The man by the name of Sylvester Perry.

Who was he to Dennis?

It was at that point that he had a memory.

It was him, and Sylvester, all the way in high school.........

At the time, they were in science class.

Sylvester was busy writing every note down before....

"Smack"

Boy: Haha! Got ya "Silly."

Name: Gordon Stevens

Age: 16

Occupation: Student, football team

Description: Tall and muscular

Fact: Now, currently, works at a retirement home, taking care of those who need it. Does this for free, mind you.

The entire classroom laughed incredibly.

One student seated at his side, looked sadly onto his suffering clasmate.

His name?

Sam Hopkins.

Sam: Hey! Leave him alone!

But his attempts to quell their laughter was tuned out by their continual laughter.

The teacher had long since given up on fighting the class. He simply sighed in exhaustion.

Teacher: Quiet down... all of you...

Name: Vance Walters

Age: 40

Occupation: Biology teacher

Description: Tall and exhausted looking

Fact: He may not look it... but in his hey day, he could pull off a 3-pointer no problem.

And Sam Hopkins simply shut up, turning to look at the now bullied boy.

It wasn't that hard not to notice, but he was seething.

He could see it.

He was seething in absolute fury.

Fury he could not explain.

Sam: Sylvester?

Sylvester: Forget it.

All the anger in his face immediately disappeared.

Not a trace left.

Just... determination.

Cold hard determination.

Like a magic spell, he just changed.

As for Dennis... where was he in all this?

Why... he was laughing along side his classmates.

Why not, one would ask?

After all, everyone was doing it.

And, in a weird way, it was fun.

He found it fun.

But... he'd never truly meant it personally.

Never ever...

What did he do to deserve this?

He had no idea.

Was this... revenge?

Was this... personal?

Back to the present....

Sylvester: Upsydaisy.

To Dennis's utter shock, he seemingly jumped up, and, well... his feet never returned to the ground.

Even more, the weight on his stomach increased once more.

Sylvester: There!

He, from this elevated position, then began to work with something that sounded metallic.

It was, in reality, something of a rope, meant to tie the sacks up.

Sylvester: There! All good Sever!

He patted something.

Yet again, Dennis felt it.

Vibrations.

Just what was on top of him?

At that point, Dennis could sense it.

He took what he'd wanted from the computer.

He'd taken the bags.

He'd fed the now violently growling chihuahua.

It was obvious, especially if one took into consideration what he'd just said right after.

All those statements....

That's right.

He was about to make his leave.

And seeing the position he was in, ...

... Dennis had one question.

Would he be spared?

The answer?

He had no idea.

This man was unpredictable.

He didn't even know what he'd wanted.

Files and animal food.

For what!?

What!?

That, with the growling chihuahua all perturbed his mind.

But most prominent in his mind remained the question of his life.

And of that... he did have one idea.

Dennis: I... If you let me go...

Sylvester: Hmm?

Dennis: I... I won't tell anyone.

Sylvester: Hmm?

His voice sounded quite honestly puzzled.

Why?

Dennis had no clue.

But that didn't stop him from going on...

Dennis: Look... I.... I'm sorry about high school. I....

Tears fell out of his eyes again, his grief, his guilt even.

It hurt.

The pain in his head, and the desperation in his heart.

All of it... hurt.

But he spoke on.

Dennis: I'm sorry man! I never meant it that way.

He sucked up his tears.

Dennis: Please.... I never meant it like that.

Sylvester said not a word.

Dennis: I never meant it like that. Honest. I'm sorry... I'm sorry about all those times I laughed....

Still not a word.

Dennis: I'm sorry. I never mean to hurt you man.

Still not a word.

Dennis: I'm sorry.

His sobs came out like a fountain.

It wasn't as though Dennis was, like most young men, an ardent cryer.

He himself hadn't cried in quite a while.

But at this moment, ... when his life was on the line, ... this man forsook his pride and cried.

He cried and cried and cried.

Every stop he had he pulled.

No... he couldn't let himself die.

The barking chihuahua, the thing on top of him...

... none of that mattered...

What mattered?

Him being free.

Sylvester letting him go.

All his pride... down the drain.

Dennis: Please! I swear! Won't tell anyone. I swear!

He screamed it at the top of his lungs.

Dennis: Please!

Sylvester remained silent.

And Dennis continued to sob.

Did he hear him?

Did he disappear?

Did he... even care?

He got the answers to that more quickly than he could have imagined.

First was the silence.

The incredibly unerring silence.

Yes, the dog barked on.

However, it wasn't the dog's silence that was loud.

It was Sylvester's silence.

Or maybe one could say that Dennis' anticipation was loud.

Maybe both.

Who knew?

However....

Sylvester... suddenly started laughing.

It started as a simple laugh. A chuckle even.

And then... it went on to a full blown hysterical laughter!

As if Dennis wasn't scared enough as was.

He continued his laughter... going on and on.

Loud... unerring and... almost violent.

All it did was further scare Dennis.

Just what was this man?

Was he sane?

Was there a sane bone... no... vessel.. no... even hair on his body?

Dennis: (gasp) What....?

Was he... going to die?

And then... he slowly calmed down, sighing.

It was a good laugh.

Sylvester: That was a good joke, Dennis Leroux.

Dennis: What!?

Sylvester: Please. If I was to spare you, you wouldn't be here.

Dennis: What!?

At that point, it became obvious.

Sylvester never intended on sparing him.

No, he was always to die.

He never stood a chance.

He'd always wanted him dead.

Was this... revenge?

Sylvester: But.. don't worry. (nonchalantly) It's nothing personal.

There are many things that could be said about what happened next.

Be it Dennis's fear, be it the fact that he'd said that all so nonchalantly, be it the fact that Dennis suddenly realised that he never stood a chance of survival...

All that, or perhaps more or that, perhaps even less...

It all compounded into one powerful feeling.

Anger.

Dennis: N... no. No!

His body vibrated violently.

Dennis: Let me go you psycho! Let me go!

He himself begun to seethe in anger.

Dennis: I should have known you'd gone mad you freak.

Now... to be fair, it wasn't Dennis talking, it was his fury.

His anger.

He could no longer hold it back.

Dennis: Let me go you psychopathic freak.

It still wasn't as personal as one would think. Quite personal, yes, but not completely.

It was anger.

And, as for Sylvester Perry, he simply smiled.

To him, his screams were music.

True blue music.

He sighed satisfactorily as he waited for him to finish.

Every frustration Dennis had of the young man came into his mouth.

Dennis: You deserve to be in an insane asylum! No, you need to get checked you psycho! Get this thing off of me!

Sylvester let off another satisfied smile.

There was no one.

Absolutely no one around.

Absolutely no one coming to save him.

Dennis: Do society a favour and get your head checked you maniac!

With that, he finally stopped.

He then started panting.

Anger.

Absolute anger.

Sylvseter being Sylvester....

... he started laughing again.

This time, even in his anger... he was still shocked.

Why was he laughing?

Even after all he'd let out.

How was he still laughing?

A cold chill ran down his spine.

And Sylvester finally finished his laugh the same way as before. A satsifactory sigh.

This time, leaving Dennis completely silent.

What was this man?

Just what was he?

Sylvester: That was fun, Dennis Leroux.

The sudden statement shocked him again.

If he wasn't terrified before, he was terrified then.

His mind blurred out the now snarling and howling chihuahua.

It was louder, but somehow, Sylvester Perry was even louder.

His mind focused on him entirely.

Sylvester: I am going to miss you, young man.

The terror at the apex of his fear.

There it was.

He felt it hard as a diamond.

He was about to die.

Sylvester: Truly... a shame I didn't get to hear more from you. A true shame.

The horror of his soon to be death grasped him, like a giant arm around his body.

Dennis: (small voice) No.... please....no.....

Sylvester: Sever? End him.

It was then that the massive figure in top of him was revealed.

He was ambushed and hadn't seen it before.

But... why was that?

The answer?

Well... it appeared right on top of him.

A giant reptile with a massive cobra head.

That, in and of itself was incredible enough, but also, this giant snake had limbs.

From the corner of his eyes he could see it.

Four legs.

A four legged giant snake.

And at that moment, its mouth opened.

Dennis: N... no. (suddenly yelling) Noooooooooooo!

Sylvester: Wait!

The beast suddenly paused, not a sound or a movement, almost as though a machine.

In his heart, Dennis felt hope touch him again.

Was he... forgiven?

Dennis: Sylve....

Sylvester: His body is quite...

The scientist looked down upon the pet shop worker's body.

Sylvester: ... unhealthy.

Dennis: Wha...

What did he mean by that?

Was he going to spare him?

Sylvester: Therefore, only feed on his brain. It's quite healthy.

The brutal shock that hit Dennis once those words escaped his mouth was, for lack of a better word, loud.

There was nothing... truly nothing, that could have prepared him for this night.

As for words.

He could say no more.

The reptile did not give him enough time, and, he was too shocked to continue.

With one massive bite, his head was taken off his body, leaving nothing more than a headless body, blood spurting out of his body.

As for the reptile, it simply swallowed the head.

No hesitation.

Sylvester: Good boy.

He then patted the beast's head.

Sylvester: Now then...

The yapping chihuahua then began to violently shake and bite at its cage.

Sylvester took some time to gaze upon it before....

Sylvester: Why not?

He took some more dog food that was in his pack, spritzed it, and threw it into the air.

Sylvester: Let's go, Sever.

Without a sound, Sever... walked away, carrying its master and itself.

As for Sylvester.

Sylvester: Perhaps an early Christmas present. Perhaps a late one. Haha.

He then, after leaving the pet shop, continued to throw the food into the air. It landed on the streets and in the porches and in the yards. But, not all of it.

Just a bit.

Just a bit here and there.

Just a bit of mayhem.