Sugarcane Chronicles Volume I: One and Lonely (ryden)

Nightmare

"...and Spencer's even doing better in school," Jon said as he shifted in his chair across from Him in the living room.

"Well, it's really great that he's enjoying playing drums so much," He said. "I've been meaning to learn." He took a sip of His coffee and leaned forward in His chair. "So what about Ryan?"

Jon cleared his throat. "What about him?" he asked.

"Well, you found him just a few months ago," He started, setting His coffee down on the coffee table between them. "Patrick's fine, doing well in school and drum lessons, Spencer's doing just as well, although better in school since starting lessons, but Ryan." He leaned forward and rested His chin in His hand and His elbow on His knee. "I just want to know how he's doing."

Jon was at a loss for words. He stuttered out, "I-I, he's doing, uh."

"Start with school," He said. "Just tell me how his grades were."

"Well, he's not doing the best, but--"

"'Not the best'?" He asked. He took a deep breath. "Have you tried signing him up to learn an instrument so he will improve like Spencer?"

"Well, yes, he just, uh, he didn't speak for the first month we had him and he's still kind of quiet," Jon said. "We just don't want to pressure him into anything he doesn't want to do. We don't know his boundaries yet."

"You know there are these things called questions that you ask people when you want to know what they think," He said, sounding aggravated now.

"I know that," Jon defended. "He just doesn't always answer them. Ryan's just shy and warming up to us still.

He scoffed. "Yeah. Keep telling yourself that."

Jon hesitated before saying, "Are you alright? You seem kind of...agitated."

His expression shifted very slightly and He sat up straight. "I'm fine. Just worried. About Ryan, that is. Just, uh... Tell me how he's doing in school." His foot tapped impatiently against the edge of the rug.

"Uh, well..." Jon looked down and at the coffee slowly cooling in his mug.

"Come on, Jon!" He snapped His fingers as He said, "Think! Just give me the letters, the numbers."

"Well, Patrick's getting mostly A's and Spen--"

"No, Jon. Ryan. Do you remember him? Short, lanky, mute?" He snapped, seeming to get angrier by the minute.

"H-He's, uh..." Jon stuttered quietly. "Mostly, uh... C's. And, like, one D. But we're working very closely with him to get his grades up. Pete helps him with his homework every night."

He leaned forward and rested His face in His hands. "Well, if he's doing so horribly..."

"Pardon me?" Jon asked quietly, leaning toward Him.

"I said" He stood up slowly "if he's doing so horribly" He grabbed the collar of Jon's shirt and pulled him up with Him, spilling Jon's coffee "then maybe I" He pulled Jon close and closed His eyes "should take him." He opened his eyes to reveal bright reptile slit irises as sapphire scales appeared up His neck and onto His jawline "And raise him as my own."

He pushed Jon with one hand back against a wall and held him there, His hand burning a hole through his shirt. "Maybe I'll take Patrick and Spencer, too," He growled, baring His fangs.

Jon screamed a kicked and punched and fought, but He wouldn't let him go.

"Since you and Pete are doing such an inadequate job raising these kids," He said, heating His hand further to make Jon scream again, "I'll take them and raise them to be a hundred times better than you could have ever."