“What did I ever do to you?!” Zeff exclaimed holding his eye as blood trickled down the side of his palm and forearm, the small rock which had just struck him cleanly on his right eyebrow sitting squarely between his feet. “Just leave me alone!” He was standing outside a small wooden home with walls painted the color of eggshells and surrounded by uncut grass and hedges. It was midday and the sun was at the highest point in the sky. A single red sedan was parked in the lawn 20 or so feet to his left. The nearest neighbor was several tens of yards away. In front of him, her arms crossed, was the faceless shadow of an old memory.

“Why should I…?” asked the shadowy figure of the little girl. “Did you forget why you’re here? Your parents didn’t want you, and that’s why you’re in my house, eating my food, with my parents… You were trash. You ARE trash. That’s why your own parents left you in the first place. If your own parents didn’t want you, what makes you think mine would?”

Young Zeff began to weep as the shadow laughed coldly at his misery and pain. “Now, stop crying!” she eventually yelled, picking up another rock. “Stop crying before I—”

“Evary, sweety?” Came a woman’s gentle voice from inside the house. The next moment another shadow exited the front door and came around to the side of the house where Zeff and the shadow, Evary, were. The adult-shadow looked at Zeff, bleeding from his head, and then at Evary and the rock in her hand. “Evary? What happened here?” Asked Shadow-Foster-Mom, her eyes settling on the rock between Zeff’s feet as the slightest of smiles crossed her lips.

“Nothing, mom.” Shadow-Evary said innocently. “Zeff just threw the rock into the air and it came down and hit him in the eye is all.”

“W-what! No! Evary threw the rock at me and—” Zeff began.

“Zeff! Why are you lying!?” Evary cawed melodramatically. “W-we were just having fun and then you— A-and then you…” she didn’t even finish her sentence before she burst into tears.

In a matter of seconds, Shadow-Foster-Mom had approached Evary and was comforting her and coddling her. “There, there, Evary. Don’t worry about Zeff. I’ll take care of him…”

“B-but I—” *Slap*

Zeff fell to the ground with a thump as the left side of his face began to burn.

“I know my Evary. I raised her and she would never lie to me. But you, a good for nothing orphan? I wouldn’t put it past you…” Shadow-Foster-Mom began to approach Zeff, her arm raised, poised to strike him again. “Let me show you what happens when you lie.” She made no efforts to hide her smile.

*Smack!* Zeff was suddenly reeling from the force of the slap, his mind a frenzy. “I-I’m sorry!” He suddenly blurted out with tears welling up in his eyes, his face contorted by sadness and frustration, as Shadow-Foster-Mom began to lift her hand to strike him again. “You were right! I lied!”

Shadow-Mom suddenly froze. “Evary…” She called coldly over her shoulder. “Have you ever cried while telling the truth?” But before Emary could answer, she responded to her own question, “I haven’t.”

Zeff furrow his brow in confusion as Shadow-Mom drew nearer to him and growled, “Say it again. But this time, smile about it.”

Boy-Zeff was taken aback, but didn’t hesitate for fear of being struck again. He inhaled sharply, composed himself as best as he could and, by sheer force of will, twisted is face into the best smile he could muster, his eyes watering all the while. “I’m sorry. I-I was just joking.” he half-laughed-half-sobbed.

“See. I knew it.” Shadow-Mom chuckled sadistically. “Now, for lying, no dinner for you tonight. Now go to your room.”

Zeff didn’t dare protest. He only nodded vigorously, making sure to maintain his smile, and walked toward the front door, passing Evary and pretending not to see her grinning from ear to ear, the tears she had shed only moments before completely gone.