Page 235 of Johnny

“It’s fine. Just send it to me.”

“OK. One sec. I’m sending now.”

A few seconds go by and then my phone beeps an incoming email. “Got it,” I say.

“OK. Welp. It was nice working with you, Johnny. You know where to find me. I won’t be taking a

new job and leaving town... I’ll be right here, business as usual.”

He’s so nervous, I start to get a very bad feeling in my stomach.

“Thanks, Clark. And no matter what it says, I really appreciate it and it’s all good. I promise I

won’t hold you responsible for whatever is in this letter.”

“Cool,” Clark breathes. “Later.”

I end the call and pull up the email. My eyes wandering over the short lines of text.

Then I sit down in the cool, wet grass, and start reading.

My boy,

I don’t have much room to write this message so I will be short and blunt but I would like you to

know that my heart is filled with regrets.

The day I brought your brother home I saw you there as I argued with your father. You were

standing in the hallway. Puddle of fear at your feet. Eyes looking up at me in terror.

The reasons why your brother came to us, and why your father objected, and why I had to insist

he stay, are too many to list and explain here on this one document.

So that is not the story I want to tell.

The story I want to tell is this:

There is only one way to take down an evil thing and that is to do it from within.

So here I am. Inside.

And there you stand. Outside.

Stay there, my son. It is my gift to you.

Have your own daughters. I will keep them safe.

Have your own sons. You will teach them well.

Live and love.

Be happy.

One day my heart will be empty of regrets and this nightmare will be over.

Your mother,