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Kyle Broflovski was sixteen years old when he discovered the world didn’t want or wasn’t going to change.
Throughout his childhood he tried to take something good from each incident or situation that happened.
Think the best of people.
It started with the news. Over and over again. Murder. Politics with the same issues with different fonts.
Kenny dies.
The hooded boy didn’t deserve it. So many other people who did terrible things lived. But he died.
Why?
The tipping point was Stan.
During the last half of junior year his super best friend disappeared. No note. No communication to anyone. His truck was still at home.
For the first time it’s just Cartman and Kyle.
“I’m sorry…Kyle. I didn’t want the hippie to hurt either.” the fat boy said solemnly.
Kyle’s eyes watered.
He nodded.
Kyle began searching.
Some things are better off without being discovered.
Xxxxxxx
The search for Stan wasn’t going well. Nobody seemed to find him anywhere. Not in the lake or in the woods.
Kyle searched again by himself. He remembered the cabin. Was it possible this was forgotten?
The cabin had always been abandoned. As far as anyone knew, nobody ever used it.
He opened the door.
Kyle slowly went in and he retched.
There was what was once his super best friend—with his head cut off and his body dismembered, the pieces scattered throughout the cabin.
Kyle stared. Surely he was imagining this? He blinked rapidly and tried to control his stomach.
He hurled.
Who would do this to Stan? Who would hurt him this much? Nobody deserved it less.
Time seemed to move by quickly after that. Police came and went. One of the cops took him home. His Ma watched as he went inside saying nothing.
She tried to speak.
“Bubbeleh, please talk to me. Or your father. We are worried.” she said before looking solemn. “And after what you just saw….”
Kyle scoffed.
What was there to talk about? His best friends were gone. His super best friend was gone.
Stan couldn’t come to his house and play games anymore. He’d never see his friend smile or laugh again.
Kenny couldn’t make perverted comments. His smirk. The twinkle in his eyes after they made a good buck.
Somebody was going to fucking pay.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx
“Kip Drody. We could look into him.” said Cartman.
He raised his eyebrows.
“Kip? Why?” he questioned.
Cartman chuckled. The fat boy looked at him with a sense of disbelief. “Seriously, Kiel? Haven’t you noticed he’s obsessed with you?”
Kyle didn’t say anything.
The only thing he knew about Kip was that he was a year younger, quiet, and didn’t have any friends.
He became friends with him on Facebook years ago. Felt sorry for him. Stopped being friends after the fallout. Kyle hasn't thought about it since.
Kyle nodded.
“So what do we do?”
Cartman flashes a smirk. “You watch. Maybe befriend the creepy weirdo. I’ll do the behind the scenes stuff.”
So they did.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It’s surprisingly easy to befriend Kip.
All Kyle had to do was smile and make the most tiniest of small talk and the boy was putty in his hands.
They hung out.
Some of the other boys look at Kyle in disbelief. He ignores them. They will understand later.
Kyle finds out that Kip is interested in hunting. Fishing. He doesn’t seem interested in much else.
Except….
Him.
“I’m so glad you’re my best friend.” gushed the other boy. His eyes were shining and he moved his chair a couple steps closer.
It’s only been a week since they started hanging out.
……Weirdo.
Kyle stood up.
“Yeah. Same. So, were you wanting to go hunting? I haven’t gone in forever. My buds aren’t quite in the scene.” he said quickly.
Neither was Kyle.
But that doesn’t matter.
They go hunting at Stark’s. Kip seems to be in his element. He’s constantly shooting at something.
Is he even following the rules?
“Uh, Kip, I don’t think we’re supposed to shoot stuff unless we’re actually hunting it.” he pointed out.
Kip smirked.
“Everything is worth the hunt.”
Kyle stared.
Weeks pass by and Kyle is on more hunting expeditions and more time at Kip’s. Cartman says that Kip is the only suspicious character aside from Mr. Garrison and the older man were out of state at the time of Stan’s disappearance.
All arrows point to Kip.
“I feel like I can really trust you, Kyle. Do you want to see more of my ambitious hunts?” he whispers.
All the redhead can do is nod.
Kyle feels a sense of dread when he’s told to wait on the outside of the forest nearby the cabin. He waits for at least two hours before Kip comes back with Tolkien Black.
“I got 'em. Shoot em, Ky. Unless you’d like to make it more fun.” he said as the black boy struggled.
Kyle paled.
“Why are you doing this? Why me?” he asked.
The disheveled boy kicked Tolkien. The black boy’s eyes watered. He tried to say something, probably groaning in pain, but the gag prevented him.
“Because hunting humans is a lot more satisfying than hunting animals
hey can’t laugh at you or do anything as you run towards them.” said Kip.
…..Cartman was right.
Fuck.
Cartman…was right.
“You were different, Ky. You were always kind to me. Befriended me when I thought nobody else would. Of course I wanted to include you. You are my best friend.” continued the boy.
Kyle watched as Kip grabbed Tolkien roughly and put a wet rag on him. The black boy immediately collapsed.
Kip started walking. He gestured towards the cabin. “You comin? I think maybe you’ll like this other game better.”
He hesitantly followed.
Kyle continued watching as Kip tied the black boy up and set up a table of weapons.
“So use any weapon you want. I like to chop them up and see if the cops get a clue. They never do. But do what you want, Ky.” the murderer said happily.
…..Stan.
His super best friend.
Tolkien.
One of his good friends.
A part of him wants to talk to him. See if there’s any reasoning. But that’s naive, isn’t it? Kip isn’t doing this out of some depraved but understandable reason.
He was evil.
Some people say nobody gives humans the right to be judge, jury, or executioner.
Some people are wrong.
Kyle eyed the weapons. At the end was an axe. He took it lightly and felt the weight on his fingers.
Kip smiled excitedly.
The redhead went closer and swung it at Kip’s face. The closer he went the other boy’s face fell farther and he tried to open his mouth to say something but Kyle didn’t give him a chance.
Kyle raised the axe.
Kip smiled excitedly.
The smile vanished.
Kyle swung.
“See you in Hell.”
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It’s been years since Kip was killed. He washed the axe and kept it in a closet in the cabin.
Tolkien had no idea what happened. Kyle brought him to his car that day and brought him into the black boy’s home and had him sleep everything off.
Kenny came back. The redhead feels anger and confusion. Where was the blonde boy when he needed him? What happened? Why can’t Kyle remember?
The blonde watches him more with a sense of weariness. Kyle can’t say he’s surprised. But it’s not something worth telling. Not all heroes wear capes, right?
Kyle thinks about Stan constantly. But he decides to protect people like his friend. The ones that can’t defend themselves against the evil against this world.
Which is when Clyde Donavon introduced Craig Tucker, a new roommate, and his eyes seem to follow Tweek’s everywhere his radar goes off.
Kyle smiles.
Looks like he’s going to have to make sure that Cartman keeps an eye on this one.
Some say that if you embark on a journey of revenge, you’d better prepare two graves.
Kyle is ready.
Justice isn’t always fair.