page66 (1/2)

Neddie had told Mikey the story of his life ht it was a scary fairy tale, because Neddie told it that way

“Once back in the day, I had a sister,” said Neddie

Mike said, “Uh-huh, uh-huh Victoria” He sighed deeply and rolled onto his side, facing Neddie

Neddie remembered his baby sister very well He had been seven and Vicky four when they were living with their ed mom on a quiet block in Glen Park Vicky was very cute and funny, with perfect features and softly dimpled hands

TheirNeddie bad because he kne relieved Mommy was to have a pretty child, with a normal brain, asn’t doomed to a stunted life that was “too much for any parent to bear”

Neddie said to Mike, “Vicky enty kinds of trouble”

“Tell me the kinds”

Neddie listed three, “Noisy, nosy, bossy,” and, wanting to move past this part of the story quickly, he said, “She didn’t suffer After she stopped breathing, I had to mess her up a little so that everyone could see that it was her fault forme so mad”

“Uh-huh,” said Mikey “You cut off her hair And her fingers And you stuffed her fingers into all of her bodily cabbities”

Neddie’s lawyer, Mr Paul, had asked Neddie questions in such a way that Neddie kne to tell the judge that he hadn’t knohat he’d done to Vicky rong That meant he wasn’t mentally competent to stand trial

“Your Honor He’s only seven,” the lawyer had said

Neddie hadn’t gone to jail This had been his first real-life lesson on the value of being a dummy

Mikey loved to hear about Neddie’s Next Stop, Johnston Youth Correctional for the Criminally Insane, which, even at seven years old, Neddie kneas co

Mikey said, “Now tell me about the Castle, Neddie”

The prison was an old redbrick building, each floor successively smaller than the lower floor