Happy Mount?  Who ever thought of the name of the cemetery is a true idiot[19].

            "I'm buried here…" It was more of a statement then a question.

            "Yes.  Is that a problem?" I push the gates open, why they keep this cemetery gates closed I'll never know.

            "…my parents are buried here…"

            I stop for a moment to turn to look at Johnny.  He looks dazed as if waking up from a dream.  I wonder what happened to his parents.  Sure, I knew Johnny had parents.  He couldn't have possibly be hatched…then again…

            "What happened to them?" I asked as I walked down the gravel road towards his grave.

            "A bad man killed them." His shoes crunch against the small rocks as he follows.

            "Bad man?"

            "Yes." Johnny's voice has an edge to it. "With red eyes.  He left me alive…to suffer."

            "Well…Johnny…" I turn backwards to stare at Johnny with calm eyes.

            "…what?"

            "The past is the past.  You have to move on.  If you don't, you truly will be a ghost." I shake my head, my ebony hair wiping against my face. "I'm sure Todd wouldn't to meet a ghost.  He sees them enough as it is."

            He blinks at me in surprise.  Almost as if he is contemplating what I'm saying.  After a few seconds, he gives a sharp nod, agreeing to what I said or agreeing to some inner thought, I'll never know.

            Without saying anything else, I turn back and continue down the road 'til we reach a large oak tree.  A grave is underneath it, somewhat withered from age.  Kneeling in front of it is a young man holding a ratty looking teddy bear.

            Todd.

            He's grown up rather nicely.  A few inches shorter than what Johnny was and still having a figure a girl would die for.  He could be with anyone of his choosing I'm sure.  But after the death of Johnny, he had lost all of his self confidence.  Not like he had a lot as it was. 

            Todd lifts his head to turn to look at us.  Instead of that calm brown I normally would look into, he stares back with near-black eyes.  Sadness etched into the retina.

            Me and Eff had tried everything to make Todd happy, but it was hard.  Johnny was Todd's anchor to this world.  That and the knowledge what happened to his parents a few years after Johnny's death depressed him more.  His mother died of some overdose of a drug and his father killed himself over depression.  Fitting end to such unfit people.

            However, Todd still cared for them as a good son should.  I don't know what I would do without my parents.  So, I suppose I can relate.

            Johnny is quiet as he stares at Todd.  Brushing off the muck on his pants, Todd walks over to us holding Schmee close to his chest.

            "Hello, Pepito." He gives a sad smile that hardly reaches to his eyes.

            "Hey, mi amigo!" I try to act happy at least to lighten the mood, even if we are in a cemetery.

            Again he smiles, and again it is only for show.

            "Who is your friend?"

            Johnny looks abashed. "Don't you recognize me?"  Sometimes Johnny says the stupidest things.

            "I'm afraid not."

            "….you don't?" Johnny looks confused. "I'm Johnny."

            "Nice to meet you, Johnny."

            "But you may call me 'Nny for short."

            Todd's eyes widen, his mouth open. "Pepito!  Tha-that's not funny!"

            "What did I do?!" Why do I get blamed for everything?!

            "How can you be so cruel?!"

            "Did I say something wrong?" Johnny looks between me and Todd.

            Schmee begins to yell at me now.  After a few years of fine tuning my hearing, I could finally hear that stupid bear.  Now I can understand Johnny's animosity towards it.

            I can't believe you try to pass this person off as Johnny.  I mean seven years is a long time to wait to pull this trick.  This guy is not half as sickly as Johnny look.  All thin and scrawny.