire to sleep...So lazy.

Kanni headbutted him directly in his forehead. His head was crushed in. Blood flew out everywhere.

Kanni: Wide awake now, huh?

Kanni slammed again. Again.

Kanni: Hey? Hey!

Again.

Kanni: Just how long are you going to sleep?! Wake up!

She bashed his head in even more. Crushing his skull.

Kanni: Come on! It’s morning!

Kanni looked down at him.

Kanni: Nope. Guess he’s not going to wake up.

Kanni looked around the room. She put a “MAINTENANCE” sticker on the door. She went to the bathroom and washed the blood off.

Kanni: I’m spoken for now. Me!

## E10 - Streetwalkers

The school week was coming to an end. Kanni pushed Kyle against the locker.

Kanni: So are you ready for our date this weekend? I know I am~.

Kyle: Uhm, sure. I guess I’m ready. Look, I gotta get to my bus.

Kanni: Okay, okay. Don’t forget!

Someone tapped Kanni on the shoulder.

???: You fuckin’ did it. You killed Alonge.

Kanni tried to make a move. The Scottish man in a suit and tie grabbed Kanni by the neck and slammed her against a locker. Kanni tried to fight, but she couldn’t do anything.

???: Hm, can’t snap my neck in half, right? Fuckin’ serial killer.

The man looked Kanni in the eye, for the first time, Kanni felt an overpowering bloodlust that wasn’t her’s. She swung at the man. He didn’t seem to care. He dropped Kanni and stepped back.

???: Ugh...waste of time.

Kanni: The hell is wrong with you?! Do you attack defenseless little girls for no reason?! Who do you think you are?

???: Doesn’t matter who I am.

The man straightened his tie and walked away.

Kanni: Where do you think you’re going?

Kanni tried to advance towards the man. But she slipped and fell on her face. She looked up to see he was gone.

Kanni: Dammit...I missed the bus. Who was that guy anyway…? Whatever. I guess I get to walk home.

Kanni walked out of the school. She walked home through the city streets.

Kanni: Look at all these people. It’s like they're all living in their own world. Humans are so weird. I’ve never been free like this though. Mommy never even took me to stores. I loved ice cream day though...Man.

Kanni saw a girl in revealing clothing receive money from a man. They went into an apartment building.

Kanni: What the...Sex workers here? That’s what I think that is.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

The man walked the girl to his apartment room.

Man: In here, quick.

They walked into his run-down room.

Man: Go freshen up. I want you looking your best.

Girl: Right.

Man: Uhm, can you tell me one thing? What’s your name?

Girl: Charlotte.

Man: Alright, get to it.

Charlotte went into the bathroom. The man looked around like he was being followed. He went to his door and locked it. He took a deep breath and leaned against the door. A hand burst through the door, as well as the man. Kanni’s hand was covered in blood, she had pierced straight through the man’s chest. She broke open the door. Charlotte walked out, worried. She let out a shriek when she saw the dead man.

Charlotte: Y-You couldn’t have done this! Who are you?

Kanni: That? I did that. That’s not what matters though.

Charlotte: What are you talking about?! That was a human life! What’s wrong with you?

Charlotte went into a drawer in a bedroom. Kanni walked over, watching her frantically shuffle through drawers.

Kanni: What are you looking for?

Charlotte took out a gun and pointed it at Kanni.

Charlotte: Shut up! Don’t you fucking move!

Kanni: I’m a little girl! Why would you shoot me?!

Charlotte: You killed Owen! Why wouldn’t I shoot you?

Kanni started to cry.

Kanni: I’m just 13 and a half! Don’t shoot me! Please!

Charlotte looked at Kanni, completely bewildered at the girl’s behavior.

Kanni: Don’t shoot me! Don’t shoot me!

Charlotte didn’t lower the gun.

Charlotte: I’m not going to shoot. Calm down

Kanni: Really?

Kanni’s eyes widened and she smiled. She moved towards Charlotte. Her heart sank. She fired twice into Kanni. She was stopped in her tracks. Holes were blown in her shirt.

Charlotte: What the fuck…

Charlotte shot twice again.

BANG! BANG!

Kanni stumbled back with the shots.

Kanni: You ruined my shirt! It was my favorite shirt!

Charlotte closed her eyes and fired again. Nothing came out. Kanni swung her fists wildly at Charlotte. She hit her on the top of the head with a crack. She watched as Charlotte's head started to gush blood. She went out like a light, and fell over. Kanni picked her up and threw her on the bed. She looked around the apartment for food.

Kanni: Now I know how Joan of Arc felk… Her walkman started to melt…

Kanni made herself a sandwich. She started eating. She went over to Charlotte. Waiting for her to wake up. She waited.

Kanni: This is taking forever. Come on! Wake up!

Kanni sighed. She went to the sink and got a cup of water.

Kanni: Woah. They have tea?

She made herself a cup of tea. She came over to Charlotte and dumped a cup of water on her. She woke up suddenly.

Charlotte: Wh-what are you doing?!

Kanni: Drinking tea. What are you doing?

Charlotte went to get up. Kanni slammed the cup of tea into her leg. Kanni heard a satisfying snap, along with the shattering of the cup.

Kanni: So what are you again?

Charlotte: Wh-what kind of question is that!? Just let me go! I didn’t do anything to you.

Kanni: What’s your occupation?

Charlotte: I work at the convenience store down the street. What about it?

Kanni: Bullshit! You’re a streetwalker! A prostitute!

Charlotte: You’re just a kid. How do you know about that shit?

Kanni: I’m more mature than you think.

Charlotte: So what does me being in this line of work have to do with anything?

Kanni: I hate people like you...Hate hate! Women are just as much drugs as any other drug. People like you have sex with anything that walks on two legs. It’s disgusting. Anything that pays the right price. Why would you do that to your body? You ruin men’s lives. They’ll do it with you. Maybe even shoot a little video. Then post it on the net. Sex sells, but why? Why? It shouldn’t! It’s some sort of addiction!

Charlotte: God! Shut the hell up! I do what I can to make money. What’s wrong with that? It’s called hustling.

Kanni: No it’s not. It’s sick.

Charlotte: I’m not some actor in a porn.

Kanni: What does that have to do with anything?

Charlotte: They're the ones that ruin lives. People get addicted to people like them. Why do you think we do it like that? Because it works.

Kanni: It’s sick.

Charlotte: So...So what are you going to do? Kill me?

Kanni smiled and laughed.

Kanni: Maybe.

Charlotte: Listen! I’m not a bad person! I have debt from college. All I’m trying to do is find my calling! I’m not going to do shit like this ever again! I want to be a hairstylist! But there’s no jobs around here. I can’t move out like this. I have no money, and I’m drowning in college debt!

Kanni: ...What?

Charlotte: Can you understand?

Kanni: I-I....

Charlotte: What’s so bad about me? Come on! I don’t do this for fun. You kill for fun. Right? You’re addicted.

Kanni: Shut up…! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!

Kanni started bludgeoning her with both of her fists. She slammed her hands into her head. Over, and over. Everytime the rush felt better and better.

Kanni: Sweetness! Sweetness! I was only joking when I said by rights you should be bludgeoned in your bed!

She looked at Charlotte. Beaten to death in her bed.

Kanni: I’ve got no right to take my place in the human race...

## E11 - Strongbox

Chipman was sitting in the doctor’s office with Bigmouth.

Chipman: It pains for me to ask, but we see you’ve formulated quite the bond with Kanni here.

Bigmouth: What? Not really.

Chipman: Well...Lots of the people she talks to left. It’s like people are scared of her or something.

Bigmouth: What do you mean?

Chipman: I probably shouldn’t tell you this. But a kid who was here left very recently overnight.

Bigmouth: Who?

Chipman: A little girl named Trinity.

Bigmouth: Well, girl’s a freak. I feel like I’ve been getting hints to leave myself.

Chipman looked at the clock.

Chipman: Well, it appears our session is over. So I’m not legally obligated to care. But I am obligated to tell you to pick up Kanni on your trip to the bank today.

Bigmouth: What?! Why? You have workers for that!

Chipman: We’re quite understaffed here. Not many people enjoy dealing with the mentally impaired. It says you plan to go to the bank on your schedule today, right?

Bigmouth: Yes...It does.

Chipman: So we ask that you pick up Kanni from school today. Apparently she got a detention for being continuously disruptive.

Bigmouth: Not surprising…

Chipman: Great! Then we’re in agreement.

Bigmouth groaned and walked out.

Chipman: Pickup is at 3:20!

Bigmouth: Dammit…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bigmouth drove up to the school in a motorcycle with a sidecar attached . He saw Kanni sitting outside. He pulled up to her, and saw her head perk up in excitement.

Kanni: Bigmouth?! What are you doing here?

Bigmouth: Apparently I have to pick you up. Everyone’s getting lazy. Just get in. I don’t want to be seen around here…

Kanni: Why not? Hey everyone! Bigmouth’s right here! Come get him!

Bigmouth: Oh my god! Shut up!

Kanni laughed. She got in the sidecar of the motorcycle.

Bigmouth: You really like pushing my buttons, hm?

Bigmouth drove away from the school. Kanni seemed to love the feeling of the air hitting her face. Bigmouth looked at her. They drove into the bank. He parked his motorcycle and took off his helmet.

Bigmouth: Should’ve brought a second helmet. You could’ve gotten whiplash.

Kanni: I like no helmet! I mean, look at me. No whiplash at all.

Bigmouth: Yeah. We didn’t go very far.

Kanni: So what are we doing here?

Bigmouth: I shouldn’t have even had to bring you. But here we are.

Kanni: That’s not answering my question!

Bigmouth: I’m putting some money away in my safety deposit box.

Kanni: What’s that?

Bigmouth: I’ll show you.

The bank was empty when they walked in.

Bigmouth: Figured there’d be someone here. Whatever. Let’s do this quick.

Bigmouth inputted a code, and a huge bank safe opened up. They walked into a room filled with little boxes in the wall. Bigmouth scanned through the numbers and took out a key. He turned the key in one of the little boxes and heard a click. He pulled out his safety deposit box.

Bigmouth: This is my safety deposit box.

Kanni: Wow...What’s in it?

Bigmouth: Doesn’t matter. It’s things I would need in an emergency.

Bigmouth stuffed a wad of money into the box.

Kanni: Come on, can I see one thing inside of it?

Bigmouth: Okay, if it’ll make you shut up.

Bigmouth took out some jewelry.

Bigmouth: How’s that? Some jewels. I bet you like shiny things.

Kanni: I do….Woah. What kind of jewels are these?

Bigmouth: Ones I don’t want you touching. Give them back.

Kanni: What kind are they?

Bigmouth: Diamond. Now give them.

Kanni: Diamond?! Woah! How could you afford things like that?

Bigmouth: Why would I tell you that?

Kanni: You stole them! Didn’t you?

Bigmouth: No.

Kanni: Well I think you stole them.

Bigmouth: I don’t care what you think. Let’s get out of here.

Kanni: Okay, okay.

Kanni put away the jewels. Bigmouth picked up his box.

Kanni: I wish we spent more time together, Bigmouth. We should go to eat sometime.

Bigmouth: Pfft. If you pay.

Kanni: I will!

Kanni went to the door. She stepped back when the door began to close.

Bigmouth: What the...Hey!

Bigmouth put down his deposit box. He ran to the door as it closed with a bang. They watched gears turn and lock the door down.

Kanni: Hm.

Bigmouth: That’s your response?! We’re locked in here! What did you do? Did you close the door?!

Kanni: No! I don’t even know how to do that!

Bigmouth: Goddamnit...The bank closed. Guess what happens when the store closes down?

Kanni: The door closes?

Bigmouth: Maybe there’s someone here then!

Bigmouth went to the door and started pounding on it furiously.

Bigmouth: Hey! Anyone out there? Let us out! We’re trapped in here!

Kanni: Haha. You’re acting funny, Bigmouth.

Bigmouth: How can you laugh at a situation like this? What’s wrong with you? Do you not understand what happened here? We’re stuck in here for the night. And I’m stuck in here with you of all people! Is this some sort of punishment?

Kanni: Punishment from who?

Bigmouth: I dunno, god.

Kanni: God doesn’t exist.

Bigmouth: I’m not having a conversation like this with you. You’re so goddamn annoying. You think everything’s a joke. We don’t have any food or drink. We could die here!

Kanni: I don’t need any food or drink.

Bigmouth: Of course you do!

Kanni: Oh no...Does that mean we’re going to have to eat each other?!

Bigmouth: I’m stuck in a vault with an insane person. Great. This is exactly how I expected my day to go.

Kanni: Why’s there a gun in your box?

Kanni was holding the gun she had taken out Bigmouth’s safety deposit box. She played with it, and waved it around like she was shooting people.

Bigmouth: That’s not a joke either! Give me that!

Bigmouth took the gun away from Kanni. He took the bullets out of the gun.

Kanni: Why’s there a gun in there?

Bigmouth: Doesn’t matter.

Kanni: Come on. Why don’t you ever tell me anything?

Bigmouth: Because every question you ask has to be personal.

Kanni: So what’s this picture? Your family?

Bigmouth: Stop touching my shit!

Bigmouth came over to Kanni and drove her away from his box. He took the picture from her hands. It was a picture of a selfie he took with a woman his age as well as a little girl.

Bigmouth: Maybe this’ll make you happy. That’s my family. My daughter and wife.

Kanni: So...What’s your daughter’s name?

Bigmouth: Her name was Allison.

Kanni: Was?

Bigmouth: Stop questioning me! Here! Maybe this’ll make you shut up!

Bigmouth took out an MP3 player from the deposit box. It had headphones with it.

Bigmouth: I see you going around the ward with headphones all the time. Mumbling to yourself all the while. Maybe this’ll make you shut up.

Kanni: Oh…Thank you.

Bigmouth: Oh, so now you’re nice.

Kanni took the MP3 player and eventually stuffed herself in the corner. Listening to old music from the 2000s. Bigmouth took a breath and laid against the wall. Taking in the silence. There was only the sound of Kanni’s music sneaking in. Bigmouth seemed to silently sing along. He started to fall asleep. He was startled when Kanni sat next to him. She leaned on his shoulder. Bigmouth didn’t want to move. He didn’t want to wake Kanni.

Bigmouth: Ugh...Fuck.

Late in the night Kanni woke up. Bigmouth had fallen asleep. She looked at the picture of Bigmouth’s family.

Kanni: Bigmouth has a daughter…

She looked at the picture, getting slightly agitated at the sight of the thought of him having another daughter.

## E12 - Let’s Talk About Love

Bigmouth woke up. His vision was especially blurry since he had his contacts in. He tried to get himself to yawn so he could get some moisture in his eyes. He blinked his eyes to see Kanni in front of himself. She stepped on his leg.

Kanni: You...you really do have a daughter! So what am I then?! What am I?

Bigmouth: What are you talking about? It’s too early for this.

Bigmouth’s leg started to hurt. He looked at Kanni’s small body. Bewildered. He didn’t say anything though, who would he be if he got hurt by a little girl?

Bigmouth: Hey! Why are you looking at me like that?

Kanni: Your daughter...So am I some sort of fallback? Am I?!

Bigmouth: A fallback...What are you talking about?

Kanni: Your daughter left you, huh? Because you were a bad father!

Bigmouth: Hey, get your foot off.

Kanni: Answer me!

Bigmouth: Are you serious?

Kanni backed off and put her hands on her head and walked around the room.

Kanni grabbed the gun that Bigmouth had in his box.

Bigmouth: Dammit! Put that down!

Kanni: You know….I’ve never seen a real gun.

Bigmouth took the gun from her and stuffed it in his safety deposit box.

Bigmouth: What’s wrong with you?

Kanni: Nothing! Nothing’s wrong with me!

Kanni: Answer my damn question!

Bigmouth: ...What’s the question?

Kanni: Am I a replacement? Of your daughter!?

Bigmouth: What? My daughter’s dead.

Kanni: Dead...Then does that count as a replacement…?

Bigmouth (Does this kid really think of me as some sort of father figure? What have I gotten into?)

Kanni: You must just be a sorry, sad old sap. What happened to her?

Bigmouth: It’s not for you to know.

Kanni: Come on. Please! Let me know!

Bigmouth: It won’t mean anything to you...will it? My wife and daughter were killed. Then I went to the 25th ward.

Kanni: Killed by who?

Bigmouth: A rival gang.

Kanni: Gang? Woah, what were they called?

Bigmouth: The Dragonflies. Names don’t matter. I’m not some superhero. So I went to the 25th ward to recover. They haven’t done shit to help me though. I don’t know if they’ll do shit to help you either.

Kanni: I know I’m there to be helped...But what am I supposed to be helped about? I’m still stumped on that.

Bigmouth: Of course you are...

Kanni: What do you mean?

Bigmouth: It’s about your mental state. That’s all.

Kanni: What’s wrong with me mentally? I feel fine!

Bigmouth: Of course you do. That’s not the point. Who sent you here?

Kanni: My mommy! Obviously.

Bigmouth: Your mommy, huh? Why do you think of me as a father then?

Kanni: My real daddy is mean to me. Look at this, he did this to me.

Kanni showed Bigmouth her scar across the side of her face.

Bigmouth: How did he do that?

Kanni: He got really mad one day. And well…

Kanni made the sound of a knife stabbing her.

Bigmouth: Ugh. You’re so stupid.

Kanni: I’m so hungry...Do you have anything to eat?

Bigmouth: All I’ve got are these tic-tacs.

Kanni: Woah...Let me have some!

Bigmouth: There’s only so many. You aren’t getting them all.

Kanni: Come on! Gimme gimme!

Bigmouth gave her some tic tacs. She quickly ate them.

Kanni: More!

Bigmouth: No! We need to conserve these, you know.

They sat in silence.

Kanni: So why do you have this gun? Why would it be in here? Are you saving it for getting revenge on your family?

Bigmouth: I’m not some anti-hero who goes out and kills those that wronged me. I’m not Jack the Ripper.

Kanni: So why do you have it?

Bigmouth: I’m not going to talk about it.

Kanni: Okay. Okay…

Bigmouth: Alright. Good.

Kanni: Is it like, some sort of kink. Or does it make you feel like the king of the world to have a gun just laying around.

Bigmouth: Hey, look! I said I don’t want to talk about it!

Kanni: But I want to know, come on. Please?

Bigmouth took a deep breath. He looked down at the curious girl.

Bigmouth: Knowing I have the gun here. Just, knowing there’s a way out of well...Everything. It helps. It puts me at ease.

Kanni: Is it your daughter and wifey?

Bigmouth: A kid like you wouldn’t get it. You think the world is all sunshine and rainbows.

Kanni: Well, I’ve figured out lately that the world is pretty hard. People are so mean. I’ve never thought of taking my own life. That’s kind of selfish.

Bigmouth: How’s that selfish?

Kanni: What would I do without you? Rot in that prison cell my mommy sent me to? You’re the only one I like. The only one I know here and now that I love.

Bigmouth: You’re insane.

Kanni: So you don’t love me back?

Bigmouth: Well, I guess I don’t hate having you around sometimes. You piss me off. But I guess you really care about me. I haven’t felt anything like that in well...It’s been 3 years since I lost them.

Kanni: Hey. Don’t tell anyone about this. But I think I have a way to break us out.

Bigmouth: What? You do?

Kanni: I...I didn’t want to show you. Everyone who I show thinks I’m a freak.

Bigmouth: Show me what?

Kanni: You can’t tell anyone. Okay?

Bigmouth: You know what, alright. Sure.

Kanni went up to the bank vault door. She backed up across the room.

Bigmouth: Are you serious? We’re never getting out of here.

Kanni ran at the vault door and threw a punch. Bigmouth was startled by the sound of metal collapsing. He felt the entire vault almost shake, and his ears started to ring. He watched in astonishment. Kanni backed up.

Kanni: Open!

She ran into the door with her shoulder, and dented it even more. Causing another loud rupture. She backed up, and punched it with all her force. And blasted the door down. It went flying off its hinges and slammed into the wall.

Bigmouth: What the fuck…

Kanni: Like I said. Don’t tell anyo-

Bigmouth’s eardrums were shattered even further when he heard the sound of rapid and constant gunfire. Kanni was hit over and over with assault rifle rounds. Bigmouth watched in disbelief as Kanni was pushed back by the bullets. She didn’t bleed one bit. She was pushed into the table.

Bigmouth: Kanni! What the fuck?!

Kanni put a finger to her cheek. She ran her finger across her scar, she got to the bottom of the scar. To find blood.

Kanni: What…?

Giovanna: Unload!

Dr. Giovanna and the scottish man from earlier were in a line with assault rifles in hand. They had just finished reloading and started firing again.

## E13 - Let’s Talk About Hate

Mark was walking through the grocery store. He heard announcements being made all throughout the store. The residents of Santa Barraza all rushing throughout the store to pay for their items and continue living their busy lives. Mark was getting a cake mix. He got birthday candles that read “12”. He had a card with some cheesy saying written on it. He got in line. He paid for his things and stuffed everything he got in his car. He got in the car and looked at the card he got. He opened it to see that there was already writing in it. It said “Barraza inn, room 145. ASAP.” - Dr. G

Mark: You’re fucking serious?

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mark burst into the room.

Mark: Giovanna?! I told you! No budding into my personal life! I only take your shit on the job!

A man in a trenchcoat, with a pork pie hat on was the only one standing in the room.

Mark: Who,,,Who are you?

???: Name’s Kiron. Who are you running in here with that loud mouth of yours?

Mark: I thought Giovanna would be here. Sorry.

Kiron: He’s getting gear.

Mark: Gear?

Kiron: We’ve made a breakthrough. Thanks to me, of course. Kanni has to die.

Mark: What is it with everyone and their mom wanting to kill that little girl?!

Kiron: There’s blatant evidence to support her killings. About...Hm. 5 or more people have gone missing since she arrived at the 25th ward. Haven’t been found. I don’t believe they skipped town. Santa Barraza is a magnet for...well. Unpleasant people. Like you and me.

Mark: We’re nothing alike.

Kiron: Right.

Mark: There has to be more to this. I swear! I know, I thought Kanni was weird. But she isn’t a murderer. She’s mentally ill.

Kiron: Many killers are mentally ill. Most of them are, as a matter of fact.

Mark: Why did I get involved with you fucking people…? ‘

Kiron: I believe you said you were the cop of the town.

Giovanna walked into the room.

Giovanna: Officer Moonlight. You’re here. Good.

Mark: What's that?

Giovanna was holding a large case. He sat it down on one of the beds and put a key in it to unlock it.

Giovanna: Here we are.

He opened the case. There were three assault rifles inside of it. All with lots of ammo to spare.

Mark: Giovanna. What the hell is this for?

Giovanna: The metahuman we’re dealing with.

Mark: You’re fucking insane. I could have you arrested for this!

Giovanna: I bet everyone will be thanking you when Kanni kills half the police precinct. I have evidence that she’s killed about 9 people. Could be more. You’re a man of justice. Wouldn’t you want your justice?

Mark: I don’t know what you’re doing. But if it is a senseless killing you’re going to be doing, then I’m coming with you.

Giovanna: These are just for our protection. What I really want is evidence. I want solid evidence on camera.

Kiron: We’re going to catch Kanni in the act. On camera.

Mark: You know what? You guys have better be right. When are we doing this mission?

Giovanna: We’re setting up tomorrow. Probably camping for almost two days.

Mark: What? My daughter’s birthday is on that Monday.

Kiron: Then you’ll make it just in time.

Giovanna: God...It’s always you parents. You sympathize with kids too much. You’ll get your cake and eat it.

Mark: Literally...I guess.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone pulled up a chair in front of some camera monitors. They watched as Kanni and Bigmouth walked into the bank and into the vault. He showed Kanni his diamond. They talked. It felt like forever. Kanni started walking towards the door. Giovanna pressed a button on his keypad in front of him. They heard the bank vault slam shut.

Mark: So tell me again, your plan is to sic Kanni. Who is hopefully a psycho killer on this guy, and catch it on this camera?

Giovanna: You say that like you haven’t heard crazier things.

Kiron: This really is going to take forever. Tell me when the bloodshed begins.

Kiron put his hat over his face and seemed to tune out. He leaned back in his chair.

Mark: Again. What are the ARs for?

Giovanna: The worst.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Giovanna watched the screen intently. Mark had began to fall asleep. Kiron was pacing around the room.

Kiron: Just look at her. Her mouth moves faster then she does. Rambling on and on about this and that. I tell you, Kanni is an insane bastard. Always has been.

Giovanna: I’d be real pissed off if Mr. Perfect here was right. She hasn’t done anything to this guy.

Kiron: Nobody is special to her. I'm even confused.

More and more time passed. Giovanna was determined to stay awake. He was waiting for anything. He saw Kanni start to stir, and immediately stood up in his chair. Trying to keep himself awake. He saw her look at Bigmouth’s safety deposit box. Then her go over to him. He saw her eyes. She was pissed.

Giovanna: Hey! Get up! Both of you! Look!

Kiron and Mark woke up. They looked at the screen.

Mark: What is it?

They watched her slam her foot onto his leg.

Mark: Jeez! Should we interfere? We have the rifles!

Giovanna: No.

Kiron: Now this is the bloodshed I was talking about.

Giovanna: Don’t go jumping out of your seat now.

The group jumped when she grabbed the gun from the deposit box. Giovanna was disappointed when the situation seemed to be de-escalating.

Mark: This really was a sick waste of time.

Giovanna: If anything it shows how insane she is. Look at that! She was yelling about her replacing his daughter. She’s so all over the place. She doesn’t know what she wants.

Bigmouth: A kid like you wouldn’t get it. You think the world is all sunshine and rainbows.

Kanni: Well, I’ve figured out lately that the world is pretty hard. People are so mean. I’ve never thought of taking my own life. That’s kind of selfish.

Giovanna: Fucking hypocrite….

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Everyone in the room had finally fallen asleep. It hadn’t been too long, but everyone was exhausted. Until they heard a loud bang on the door of the bank vault. They were all startled awake.

Giovanna: You wanted your evidence Moonlight?! There it is! Look at that!

Kiron: She’s going to burst out that door, and she’s going to be pissed.

Giovanna: You’re the information man. Grab the rifles.

Mark: Are you serious?!

Mark stood up and looked Giovanna in the eyes.

Mark: She’s done nothing wrong.

Giovanna: You heard Kiron. He’s quite the trustworthy source.

Mark: Fuck off. I’m not going to be part of this murder.

Kiron uppercut Mark in the face. Mark fell on the ground.

Giovanna: Good call.

Kiron and Giovanna went across from the door to the vault. Waiting for Kanni to walk out. They heard one last bang. The bank vault door swung open. Kanni stepped out. As soon as she locked eyes with Giovanna, he felt the bloodlust, The pure hatred. Both him and Kiron unloaded on Kanni. She was barely wounded, but was pushed back.

Giovanna: Ammo, now.

Kiron passed Giovanna a clip filled with ammo. They reloaded.

Giovanna: Unload!

## E14 - Two Sides

Kanni: Daddy, daddy! Look! Come! Look!

Bigmouth came to Kanni,

Bigmouth: Okay, okay. I’m looking.

Kanni: Is it a man, or a lizard?

They were at what looked like a zoo. There was a human-like lizard going around the cage.

Bigmouth: It’s a lizard. That’s all super weird sciencey stuff they use to create things like that.

Kanni: They used sciencey stuff to create that too, right?

Kanni pointed at a dodo bird.

Bigmouth: Right. They brought the dodo bird back to life. These birds used to be extinct. Now their back.

Kanni: Really? Wow! What about him?

There were a couple guards who were walking a prisoner out of the zoo. He looked like a normal human. But had a gigantic head.

Bigmouth: Him?

Kanni: He’s human. Right? He’s just a special human!

Bigmouth: Not really. He’s what we call a mutant. Their humans who were given special powers. But none of them use them for good.

Kanni: He’s really kind of a freak! (Wait? What?)

Bigmouth: Hey…

Kanni: Hey! You should be in the zoo too! We should put mutants in the zoos! Wouldn’t that be awesome daddy? To have them perform a show for us? (Why am I saying this?)

Bigmouth: Kaylee! Don’t talk like that. I get what you mean. Mutants are bad. But they aren’t animals. Their human beings like us. Remember that.

Kanni: Their just so...weird. Their all that’s wrong with the world. (Stop it! There’s nothing wrong with me!)

Bigmouth: Kaylee. Listen to me.

Kanni: I’m not Kaylee!

Bigmouth seemed to ignore her. He kept talking over her. Giving her a lecture.

Bigmouth: Hey! Are you listening to me?

Kanni: What am I? I am myself. This...object. It’s me! The shape that forms myself. The me that can be seen. But I feel like I’m not myself. Everyone around me makes me feel like I’m melting away. They're all hounding me. People are constantly getting in the way. I’m losing my shape. I feel the presence of someone else...Like a god. But an angry one. One that’s staring me straight in the eye and telling me I’m the bad one! I’m the wrong one! I shouldn’t have been born! He shouldn’t have made me. But he did. So why did he make me? To kill these men? To kill me? Did he send the men to kill me? But I can’t be killed.

Kanni looked at her hand. Covered in blood.

Kanni: What’s this, then? Blood. I hate this color. Red. It means weakness. I’m not weak. I’m not weak to those human toys.

Kanni looked forward at the group of men. She ran at Giovanna and Kiron.

Giovanna: Kiron.

Kiron stood up and walked past the barrier they had set their guns up on. He shot at Kanni. She put out of her hand and got close to Kiron. She grabbed his gun and snapped it in half. Kiron kicked Kanni in the stomach and did a spinning kick. She tried to swing at him. But he grabbed her arm and guided her past him. Giovanna unloaded on her. Kanni tried to get at Giovanna. But Kiron put her arms behind her back and kept her still.

Kanni: Let me go! Why are you doing this to me?!

Kanni started to cry uncontrollably.

Kanni: What did I do to you people?! Shooting at a little girl? For what?!

Giovanna looked at Kanni. He got a good look at her. He saw blood dripping from her face.

Giovanna: So she bleeds.

Kanni: You think that means I’m a weakling, don’t you? I’m not weak! I’m strong! Strong! And you! Let me go!

Kanni kept struggling to get out of Kiron’s hold. But he had her completely still.

Kiron: You aren’t strong. You’re a damn coward. That’s what you are. You don’t want to admit it, right?

Kanni: Admit what?!

Kiron: The killings. All the killing you’ve done thus far.

Kanni: So what?

There was a silence. Everyone heard a gun get cocked. Mark walked out of the security room.

Giovanna: Moonlight! Grab the SD card from the computer! We have evidence!

Mark: What are you going to do with it? Are you really going to try and put this little girl to death? Drop your weapons.

Mark held up his handgun.

Giovanna: You’re fucking serious Mark? Now?! At a time like this? If Kiron lets her go, I’m dead.

Mark: I’m fine with that. I want you to get out of my city. You’re a damn virus.

Giovanna: I’m a virus? You’re a stick in the mud, We need to get that evidence and get out of here. She showed her powers on tape. That alone is enough to suggest she committed all those killings!

They heard another gun cock. But this time, it fired. The bullet went straight through Kiron’s head. His body went numb. Then limp. Kanni got off of him. Crying. Bigmouth put the gun away into his safety deposit box and picked it up. He held the gun at Giovanna and Mark. Kanni grabbed onto his side and hugged him as they moved out of the bank. Mark and Giovanna were left there. Staring each other down. Mark grabbed his walkie-talkie.

Mark: We’ve got a break-in at the Santa Barraza bank. All units on me now.

Giovanna put down his gun.

Giovanna: Trust me. You’re making a big mistake. You’re going to die. We’re all going to die.

Giovanna walked away. Mark looked down at Kiron.

Mark: This is all a mess.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Someone walked into the bank. Their body was hidden by the darkness of the night. They went under the caution tape around the bank. They walked into the security room and rolled the security footage back to find Kanni knocking down the door. They looked at all the slots for SD cards and found the one that was lit up. He took it out of it’s slot and downloaded the data. Then put the SD card back.

## E15 - One Sided

Kanni was looking in the mirror of a store. She had two dresses. A dark red one, and a stylized orange one.

Kanni: Hm. I said I didn’t like red. It shows other’s weakness. Not mine. I don’t bleed. How could I be weak? I think I’ll buy this one. I think it’s cute.

Kanni walked towards the front of the store to see Bigmouth sitting there, waiting for her.

Bigmouth: I can’t believe you’re over here mooching off of me. Aren’t you old enough to get a job?

Kanni: Not yet. I’m thirteen and a half! Haven’t I told you that a million times?

Bigmouth: Yeah yeah…

They drove back to the 25th ward. Kanni went into her room.

Kanni: This dress will make the perfect prom dress!

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

At lunch. Kyle peeked across the lunchroom. To see Kanni staring at him. She was sitting with her hands folded and smiling.

Kyle: Are you serious…? This is going to suck. At least I missed the date with her.

Friend: What was her excuse again?

Kyle: She said she was trapped in a bank vault. Whatever that means.

Friend: That makes no sense. She probably got cold feet.

Kanni sat down next to the group.

Kanni: Hi Kyle~

Kyle: Uh….Hi.

Friend: Hey Kanni. What did you mean by you being trapped in a bank vault?

Kanni: I really got trapped in a bank vault with my Dad! It was a good bonding experience.

Kyle’s friends were chuckling to themselves.

Kanni: Hey Kyle, doesn’t mac and cheese look like people’s toes? Or like, fingers? Imagine cutting someone’s fingers off and feeding them to them...That’d be crazy. Hm?

Kyle looked at Kanni like she was insane. His friends were laughing up a storm. Kanni looked at them. She started muttering to herself. Over the sound of people talking in lunch. Nobody could hear her.

Kanni: They're laughing at me. They're laughing at me. Why are they laughing at me? I’ll kill them. I'm going to spread their guts all over this lunchroom.

Kyle: Hey Kanni? Are you uhm, excited for prom?

Kanni: Oh, I’m SO excited!

Friend: Yeah, Aren’t you too Kyle?

Kyle: You wouldn’t believe it.

A girl came over and sat down on the other side of Kyle.

Kyle: Hey Ava.

Ava: Hey guys. Did you decide who you’re going to prom with?

All of Kyle’s friends nodded.

Ava: What about you Kyle? Did you...find anyone?

Kyle: Uh, I-I

Kanni wrapped around Kyle’s arm.

Kanni: Me and Kyle are going together!

Ava: You?! Weird murderer girl is going with you? Why?

Kyle: I’ll tell you about it later.

Kanni: He probably just doesn’t want to talk about me in front of his friends. Come on! It’s okay!

Kyle: Yeah…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kyle was holding his ticket. He was looking ahead at his friends. He felt hate for them. For the situation they put him in. He saw Bigmouth get in line behind him.

Bigmouth: Hey, you Kanni’s date?

Kyle: Yeah.

Bigmouth: I heard about the way Kanni talked about you and your friends. She put you up to this, hm?

Kyle: Promise me you won’t tell her. It’s a thing my friends do. Just so everyone can make fun of eachother.

Bigmouth: That’s kind of wrong.

Kyle: Yeah...You don’t need to tell me twice. I wanted to skip this, But I didn’t want to ruin it for Kanni. I’m sorry. I don’t know how they do this every year. I don’t get how they think it’s funny. They ruin their friends' experiences. As well for the person they take with them.

Bigmouth: But you don’t want to be with Kanni?

Kyle: I-I...You’re her Dad. I don’t want to be-

Bigmouth: I’m not her father.

Kyle: Oh. Step-dad or something?

Bigmouth: I’m her guardian. How about that? Haven’t known her for long. I get it. She’s a damn creep. Just try and make her enjoy it a little. That’ll be enough.

Kyle: I’ll do my best, sir.

Kanni came to Kyle with her red dress on.

Kanni: H-Hi Kyle!

Kyle: Hey Kanni. Are you excited?

Kanni: I’m kind of nervous to be honest.

Kyle: That’s alright. Uh. What do you want to do?

Kanni: I’ll do anything!

Kyle grabbed Kanni’s hand and walked around with her. They went to the pizza table, and got some food. They sat down at the lunch table.

Kyle: I guess I really do want to get to know you better. I met your parent.

Kanni: Parent? You met my Mommy?

Kyle: No. It was a guy.

Kanni: Oh, Bigmouth.

Kyle: Bigmouth?

Kanni: His real name is something like...I dunno. But I call him Bigmouth!

Kanni barley ate her food. She was just playing with her hair. Then she started playing with Kyle’s long hair.

Kyle: Hey, come on. Let’s really do something. Do you like to dance.

Kanni: Not really. It’s...stressful.

Kyle: Come on, thats what this is about. Branching out.

Actually. Before we do anything, I’m going to use the bathroom.

Kyle: Oh, okay.

Kanni had seen Ava walk out of the lunchroom in the corner of her eye. She went into the bathroom and went in a stall. She listened to Ava. She seemed to be talking with two other girls. Kanni smelt the stench of weed. She heard one of them lightly cough.

Kanni: What’s wrong with you…? Doing all that bad stuff when you could be enjoying yourselves…?

Ava: Are you serious? Guess who’s mumbling in the stall over?

???: There’s only one girl that mumbles like a creep!

Kanni: Creep...Ava! I saw you with your eyes on Kyle! You’re trying to take him from me.

Ava: Well...It just boggles me why Kyle would want to be with you. I mea-

Kanni smashed the wall of the bathroom stall down. Pushing the group of girls against the wall. The bathroom stall fell down. Kanni broke through the stall and grabbed the hair of one of the girls.

Kanni: Wow...I had no idea. You are all in the same group as that couple I killed.

Kanni pulled the girl’s hair and ripped her head off. Ava and her friend began to scream.

Kanni: Shut up!

Kanni struck the other girl in the throat. She snapped her head at her throat. Ripping her head open. Spewing blood everywhere. Ava was still screaming and crying.

Kanni: Shut up! Shut up! Be quiet you bitch!

Kanni covered Ava’s mouth. She was still trying to scream. Kanni put her hands in her mouth. One on the roof of her mouth and the other on her jaw and pried her head apart.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was washing the blood off in the shower. Kyle wrapped his arms around her from the back.

Kanni: Kyle~

Kanni finished her shower. She looked at her dress.

Kanni: It’s already red! It’ll be fine.

She put her dress back on.

Kanni: I was only joking when I said by rights you...should be bludgeoned in your bed…Sweetness! Sweetness, ooh da da da…

Kanni dragged the stall doors in front of the door to the bathroom. She squeezed her way out. She went back to the prom dance. She saw Kyle sitting, talking to some other people. Kanni came from behind her and hugged him from the back and kissed him on the cheek.

Kyle: Woah! What’s all that about?

Kanni: I’m just so happy to be here, with you!

## E16 - Till’ Love Tears Us Apart

Kanni: God! The weekend couldn’t come fast enough! I can’t wait to see Kyle tonight. He says he’s excited to see me. I think...I think he really does like me. Someone likes me! Love won’t tear us apart. I’m so excited for tonight…So excited.

Kanni was looking into the eyes of a man with a rope around his mouth.

Kanni: One more hour until I see him! I guess I should get ready. Thanks for the chat! Kanni took off the rope around his mouth.

Man: Just...Just kill me. I see you everyday when I come to see my Dad. You reek of blood. You smell like a dead body. You really aren’t that good at hiding it. It’s only a matter of time until-

Kanni punched him in the mouth. His head collapsed in on itself. Kanni was splattered with blood. Spewing from his mouth.

Kanni: Oh yeah~.

She was once again covered in blood. She was naked. She wrapped a towel around herself.

Kanni: I guess I need a shower. I really was starting to hate having to throw away my bloody clothes.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni had dressed up. She wore a green shirt with a man being decapitated on it. It said “MEGADEAD”. She had a black skirt under it with her big boots. She jumped into a puddle and walked forward towards a house. She tried to open the door. When it didn’t budge she got ready to punch it down. But a parent opened the door. It was Kyle’s Mother.

Kyle’s Mom: Oh! Hi. Are you Kanni? Kyle's been telling us about you.

Kanni: Really?

Kyle was sitting on the couch watching TV.

Kyle: Hi Kanni.

Kanni: What’s this feeling? God, make it go away…

Kanni looked up and realized she was talking to herself.

Kanni: H-Hey!

Kyle’s Mom: Kanni, how’d you get here? I was hoping to talk to a parent.

Kanni: Oh, I walked. Maybe you can talk to my Mommy. But I haven’t seen her in a while.

Kyle stood up. He came over to Kanni.

Kyle: So Kanni, do you wanna go downstairs?

Kyle’s Mom: Hey! I’ll be checking on you two down there. No messing around.

Kyle: Seriously? We’re in middle school.

Kanni: I’d never “mess around” with this idiot anyway.

Kyle’s Mom: Good, a girl with a little sense.

Kyle walked Kanni downstairs.

Kyle: I don’t think I’d go that far.

Downstairs, there was a gigantic TV. It was like a movie theater.

Kyle: It’s late. So I figured we’d watch a movie or something.

Kanni: I kinda wanted to go on a late night adventure. You’ve got to have something cool around here!

Kyle: Well...There are some places. There’s this abandoned amusement park pretty close from here.

Kanni: Can we check it out?! That sounds so cool! Please!

Kyle: We can sometime. Come on, sit down.

Kanni: You first!

Kanni pushed Kyle down onto the couch. She snuggled next to him. She was playing with his hair.

Kyle: You’re strong...Where did that come from? You have noodle arms!

Kanni: I guess adrenaline.

Kyle: What? Are you worried or something?

Kanni: I’ve been so excited about being here all day! But when I walked in...I felt something new.

Kanni started mumbling to herself again.

Kanni: Should I even tell him? He wouldn’t understand me.

Kyle: Tell me what?

Kanni: Uhm!

Kyle: You know that mumbling thing totally creeps people out. It’s really obvious when you do it too.

Kanni: What? I just kinda start talking. It feels like there’s someone here. Listening to me. Like they’ve been listening to me the whole time.

Kyle: Don’t be afraid to talk to me.

Kanni: I don’t feel this often. Its what you call butterflies in your stomach. I was all anxious. I was excited all day! I got all excited, but when I got here, I didn’t feel excited. I feel scared. Like something’s going to happen to me.

Kyle: Nothing’s going to happen. Here, let’s watch a movie. I’ll take you to the park some other time.

Kanni: What movie?

Kyle: What movie do you wanna watch?

Kanni: Well there is this one movie I like. It’s actually my favorite movie.

Kyle: What movie is it?

Kanni: It’s this crazy action movie, it’s called out of ammo.

Kyle: My Dad knows about that movie. I watched it with him. You wanna watch that?

Kanni: Yeah yeah yeah!

Kyle: Alright, alright.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Jonathan Wickinson deactivated the flames. Tne man in front of him was still burning.

Jon: Just stop screaming.

Jon took out a sword. He sliced the man’s head off.

Kanni was holding onto Kyle. She seemed to be tensing up more and more.

Kyle: Jeezus christ...Are you scared?

Kanni: No. I just...really like the feel of your arm.

Kyle’s Mom: Hey! It’s getting late you two!

Kyle: We’ll come up!

Kanni: Why does your Mom not trust us?

Kyle: She doesn’t not trust us. She’s just paranoid. I don’t usually have girls over.

Kanni: So I’m your first?

Kyle: I guess you could say that. Let’s just go up. Mom’s going to freak out on me.

Kanni: Your Mom doesn’t trust you…

Kyle and Kanni went upstairs.

Kyle’s Mom: You should probably head home soon. It’s getting late. It’s almost ten. You have a ride, right?

Kanni: Well, I was planning on walking home.

Kyle’s Mom: Well it’s downpouring outside.

Kyle: Can’t you drive her?

Kyle’s Mom: Where do you live, Kanni?

Kanni: The 25th Ward.

Kyle’s Mom: Let me look that up.

Kanni grabbed Kyle’s hand. She walked him into the rain.

Kanni: I really don’t mind the rain, to be honest.

Kyle: I hate it. Rain just ruins the mood.

Kanni: What? Rain is amazing! You just haven’t experienced being out in the rain for real!

Kyle’s Mom: Hey! Kyle. Come in here! Help me out.

Kyle: Ugh. We really should’ve went out instead. I’ll be right back.

Kanni looked around. She put her eye on Kyle’s Mom’s car.

## E17 - Love Will Tear Us Apart

Kyle’s Mom grabbed the keys to her car.

Kyle’s Mom: You can stay in here. I’m going to start the car.

Kanni and Kyle sat in the kitchen.

Kyle: So, did you have fun tonight?

Kanni: Yeah...I did. Next time we have to go to that park! That sounds too cool.

Kyle: We will.

Kanni: So….What do couples do before they leave each other?

Kyle: I wouldn’t know. I never even dated anyone. Not for real.

Kanni: Then why’d you choose me?

Kyle: You really want me to tell you why?

Kanni: Yeah! Tell me!

Kyle: My friends...they wanted me to do it as a joke. We do stuff like that all the time to each other during prom season.

Kanni: You asked me out because I’m a creep?

Kyle: I guess so. But it’s wrong. You are a different type of person. But you aren’t bad. There’s stuff to love about you. You aren’t afraid to get close to people. And you’re always excited and happy. I don’t know if that’s a front. But I like it.

Kanni: I….I like being around you. That’s really all. You don’t make fun of me or question me. Everyone just has to annoy and pester me. They kill things I love, they doubt me, they hate me,

Kyle: What….? Who does that? Why would someone do that?

Kanni: Kyle. You don’t understand how much I want to get payback all the time.

Kanni put her hand on his wrist.

Kanni: How much...How much I just want t-

Kyle’s Mom came into the house.

Kyle’s Mom: Dammit! The car won’t start! Ugh...Dad’s not going to be home until the morning.

Kyle’s Mom stopped and thought.

Kyle’s Mom: Kanni...You can stay the night. Just...Sleep downstairs.

Kanni: Oh, okay. Does that mean me and Kyle get to see each other tomorrow too?

Kyle’s Mom: I guess so. If you want. And as long as you have no homework!

Kyle: I don’t have that much.

Kyle’s Mom: Okay, just...Get to bed soon, please.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kyle crawled into bed. He turned around and looked over his shoulder.

Kyle: My god…

He laid down and fell asleep. He turned his lights off.

Kyle’s Mom popped the hood to her car. Her car battery was crushed. It was spewing out chemicals.

Kyle’s Mom: What the hell…

Kanni: I just had to be with him. I just had to sleep with him. Even in the same house. I want to be with him. His mother won’t get in my way. I guess I can’t kill her. Kyle might be mad. Nobody is going to get in my way anymore. Nobody will ever get in my way. Kyle wouldn’t be happy if I ripped her throat wide open. But the risk makes me more excited. It makes our relationship all the more beautiful.

```
His door creaked open slowly. Kanni peeked in. She watched Kyle sleep. She got in his bed. His eyes opened.

```

Kyle: Kanni?! What are y-

Kanni: Don’t move. Just stay there.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Bigmouth was sitting in an interrogation room.

Cop: Explain to me again, who were the men who attacked you?

Bigmouth: Ugh. One was one of you! One of them was a cop. Then there were two others. Old guy with a beard and a coat. He looked like he smoked. Then there was this guy in all black with sunglasses.

The cop wrote down messy notes.

Bigmouth: Actually planning on doing your job this time?

Cop: You really want to talk to us like that? The 25th ward is probably worse than prison. We can keep you in there for life if we need to.

Bigmouth: We can leave whenever we want.

Cop: No you can’t.

Bigmouth: What the hell are you talking about?

Cop: You can’t leave until your doctor claims you’ve made a change.

Bigmouth: Then what the hell happened to most of my guys? Adams, Scarface?

Cop: What did they say happened?

Bigmouth: They left!

Cop: Maybe someone was on their side. I dunno. I recognize one of the name, and that dude wasn’t getting out for a while.

Bigmouth: You damn cops...What’s wrong with you?

Cop: Watch your tone. I guess I’m obligated to ask about the girl. The girl that was with you. What about her? How did you manage to break out of that bank vault?

Bigmouth: We...It was the people outside. They somehow broke open the door. I dunno what they wanted. But it had something to do with the girl.

Cop: Alright. Whatever. You can go. We need to interrogate Officer Moonlight.

Bigmouth: Haven’t seen him since that day.

As Bigmouth was walking out. He saw a birthday card on the ground. He opened it.

Bigmouth: Hey you guys m-

Cop: What?

Bigmouth: Nothing.

Cop: Okay, just get out of my face.

Bigmouth walked down the street and opened the card. He read the small inscription on the inside. “Barraza inn, room 145. ASAP.” - Dr. G.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni and Kyle were walking through the woods.

Kyle: C’mon, just a little further.

Kyle saw a soda bottle that had been hung on a tree branch.

Kyle: Alright, close your eyes.

Kanni: Close my eyes?

Kyle: Yeah. You heard me.

Kanni covered her eyes. Kyle put his hands over her hands from behind and walked her forward.

Kyle: Careful of stumps.

Kanni laughed in excitement as he pushed her forward. They walked out of a trail in the woods.

Kyle: Okay, okay. Open your eyes.

Kanni opened her eyes to see an eerie, once bustling amusement park. She saw the decrepit merry-go-round. The horses looked like rotting corpses. There were roller coasters that looked like they were on the verge of falling apart. What caught Kanni’s eye was the abandoned ferris wheel in the middle of the park.

Kanni: Oh my god...How long has this been here?

Kyle: Our town used to be part of a place called San Francisco. There was this big battle there. I can’t even imagine what happened. This place was called the golden gates.

Kanni: Like heaven!

Kyle: Yeah, I guess so.

Kanni: Can we go on something?

Kyle: Well, we can explore.

Kanni: Can we go on the ferris wheel?!

Kyle: I...guess.

Kanni grabbed his hand.

Kanni: Come on!

Kyle: Okay, okay!

As they got closer and closer to the ferris wheel, the bigger it got.

Kyle: God...This is so creepy.

Kanni: Come on! It’ll be worth it!

## E18 - No More

Bigmouth walked through the halls of Santa Barraza Inn. He came upon room 145. There was a shoe at the door. He pushed the door open slowly.

Bigmouth: Hello?

Giovanna stuffed a pack of cigarettes into a suitcase. He turned to look at Bigmouth. He pulled a handgun.

Giovanna: What are you doing here?!

Bigmouth: Hey, you’re the guy who tried to shoot me and Kanni!

Giovanna: This time I’m not going to have to try and shoot you. It looks like I’ve got a good shot from here.

Bigmouth: I’m not here to bust you! I just want answers.

Giovanna: To what?

Bigmouth: Why’d you lock me and Kanni in that bank vault? You were obviously waiting for us.

Giovanna: I wanted evidence. If you leave a starving tiger and a lamb in a cage together, what do you think will happen?

Bigmouth: What the hell are you trying to say?

Giovanna: Are you stupid? You’re the lamb. Kanni’s the tiger.

Bigmouth: You wanted her to kill me?

Giovanna: Well, I expected a psychopath. She’d get so hungry for blood she’d just kill you on the spot. But I guess she’s more complex than that.

Bigmouth: Why did you want any of this? Tell me!

Giovanna: I don’t need to. Do I? I could kill you here and now.

Bigmouth: So could I.

Bigmouth had pulled his gun. He had it pointed at Giovanna’s stomach. Giovanna laughed.

Giovanna: I’ve got a gun pointed to your head. You die no matter what. I get a minor wound. Don’t get you-

Bigmouth fired his gun into Giovanna’s stomach. He shot his gun and fell over. Just missing Bigmouth’s head.

Bigmouth: Start talking. You know you’ll live.

Giovanna: You want to know the truth about that kid? Really?!

Bigmouth: Tell me.

Giovanna: Well, it appears I’ve been pushed in a corner. Fuck this city anyway. Kanni has killed over nine people.

Bigmouth: What? What the hell are you talking about?

Giovanna: Open my suitcases.

Bigmouth opened the suitcase. He found polaroid pictures that were taken of the crimes Kanni had committed. He nearly threw up. There were two dead bodies from the first kills she commited. Alonge’s smashed in face. Charlotte’s body, beaten to death.

Giovanna: Those are the cases I could get good pictures of. She really did a bad job covering up the little fat kid’s face she smashed in.

Bigmouth: What...What makes you think she could’ve done something like this?

Giovanna: The first two kills. The girl she killed’s fuckin’ head got ripped off. I haven’t met any other metahumans with unnatural super strength around here. Have you? You’ve seen it for yourself. Especially ones that go to her school! There’s been more and more people going missing at her school. More and more blind eyes being turned to the crimes.

Giovanna got to his feet. He grabbed a syringe from his suitcase and stabbed himself with it. He pointed his gun at Bigmouth’s head.

Giovanna: I would kill you, but I want Kanni to do it herself.

Bigmouth: Why would she do this?

Giovanna: Why would the tiger eat the lamb? It was hungry. But it’s even worse for Kanni. She’s getting off. Those teen hormones are going off the charts. You know about all those people who went missing at the 25th ward? They “left”. I hypothesize that it was all Kanni. I would just need to take a better look around the 25th ward.

Bigmouth: Then come with me! You can do some more looking around.

Giovanna: No. I got here too late. I’m done protecting this place. I have better places to be.

Bigmouth: If you aren’t going to help, then at least let me find someone who can. I know you’re a perceptive guy. So talk to me.

Giovanna: Before you get to that, I’ll give you one piece of knowledge that might help.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni and Kyle were looking out of the seat of the ferris wheel. They had climbed to the top seat.

Kanni: This is beautiful.

They looked from the seat. Seeing the woods, and the fog raising all around them. The sun peeked through the clouds.

Kyle: Hey, I’ve been meaning to ask. What was last night all about?

Kanni: What do you mean?

Kyle: There were so many coincidences. Did you...Do something?

Kanni: What makes you think that? I didn’t do anything. I was just happy that your mom let me stay the night.

Kyle: Me...Me too.

Kanni was staring at Kyle.

Kyle: What?

Kanni: I want you to kiss me.

Kyle: Jeez. Way to shoot your shot.

Kanni: Well, what’s your answer?

Kyle: Uhm, okay.

Kanni crawled towards Kyle and kissed him, the seat’s weight shifted over. Kyle gently pushed her off.

Kanni: What’s wrong?!

Kyle: Nothing. I just...I just wanted to ask a question. Not that I think it’s true at all. But did you really kill people in the school? There’s been so many rumors. After all, you know where we live.

Kanni: Me killing people?

Kanni curled herself into a ball and began to mumble.

Kanni: No, no, no. He can’t know. But he’ll know if I’m lying. He’ll know, he’ll know.

Kyle: Kanni? Are you going to say something?

Kanni: I-I. Just...Just…

Kanni felt a feeling she rarely felt. Her throat closed up. She stumbled over her words. She wrapped her arms around Kyle and kissed him again. She rested both of her hands on his cheeks.

She repositioned her hands. Her face turned dead. Cold. She picked him up with both arms, Their lips being torn apart. She held him by the face. She squeezed. His nose began to bleed, as Kyle tried to scream out. His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets, and he spat blood from his mouth. His head collapsed in on itself. Kanni was covered in blood. She was waiting for the rush. For the excitement. Nothing. She jumped out of the ferris wheel. Landing on the ground with a crash. She turned around and looked at the amusement park. She grabbed onto the support of the ferris wheel and ripped it off. The ferris wheel toppled over. She smashed the horses on the merry-go round open. And still felt nothing. She fell on the ground. Covered in blood. She looked up at the sky.

## E19 - I’m Sorry, Daddy

Mark walked into a coffee shop. He ordered a coffee and a doughnut. He sat down in a booth while the shop made him coffee. Someone walked into the store wearing a hood. He looked around and ordered a doughnut when he went to the counter. He turned around and walked towards Mark. Mark was trying to read who it was. He sat down in Mark’s booth. Mark went for his gun.

Bigmouth: Don’t do it. I just want your help. That’s it.

Mark: What do you want?

Bigmouth: You think Giovanna was crazy, hm?

Mark: Ugh, yeah. I do. He’s going to get me fired. I know it.

Bigmouth: Come with me. I...I need your help. It’s about Kanni.

Mark: You don’t think she….?

Bigmouth: I hope what Giovanna said isn’t true. I get it. You have a daughter at home, right?

Mark: How do you-

Bigmouth took the birthday card Giovanna had written in and gave it to Mark.

Bigmouth: You left the receipt. Saw your name. I had a daughter too. You wouldn’t expect someone that old to do something like this. Right?

Mark: Mhm. Yeah. I’m not going with a criminal though. Not with you. Especially if Giovanna has anything to do with this.

Bigmouth: Well. I know you love your job. I can tell the cops where you are. Or you can come with me,

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was walking through the woods. Her eyelids were red, and her face stained with tears. She was shivering from the cold.

Kanni: No rush. Why was there no rush? Why’d I kill him? Why’d I do it?

Kanni walked and walked. She slammed her hand against a tree and sliced it in half. It toppled to the ground.

Kanni: It wouldn’t have worked. It wouldn’t have worked. He wouldn’t have accepted me. I can’t lie. Everyone’s going to think I’m insane. I guess I just can’t tell anyone. I have to stay hidden from everyone. I should leave. But I don’t want to leave Mommy. I don’t want to leave Bigmouth. I don’t want to leave Daddy! But I need to...I need to…

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Mark and Bigmouth walked through the halls of the 25th ward.

Bigmouth: Here...She always hovered around here….

There was the security door that Kanni had always used. They opened the door and started walking through. Mark turned on his flashlight. There were doors on each side of them. Mark cracked open doors as they went.

Mark: Nothing. Look across. We’ll check each and everyone of these rooms.

Bigmouth: There’s something back here. I know it. There were times when I’d see Kanni’s room. She was rarely there, and she isn’t usually out.

Mark: So you think she has a big secret back here or something?

Bigmouth: I don’t know!? I know she’s hiding something. I’ve seen the way she acts...It’s plain creepy.

Mark: I’m taking your word for it. Only because you two are obviously close.

Bigmouth: What makes you say that?

Mark: You said you ‘had’ a daughter. Plus, you two have obviously spent lots of time together.

Bigmouth: She just annoyed me in line one day, that’s it. Then she never stopped following me around.

Mark: Well, as far as I know, she’s a sweet girl. She was sweet to me in the cop car. She was honest. It’s like she doesn’t get society.

Bigmouth: It’s probably why she’s in here.

Mark: Hey, look over there.

There was a vending machine boarding down a door.

Bigmouth: The vending machine?

Mark: Forget looking at the other doors. Check this out.

They went closer to the vending machine.

Mark: Look.

There were scratches all across the ground. They looked it up and down. Mark coughed from the sudden wretched smell that came from the room. Bigmouth picked up on it and covered his nose.

Mark: Come on, help me here.

Mark and Bigmouth pushed the vending machine out of the way. They slowly opened the door. Mark shined his light around the room. It was splattered with blood. There were bloody clothes sprawled throughout the corner. Mark shined his light on what looked like where the smell was coming from. There was a body towards the center of the room. It had to be someone from maintenance. Mark’s flashlight was shaking. They couldn’t see his whole body, but there were pieces of skin sprawled throughout the ground. Mark did one final sweep, and they saw the head that was once connected to the body of the man in the room. Mark threw up in the corner of the room. Bigmouth found a light, and turned it on. He looked around the room. His heart beating 1,000 times a minute. He looked at the clothes in the corner.

Bigmouth: This is her pajama shirt...and this is what she wore to prom.

Bigmouth looked at her red prom dress, and various shirts that were stained with blood. Mark looked back up, there were more bodies. Piled ontop of eachother. All mutilated. Just like the pictures Giovanna had shown her.

Bigmouth: You’ve seen the pictures...Right?

Mark: ...You said that’s her clothes…

Bigmouth: Yeah.

???: Sweetness...Sweetness...I-

Kanni stood in the doorway of the room. Bigmouth and Mark looked at her. Her face and upper-clothing was covered in blood. Both of the men in front of her were frozen.

Mark: Kanni. We-

Kanni tackled Mark to the ground.

Mark: Kanni! I-

Kanni stopped herself.

Kanni: You...What?

Mark: I…

Bigmouth: Kanni! Stop!

Kanni looked at Bigmouth. She swung down with one hand. She snapped Mark’s face open. That was all Bigmouth heard. She started to scream out crying. All while she bludgeoned Mark’s face

Kanni: Daddy! Please don’t leave me! I know I’m horrible! I know I’m fucked up! But please! Please! Don’t leave me! I can’t stop. It’s just...It’s just killing...It makes me feel excited...It makes me feel a rush...Every Time. Everytime I do it I feel happy. Happier than when I’m with you. Happier than I’m with Mommy. It’s the best feeling ever.

Bigmouth: Kanni! Get up, get off of him.

Kanni was still crying. Bigmouth grabbed her hand. She slowly got to her feet. He caressed her face.

Bigmouth: ...Well, do it.

Kanni: No! No! No! Not to you! Not to my Daddy!

Bigmouth: Only one of us is leaving here alive.

Kanni: Both of us! Both of us! I’m not losing another Daddy! You’re the only one that cares….The only one that doesn’t judge me.

Bigmouth: Would your real Daddy approve of you acting like this?

Kanni: ...He would.

Bigmouth: Then that’s more of a reason why I should do this.

Bigmouth took out a gun. He put it up to his head. Kanni grabbed the gun and closed her hand on it, crushing it. She clung to Bigmouth and cried on him.

Bigmouth: Dammit.

Bigmouth looked up at the corner of the room. There was a boxy-type object. He threw the broken gun he had at the corner of the room.

Kanni: This….This feels a little better than the killing.

Bigmouth: Yeah.

The box in the corner of the room started to shake violently, and let out an alarm. Bigmouth’s head exploded in Kanni’s arms. She instantly felt something wrong. Then she opened her eyes. Just like with Kyle, her face went cold instantly. Kanni heard the alarm go off again. She felt something in her brain. Something was going to burst. Her heart sank. She yelled out in pain, when there was a loud bang in her head. It was like smoke suddenly came from her nose, mouth and ears. She put her hands over her ears and screamed out in pure agony.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

A middle aged man suddenly opened his eyes in his bed. He sucked in all his breath and then let out a big breath. Almost hyperventilating. He slowly caught his breath as he got out of bed.

???: Ugh, fucking seriously?

The man stood up and went into his closet and looked through the clothes. He changed into an all black outfit.

???: Good enough.

He looked around the apartment room. He found some sunglasses and put them on. He had the same black mark on his head. It was of a blood droplet.

Kiron: God...That was uncalled for.

Kiron looked at the driver’s license of the man he had possessed. Cayden Hamilton. He grabbed a marker and scribbled out the name. He walked out of the apartment, catching his breath still.

## E20 - Broken Collar

Chipman was sitting in his office. He had a large monitor of faces. Of everyone in the 25th ward. There had to be over 300 faces on the monitor. Two faces were black and white. Kanni’s and Bigmouth’s. There was a large red alarm over Kanni’s face.

Chipman: I guess this is it.

A woman ran into Chipman’s office.

Woman: What the fuck are you doing?! Chipman!

Chipman: You’re Katie, right? The office lady. You’re the one who let all those people by. Or lack thereof. We’re all puppets. Controlled by a god. We’re all going to get cleaned by the dead queen. I’m not living in this cage anymore. We’re all going to be purified. Watch.

Katie: What do you mean watch?

Katie scrolled across the monitor. Her heart sank when she saw her face on the screen.

Chipman: Exactly.

The alarm went off again, and Katie’s head exploded.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was walking through the halls of the 25th ward with urgency. She heard Chipman’s voice over the intercom.

Chipman: The time has come upon us. I’m tired of living in this cage, and so should all of you. We have two choices in front of us. Well, it’s really one choice now. It just depends on how fast you want to die. Or if you want to bring the queen here, to me.

Kanni instantly saw as chaos ensued throughout the halls. Some people even started going to her.

???: Kanni! You’ve gotta come with us!

???: Come on Kanni! Come with me!

Kanni: Shut up!

Kanni punched through the heart of one of the men in front of her. She threw him aside and pushed the other man’s head against the wall. She pushed him to the ground. He tried to fight back, but it was nothing compared to Kanni’s brute force. She kicked his head in, and flattened it like a pancake.

Kanni: Chipman. Did he do it…?

Kanni looked ahead as some people’s heads were beginning to suddenly explode.

Kanni: He tried to kill me. He killed Bigmouth. He’s fucking dying. He’s going to fucking die.

Kanni watched as more and more inmates began to fight in front of her. She put her hands on her head and let out a yell.

Kanni: Everyone stop! Get out of my way! Get out! Get out! Get out!

A green energy surrounded Kanni. She slashed her hand across the hall, and gigantic green claw extended from her hand, and sliced the large group of people in front of her into pieces.

Kanni: ...Ha...Woah.

She stopped herself in her tracks.

Kanni: Oh...That felt good. That felt good.

Kanni was nearly frozen with pleasure. A man down the hall was running away screaming. Kanni was down the hall in the blink of an eye, moving faster than the man could perceive. She grabbed his head and smashed it against the wall. She fell backwards and leaned against the wall. Breathing heavily with pleasure. Then her ears started ringing. She heard a loud bang, then felt something hit her. There was a firing squad of soldiers at the end of the hall. They had the word B.L.A.D.E across their chest plates. They started unloading on Kanni. This time, she simply walked forward. Letting the bullets bounce off of her. To her, it was like gnats swarming around her. The soldiers backed down the hall as Kanni walked towards them. Kanni suddenly lurched back. She put her hand over her eye.

Soldier: Advance! Advance!

The soldiers surrounded Kanni. One of them put her hands behind her and put cuffs on her. A plate on the back lit up green “meta powers suppressed”. They picked up Kanni. One of the soldiers looked into the camera.

Soldier: We’ve got her. Thank you for your contribution, Dr. Chipman.

Kanni instantly snapped the cuffs that they had put on her off. They were shattered into pieces. She grabbed one of the soldier’s guns and jammed it through his neck. She tried punching straight through his chest, but she only dented his armor. She just got angrier, she just saw more and more red. The soldiers from behind started beating her down with electrical batons. She grabbed one of their batons and broke it in half. She punched one of the soldiers in the leg, his leg was shattered. She got ontop of him and ripped off his mask.,

Soldier: No no!

Kanni stabbed the baton into the soldier’s face. Directly through one of his eyes. The soldiers backed off. They took out their guns and started shooting at Kanni, One of them put his gun right up to the back of her head and fired. She was pushed down, and hit her head on the soldier she had just killed.

Kanni: I hate all of you! I hate all you humans! You just keep dragging me down! What the fuck is so wrong with me that I need to be put down like a dog?!

Kanni grabbed the soldier who just shot at her by the leg and climbed on top of him.

Kanni: What about you?! How would you like it? To be put down because you’re a fucking waste of space?!

The other soldiers were hitting her, and shooting at her. But she wasn’t even phased anymore. She beat the soldier in front of her to death, smashing his armor in more and more with every hit.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Chipman watched as heads of people in the 25th ward went black and white, He switched over to the cameras. He saw a B.L.A.D.E soldier standing in the middle of the hall. Then saw his body be split clean in half. As Kanni walked forward covered in gunpowder and blood. He looked at the faces. Every face except Kanni’s was fully blacked out.

Kanni: Chipman…

His door was smashed down.

Chipman: I knew it would come to this someday. Someone like you would come along to kill us all. I think you’ve figured it out. This isn’t a mental facility. It’s a place to keep people like you away from the world.

Kanni: People like me?

Chipman: Clinically insane, psychopathic, and dangerous. You see, I was once a B.L.A.D.E soldier. Bu-

Kanni grabbed Chipman by the throat. She started crushing his windpipe.

Chipman: I….Thought….I thought you let….Us give….A final word?

Kanni stopped. She pushed Chipman to the floor. He coughed.

Chipman: You see, there was an insi-

Kanni stomped on his stomach. He choked up blood. She got on top of him and punched through his chest. She picked him up and threw him against the wall.

Kanni: You deserve to bleed out and die.

## E21 - On My Level

Kanni was spinning around on a chair by a restaurant in a strip mall. She was sucking on a lollipop. She saw someone walk out of their car. He was going to walk into the liquor store.

Kanni: Hey! You! Come here! Come here!

Man: Me? What’s up?

Kanni: Can you uhm, buy me some beer? Please?

Man: I-I don’t think I can do that.

Kanni: I’ve had a hard last couple days. My boyfriend died, and so did my Dad! Even my therapist died! Just...please! Please!

Man: I doubt all that happened in the last couple days. Go pester someone else.

Kanni started to cry.

Kanni: You...You think I’m joking!? Fuck you! Fuck you!

The man knelt down to Kanni’s level.

Man: come on! Stop, you’re making a scene.

Kanni took the lollipop out of her mouth and stabbed the man in the eye with the stick. He started to scream out. She grabbed him by the neck and snapped it open, ripping guts out. She left his body and walked into the liquor store herself. She looked around at the beer. She found some whiskey. She picked it up and went for the door.

Cashier: Hey, you have to pay for that, y’know. How old are you?

Kanni: Ask the guy outside.

Cashier: What?

Kanni walked out of the store, She opened up the whiskey bottle and started drinking from it. She jumped on top of the strip mall and looked up at the stars while drinking.

Kanni: What the…?

Kanni started to chug the bottle.

Kanni: Why isn’t this…?

She stood up and drank the entire bottle in one gulp.

Kanni: Why’s there no effect?!

Kanni threw the bottle on the ground. It shattered into pieces. She stood up and went to jump off the roof. She saw a cop car show up. She jumped down and walked into the liquor store again. She grabbed something that looked strong, and drank again. Nothing. She ignored the sirens. She heard the door open.

Cashier: Hey! That’s her! That’s the girl!

Kanni turned around and walked towards the cashier. Along with a group of four cops behind her. They instantly recognized her.

Cop: I think we should maybe...go now. We’ll look into this.

Cashier: Hey! It’s your job to protect this city! From things like her!

Kanni: Thing?

The cops retreated into their cop cars. One of them went to back up. But the car didn’t move. He looked in his mirror to see Kanni behind the car. It’s back tires were spinning, and not touching the ground. Kanni flipped the car over with one hand. There was blue liquid that was starting to leak from the car. Kanni plunged her hand into the engine. The car exploded, and Kanni was sent flying backward and through the glass of the liquor store.

Kanni: Pigs…

The cashier was screaming and crying at this point. She watched as Kanni stood up and grabbed another bottle of whiskey and drank.

Kanni: Why?! Why?! Why?!

Cashier: What’s….What’s wrong?

Kanni: This whiskey isn’t affecting me! Where’s your hardest drink?!

The cashier stood up, shaking. She went into the store and grabbed Kanni some more whiskey. She was trying not to cry now. She handed it to Kanni. She started to chug it. She grew even more angry and slammed it on the ground.

Kanni: Why does it not work?!

She walked out of the store. It was dark now.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

A cashier was ringing out clothes at the store for Kiron.

Cashier: Wow, Cayden. I didn’t expect you to change up your style this much. All black?

Kiron: My name isn’t Cayden. Call me Kiron.

Cashier: Kiron? What? Where’d that come from? Anyway, your total is $220.

Kiron gave him $300.

Kiron: Keep the tip.

Kiron took the clothes. He went into his car and changed into the clothes. They were just like the clothes he wore before he was killed previously. He drove into the suburbs of Santa Barraza. He knocked on the door of the house. A middle-aged woman opened the door.

Woman: Hello? Who are you?

Kiron: It’s Kiron.

Woman: Codeword.

Kiron: Judge, jury, and executioner. Mom, it’s me.

The woman was wearing hospital scrubs. Her name, Kelsie O’Brian. Was on her shirt.

Kelsie: Oh! Thank god!

Kelsie hugged Kiron.

Kiron: I do this every time I die. You know that, right?

Kelsie: Yeah, I know. It’s to keep your mother from worrying about you.

Kiron: And jeez, you’re still so paranoid.

Kelsie: People like you and I, we have lots of enemies. You know that.

Kiron: Very well, yeah.

Kelsie: Anyway, come on in! What do you want to eat? Anything?

Kiron: No, I’m not hungry.

Kelsie: This is such a rare occasion! At least humor your old mother for once!

Kiron: Fine, okay. What do you want?

Kelsie: No, what do you want?

Kiron: Just..,Make some clam chowder soup. That’ll suffice.

Kelsie danced around the room. Kiron couldn’t help but smile at his mother. She put on an apron and began cooking.

Kiron: God...Why are you always so happy?

Kelsie: Why are you always so gloomy? You seriously went out and bought that outfit before you came here. You look like a cult leader or something.

Kiron: Ouch.

Kelsie: So, how’d you die this time?

Kiron: I was trying to stop Kanni.

Kelsie: Kanni? Wh….Right. Kanni.

Kiron: Someone she was with. Some old biker gang member caught me off guard.

Kelsie: Oh, I’ve got to add that to the list.

Kelsie took out a notebook from a drawer and scribbled into a list of ways Kiron had died.

Kiron: Very funny. You really think it’s necessary to start a list?

Kelsie: Definitely.

Kiron: It was my first encounter with her anyway.

Kelsie: Yeah, anyway. How have you been doing? Been going out with any girls?

Kiron: Mom. I’m focused on my work.

Kelsie: Your work? What is your work?

Kiron: I’m a PMC.

Kelsie: The hell’s a PMC?

Kiron: Private Military Contractor. Look, I want to support people with my work. It’ll get bloody. It’ll get violent. But that’s what I’m here for. You raised me to be this way, Mom. What about you? You used to love the work.

Kelsie: Monologuing as always. Yeah, I liked the work. That was when I was young. I think I like to find excitement in the more simple things in life.

Kelsie put the soup in front of Kiron. She sat across from him.

Kiron: Simple things? It’s all a pain. All trivial.

Kelsie: So pessimistic. So what about life, hm? I missed my chance to settle down. Be smarter than me.

Kiron: Not anytime soon. I have a goal I’m focused on. It’s important.

Kelsie: You should have time for a normal life. Maybe you should just...You should just stop all this madness! Whatever it is you’re doing.

Kiron: No.

Kelsie: Your answer is just “no”? Just hear me out. Hear your mother out. This life...it’s not forgiving. It’s harsh. It’ll ruin your relationships. It could ruin your life if you keep going like this.

Kiron: You hate talking about what matters. My goal is to kill Kanni. I know you’re on board. You just don’t want to admit it.

Kiron stood up.

Kelsie: You may get your features from me, but that head of yours, you get from your father.

Kiron: Right.

Kiron walked out of the house.

## E22 - Mommy, Answer Me!

Kanni: What...What is this? Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong. But I don’t know what. Everyone, these shadows around me are surrounding me. It’s like their...Choking the life out of me! I should be the one choking the life out of them. I’ll kill anyone who gets in my way.

???: But what’s your goal?

Kanni: To….To get out of here. To finish this, I need to find Mommy! She sent me there! She sent me to the ward!

???: But you love her, don’t you?

Kanni: I do.

???: Then what are you planning on doing to her?

Kanni: Asking her why. Why would she do this to me? Her own damn daughter? She loved me. But...Did she lie?

???:...

Kanni: Come on! Answer me! Did she lie?

???: …

Kanni kept walking along the sidewalk. She walked like she was on a mission, like she had never before. Mommy...Mommy…

Kanni walked along the sidewalk dead focused. She walked past people like a zombie.

Kanni: Mommy wouldn’t have done this. She loves me. She loved me. She loves me now. She raised me.

Kanni eventually made her way to a house. She came up to it and knocked furiously.

Kanni: Mommy! Open the door!

Kelsie opened the door to the house. The instant she saw Kanni, Kanni covered in blood, her clothes and body stained with blood of so many people, her face shrunk. The smile that was eternally on her face was wiped off. She wore a fake smile.

Kelsie: Kanni...Kanni…! Hi!

Kanni: Mommy! Can I come in? Please?

Kelsie: Come in honey. Come in.

Kelsie grabbed Kanni’s hand. She was reminded of her childhood.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kanni was a small child. She was about 5. She had her hands over her face, and she was crying. She wore a cutesy pink dress. That was stained with blood. Kanni’s face was gushing blood. Kelsie was yelling in the background, everything around her was burning.

Kelsie: No! That’s it! I’m putting my foot down!

Kelsie’s voice was shaky. Kanni heard a distorted voice say something. Kelsie grabbed Kanni’s hand. The distorted voice got louder. Kelsie wrapped her hands around Kanni. A blue shield appeared around her the moment before they were hit by a black force. They went flying. Kelsie crashed into some sort of debris. But her and Kanni were untouched. She looked down at Kanni.

Kanni: What’s happening to Daddy?

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

Kelsie: Hey, Kanni. Look at me. It’s okay. Just sit here for a second.

Kanni: Where are you going, Mommy?

Kelsie: I have something for you...I just...I just need to get it ready. Okay?

Kelsie gave Kanni a reassuring smile.

Kelsie walked into her bedroom. There were bloody bandages all over the bedroom.

Kelsie: Okay…

Kelsie seemed like she was almost shaking. She was starting to be overcome with anxiety. She went to a blank part of her wall and punched through it. She turned a switch, it opened up a door. She walked in and looked at some sort of control system. She put her hand on a knob and turned it. It had the words B.L.A.D.E inscripted on it.

System: Activating teleporter….

Kelsie pressed a bunch more buttons.

Kelsie: I’ll have to use it all.

Kelsie pressed a bunch of buttons all around. They were all red. They lit up red, and on the small screen read a bunch of codes. The first that came up was “BLD W01 Armed” the second, “BLD W02 Armed”. The codes kept reading. Over and over. She grabbed some sort of device and put it in her coat pocket. She walked out of her room and into the living room. Kanni wasn’t there.

Kelsie: Kanni! Where’d you-

Kanni: Mommy, what were you just doing?

Kelsie turned around to see Kanni in the hallway. Since the light was off, It was like she was seeing a monster bare its fangs at her. Kanni’s eyes glowed yellow.

Kelsie: Kanni...You know I love you right? I do all of this because I love you.

Kanni: Like what? Send me to that hellhole? Didn’t you do it Mommy? Didn’t you send me to the 25th ward?

Kelsie: Yeah. I did.

Kanni: I destroyed it. It burnt to the fucking ground. Along with the people inside of it.

Kelsie: There was someone working with you...Someone from outside the inner circle.

Kanni: What are you talking about? Who cares?! Why’d you do this to me? Why’d you lock me in that place?

Kelsie: It was a normal mental asylum. I sent you there to get you help.

Kanni: No you didn’t! You didn’t!

Kanni walked towards Kelsie. She backed up, keeping her guard up. They walked into the living room.

Kanni: No! No no no! You sent me there knowing what it was! Why? Why? They were going to keep me there for life! Forever! I don’t want to be there forever! So why’d you do it?

Kelsie: Honey. Calm down.

Kelsie grabbed Kanni’s hand.

Kelsie: Come on. Listen to me. Let’s just sit down and have something to eat. Please.

Kanni: Stop lying! Why does everyone lie?! Why does everyone lie to me? Come on! Tell me! Does nobody think I know better? Does everyone think I’m insane?

Kelsie: Calm down Kanni. I love you. I’m your mother. Remember what I told you? All mothers love their daughters.

Kanni: Nobody loves me. Nobody wants to really help me! Help me! Just help me!

Kelsie: Kanni, I’m trying.

Kelsie was starting to cry watching Kanni’s mental state deteriorate. Kanni grabbed the kitchen table and flipped it over.

Kanni: Why won’t you help me?! Don’t leave me alone!

She smashed a chair and threw another across the room.

Kanni: Don’t abandon me! Don’t kill me! Don’t let me die here Mommy!

Kelsie: How...How can I help you understand Kanni?

Kanni: Why’d you send me there?

Kelsie wiped her tears away and her face grew cold.

Kelsie: I saw that you killed those two kids. I knew it would happen one day. I made preparations. You can’t be allowed to be in the public. You can’t be let loose. You’ll kill anyone just to make yourself feel better. Just to pleasure yourself. That’s sick. Twisted. You’re just like You. I knew that once you found that part of yourself, it was over. I sent you there to rot and die.

Kanni was silent. She looked at her Mom. Kelsie’s face faltered for a moment. Kanni saw her remorse. Then she did her best to go back to her cold expression. Kanni stretched her arms and grabbed her mother by the neck and lifted her up. She heard her mom’s quiet gasps for breath. It only made her squeeze harder.

Kanni: I hate you.

She squeezed with all her might. Kelsie took the device from earlier and put it on Kanni. It stuck to her. Her blue shield came around her. Kanni’s grasp was broken. Kelsie landed with the shield around her. She was untouchable. She put a device that looked like Kanni’s on herself and pressed a button on it. They were teleported away.

## E23 - My Insides Are Red

Kanni and Kelsie landed across from each other in a desert land, barren of life.

Kelsie: This place...It’s where many humans and metahumans gave their lives many years ago. Almost 30 years ago now,

Kanni: Did you take us here so I can kill you with nobody around?

The device on Kanni turned on a timer. 15 minutes. Kelsie’s turned on as well. It said 30 minutes.

Kelsie: Maybe you don’t understand.

Kanni blitzed Kelsie and punched her. But nothing happened. Her shield was impenetrable.

Kelsie: You aren’t a mutant Kanni. That’s what’s clear. You were blessed with power from the day you were born. But not mutant power. A much stronger and pure power. Maybe I thought I was being cool when I slept with the devil.

Kanni jumped above and tried bashing her shield. Nothing.

Kelsie: Either way, this is my attempt to write my wrong.

Kelsie raised into the air. Kanni jumped up and hit her. Still, nothing. She landed on the ground. There was silence. Then plates in the ground began to open up. Two warheads flew into the air and locked onto Kanni. They both exploded on impact. Kanni walked through the explosion like it was nothing.

Kanni: Is this all?! You’re going to try and kill me?!

Kelsie: I’m protecting the human race.

More plates in the ground opened up. A bunch of plates surrounding Kanni opened up. More missiles flew into the air and bore down on Kanni. She tried jumping through them. She jumped on one and jumped off. But they turned around and hit her out of the air. She came flying down to the ground, leaving a large indent in the ground. It was now a never ending barrage. More warheads came from the ground and flew into the air. They hit Kanni over and over. She had tucked herself into a ball. She was crying from the continuous pain of the explosions being shot into her.

Kelsie: I can’t stop…

Kelsie looked down at her daughter to see her crying. She was brought back to the burning, and young Kanni bleeding from her face. She faltered for a second, and then brought herself back to reality. The reality where her daughter was a danger to all of mankind. She fired more and more warheads. She wore a watch that she was pressing the button to read each one that was being fired. “BLD W045”.

Kelsie: Keep going...Keep going…

Another barrage of warheads was fired. Kanni watched them fly up into the air. Her eyes started to glow a bright yellow. A large green line of energy came from Kanni, shaped like a claw. She whipped it into the air. Slashing every missile that was in the air in half, and causing them to explode. Kelsie was caught off guard.

Kanni: Stop being a coward! Fight me one on one! Draw blood!

Kelsie flew above Kanni and dropped small bombs all across the ground. A bunch landed on Kanni. They all exploded on her. But nothing happened. A small hole came through her shield and she stuck the barrel of a sniper through it. A large laser came out of it. Kanni put both of her hands up. The laser hit her and pushed her into the ground. It caused a large green explosion. That pushed Kanni deep into the ground and made a bigger crater. Her hands and face were smoking.

Kanni’s clothes were mostly burnt off of her. All that was left were small tattered pieces of her dress and her boots. She was stained with old blood all over the top of her body and halfway down her torso.

Kanni: Come to me! Face me! Look your own daughter in the fucking face!

Kelsie prepared another shot. Kanni instantly jumped into the air and grabbed the barrel of Kelsie’s gun and smashed it. She pulled on it and kicked Kelsie down to the ground.

Kelsie: Dammit….

There was one final bomb loaded into Kelsie’s code. She pressed the button to fire it.

Kelsie: Let me tell you, Kanni. I didn’t want it to be this way. I loved you how I would love any daughter. Things just...changed. Things got complicated. More complicated than they needed to be.

A nuclear warhead was shot down at them. It seemingly came from space. Kelsie locked up her shield. The entire desert was engulfed in flames. With Kanni in the very center. The explosion was seen in all surrounding areas. Kelsie flew up into the air looking down. She couldn’t see anything through the debris. Kanni was half burnt, and she was bleeding from her head. Her eyes were covered in blood, contrasting her angry glowing yellow eyes. Kelsie put on a gas mask and came to the ground. Her shield went away. Kanni stumbled at her. She moved like a zombie towards her mother. Putting out her hand. She went numb and fell over.

Kelsie: ….Kanni.

Kelsie cried over her daughter’s corpse. She picked up Kanni and brought her over the large crater she had made and dropped her in it.

Kelsie: I’ll let the dust settle over you,

Kelsie walked away with a limp. She felt sick, She keeled over, opened her mask and threw up and then immediately put it back on. She kept walking.

???: It’s okay, Mom. Everything’s going to be alright.

Someone put their hand on Kelsie’s shoulder.

Kelsie: Kiron…

Kanni grabbed her Mom by the back of the neck. She looked at the device that she stuck to herself. Kanni pressed the button on it. It teleported them back to the house. Kelsie fell on the her counter and took her mask off. She threw up in the sink, and looked over at Kanni. Who was standing there, burnt and battered. With nothing but hate in her eyes.

Kelsie: There was one more thing. Look at that device that I stuck to you. Stuck it to open skin. You’re wearing nothing now. So it works even better. That device there does teleport us around. But it’s also been filling you full of nanobots. Nanobots that are in your bloodstream and are set to explode. In about...30 seconds.

Kanni: I can kill you in one.

Kelsie: You won’t. I was the only one there for you. Until you took another’s life. Just tell me one more thing before I die. Why?

Kanni: It’s the only way I feel good. It’s the only way I feel fulfilled. The rush is all I live for. It makes me tingly inside.

Kelsie: It fills you with ecstacy.

Kanni: Apparently it’s wrong to kill those that you love. So I guess I won’t anymore.

Kelsie: That’s selfish.

Kanni: You tried to kill your own daughter.

Kelsie: That’s right. 30 seconds is up.

Kanni started to scream. Her insides felt scrambled. Like they were being torn apart. She fell on her knees, then to the ground. Crying in pain. Kelsie looked down at her with lifeless eyes. Kanni’s heart was destroyed. Kelsie looked at her. She went over to her body. Kanni grabbed her leg. Her heart now reformed itself. She slammed her on the ground and threw her into the air. She outstretched her hands, her hands were engulfed with green razor sharp claws. She slashed her arms over and over and over and over and over again. Cutting her mother into ribbons. Kanni’s body was covered in blood. Now fresh blood. She went to her mother’s room and grabbed some clothes.

Kanni: Aww. A cute skirt.

Kanni put on the skirt and some thigh-highs. She heard a creak in the house. She snapped her head to the hallway. Then saw Kiron walk into the room.

Kiron: Jeez! Put on some damn clothes!

Kanni: I’m working on it.

Kiron: We have a score to settle. Meet me outside in the parking lot.

## E24 - Standoff

Kanni walked into the parking lot.

Kiron: So you killed mom.

Kanni: She tried to kill me. Why wouldn’t I try and kill her?

Kiron: So, have you put the pieces together?

Kanni: What are you talking about? I don’t know who you are.

Kiron: I figured it’d be obvious. I’m your brother. Did your mom really say nothing about it?

Kanni: No. How is a Scottish guy my brother?

Kiron: Guess I got the good genes.

Kanni: Whatever.

Kiron: Well, we don’t have the same fathers. Tell me, what do you really remember about your childhood? Reach deep into your thoughts. Even mom forced it away. And it’s not like she can tell anyone anymore.

Kanni: What are you talking about?

Kiron: It was a warm summer night. It was the...second or third time I saw you. It was when I decided you had to die. It was the moment we became siblings.

Kanni: You don’t even look like my brother!

Kiron: Yeah, because I keep dying. Listen to me. You were young, maybe...about 7 or 8. It was a warm summer night. My Dad had just hit Mom again. But something was different about that time. We were watching. Mom was on the ground. I watched you grab a broken piece of a beer can, and stab him in the throat. Mom was shocked. So was I. He was a horrible man, but you killed him in cold blood. What if that power was let loose on everyone? That willingness to kill was let loose on society? Well. Here we are.

Kanni: I...Remember now. I couldn’t sleep the rest of the night. I was so astonished by what I had done.

Kiron: You get pleasure from killing people. You know the lifestyle is only so fun. You can kill one person, you won’t feel anything eventually. Then you’ll be lining up and killing two, and then three...and so on. So I’ll always be in your way, I’ll be here to kill you.

Kanni: Then I’ll just keep killing you.

Kanni ran at Kiron and swiped at him. Kanni felt her face. She started bleeding. Kiron was holding a blade.

Kiron: Didn’t like that? There’s more where that came from.

Kanni kept attacking Kiron. He dodged every attack and kicked Kanni over. He stabbed his sword into her stomach and picked her up and slammed her on the ground. Kiron picked her up and kicked her back. Kanni got angrier and angrier. She kept swinging at Kiron. He kept dodging.

Kiron: Everything you do, it’s so exaggerated. Were you really never taught how to fight?

Kanni: Shut up and die!

Kanni swept at him again, and again. She swung with an exaggerated hookshot. This time Kiron put out his sword. He sliced her hand off. Kanni let out a scream and fell over. She held onto her arm.

Kanni: What...What did you do?! How-

Kiron: Because you really are weak. You just never ran into anyone who can rival your power.

Kanni: Lay down and die! Die!

Kanni jumped up and tackled Kiron to the ground. She started beating him with her one good hand. He blocked with his sword. He watched as she swung down and slashed across her upper chest. She let out a scream again and fell over. Kiron kicked her in the face and stood up.

Kanni: You can’t kill me! Nobody can! Nobody ever will!

Kiron: Your head is too interested in sick pleasure over real talent, a real skill that might make you happy. You’d rather get a rush for a couple minutes than really work for something that you love. Work for something that might give you real pleasure. You take the easy way out.

Kanni: What’s wrong with that? I just want to feel whole. I just want to be myself! Leave me alone!

Kanni stood up and blitzed Kiron again. They both moved too fast for the other to see. Kanni started to cry. Her other arm was sliced clean off. Kiron turned around and leg swept Kanni. She was kicked into the air. He slashed across the side of her torso. Kiron spun in a circle and slammed her into the wall of the house.

Kanni: No...No!

Kanni stood up and looked up at the moon. Her eyes glowed yellow again. She was covered in a green aura for a second. Everything Kiron had cut down had been replenished.

Kiron: No…

Kanni: Fuck you.

Kanni disappeared in front of Kiron and appeared behind him.

???: Stop!

Both Kanni and Kiron looked over. There was a man in a business suit. He was bald and wore a fedora. In little words on his suit was an inscription that said “B.L.A.D.E”.

???: Let me help you Kanni.

The man snapped his fingers, and strings in the air became visible. They tied around Kiron’s neck. They sliced his neck off like butter. The business man grabbed his decapitated head and put it in some sort of preservation chamber. It was just big enough to fit a human head,

???: Now he won’t be coming back.

Kiron: What the hell is this? I will come back you piece of shit!

???: Not if you aren’t dead. Excuse my interruption Kanni. My name is Frankman. I’ve been helping you along your journey. You see, I think you have talents that others don’t see.

Kanni: Talent?

Frankman: Yes. That’s right. If you’d be so kind as to not kill me, that’d be fantastic.

Kanni: What do you mean by talent?

Frankman: Somewhere you can have a job doing what you love. An association of sorts. Just come with me, and everything will be okay.

Kanni: Okay. I-I’ll come with you!

Frankman: Take my hand.

Kanni grabbed his hand gleefully. She followed him excitedly.

Frankman: We need to clean you up, Kanni. You need a shower.

Kanni: Am I dirty?

Frankman: Not in my book. But it’s customary to take a shower at least every other day.

Frankman clipped Kiron’s head to his side. He also grabbed his blade. They walked into the dark.