The Man (Puppet Boy Prequel)

3.

IT WAS Christmas Day, and Tommy raced down the stairs as fast as he could.

He didn't know why he was so excited, after months of his father being unusually cruel and bringing a bunch of strangers into the house, he figured there was probably no presents anyway. He didn't even see his father on his eighth birthday, and he had to walk to and from school.

Much to his surprise, his father was standing in front of the basement door, a smirk on his terribly aged face. His father looked different; his beard had grown significantly and his hair was thinning.

"Thomas, I have a present for you."

Tommy's eyes lit up instantly. He threaded his fingers together and nearly squealed, happy that his father hadn't forgotten about Christmas. It was just like old times!

The tree must have been downstairs. He hadn't seen the basement since the night he discovered what actually happened down there, so he figured there was probably a tree with toys beneath it.

"You do?" Tommy asked, his smile large.

His father nodded, and took his wrist harshly between his fingers while opening the basement door.

The instant the door was opened, a horrifying odor invaded the air around them. Tommy gagged. His father was amused as his son continued to retch.

"Man up, Thomas," he ordered, and he tightened his grip on his son's small wrist as he brought him down the steps.

Tommy's eyes watered with the terrible stench of the room, he had to rub his eyes as he lethargically stepped down the remaining steps.

His father moved in front of him and began laughing almost maniacally. The laugh reminded Tommy of a villain that cool superheros would fight, like Superman or Batman. But his daddy wasn't a villain, he was a hero.

When he opened his eyes, he found an adult woman tied to a chair sitting in front of him. She was crying, her eyes filled with fear and her previously applied makeup smudged all over her face. Her cries were muffled by the forceful stickiness of duct tape.

"This puppet is my absolute favourite," his father said excitedly. "And it's all for you."

And Tommy knew why she was his favourite. The dark coloured hair, the baby blue eyes, and the slim, petite figure resembled his mother exactly. If he wasn't there when his mother had passed, Tommy would have thought it was definitely her.

"D-Daddy..." Tommy said, his words shaky and filled with fear. His father gave him a look, and he quickly corrected himself. "I- I'm sorry... S-sir, why is she here?"

"Why is it here, Thomas! It! Do you think it's alive or something? What is wrong with you?" he scolded. "And I got it for you. It's your own puppet, to make and create yourself. Just like me."

Tommy furrowed his eyebrows, staring into the glassy eyes of the suffering girl in front of him. Maybe she wasn't alive, but why did he see that she was?

He was jolted from his thoughts when the girl began to whimper into the tape, shaking her head and sending her damp hair flying to each side as well. His father threaded his fingers through her hair and pulled it roughly, making her whimpers stop.

Tommy looked at the floor, too confused to process any other thought.

"No, I-I don't want her, I mean, it," he refused timidly. He was so terrified of his father's reaction, he couldn't take his eyes off the filthy basement ground.

"You are an ungrateful child," his father stated, a little too calmly. "If you don't want to make one, you can be one. Your decision."

Tommy couldn't stop the tears that slid down his cheeks as he gazed around at the realistic puppets that dangled from the ceiling in rows just beside him, giving off the most retched odor Tommy had ever experienced in his eight years of living.

They all looked so fascinatingly realistic, he didn't think he would be able to make one look that real anyway.

Tommy didn't respond. He stared at the girl blankly, while she used her eyes to beg for mercy. "S-Sir, she's real," Tommy said quietly. "She isn't a puppet."

With that, his father shoved him to the ground so hard, he slammed his head. His vision filled with black, bleary spots and when he lifted himself off the floor, his father handed him a belt.

He could hear the girl crying, screaming in front of him and the sounds were all he could process in his mind.

"Hit it," his father ordered.

"No, stop it, Daddy, please," he begged his father. His eyes were filled with tears, and they wouldn't stop falling no matter what he did. When he would try to blink them away, it would only make it worse. He felt so vulnerable and weak in front of his father.

His father, on the other hand, didn't hesitate to slam the belt into her side. She whined in pain, and something lit up in his father's eyes. He continued to hit her, and Tommy wailed in response. It was as if his mother was being hit right in front of him.

"Stop it, Daddy, she looks like Mommy! Stop!" Tommy pleaded.

His father dropped the belt, turning his head towards Tommy. Tommy watched as his eyes darkened and his face was no longer illuminated by the dim light; he was entirely swallowed by darkness.

"Why, my beautiful Puppet Boy. What do you mean 'Mommy'? You are merely a puppet," his father laughed cruelly. "You don't have a mother, or a father."

"W-what?" Tommy asked, his lip quivering. With each step his father took closer to him, Tommy would scramble away on the ground, attempting to back away.

"Yes, that's right, Puppet Boy. You are just one of my creations," his father said, and with each step closer, Tommy's heart slammed harder and harder into his small rib cage.

"Daddy, you're scaring me," Tommy whispered, staring up at his father with foggy vision.

"I am not your father. Kids are disgusting creatures, why would I have one? I am your creator, and you are one of my finest creations, I must say," His father's eyes sparkled as he stood over his trembling son.

A sickening grin crawled up his father's lips, and they released the words that Tommy would surely never forget.

"You are going to be a wonderful addition to this beautiful puppet family, Puppet Boy. I can already feel it."

_

A.N

i know it is a lot to read about a child going through this, and i know, trust me. it is hard to write about a child going through this. I do not enjoy the idea of anybody going through abuse as cruel as that, especially an innocent eight year old. this is just insight on The Man's childhood - if you do not like it, don't read! it is quite simple :) you do not have to read this! this is purely for people who have a deep curiosity and interest for The Man from Puppet Boy, which a lot of people do!

Anyway, thank you so much for ranking this story #50 in Horror! That's awesome, you guys are the best!