0 - Story Time

“Gather around, children!” screamed the elderly man, rifle loaded. “I SAID GATHER THE FUCK AROUND!”

“Please don’t hurt us, Grandpa Eelee,” whimpered the youngest child, his face stained with tears.

“DON’T TALK BACK TO ME YOU WHINY LITTLE PIECE OF SHIT!” he shrieked, pointing the barrel of the weapon at the boy’s forehead. The children scurried over to the corner of the trouble dungeon and huddled together in fear. Eelee dragged a wooden chair over from the side of the room and took a seat, all the while keeping his aim on the prisoners.

“You’re sick,” whispered the eldest of the group, a look of disgust on his face. Enraged by this disturbance, Eelee took a shot at the insurgent. The bullet whizzed by the child’s head and lodged itself in the concrete wall. The boy broke down into sobs, and was quickly joined by the other victims.

“SHUT THE HELL UP!” Eelee shrieked, shooting several rounds into the ceiling. The kids grew quiet, mortified of their captor. He slowly glanced about the group, shooting each child a menacing look, until the room had gone silent. He took a deep breath, and began to speak. Each hostage was filled with grief as they heard the drunken words they knew all too well: “Today, I’m going to tell you the story of the heroes of the Mushroom Kingdom.”