An Unfortunate Healing

Prolouge

        Nicholas started with cats: more specifically, kittens. He was only four when he coaxed one of the foreign creatures into his backyard. He found that he liked to hold them; he liked to feel how fragile the creature's body was; liked to stroke the brittle bones hiding underneath the fur. The idea that they could snap like a twig was too impossible to resist. Almost on their own accord, his fingers slowly tightened around the kitten, mirroring the actions of a constrictor. Only stopping when a satisfying crunch met the air, bittersweet vibrations to his ears. As time passed, he didn't just caress them. He found if he tucked them in his arms and positioned his hands over their face he could feel the life drain away. Feel the kitten go limp from the tenderness done by his hands.
        But people were a different story. They weren't as trusting or as naive. People resisted, and required much more drastic measures, which Nicholas hated. But some things were necessary. Such things included the removal of his mother. She was a disoriented woman; coming home in a drunken state, dragging strange men at her heels. Sounds could be heard from the bedrooms and Nicholas had no doubt about what was occurring behind the thin walls. It was shameful. She deserved the fate he gave her. She had never really loved him anyway. He had taken away the love of her life by just existing inside of her. She had tried to rid herself of him but her efforts ended in disappointment. All of her anger would lash out in paddles and slaps. A constant cycle of men, anger, abuse, and tears. Every time the left side of her bed grew empty and cold Nicholas became her new rock.
        On Nicholas's tenth year he received what he had always wanted for his birthday. Her execution. The day had started like any other: meeting a man in the early darkness of the morning and his mother storming toward him in anger.
        "You little shit!" She screamed, whipping her hand to strike his dirty face. He flinched, but it wasn't from the slap. "Don't you know what you've done?!"
        "No."
        "Don't you pretend you don't know! It's always you! You ruin everything!" She clenched his shirt in her fist.
        "No, that's you, mother."
        She threw him to the ground, punching and kicking him, cursing every time her body made contact with his. Every vile word poring out of her mouth made Nicholas want to end her right there, but he knew he needed patience.
        "Mommy," he called out, making sure to have innocence in his voice. "Look at what you've done to me."
        In her rage she looked down upon him and, as she always did, saw what she was doing to the only constant thing in her life. Her assault ceased as she realized what she had done. Her resolve crumpled and tears welled in her eyes.
        "Oh baby, what have I done?"
        "You hurt me mommy."
        "I'm so sorry, baby. Your father left me. Oh god. But you didn't, baby, you stayed!" She cried, hugging Nicholas and wetting his shirt.
        "I know." There was a distaste in his voice that she didn't detect.
        "What would I do without you?" she whimpered and Nicholas's resolve cracked.
        "I guess you'll find out." he growled, unable to restrain his disgust any longer and lunged for her throat. His fingers wrapped themselves around her vocal chords, cutting off any oxygen attempting to reach her heart. She didn't deserve to breathe the same air as he did. She was a disgrace, a drunken slutty lowlife. Every beat of her heart was a reminder that she needed to die, just like the sun always needed to rise in the early morning. Her eyes were wide in shock; her pet rock had turned into a mountain lion. She struggled to pry stone fingers from her throat. Her hands grew weaker and her skin turned a dark purple. Nicholas's heart was drumming with anticipation. The sound of blood rushing filled his ears. His breathing grew heavier and heavier as she neared death.
        Her hand brushed his once more before falling limply to her side. The light in her bright green eyes faded as the life drained out of her. Nicholas felt intense waves of pleasure wash over him as she became a doll in his arms. The tenderness he felt when her eyes went blank was nothing short of complete and utter bliss. He had never felt such a beautiful feeling in the whole world. The kittens were no match for the heaven he had just visited. He knew as he held his dead mother that this was the beginning of a new era. A time where he could fully commit himself to saving the world from those who would destroy it.
        Setting his mother down, he moved quickly into his room to retrieve his supplies. The scene had to be perfect or he would be locked behind bars, unable to do his job. After grabbing the rope from under his bed, he looped it around her neck, making sure to tie the knot correctly so it wouldn't break. After hanging her from the ceiling in the cellar he gathered his things, then closed the front door behind him and started his journey of the world's redemption.