Pinocchio was startled at the vastly familiar voice. He had heard it upon arrival and ever since, telling him to have fun, whatever felt good to do it… and now here.

"What brings you to my office?" he inquired gently.

Pinocchio could only gulp and stay as still as he would were he not a magical puppet.

"You know, I've been keeping an extra eye on you… It seems you have more reserve than the others. I like that."

The man's voice was warm, inviting; but something about him exuded tendrils of cold, grasping out for anything to rip out.

"What are your dreams, hm?" he asked.

"M-my dreams, sir?"

"Oh yes… The dreams of your boyhood are certainly the most precious…" he said dreamily.

"Are you the boss?" asked Pinocchio.

There was a good long pause before he felt the door close behind him. Then there was a wind that rushed to tear at his face, legs, and clothes. Stillness after the storm filled the room.

"My dreams are fulfilled. Just knowing that a little boy like you can have freedom and fun without stop." Said the man.

His voice was near Pinocchio's lips, breath hot near the boy's face. He leaned in closer and closer until he was kissing the little puppet. Then he fell away and said that he was reminded of himself in the wooden boy. Pinocchio was shocked that the man would do something like that.

"Well," he giggled "NOW my dreams are fulfilled. And I can tell this will be something we'll be doing often. Wasn't that fun?"

Pinocchio felt something itching against his rear and the sides of his head. He thought of this new sensation…he had never felt anything before. Curious, he scratched. And scratched. And scratched. The man watched in fascination, then began to laugh. The laugh grew to a dark chuckling, chuckling to cackling of glee.

"PINOCCHIO! Come closer as I realize your boyhood dreams-s-ss-ssss!! Ha-ha!"

The little wooden boy decided he didn't want to stick around any more. Forget the fun. Forget Bruno. He had to get. Out.

He ran as fast as he could to the coast, it wasn't far. But the whole time, he heard the laughter and footsteps coming for him. As he jumped in, he saw the man rolling in the sand calling after him, half-laughing, half-crying…

"Come back here!" the man shouted. "Come back and we'll make all your boyhood dreams come true!" That was the sing-song voice of the beginning stages of madness… or perhaps the realization of madness.

Pinocchio was quite sure he would not be coming back, whatever happened.

While swimming away, he was swallowed by a whale. Inside, he was re-united with Gepetto who was looking for him the whole time. They escaped the whale and went home. Pinocchio was turned into a real boy and lived a normal life.

He never did tell anyone what happened on Jackass Island.

How did I know?

Let's just say I was a cricket on the wall....