The following is a multi-chapter continuation of Misery and Do Androids Dream of Electrical Sheep? This story centers around short little instances in Nate's life following the latter story. I'll try to update daily, so I suggest you go read those if you haven't already, just fill yourself in on what's going on.

Otherwise, please review, and get ready for a wild ride.

Word Count: 314 words.

A Few Hundred Instances of Excessive Torture

.01 - In the Beginning

The point in time or space at which something starts.

Cast into a series of mishaps as a result of being caught in the crossfire of two deathly eyes, Nate has tossed his dignity aside in order to appeal to the wishes of his superior, if not just to spare the lives of everyone else around him.

He has essentially thrown himself into a scenario he'll stay in for an eternity.

But maybe everything won't be so bad. After all, she isn't the worst-looking girl in the world, and for the oddest reason, he can't say for sure that he actually holds disdain for her, he just knows that he's not as cuckoo for her as she is for him.

He wants to believe that someway, somehow, he'll eventually be perfectly comfortable with this, but for now he'll just have to learn to appreciate her.

The boy awakens a few days past the second incident, the morning sun shining down on him, the scent of his mother's cooking coming from the kitchen. After the previous night was filled with instances of him waking up in the middle of the night, shaking from a relevant nightmare, this was a pleasant change of tone.

A much needed one at that.

The sun however, could do without the excessive brightness.

The boy tosses and turns for a few more moments, groaning with discontent. Eventually he'll have to get up, go start the day, and see if he can make do without getting strapped to something against his own will.

With a sigh, he open his eyes.

And he sees her, her big blue eyes looking down at him with the most eerie, yet caring smile.

Rosa attempts to comfort his sudden surprise cry of, "Oh shit!" with an excuse, but to little to no avail.

He does not find "I was watching you while you were asleep so that no burglars would hurt you!" a justifiable excuse.