The receptionist is laying in the Pest's bed. Her arm and head are draped across his chest. The Pest lays there, in bed, thinking, and stroking her hair. The boy comes into the room, and presses on the Pest's feet. He looks down at the boy. There is only the light from the window shining through, illuminating only the Pest's face.

Pest:Yes, boy?

Aaron:There's a noise in my closet. I'm scared.

Pest:There is nothing in your closet. Are you sure you heard a noise?

Aaron:Yes. Can you look for me?

Pest:I will check.

The boy begins to crawl into the Pest's bed.

Pest:Do not climb in this bed. Go to your Aunt's room. I will retrieve you after I examine your room.

The boy runs and hides in the girl's room, the Pest gets to his feet, without awaking the Receptionist. He puts on pants, and looks at the girl. Her blonde hair has migrated to his pillow. The Pest leaves the room. He carefully walks to the boy's room, and turns the switch on. He looks around the room, and sees nothing, except clothes strewn around the room. He moves to the closet, and opens the door. Beeping. He looks down. The boy's toy robot has activated itself and begun to make noise. The Pest turns it off, and closes the doors. He walks back towards the door, and shuts off the light. He steps into the hallway, and closes the door behind him. The Pest walks quietly to the girl's room. He opens the door, and sees her laying in her bed, cuddling the boy. He has fallen asleep. She turns and sees the Pest, and silently raises a single finger to her lips to silence the Pest. He closes the door, and returns to his room.

He moves back to his bed, and lays down. Lifting the Receptionist's arm, he slides back into her grip, and begins to fall asleep. The Receptionist's phone goes off hours later. Awakening the Pest, and the Receptionist. She answers it. Tones hushed, and rushed. Cries. She begins to cry as she speaks to the person. Eventually she hangs up, and goes back to cuddle The Pest. He is not amused, and very angry.

Pest:Who was that?

Christine:My ex.

Pest:The one I had previously met?

Christine:Yes.

Pest:What is his name?

Christine:Mathew.

Pest:What did Mathew want?

Christine:He was telling me that he'll kill me before he lets me go. He told me he'll be at work tomorrow. To make sure I come with him.

Pest:Call him back, and hand me the phone.

The Receptionist retrieves her phone and dials Mathew's number. She hands the Pest the phone, and he looks at it for a second before holding it to his head. The line rings, and rings. And then someone answers. The boy from before. Obnoxious voice. Young, and full of arrogance.

Mathew:Hey, Chrissy. Guess you decided to come with me after all.

Pest:Hello, Mathew. I assume you are remembering my voice at this point. Should you not recall, I am the Lord of Suffering.

Mathew:The old from Christine's work.

Pest:The old ? Hah. You must have confused me for Sebastian Duke. No, Mathew, I am Pest. I am the Monster that is currently haunting your dreams. You and I should meet somewhere to discuss the last phone call you have placed. The one that had brought Christine out of her slumber. The one in which, if I am recalling correctly, you promised to visit her at work. Do you recall it?

Mathew:I do. Yeah. Where you wanna meet?

Pest:I believe you have this confused. You tell me a place, and I walk into it assuming you have come prepared with a group of friends. At the end, you and your friends end up laying in the street, and I walk away. That is how we are led to believe this encounter will go, correct?

Mathew:Nah, old man. I don't need help to kick your ass. It'll just be you and me.

Pest:Good. Then we meet at the parking lot of the high school. It is a reasonable distance from me. I will be there in twenty minutes. I expect to see you.

The Pest gets to his feet, and begins to dress himself. The Receptionist turns on a light, and looks at the Pest as he buttons the front of his shirt closed. The Pest does not stop and look at her.

Christine:Are you fucking serious?

She is shouting at the Pest.

Pest:Keep your voice down. You will wake the boy. He is asleep, and should stay that way.

The Receptionist gets to her feet, and lunges at the Pest. She grabs his shirt, and looks up at the Pest. His eyes look down to meet hers. There is concern, and fear in them. She sees his, empty, and hollow.

Pest:Release the shirt.

Christine:You can't go meet him.

Pest:And why not?

Christine:What if he kills you?

Pest:He will have done what so many others have failed to do. He would be congratulated.

Christine:This isn't a fucking joke!

Pest:Please, watch the language, and volume. If you wake the boy, I will be very angry. Now, onto your inquiry, I was not joking. If he manages to kill me, he will do what so many have failed to do. No, I will not die tonight. And that boy will not be the one to put me in the dirt. It will most likely be Aaron. Yes, I am aware of the implications in my statements and actions with the boy, do not point them out to me. Simply, go back to sleep. And in the morning, should I not be home yet, get the boy ready for his day. I promised that since he had no school, I would take him to the cinema, and then I would purchase him a new toy. The girl, she is to go and meet new friends. I need her to be as normal as possible.

Christine:What if you don't come home?

Pest:Then you tell Angela what has happened, and you make sure the authorities find my body. Now, I must finish getting dressed, and head to the school.

The Pest tucks his shirt into his pants, places a tie upon his shoulders, and ties it into a knot. He then places his arm inside a jacket, and the other, and pulls it close. He picks up a pair of brown loafers to match his brown and white suit, and sits upon the bed. He places on foot inside a loafer, and then the other. He gets to his feet, and kisses the Receptionist on the lips. She tries once more to make him stay. Her blonde hair brushing across her face, and nude flesh tantalizing the Pest. Ignoring the calls of her flesh to his, he brushes her hair behind her ear, gives her a final kiss, and heads out the door. She gets back into her bed, and turns out the light. The Pest makes his way into the living room, and out of the front door. He turns on the ignition of the car, and is greeted by the sounds of the radio. Angela. She has forgotten to turn the speakers down at the end of her trip. He turns the radio off, and drives in silence to the school.

The parking lot is empty, and the Pest finds a place to park. He waits. Stepping out of the car, he pulls a cigarette from his pocket, and places it in his mouth. He retrieves a lighter from his pocket, and lights the cigarette. The smoke rises through the frozen air. Snow falls onto the Pest's shoulders, and feet. A motorcycle pulls up and parks on the opposite end of the parking lot. A figure dismounts the bike, and begins to walk towards the Pest. He stands there, smoking his cigarette, still. Not moving. The figure approaches Pest, and looks at him.

Pest:Would you care for a cigarette, Mathew?

Mathew:No. I don't smoke.

Pest:Nor do I. I found these in the car. The Receptionist is convinced you are going to kill me. I believe the girl who lives with me is smoking now. Before I confront her, I thought I should have a cigarette. If you are going to kill me, I might have one last cigarette. I have not smoked since Okinawa. The day I went back to Mai Lai was the last cigarette I ever had. Do you believe you will end me?

Mathew:Are you coming here to die? Is that what your plan was?

Pest:Me? Die? No. I am not here to die. I am here to ensure you leave the Receptionist alone. She is no longer your concern. She is merely an object for you to forget about.

Mathew:And you intend to stop me?

Pest:Should it come to that. How is your knee, by the way?

Mathew:It's still sore. I'm gonna pay you back for that.

Pest:Not today, you will not. Today, you will apologize to me, and never speak to The Receptionist again.

Mathew pulls a gun out and points it in the Pest's face. The Pest takes a final drag from his cigarette. He holds it in his lungs before exhaling, and throwing the butt of his cigarette on the ground.

Pest:So, it has come to this? Perhaps the Receptionist was not incorrect.

Mathew:Say her name! Say her name before I blow your goddamn brains out all over the pavement.

The Pest places another cigarette in his mouth, and lights it.

Pest:This is Asphalt Not pavement.

Mathew:What the fuck did you just say?

The Ex pulls the hammer back on his gun. The Pest takes a second to look at the gun before he speaks. Model 1911. Desert Eagle. Steel. The safety is off. The Pest assumes the trigger lock is off as well.

Pest:We are not standing on Pavement. We are standing on Asphalt. You will blow my brains out all over the Asphalt. Now, why are you thinking you are in a position to threaten me?

Mathew:Because, I got the gun in your face, man.

Pest:That you do.

The Pest throws a heavy and well placed fist to the throat of the man aiming a gun at him. The man recoils, and The Pest grabs the gun. He slams the slide back, and forces a thumb to drop the clip. The slide is locked, and the Ex stumbles back. The Pest pulls the gun from the man's hands, and picks the clip up off the ground. He slides the clip back into the gun, and drops the slide. The firearm is now reloaded, and cocked. He puts the gun into his waistband. A foot the knee of the man sends him to the ground. The Ex looks up at the Pest from his one knee. The Pest takes the gun, and raises it into the air. He brings the bottom of the handle crashing down onto the Ex's head. The Ex falls to the ground, and the Pest walks to stand over him. He aims the gun down, and pulls the trigger.

Pest:I told you that I had come only to ensure you leave Christine alone. I do not expect you to bother her anymore.

The Pest removes the cigarette from his mouth, and throws it on the Ex. He turns to leave.

Mathew:You missed.

Pest:Oh? I did?

Mathew:You didn't hit my head.

Pest:I know. I did not aim to hit your head. I aimed to hit beside your head.

Mathew:Why?

Pest:In that brief moment before I pulled the trigger. You thought you were going to die. You were terrified. You felt utter fear. That feeling. I want you to remember it. Remember the second I almost ended your life. And then, think of it when you decide you wish to call Christine again. It ends now.

The Pest places the gun back inside his waist band, and moves back to his car. He gets inside, and drives home.