Smiling Oak's Academy for the Insane.

{Skull's Point of view}

We drove to the city limits, enter Eliza's house.
The foster home.

"You guys stay in the car. I have to do this on my own." I said, climbing over Chuck, out of the trunk. I stood, as "Innocence" started to drive and pulled around the side of the street.

Eliza's house was painted pink, and weathered down, with dead mulberry bushes in front. A tire swing hung low from a dead, brittle oak tree, and the place looked vacant.

I found myself standing on the creaking wooden porch, pushing the door open slowly.

A small boy, who looked about five, with chocolate skin, a buzz cut and a granola bar in hand sat in front of the trashy television, that was out-dated by at least a decade, and sat atop of a t.v. tray.

"Hello," I knelt down to the boy and asked sweetly, "what is your name?"

"Carson." He said shyly.

"Nice to meet you, Carson. Is Eliza here?"

He nodded, gave a "shush" and pointed to the door that led to the attic.

"Thank you. 'At a boy." I began to tip-toe nimbly, around the clutter, and around the other kids in the living room, eating cereal and watching cartoons. Not a one looked a day over ten. Maybe she ran all the other kids out, like she did to me.

"I wouldn't go up there if I were you." A red-headed kid nearly shouted in a nasally voice and a white-trash southern accent.

"That's Neveda." The black kid whispered.

Neveda. I'd left that name behind long ago. Before I got put in the institution. Before I was homeless. Neveda was my birth name, and it was about to be mine again.

I walked up the stairs, to the sounds of a belt swinging and hitting a screaming child.

"Shut it up!" Eliza's screeching, corroded voice hollered.

I stood face-to-face with her before I knew it.

The small child ran away, down the stairs, hollering like the kids I used to know once did.

"What are you doing here?" Eliza snarled.

"I'm shutting you down, Liza."

She pulled out a wire hanger. "Try me."

I slowly pulled the silver necklace that "Innocence" lent to me earlier from around my neck. "You don't know me. You never did."

"I know you inside and out," she smirked and narrowed her eyes, "meth baby."

I darted at her, strangling her with the thin necklace. "Ironic, huh? A wire hanger? You're rotten!" I grabbed the blade from my pocket. "You knew my mom died." I slit her wrist. "You know what you've done."

{Lydia's Point of view}

We stormed in, nimbly stepping over the scrawny little kids parked in front of the stereotypically-trashy t.v. that was on static.

Innocence was pissed at me, but nevertheless, she led us up the stairs, to the attic.

I sneezed at the dust and cobwebs on the way up, but got distracted by the blood splatters on the wall, and the sound of lips smacking.

"Oh, Skull." Innocence said softly. "That's inappropriate."

Skull was carving off the skin of a bleeding, passed out woman, who looked to be at least in her thirties, and eating the skin.

"...Get your ass over here. You're done."

"Wait. I made a mistake." Skull said, standing up and letting the body fall from her lap.

"Damn Right. We should've never let you come with us."

"No. I need to stay here."

"So you can eat the children too?

"No. Someone needs to take care of these children, and I want them to have a better life than I've been leading."

"So you're eating her skin?" I injected.

"You guys take the body. I don't care. But I'm staying here."

"Oh no you don't. Either you pack with us, or it's your problem. Your mom is dead. I don't need you anymore." Innocence said harshly.

"Oh, let's just take the goddamn body." I rolled my eyes at Innocence. "Will it kill you?"

Innocence glared at me. "You'd better watch that trap of yours."

"I'm just saying. You're so smart, you'll find something to do with it, I'm pretty damn sure."

"I hope this isn't one of your suicide tactics."

I chuckled softly. "You would know, right?"

"Hey--" Skull broke it up. "This is about me. I'm staying."

"Then stay." Innocence turned and walked down the stairs, but not before giving me a shove.

Harlequin, Basher, Richard and I gave her a hug before we followed, and Richard took the body with him.