What's Eating Sebastian Goodnight...

"Why do you get everything!" screamed Evelone as she lunged toward Sebastian and his sword. "It's not fair!" Stunned by the sudden rush, Sebastian froze. He had seen his sister angry, on many occasions in fact and he knew too well, if Evelone ain't happy, nobody's happy, and today, God help us all, today, that girl was pissed! Inches from the boy's face now and with a dead man's grip on the sword, she spoke deliberately, emphasising each word so not one would be forgotten, "You are nothing and I wish you would disappear." Sebastian felt in his heart the truthfulness of his sister's statement, and on his face, he felt the bits of uneaten cake as she spoke them. Ever since he was small, she had taken - his toys, his food, his security, his brother, but today, as she pulled the sword toward her, this theft would be met with some resistance.

She pulled, he pulled back and would not let go. Poking the bear, he stepped to the right taking the sword and Evelone with him. Enraged, Evelone pulled harder and in kind, Sebastian did the same, but the girl was older, stronger, and with little effort, she pulled up the boy, lifting him off the ground where their eyes met parallel and his feet dangled two feet from the floor. "Give me the sword," she muttered, her eyes burning into Sebastian's. "Give it to me or I swear to God...I swear to God." And with no more words, their staring contest was over. Evelone's left eye, and only her left eye, slowly moved away from Sebastian's gaze and focused on the tiny yellow parakeet still hiding behind Sebastian's left ear. "Give me the sword," she spoke again, eyes separated in a most disturbing way. "Give it to me or I swear to God...I will fry up that little bird of yours and serve him on a platter with carrots and potatoes for Thanksgiving dinner." Sebastian knew she was serious and so did Sampson. Scared as he was, the bird held his ground, and even if by some miracle, Sampson's clipped wings magically healed, he would not have flown to safety, leaving his friend alone, no, they were in this together, but something needed to be done. Sampson sucked up all the courage his tiny lungs could hold, spread his clipped wings and with one ferocious chirp, the tiny yellow parakeet with the heart of a falcon jumped from Sebastian's shoulder and rammed himself straight into Evelone's staring left eye. "My eye!" Evelone screamed, her pain strengthening Sampson's resolve. Like a woodpecker, Sampson's pointed beak continued poking that crazy eye a good three or four times before his adrenaline ran out and he fell to the floor happily joining Sebastian and his sword.

"My eye, my eye, my beautiful eye!" Evelone cried, stumbling around the room, half blinded by Sampson's attack. "When I get my hands on you!" Sebastian knew they had little time. Seeing his sister blocking the door, the boy grabbed his bird and the sword and ran to the only place Evelone could not follow - underneath the bed. Too small a space for a grown teenager but just big enough for a ten year old boy and his tiny little friend. He crawled and crawled, the bed so large, its space underneath was sprawling. All the way to the corner, safe, safe from the long arms of his sister, reaching in, grabbing for something, a bit a hair, the sleeve of his jacket, the frayed edge of the gray blanket tied tightly around his neck, covering now both the boy and the bird. "Come out!" she screamed, but Sebastian could barely hear, his hands to his ears. The bed started shaking, Evelone had climbed on top, jumping, trying to squash the boy out like the last bit of toothpaste in an old toothpaste tube. "Come out!" she screamed again, but he was not moving.

Finally, the jumping stopped, the noise had stopped. Sebastian looked to the edge outside the underneath, hoping to see two feet walking across the room to the door, opening it then leaving, but instead, his sister's face appeared. Evelone spoke in a calm voice...in a calm terrifying voice. "Enjoy your little fort now, brother, because in a few minutes, when the darkness comes, your safe place is gonna get very, very scary." Sebastian knew she was right. "You're underneath the bed, and at night, you will be surrounded by all that's underneath. All those monsters have been waiting for you for so long, waiting. While you've been sleeping tight in your bed, they've been waiting for that one night you poke your little arm or foot or head down underneath, waiting to bite it off, to swallow you whole, just waiting. You made it easy for them, you're in there world now, and soon they will find you a rip you apart...and your little bird too." Evelone's head disappeared and once again the jumping began.

Sebastian wanted to run out, but he didn't know what was worse - the monsters he couldn't see, or the one jumping on his bed. "They're gonna get you!" she screamed over and over again. "They're gonna swallow you whole!" Jumping and banging and screaming, so much noise, Sebastian couldn't think. Snuggling up close to the bird, covered in JoJo's old grey blanket, he tried blocking out his sister's cries, but it was no use, she was too loud. Too much noise, too much noise, the bed spring now pounding the top of his head, no escape, no escape, he wanted to scream but didn't, couldn't, had no memory of how. The monsters were coming, getting closer and closer and closer and in the middle of his wooden floor, underneath his very large bed, he saw a very small hole.

A hole he had not noticed just moments before. His heart stopped. As he stared, the small hole seemed to, appeared to become, started to get...a wee bit bigger. He closed his eyes, hoping it to be just a shadow, a dust bunny, anything, but when his eyes opened, the hole, and it was most definitely a hole, was still there and was still getting bigger. It wasn't a crack in the wood or a missing piece of flooring nor was it round really. The shape, kind of oval, wider in the middle, narrowing at the edges, and the nails that had, up until today, held these boards together, popped out and lined up side by side forming themselves into rows. Sebastian, now pressed hard again the wall, watched as the hole grew to the size of a beach ball and then as quickly as it opened...it shut. Sebastian breathed a sigh of relief, but too soon. Without warning, the hole opened again, then closed, then opened again, like a mouth, like a hungry nails-for-teeth filled mouth, biting, starved and Sebastian realized it wasn't like a mouth - to his horror, it was a mouth, and it was coming for him.

Deciding to deal with his sister's wrath instead, Sebastian reached out to scoop up Sampson, but to the boy's surprise, the bird was not at his side, he was instead, inching toward the open mouth, its edges now curled up in a sly, evil smile. Sebastian flung himself forward, reaching for the bird, grazing Sampson's feathers with his fingertips, but it was too late, the mouth opened a bit wider and swallowed Sampson whole. If Sebastian could scream, his house would have exploded. He crawled to where the mouth was and with his mighty sword, he began pounding on the wooden floor, pounding on it again and again. If he could speak, he would have screamed, "Give him back, give him back!" With his sword, with his fists he hit the floor again and again and again and with a loud wooden creak, the floor opened, the mouth opened, the nail-like-teeth opened and before Sebastian could jump away, the mouth sucked him in and swallowed him whole.

Falling, falling, falling into the darkness, the totally darkness. Sebastian fell and fell with no landing in sight. Reaching out for something, anything, but nothing. Falling and falling in this forever bottomless pit. He looked up, the mouth still open, the lights of his room still on, getting further and further away. The mouth started to close slowly, slowly and at the last second, before it had completely shut, before he was lost in total darkness, a face appeared far away, looking down. It was Evelone, watching her brother fall and Sebastian's last sight of his world was the smile on his sister's face.

Darkness. Falling. Falling. Darkness. Falling, falling, Under the Neath.

Ding Dong, Evelone Calling...

Bang, Bang, Bang! The door was about to come off its hinges, but Evelone didn't care. She knew the door was unlocked, she could have simply turned the knob and walked in, but the noise, like most things Evelone did, was for effect...the drama of it all. Terrified, Sampson hopped quickly behind Sebastian's left ear, peaking out, hoping she would tire and go away, but Sebastian knew better. He grabbed the old grey blanket that had been keeping him warm, tied the ends around his neck, pulled up the edges like a cape and wrapped himself up inside like Dracula protecting himself from the new morning's sun.

Finally, the door flew open with a kick, and there she stood, the sister from hell. In one hand, Evelone held the mysterious package, and in the other, the now half eaten plate of food. Luckily, Sebastian had no appetite, staring into his sister's face and the evil smile upon it, Sebastian wasn't sure if he would ever eat again. He was, however, curious about the package she held. Could it be a birthday gift from her, he thought...for a split second, then almost laughed out loud at such a ridiculous notion. Evelone did not give gifts. She hid gifts, she returned gifts, she had been know to open the gifts of others, but giving a gift? Oh no. But who was it from? Evelone walked into the room like she owned the place, criticising with her eyes everything in it, shaking her head, tisk, tisk, tisking away, but Sebastian barely noticed, his eyes remained on the package. Noticing this interest, Evelone held the box up and began to shake it violently, "I wonder what's inside," she cackled, then threw it hard across the room where it finally landed safely on his bed beside the opened gift sent by his parents - a bag of coffee beans from the Democratic Republic of Congo. They both stared at the box, then Evelone's left eye moved in Sebastian's direction. Her ability for independent eye movement always unnerved the boy, so he remained still, no sudden movements. Evelone was fast and could strike without warning. He knew to be patient.

She walked toward the desk, illuminated by the reading lamp, her face grotesque in shadows. With her free hand, she grabbed off the plate the remaining bit of Red Velvet cake and licked her dry, cracked lips, but before shoving it into her mouth, she ever so politely asked, "You didn't want this did you? No, I didn't think so." And like a python set free in a pet mouse store, she tossed the cake down her gullet and swallowed it whole. Finished and satisfied, she smiled in Sebastian's direction, her teeth stained red from the red dye of the Red Velvet cake. Dropping the empty plate on the floor, she slowly walked over to the bed, shaking her head, disgusted by the embarrassingly large amount of gifts Sebastian had received this year. "Two presents?" she asked. "Why do you get two? Everybody turns ten, you're not special. I mean for shit's sake, Hitler turned ten, so big deal for you." She slid the box across the bed, "Go ahead, open it." Sebastian did not move. "I said open it!" she screamed. Careful and carefully, Sebastian took one step and since he was still alive, he took one more, then another, still breathing, then another till he was holding the package in his sweaty and shaking hands. He looked at the box with no return address, simply addressed to him. Slowly, he pulled the tape off the edges, one by one. "You gonna keep that paper for your hope chest?" Evelone yelled. "Just rip it open!" But Sebastian paid no attention. After a moment, the gift was unwrapped. Sebastian pulled off the lid, set it down and looked inside. Sitting on top of the Styrofoam peanuts was a note, and like a scent, the familiar handwriting instantly brought him back to a happier time, it read simply - Happy Birthday, Bro. I miss you, JoJo.

"What does it say?" asked Evelone. Knowing no answer would come, she grabbed the note from Sebastian's hand and read it to herself, and for a moment, Sebastian thought he saw something human in her face, some true emotion like "hurt" because the note hadn't mentioned her...and then as quickly as it came, it was gone. Evelone crumpled up the note and looked inside the box, "He sent you nothing," she laughed. "Just a box of Styrofoam crap. Happy Birthday, Sebastian, have fun with you're crap." Picking up the box, Evelone started tossing the peanuts around the room, "You can pretend it's snowing," she cried. "Watch out, here comes an avalanche," and dumped the remaining bits over Sebastian's sad little head. The boy tried not to cry, but couldn't understand why his JoJo would play such a terrible joke. He lowered his head and watched the Styrofoam accumulate around his legs. Looking up into the box, he watched the white storm fall, wanting more, wishing there was enough to bury him alive, when Crack, something hard fell from the box and smacked him across the face. Sebastian looked down at his feet and saw, covered in the snow, the object the Styrofoam was truly protecting - his gift, his birthday gift from JoJo. Quickly, the boy reached down, brushed of the white bits and smiled in amazement by what he saw - a silver painted, sheathed plastic sword, bright and full of light, engraved with one word - GOODNIGHT.

When Things Could Get No Worse - Evelone...

The clock hits three and the last bell rings, another school day has ended. The empty halls quickly flood with happy, screaming children pouring from the opened classroom doors - higher and higher the tide, its current, strong, carrying all past the gym, the lunch room and library, bursting through the front doors and spilling out onto the open yard. The children run to their parents, showing construction paper projects and page after page of practiced cursive letter "P". After a while, the steady stream of students get thinner until the last and final drip slowly drips out - his name, Sebastian Goodnight.

At the corner across from school, the nanny leans against her car and waves the boy forward, smiling. Sebastian runs to her and seeing his wrinkled and red face, she opens her arms, wishing he would speak, just a word or two, to explain, to let it out, "You would feel so much better," she whispers into his ear, now snuggled safely deep in her hug. But Sebastian says nothing. He climbs into the front seat and shuts the door, but through the car window, he catches a glimpse of someone, a little girl, standing by the flagpole with her mother, holding an ice pack to a black and rapidly swelling eye. "What happened, Penny?" cries the mother. "Tell me what happened?" Sebastian turns and sits forward, staring straight at the open road ahead.

Earlier today, Sebastian was excited about the evening's possibles, but now, he just wanted to be alone. Good boys deserved good things, Sebastian deserved nothing. Should such cowards be rewarded with loving parents and a homemade birthday dinner, the biggest piece of Red Velvet cake, ten candles, and presents? No! And as the car rounded the curve and his house approached fast, all he wanted for his birthday this year was an empty driveway...and that's exactly what he got. The nanny parked her car, no problem, plenty of room - hers would be the only car parked tonight. The nanny turned to Sebastian and gave him a slight smile, "More cake for us, huh?" Out of the car, they walked through the front door, and in the hallway, sitting alone on the small table, a gift, wrapped in brown paper and covered in stamps from some far away country, waited for Sebastian. Comforted by the overwhelming pain of it all, he grabbed the gift and ran straight to his room.

Hours had past and Sebastian had not come out. The nanny, on her third trip to his door, noticed the plate of food she left on her first trip - lasagna with meatballs and hard boiled eggs and a piece of Red Velvet cake, had still not been touched. "He likes cold lasagna," she thought, and decided to leave the plate be. She did not knock, he would come out when ready and when that time came, he would open the door and see, sitting beside the plate of lasagna, a new package, one that had just arrived a few minutes earlier, but from who, she did not know. A mysterious box, wrapped in the same brown paper his parents had used, but this box was different - no stamps from some far away country, no return address, no lame excuses. To: Sebastian, it read, and nothing more. She set down the box beside the lasagna and Red Velvet cake, turned and walked back downstairs.

Inside Sebastian's room, the boy, wrapped up in his brother JoJo's old grey blanket, sat quietly in front of his open window, staring out into the night, still ashamed by his behavior at lunch. Sampson, his tiny yellow parakeet, perched still on Sebastian's shoulders, silently lending his support and comfort the only way he knew. Quiet, still, then startled at the loud bang, bang, banging coming from Sebastian's bedroom door. Such a disturbance, and not from the nanny the boy was sure. This racket could be only one thing - Evelone, and she wanted in!

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Cowardly Lion...

Sebastian opened his lunch bag and looked inside - peanut butter on whole wheat bread, salt-less Saltine Crackers and a perfectly sliced, cored and peeled crisp Fuji apple...yum! At the bottom of the bag, a note in the nanny's handwriting read, "All your favorites. I hope you have the best Birthday ever! Love, Nanny." Sebastian appreciated the sentiment and in all honesty, he'd had worse, though if anyone saw him, squatting painfully, smashed up between the row of prickly bushes and the cold, dirty brick wall of the maintenance shed, eating alone his birthday lunch, hiding from the entire school, no one would believe it, but he'd had worse birthdays. Sure, if one more kid ran up to Sebastian, patting hard his shoulders, screaming, "Happy Birthday!" into his ears, slapping his back side for one to grow on, just one more time, he would have screamed, well, figuratively screamed, Sebastian hasn't screamed for years, but he'd had worse. And how he hated being touched with those hands attached to little kids attached to germs and sticky things and things that stick to fingers when those fingers go sticking up their noses. But yes, sadly yes, he'd had worse birthdays.

Carefully, Sebastian smoothed out his paper lunch bag and set it on the bare ground with the intention to sit. He understood dirt in of itself is not dirty, it's what's in the dirt - the gum, the cigarette butts, the pee, but dirt is OK...as long as it didn't get on him. He would begin to sit then rethink his decision, then try it again, but in the end, he knew his end would remain forever off the ground. Knees shaking from squatting so long, Sebastian tried thinking the pain away, imagining himself at home, his parents driving up the driveway, running through the front door with open arms. Knees steady, Sebastian smiled and licked his lips, ready to bite into his peanut butter sandwich when to his surprise, a dark shadow wiped across the bushes in which he hid. His knees began shaking again and he wished to himself he would have sat, but it was too late, someone was out there, getting closer. Sebastian could hear footsteps slowly crushing the leaves, getting closer and closer and it was just a matter of time before they found him.

Sebastian did not breathe, he did not move, frozen he was as the footsteps stopped just a few feet from the bushes. Over his shoulder, he felt someone watching. Caught, he slowly turned his head and saw standing above him, Penny Nickels holding a bright red ball. Somewhat relieved, he smiled and their eyes met and for a moment, Sebastian thought she was about to speak, but she didn't, she didn't have to. His short lived relief quickly dissipated as Penny Nickels' face said all without saying a single word, "We are not alone!" Penny turned and Sebastian could see coming around the corner, grunting and squealing, the three little pigs - Teddy Green, Mark Lee Tappen, and Mark Lee Lloyd, brothers - same mother, same interchangeable personalities, same pink pimpled skin, same greasy slicked back, dirty blond tuffs of hair, all different dads, making their way towards Penny. Had they followed Penny? Why? Nobody follows Penny. For as long as she had been in school, everyone had made fun of her, but always from a distance, never up close.

Through the bushes, Sebastian saw the boys getting closer, their faces red and angry. "What's you doing, Penny Nickels?" shouted Mark Lee Lloyd, or maybe it was Teddy Green, which ever one it was, he looked pissed. Mark Lee Tappen or maybe it was Mark Lee Lloyd then shouted, "Give me back the ball, retard!" Penny turned and looked at Sebastian again and he recognized that bright red ball. Dodge Ball. It was the dodge ball from the most evil game ever invented, and it was now in Penny Nickels' hands, and the boys wanted it back.

Sebastian stared at Penny, pleading with his eyes for her to go away, but she just stood there as the pigs got closer. Teddy Green or maybe it was Mark Lee Lloyd laughed, "Maybe she wants to play Dodge Ball." They stood, just three feet from her, Mark Lee Tappen or maybe it was Teddy Green whispered, "What's you looking at in those bushes, Penny Nickels?" Sebastian's eyes grew. Penny looked once more at Sebastian, maybe she was hoping for help, maybe she was hoping to be saved, maybe she was hoping Sebastian would jump out of the bushes and scare off the pigs, making them run wee wee wee, all the way home, but Sebastian didn't know because he was not looking at Penny, the ground, the dirty, gum, cigarette butt and pee filled ground suddenly demanded his undivided attention. Penny turned slowly and faced the boys. She took the ball, raised it high and threw it far over their heads, far away from the bushes and far away from Sebastian Goodnight. Teddy Green or maybe it was Mark Lee Tappen screamed as they watched the ball roll out of sight, "Stupid retard!" They trotted after it and Penny slowly walked away, leaving Sebastian to enjoy his peanut butter sandwich.

From the safety of his hiding place, Sebastian watched the boys find the ball. From the safety of his hiding place, Sebastian watched as they found Penny. From the safety of his hiding place, Sebastian witnessed the one action that would change Penny's life at school forever. One of the boys, maybe it was Mark Lee Tappen, picked up the bright red ball and threw it directly at Penny Nickels' head. She did not dodge. And then one of the boys, maybe it was Teddy Green picked up the ball again and threw it again at her, and again she did not dodge.

Behind the bushes, smashed up between the cold and dirty brick wall of the maintenance shed, Sebastian watched the three pigs tear down Penny Nickels' once indestructible wall one brick at a time...and Sebastian did nothing, he sat quietly and ate his peanut butter sandwich, hating each and every bite.

It was his worst Birthday ever.

Bent Penny...

They should have been friends, Sebastian and Penny Nickels, and most thought they were or at least joked about them being - being friends, she's your girlfriend, he's your boyfriend - sitting them in trees together, k.i.s.s.i.n.ging together - yes, they should have been friends. Both outcasts, teased and tormented, both freaks, unknown and unwanted, they should have been friends, but they weren't...not really. Why? Don't we, in school, seek out and attach ourselves to those with similar qualities, clothing styles, tastes and muscle sizes. And with that said, might not a school's entire jock and cheerleading population be wiped clean with just one tiny bomb, strategically placed under that certain cafeteria table under the trophy case, or instead, the table by the exit door, tick, tick, tick, KABOOM...no more drama kids. We go with what we know, and while Sebastian knew Penny, she didn't know him. Their similarities meant nothing to her and what ever connection they should have had was lost on the girl, for Penny Nickels lived in a world all her own.

They were in the same grade, though Penny spent most of her time in the "special" class, the same special class which Sebastian's parents fought vehemently to have him removed - such a thing would not look good in the yearly Family Christmas Newsletter. The few days Sebastian spent as a classmate of Penny's, he came away from the experience grateful for his parent's prejudices. That class, filled with kids in helmets and padded chairs, plastic and unusable scissors seemed more of a holding pen than anything else. The noise from hands and heads banging on chairs, feet on floors and windows, pounding and smacking and screaming and in the middle of all the chaos sat Penny, quiet and still, unaffected and disconnected. Sebastian noticed as the kids ran and rocked themselves around and around the room, no one, not a single child came within three feet of the girl. Her chair, dead center of class remained an unspoken restricted area, and for Billy's constant pacing, well, he knew to detour. Penny Nickels lived within the confines of that three feet zone and it followed her from class to the hallways, to lunch and the playground at recess - her wall, her invisible stone and mortar wall where no one may enter.

Penny's silence, unlike Sebastian's, was dark. It frightened people, kept them away. She exuded absolute passivity, her non-reactions to the most hateful words thrown at her smashed against her wall, its strength made her invulnerable, crippling her assailants, rendering them and their words useless. Sebastian studied her and at times tried to copy what she did, showing no weakness, but...Sebastian was weak - the fatal crack in the wall, needing just one push and down it comes. Sebastian admired Penny Nickels and believed they should have been friends...maybe someday.

Reading, Writing and Running for Your Life...

The moment Sebastian watched the nanny's car disappear around the corner, he suddenly began to question his choice of outfits for the day. As he turned, facing the school, he found breathing became a bit more difficult, his bow-tie, tighter than he had remembered, scratched like steel wool around his neck. Burning up in the chilly, early morning Autumn air, Sebastian uncharacteristically felt the need to unbutton his tailored jacket which now fit the boy like a latex surgical glove. As he turned toward the school, his vision began to blur. The trees blended into the building and the ground into the sky, and from the smudged mass of kids gathered around the flagpole, three figures bled off and quickly approached Sebastian. Fuzzy, but with laughs and taunts crystally clear, these three faces attached to six fists, like finger-paints doused in water, smeared, creating a dark colorful mass of soon to come inevitable pain. But the boy did not need to see their faces, he knew exactly who they were. Blind to him now, their pug noses, glazed over and swine-like eyes, Skoal stained teeth and greasy tuffs of hair have become permanent cast members in Sebastian's nightmares. Like three pigs, and not the cute kind - instead, the huge, dirty mean kind with sharp teeth that grunt and squeal and eat their own shit stood inches from Sebastian's face, their breath like sour milk. Yes, Sebastian knew these pigs and they knew Sebastian. The boy closed his eyes, his teeth gritted, readying himself for the first blow. Waiting to see stars and small birdies flying and tweeting around his head, he instead heard a voice. Slowly, he opened his eyes to see Miss Leeds, the school Principal, standing firmly between Sebastian and his three assailants. Though on her face appeared what could only be described as a smile, the tone behind her bared teeth made her words, "Good morning, boys," send shivers down all their backs. "Good morning, Miss Leeds," grunted the pigs, now hooves in pockets. Sebastian politely smiled, buttoning up tight his jacket from the sudden chill. Through the same "smile", Miss Leeds continued, "What's say we get to class, shall we? Let's make today a great one. High-five!" And one by one, the three pigs slapped Miss Leeds outstretched hand and walked into the school. Sebastian, left alone, tentatively raised his hand but was left hanging as Miss Leeds turned and started walking toward the open school door. Denied, Sebastian followed her as she called back to him, "A bow-tie, huh? It fits you." The compliment made Sebastian smile, until she went on to say, "Maybe you should eat lunch with the teachers today."

Sitting in homeroom, Sebastian busied his mind with thoughts of home - his parakeet, the nanny's birthday cake and hopefully, the return of his parents. He looked at the clock on the wall - three hours till recess, the scariest 45 minutes of the day, but today, he had a plan. Sebastian figured out where to stand, where to hide, where the least numbers of kids could be found...safety - a small patch of land behind the school garage, a row of hedges, tall enough for Sebastian, but too short for the smokers. It was perfect, and then smooth sailing for the rest of the day - home for cake and presents and mother and father. Sebastian just needed to keep to the plan, but as they say - Man plans...God laughs!

Over the intercom, Miss Leeds started her morning announcements and at the end, she gave a special shout-out to the birthday boy, Sebastian Goodnight. Sebastian froze. All at once, every kid in class turned in Sebastian's direction, and with hunger in their eyes, one girl asked, "Did you bring cupcakes?" Sebastian stared blankly. The girl asked again, "Did...you...bring... cupcakes?" Sebastian finally shook his head no. Pissed, the girl turned away and under her breath, she whispered, "You should have brought cupcakes."

Miss Leeds continued and offered up a challenge to the entire school. With a satanic glee in her voice, she said, "I want every single student to wish Sebastian a happy birthday today. Seek him out, hunt him down, let him know how much this school cares. Let's make this birthday one he will never forget. Have a great day, everybody!" And with a click, the intercom went quiet, but Sebastian's mind raced. Shocked by the attention, he slowly came back to earth when his teacher started her lesson for the day. A bit weary, Sebastian began to breath a bit easier, she didn't bring him to the front of the class, she didn't make him write down what he wanted for his birthday, she didn't even ask how old he was. Maybe everything would be OK. Who listens to those stupid announcements anyway, most people in school didn't even know who Sebastian was. Almost calm, Sebastian's heart steadied...until the intercom blared Miss Leeds voice once again, "And just one more thing. In case you don't know Sebastian, he's the one in the blue jacket and little bow-tie. Happy Birthday Sebastian...Sebastian Goodnight."

Go Sebastian, It's Your Birthday...

"Good morning, sweet boy," said the nanny as she knocked outside Sebastian's bedroom door. She had done this, more or less, everyday, she would guess, way back since Sebastian was four. She was hired to cook to clean, to do the laundry and several things at this moment she could not recollect, so many chores, but still always a wink at sad Sebastian on the brink from his parent's never ending neglect. In a day so brief and slim, how she managed from floor to brim, clean rugs, scoured pots, forks and pans, if Sebastian had known not better, his one true friend and babysitter had more than just one and two hands. So, "Good morning, sweet boy," but to Sebastian's dismay, the nanny added something a bit extra. "Good morning, sweet boy, and might I just say, good morning and a big Happy Birthday!" But Sebastian was not happy, staring out the window for mom and pappy, hoping against hope they'd come home. In what country were they exploring, over which ocean in planes a'soaring, was it Guam, Nice, Paris, France or maybe Rome? Promises were made, but just in case, the nanny prayed for his parent's quick and timely return, it's been months and not one note, they managed a text from a fun filled boat, but in truth, it seemed the children were of no great concern. Still, the nanny wanted things better, so she smiled through the door she entered, though the parents were no where in sight, this day will be a good one and will be full of adventure, "This I promise, Sebastian Goodnight."

The nanny turned on the light to Sebastian's room, only to find the bed empty. Over by the open window sat the boy, staring down the long drive, listening for the almost forgotten particular sound his father's car made as it would creep slowly, tentatively, sadly toward the house - but this morning was still quiet. Watching him, the nanny's smile fell, but she quickly picked it up again before Sebastian turned. He was dressed, not in his normal clothes but the brand new outfit his parents sent...money for the nanny to go out and buy. Big boy pants with pleats, crisp white shirt, tailored jacket and blue bow tie. "Adorable," she thought. "Are you wearing your birthday outfit to school?" Sebastian nodded. "Well, you look fine, just don't get it dirty." They both smiled, knowing that was not a possibility. Sebastian didn't get dirty or wrinkled or disheveled in any way. He did not play - in the dirt or anywhere else, he could sit still for hours. The birthday outfit would remain as crisp and clean, pressed and kept as the moment of its purchase...and this thought made the nanny's smile fall again.

"You look fine, but Sampson looks cold," said the nanny, pointing with her finger to the tiny yellow parakeet sitting on Sebastian's finger. The bird's eyes stared out the window as intently as the boy's and every bit as sad. Sampson, however, was not staring down at the road, but up - up and out to the open sky, watching the other birds free flight. Sampson was, perhaps, the one creature in this house sadder than Sebastian. The bird's clipped wings, Sebastian's fear of all things made these two a perfect pair.

Sebastian's parents had a habit of being absent, so in their stead, a gift would be sent. A package would arrive and be found on the hallway table - how polite they were. Wrapped in brown paper, covered in stamps from some far away land, and inside, always with a note, "Sorry we couldn't make it." or "Couldn't get away." or "We're having too much fun!" and always signed, "Sincerely, your mother and father". Gifts for birthdays, gifts for Christmas, missed Parent Teacher meetings, missed school plays, a gift for every occasion. Sebastian often thought, if they actually ever showed up, he probably wouldn't even notice, their faces unrecognizable and in his memory, almost forgotten. But of all the gifts, and there have been many - life size Terracotta Soldiers from China, telescopes from Madrid, handmade cigars from Cuba - Sampson, the tiny yellow parakeet from Australia was Sebastian's favorite. Weary of each other at first, the two slowly began to trust. Sebastian had no fear of Sampson, and every night, when the bird was returned to its cage, the boy's heart would break. Seeing his friend locked away was unbearable but in Sebastian's dreams, Sampson would soar.

"It's time for school, put Sampson away," the nanny said, "you can play when you get home, and maybe your parents will be here when you get back." Anything's possible. Sebastian gently placed Sampson in his cage, took one more look out the window...no one, and sadly left the room. Watching him leave, the nanny folded her arms from the chill in the room. Walking to the open window and just before closing it, she also took a look outside...no one. "It's still early," she thought, and off she went to join Sebastian.

And Sampson in his cage began to chirp so big and bright, waiting for the quick return of his friend, Sebastian...Sebastian Goodnight.