"Richard," a voice speaks, "wake up."

I open my eyes only to find myself back in the place with the tree and Morgan. Morgan looks down from her tree, with a smirk as she walks along the tangled branches.

"What do you want?" I sigh.

"I want many things," Morgan chuckles, "but right now, I want you dead."

"What?" I ask.

"You attacked my parents," Morgan glares, "I should kill you where you stand. Face it Richard, you deserve it. I mean, all you do is hurt people to protect children who don't want or need your help. You're a failure, living in a world that doesn't want to change. It would be so much better off without you."

"That's-" I shake my head crying, "that's not true."

"Oh really?" Morgan smirks, "and that's why I've actually texted you in the last two weeks since the attack?"

"I just want to protect you," I reply, "I have to protect you. Until I make the world a better place, until I won't need to anymore, I have to protect you."

"Oh really?" Morgan gazes at me with an intense hatred and demands, "is that why so many parents allow it? You ever think that you're the one who needs to change? Try a sip?"

"Shut up!" I screech.

"You think you can fix this," Morgan looks down at me with an intense glare, "save me, but you can't. You can't even save yourself Richard. You couldn't even save the ones who mattered."

"I don't understand," I reply.

"How'd you get this phobia?" Morgan demands, "what caused this hatred Richard?"

"I don't know," I reply, shaking my head, "but it had to be done."

"What about Lily?" Morgan demands.

"Lily," I reply, shaking my head, "Lily cares about me. I can protect her."

"And yet you've left out the part you've been lying to her face about everything," Morgan chuckles, "you wanna make things right?"

Morgan throws a knife from her perch, it landing in the ground at my feet.

"Finish what you started," Morgan smiles.

"Not yet," I reply, "I can save so many Morgan. It has to be done. It has to."

"Fine," Morgan replies as an intense ringing fills the air, "oh? Do you hear that? Your phone's going off. Best check it. Ring ring Richard."

I open my eyes, waking up again, like I have been for the last two weeks next to my cuddle buddy Lily in her bed. Her parents seem to be away on business. What business? I'm not to sure to be honest, but it doesn't matter. I grab my phone off the arm of the couch, and see it's only two in the morning. I have two texts from Morgan that read...

Morgan: I know who you are.

Morgan: Meet me at the docks by three or I call the cops.

She... knows? How could she know? Oh God no! She's gonna turn me in! It's over for me! We'll never purify the world now! I've failed every single human on the planet! I deserve to-

"Chill," Purity reassures me, "look, she's threatening to call the cops if we don't show up. She wants something. Let's just meet her demands, OK?"

"Right," I reply, carefully getting up, slipping out of Lily's grasp gently as not to disturb her in her peaceful slumber. She looks so cute and happy as she sleeps. Truthfully, I want nothing more than to just go back to sleep with her, but there is work to be done. It has to be done.

I get up, a shooting pain in my stomach hitting me as soon as I rise to my feet. The first week I had to rely on Lily or William, but after that, I was able to walk with a cane. The cane is only temporary, but it's a nice cane. I grab it and approach the door, the pain lessening as I use the cane to support my weight. The cane is a rich mahogany wood, with a sleek design, smooth all the way down with a spherical handle at the top. As I reach the door, I hear a gruff, but sincere voice ask, "where are you going Richard?"

I turn around to see William standing before me. He proceeds, "You better not be planning to purify yet."

I shake my head, "No, but it's related to Purity. Morgan is threatening to turn me in if I don't get to the docks. She figured me out dude. I don't know how and I don't know what she wants but I have to go."

"What if Lily wakes up and finds you hurt?" William asks, "Think about this kid. Morgan may be planning something drastic. You did frame her dad for arson."

"If Morgan wanted me dead she could easily talk me into killing myself," I reply, "And Lily, she'll be fine. She's just my cuddle buddy. Nothing weird about that."

"Oh Richard," William sighs.

William thinks for a moment before replying, "You're not going alone. I'm coming with you. If she attacks, I'll be able to back you up."

"Thanks," I smile, "Means a lot dude."

"Listen Richard," William looks me in the eye, "I haven't known you for long, but you seem like a good kid. I'm not gonna let anything bad happen to you. Even if it's something you're trying to do to yourself."

"I know you're just an accomplice," I turn away timidly, "But can we be freinds? I understand if you wanna keep things just business but-"

"Sure kid," William smiles, "Friends help each other after all. That's what we're doing with our agreement."

I smile and nod in acknowledgement of the terms we set when he agreed to treat my wounds. With that, William and I exit the house into the cool Summer evening. The stars and fireflies dance in a peaceful facade. A facade of joy and happiness. A facade of a sincere, blissful world I'd want my own kids to grow up in, but that's not the world we live in. This world is cruel, and children are treated as the lowest of the low. I just want to protect them. I have to protect them.

"I have to protect them," I hear the words escape my lips and William and I get into William's car. A 2003 silver pick-up truck.

"You alright kiddo?" William asks.

"Yeah," I reply, "I just feel this... need. Like, look around. Isn't the world beautiful? The fireflies and the stars dancing in their show. I would love to see it with Lily."

"Oh," William replies, "Your feelings for Lily. I'm not gonna lie kid, the fact you don't know what that is is kinda concerning. Kiddo, wherever you feel, Lily feels the same. You just gotta trust your gut and go for it."

"Well that's not where I was going with that but thanks for the advice," I reply, "What was a gonna say is that all this beauty, this lovely evening..."

Purity and I speak in synch, "Is one big lie."

"What's that kiddo?" William asks, now wearing his mask. A white bubonic plauge mask with a voice modifier making his voice sound robotic and autotunned.

"It's a lie," I reply with Purity nodding in approval in the corner of my vision. (That begs the question how is he keeping up with the car?) "It's all a facade. This beauty, this world, is all a lie to distract us from the impurities. I only wish to cleanse it of abuse and make it as beautiful as it can be. Then I'll finally be able to protect the children of this world, and their children simply won't need my protection as humanity realizes they can be beautiful. Then, when I'm no longer needed, I will have no reason to live, and will no longer burden mankind."

William stops the car and looks at me. I can't see his eyes, but I can tell he is not happy with what I just said. "You care to repeat that last part?" William demands.

"When the world is pure I won't be needed," I reply, "and the only reason I'm not already dead is because I purify. If I don't purify, if I'm not stopping abuse, I have no value. I'll just be worthless. Even now, I'm not to much better. I've helped like, a handful of people."

"Well if we count George you've saved around 40 total," William replies, "you're doing good. You're not worthless Richard. Look, you're clearly not mentally stable enough to do this. I'll go into the docks and talk to Morgan, OK? You can just wait in the car. We can't have you breaking down again. If anything happens, before you've recovered, I may not be able to save you. I told you I won't let anything bad happen to you."

"Morgan is my sister," I reply, "I have to save her. No matter what the costs are, even my own life, I have to save her. It has to be done."

"How do we know Morgan won't just set you off again?" William asks, "I'm not gonna beat around the bush Richard, you are severely mentally ill, and everyone who cares about you can't stand to lose you. Listen to me kiddo, if you're gonna talk to Morgan I'm gonna need you to know something. You say you wanna protect people? Fine, but remember to protect Whitney, Lily, and George by protecting yourself. They need you, and I don't wanna see you hurt either. You got it?"

"I think I do," I reply.

"Good," William-

"For the love of God call him Sterile!" Purity exclaims, "it's driving me crazy! You see that mask!?! He's wearing it you stupid shit!"

OK.

"Good," Sterile replies pulling into the docks. "I'll be watching from a distance. If she attacks I'll back you up."

"My bike chain?" I ask.

"Use it only for self defense," Sterile hands me the chain and my mask.

I get out of the car, as rain clouds roll in overhead. Morgan turns around, standing at the end of the pier, glaring at me.

"Morgan," I smile, "I'm so glad you're OK. You were at the winery where Purity attacked and-"

"You'd know a lot about that wouldn't you Purity?" Morgan glares, "Framing my dad for arson, attacking my mom. Like, I maybe get the physically and verbally abusive people you and Bleach target, but my parents? What the fuck is wrong with you!?!"

"Stand by it," Purity demands.

"That'll just piss her off," I whisper.

"You whispering to the voices in your head?" Morgan demands, "I know everything Richard. Confess."

"She's recording this," Purity whispers, "Find the camera."

"So where's the camera?" I demand.

"I outta kill you," Morgan approaches me, wrath on her face, "But I don't think I could. We were friends for so long. Family as you would say, and then you pull this? I don't understand! Why would you do this!?! Why?"

"Where is the camera?" I repeat.

Morgan gets right up in my face, but I feel no fear. I feel only hatred for the impure. The countless impure as they taint their children. An endless loop is created by impurity. Morgan is simply an example of that.

"There is no camera," Morgan glares, "Now, answers."

"Be intimidating," Purity demands.

I lift my cane and bang it against the ground, which startles Morgan, causing her to step back as I speak, "It had to be done. I had to protect you. It is abuse. It must be stopped. I don't care what it takes. It doesn't have to end this way. I only wanted to help you. It was the only way. The only way to save you."

"It doesn't," Morgan smirks, "You get my dad outta jail, have Purity confess to framing him, and we'll call it even."

"He had it coming," I hiss along with Purity.

"Over one thing?" Morgan demands, "You're insane!"

"So what?" I ask, "You gonna turn me in?"

"No," Morgan turns away, "You can do whatever the fuck you want, but you stay the fuck away from me and my mom, or else I will unmask you."

"I have just one question," I reply as Morgan approaches her car.

"What?" Morgan demands with an intense hatred.

"How'd you figure it out?" I ask.

"You said we," Morgan explains, "During your mental breakdown. You uses the term impure many times. Then when my dad went to jail, I knew. I didn't want to believe it, but I always knew. Richard, you can stop all of this. This is crazy. This is-"

"Justice," I glare, "I'm sorry Morgan. I failed you. Now if you'll excuse me, I have work to do."

I put on my mask and wrap my chain around my fist and walk away, getting in the car. Morgan drives off as Sterile gets in the car.

"Are you OK?" William asks.

I involuntarily screech and start crying. I then begin to laugh.

"They took our sister!" Purity exclaims, "No more mercy! We take bones now! This means war! War! War! War!"

"War," I speak aloud as the word echos in my mind.

"Richard?" William asks.

I open the glove compartment and find a flash drive.

"Kid what are you-" William asks but I interrupt.

"Film this," I demand.

"OK," William replies, "But if you jump into the lake I'm going in after you."

We get out of the car. I stand at the end of the pier, mask on, and signal William to put his mask on and start recording as I open facing away from the camera.

I begin, "War. It is now war."

I take a pause for effect.

I turn around approaching the camera, "This means war. War with impurity. You have taken my sister. You have hurt my family. There will be consequences. You hurt my family, it's war. I won't stop, I won't rest, until I purify the world. You all made one big mistake. The impure, whether you beat your kids, poison them, or attack them with words, I am no longer going to relent. I will break bones, and I will break you. As for the mafia, you can't escape me. You spread your disease, and you are going to pay. My ally Sterile has the camera. We are growing in power. We will make you pay. It is war ladies and gentlemen. It is war."

I snap my fingers and Sterile stops recording.

"OK it's time for you to go back to sleep," Sterile removes his mask and approaches, "I'll get this to the news. Let's go."

I nod in response and we head back to Lily's house where I lie back down on the couch with Lily.

"Night kiddo," William smiles.

"Night," I reply, returning to sleep. The facade of the world shall be broken. The world shall be purified. Of course, most importantly someday...

I will save Morgan.