While most bereaved mothers would grieve at the loss of their oldest son, that wasn't the case for Theresa Young. She was a Bible thumping Christian and believed in God and his heavenly kingdom. She truly believed that Vinny was up in heaven looking down on her while confessing his sins to the almighty God. Theresa was so proud her son had did the right thing and rescued little Clarence. As she sat at home in her favorite rocking chair sipping Earl Gray tea she smiled big like she did at every funeral she ever attended. It was good when people died because that meant they went to heaven.
Theresa rocked back and forth in the rocker subtly as she watched the news on television show replays of the baby being thrown out the window and then the explosion. The replays were sketchy but that was only because everything was so dark.
Her husband of 30 years sat on the blue leather sofa which was a little closer to the television. Mark was too distraught to go to work this Tuesday morning and didn't seem nearly as cheery as Theresa. He also believed in God but basically only because she did. Deep down inside he considered the possibility that there is no afterlife at all. Once you die that's it. Your afterlife consists of being buried 6 feet under the ground and that's only if you could afford it.
While Theresa watched Mark still in his blue and white striped pajamas, she thought to herself Jeez, I sure am lucky Vinny never got a chance to tell him about Barry the car mechanic. She had managed to keep her privy affair a secret for all these years and she knew Alvin would never rat on her because it would devastate Mark. While she chewed on this thought she heard a strange rustling sound coming from the attic.
"Honey, did you hear that?" She said looking towards the ceiling.
"Ah...it's probably those stupid squirrels. I can't do nothing about that." He assured.
Because they lived adjacent to the woods, they've had problems before with squirrels jumping off tree branches, onto the roof, and getting into the attic.
There was a lull and the shuffling ceased. Mark and Theresa both shifted their gaze back to the tube. Alvin was making an appearance on television and trying his best to explain his brother's deviant ways. Then the shuffling sound continued and it sounded a little too loud to be squirrels.
"Honey, did you hear that?" Asked Theresa.
Mark did not want to take his eyes off the television. "Yeah, I dunno. Maybe there's a bunch of em." He said not paying much attention.
Theresa couldn't take it anymore. Her curiosity was killing her. "I'm going to go check it out." She said setting her cup of tea down and getting out of the comfy rocker. She was dressed in a 70's look with a long tan corduroy dress and a flannel shirt.
Theresa made her way to the closet just 15 feet away from the living room which connected to the attic. When she opened the closet door she got a lovely surprise. There stood Vinny holding a sharp pointy knife with a 10 inch blade.
When Theresa saw her son she almost had a heart attack but she managed to keep it together. She held both hands across her chest trying to catch her breath. Vinny looked possessed and she thought she could see legions of nano demons swimming around in the vitreous humor of that wicked eye.
The Gadget Man inched his way out of the closet brandishing the knife and twisting it side to side like it was an ice cream cone.
Theresa took baby steps backwards holding her hands in the air while making her way towards the living room. "Vinny you're alive! Did Jesus bring you back to life?" She said demurely. She still hasn't put the pieces together.
The Gadget Man chuckled but kept the knife pointed to her. "Oh, he brought me back to life alright. Just like he used to do for Houdini."
Mark recognized his son's voice and walked over to see what all the commotion was about. He was shocked as well.
Theresa still seemed perplexed. "But... We saw you on television. How did you survive the blast?"
Vinny laughed at all of this. It was time to confess his master plan. "Did you really think I would go rescue that little tar baby? I never threw that kid out the window. Tony did."
Vinny proceeded to tell his parents his great scheme. "The motion sensors set up in Tony's bedroom were never activated but the ones taped to the crib were live. It was safe to go into Tony's bedroom at any time as long as you stayed 3 feet away from the crib. After I kidnapped little Clarence I went to Tony's apartment and held him at gunpoint. I hog- tied him and gagged him in such a way that he couldn't make any noise if he wanted to and stuffed him in his own bedroom closet. The police could never find him because they were afraid to enter the bedroom in fear the bomb would go off." He said boasting.
Theresa shook her head and a tear ran down her face. Mark wrapped an arm around his wife and pretended not to be threatened by the knife.
"So how did you escape?" Asked Mark.
"Oh, that was easy. After I freed Tony I explained to him what the deal was and how to rescue Clarence. I pointed a gun at him I found under his bed and informed him that he and his son didn't both have to die. He was more than happy to save his only son's life. Meanwhile I changed into a fire suit I had stashed in the closet. I had no trouble leaving the building undetected." He said ever so proud of himself.
Both of his parents had deadpan looks on their faces. They hadn't raised a monster like this. Vinny pointed the long knife at his mother and twirled it around like it was a pointer being used in a lecture. Theresa was really looking nervous. Mark tried his best to calm things down.
"Come on son. Put down the knife. You're scaring your mother." He said precariously.
Vinny ignored his father. "I believe your wifey has a little secret to tell you." He said smiling like a jack-o-lantern.
Theresa subtly shook her head no. No Vinny don't do this. Not after all these years. She thought to herself.
The Gadget Man waved the knife around carelessly. "Go on mom! Tell your hubby your little secret about Barry."
Vinny was loving every minute if this.
"I don't know what you're talking about. You need to be medicated. You're out of your mind." She said defiantly.
"Out of my mind? Was Barry the car mechanic out of his mind after he was blowing your back out for nearly 8 years? Why don't you tell dad where Alvin came from?"
Theresa just stood there and cried. This was not good. Not good at all. She buried her face into Mark's shoulder and cried a river.
"I'm sorry Mark. I always wanted to tell you but I didn't want to hurt you."
Unfortunately Mark wasn't buying her story. He was flat out pissed. He threw Theresa off his shoulder and took his seat back out in the living-room to stare at his son on television who wasn't even his. Alvin was still talking to a reporter on the news. It was just Vinny and Theresa now. She turned into the wicked witch of the west.
"You're a jerk! I wish I never had you! You weren't even ever meant to be. You're an accident!"
Now Vinny's blood was boiling and he was losing control.
"Was this an accident too?" He said pointing to his wounded shoulder from when she shot him.
Before she could answer, Vinny plunged the knife into her right shoulder at the exact location she had shot him the day before. She tried to scream but it just wouldn't come out. Vinny twisted the knife causing her to writhe in pain. When he pulled the knife out blood squirted everywhere. Theresa tried to use her left hand to cover her wound but the Gadget Man thrusted the ten inch blade into her heart before she could do so. Vinny twisted the knife again like he was winding a clock.
Meanwhile...
Mark sat on the sofa out in the living-room like as if nothing was going on. Vinny was having fun watching his mother's blood bleed onto the carpet. It was like a game to him. Just for giggles he stabbed her 40 times repeatedly like he was tearing open a pinata.
Once it finally felt like he was stabbing a crash test dummy Vinny finally stopped to catch his breath. The voices in his head were complimenting his aggressive behavior and he decided to leave the knife lodged into her chest all the way down to the handle. Theresa was deader than a door nail. Vinny used her brown corduroy dress to wipe the blood off of his hands. When he was finished he skittered out to the living room to talk to his father.
Mark was on the sofa with his face buried into his hands. He really didn't want to look at the world. Vincent sat down next to his father on the sofa and placed a loving hand on his shoulder.
"Dad, it's finally over. You didn't need her. It's just you and me now." He said soothingly.
Mark's body was convulsing and breaking out in a cold sweat. He was a softy and not used to a lot of excitement. Vincent tried to get through to him but he was stuck in a trance. He shook his father's shoulder a little more vigorously to get his attention.
"Dad, dad...it's me your only son Vinny, can you hear me?"
Mark placed a hand on Vinny's knee signaling that he could hear him talking but had no control over his emotional breakdown. The Gadget Man had killed so much that his heart rate was normal and he lost the palsy in his hands. He appeared more calm than a pastor at a Sunday dinner.
"There's some things I have to do yet later tonight. I can't stay in the United States anymore but I have some money. There's nothing here for us anymore dad. Mom is gone and Alvin isn't even yours. Please, please help me get out of the country. I know where we can go. It'll be just me and you like old times. Lots of fishing trips I promise."
Vinny knew that Mark liked to fish. He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a flyer advertising Costa Rica and tossed it onto his father's lap. Mark still seemed to be bugging out but he did place two fingers on the flyer. The Gadget Man continued to wheedle him.
"I have to get going now." He said slowly standing up. "Business as usual. If you decide to come with me, meet me at your church parking lot tomorrow at midnight. Make sure you come alone. There's nothing left here for us anymore. I promise you a better life." He said reassuringly.
He watched his father pick up the flyer and look at it but Mark didn't say a word. He was traumatized. Vinny walked over to the living room window and looked outside making sure the coast was clear for his departure. It was. He adjusted his black leather eye patch and moseyed his way towards the front door.
The Gadget Man had only one thing on his mind. Felix Roberts, AKA Wiggles.