"You're just a little jerk," she told him the first time they met. "Nothing but a piece of lying crap."

That was when Corey had first arrived at the Rolling Hills Care Facility four months ago.

Things had gone downhill from there.

The Rolling Hills Care Facility was nestled in the glacial moraine country of north central Minnesota. Corey had been sent there after he'd attacked his teacher and nearly strangled her. His foster parents had finally realized that they couldn't cope with him anymore.

"I'm sorry, Corey," his foster mom had said. "But it's for the best."

In Corey's mind, she was probably right. Like Ankad had said, in a rare moment of insight and thoughtfulness, I have to agree with her buddy.

You're probably right, Corey responded.

Hell, she was an okay person and couldn't help it if she had no idea how do deal with the immensely troubled fifteen-year-old.

So, off to Rolling Hills Corey went to be put under the care of the staff of psychologists and psychiatrists and nurses along with two dozen other "guests." Corey was the youngest. The oldest being Sid Ramsdons, a bearded, grey-haired manic-depressive who enjoyed playing checkers by himself.

At least Corey wasn't that bad. As Doctor Ben Layton told him. "We'll get you better, Corey. You can count on it."

Corey had looked at Ankad. They smirked at each other. Fat chance, they both said at the said time.

To the doctor, Corey had said, "That'd be great, sir. Whatever you can do to help, I'd appreciate it." Which was an outright lie and whether the doctor knew it or not didn't mean a bit to Corey. He was still getting the lay of the land of the care facility and trying to decide what to do.

Nurse Brittlebone wasn't making things easier.

Or maybe she was.

Part of Corey's treatment for his anger issues was medication. A daily dose of medication prescribed by Doctor Layton and administered by the staff. Nurse Brittlebone was in charge of the staff and oversaw Corey's medication.

"Here you go, jerk face," she told him at least twice a day when he stepped to the window for his pill. It was a red and while thing and was supposed to calm him down. Mellow him out.

Corey admitted that it kind of did. The pill which Ankad called "The Horse Tranquilizer" pretty much flattened out his mood swings. Made him calmer and less prone to violent out breaks of anger. Doctor Layton and the rest of the staff thought the change in Corey was wonderful.

"You're so much more relaxed," Doctor Layton told him during a meeting early in his stay. More amiable. "Much easier to be around." He made a note, Corey assumed, to that effect in his notebook. "How do you feel?"

"Fine, Doctor," Corey answered. "Never better."

Corey glanced at Ankad, who was standing in the corner of the doctor's office, and gave him the thumbs up sign. They'd agreed that it was better to play along with the doctor and their treatment protocol. For a while anyway.

"That's wonderful," the doctor said. "Now, tell me about any dreams you've been having."

Corey felt his dreams were his own private business, thank you very much. As far as he was concerned, being medicated or not, he still had some dignity. The doctor didn't need to know EVERYTHING, did he? He didn't need to know that Corey routinely dreamed about causing the good doctor some serious hurt. An ice pick through the hand, for instance. Or a pen stuck in his stupid neck. Something like that.

No, the doctor was certainly NOT going to hear about those kinds of dreams.

Nor was he going to hear about what he wanted to do to Nurse Brittlebone. Chop off a finger or stick a sewing needle in her eye, being the most recent dreams. Dreams which often morphed into vivid daydreams keeping him occupied for hours at a time.

No, Doctor Layton didn't need to know those dreams, either.

Instead, Corey answered like he always did. "I'm have really nice dreams for a change, Doctor. Playing basketball with my brother. Helping my mom make apple pie. Nothing violent in the past." Truth be told he had hated his brother and had never played with him in his life. His mother? The less said about her, the better.

Doctor Layton leaned forward. "That's wonderful news, Corey. Tell me more about them."

"The most recent one is special. It was just last night and I recall it well. I took a camping trip to Lake Superior." He smiled to show his sincerity. "I went with one of my classmates in school. It was great."

The doctor nodded and made more notes.

Corey had looked at Ankad and smirked. God, the doctor was such a pushover.

Ankad said, You're getting good at this.

Thanks, buddy.

The doctor interrupted their conversation by slamming his notebook shut. "Okay" he said. "That's all for today, Corey. Good work." He glanced at the clock on the way. Already, Corey knew, mentally preparing for his next session ."I'll see you tomorrow." He chuckled, making a joke. "Same time, same place."

Corey smiled, playing along, and stood up. "Great. I'm looking forward to it." He glanced at Ankad who gave him the thumbs up sign.

Corey smiled at his friend. God, Doctor Layton is so naïve!

No kidding!

Doctor Layton watched Corey leave his office. Then he made another note in his notebook. Watch out for Corey, he wrote. This young man is very troubled.

Then he started writing more and more about Corey, and his anger issues, his manic depression and his imaginary friend. He wrote for a long time and picked it up after his next appointment left.

In the meantime, Ankad had an idea that he shared with Corey. You know what? he said.

What?

I think we need to get back at Nurse Brittlebone. She treats you like crap and deserves it some serious hurt.

Corey nodded and tucked his long hair behind his ears. I agree. I've been thinking the same thing, my friend. What did you have in mind?

Ankad grinned. Do you know what a laxative is?

Corey's eyes went wide. I do! It makes you poop like there's no tomorrow! He smiled. Are you thinking what I'm thinking?

If you're thinking about adding it to her morning milk that she adds to her coffee, the answer is YES!

So that's what they did. They brought a package of Lucky's Luscious Laxative from Ambrose Jenkins, a schizophrenic, who was one of the guests who seemed to have anything you could ever want. Whether it was a pack of cigarettes, a bar of chocolate, a pint of Jack Danies, or a can of coke, Ambrose had it all.

He also liked Corey and thought that Ankad was pretty funny.

"Sure," Ambrose said, when Corey talked to him. "I've got just the thing for you."

So, with a package of Lucky's Luscious Laxative pills hidden in his jeans pocket, Corey and Ankad snuck into the break room, added a healthy amount five tablets to Nurse Britlebone's milk container and then let nature take its course.

It didn't take long. Those close by said that she left the premises in a big hurry shortly after the morning break and wasn't seen for two days. Rumor had it she didn't make it to the toilet in time after the first attack hit. "It was a real mess," people said.

Of course, the beleaguered nurse knew right away Corey had something to do with it, but could she prove it? No way.

Neither could Doctor Layton who had his suspicions, as well.

"You can tell me, Corey," he said during a session later that week. "The truth is always better than lying."

Which in Doctor Layton's life might be true.

But not in Corey and Ankad's world. Lying was always better.

Like Ankad said to Corey while Nurse Brittlebone was on her two-day voluntary leave of absence. I think we should keep this between just us, don't you?

Yeah, buddy. I totally agree.

When she returned to work, Nurse Brittlebone was madder than a wet hen.

"You! You! You!" she pointed a nasty finger at Corey when she saw him for his daily pill. "I know what you did to me!

Corey raised his hands in a supplicating manner. "What? Nurse Brittlebone. Whatever do you mean?"

The nurse smirked. "You think you're pretty smart, don't you, jerk face? From now on, you better watch your back. I'll get you for what you did." She pushed the pill at Corey. "Here. Time for your medicine." She glared at him. "TAKE IT!"

Next to him, Ankad said, Careful buddy. Who knows what she did to that horse tranquilize?

Corey nodded. It was a good point.

"Thanks," Corey said to Nurse Brittlebone as his took the pill and pretended to swallow it. "I feel much better."

"Good." Nurse Brittlebone then shooed Corey away like getting rid of a pesky fly. "Now, get out of here."

"As you wish," Corey said.

He walked off, Ankad by his side.

Ankad pointed back toward where Nurse Brittlebone was standing at the nurse's station glaring at Corey and giving him the evil eye. That went well. The laxative." He grinned at Corey. We should do it again.

Corey smiled. I like your thinking, my friend. Good idea. I agree.

Let's give it a week for things to cool down.

Then do it again?

Yeah, do it again.

Right on! Corey gave Ankad a high five. I'm all for it.

Me, too.

Next week couldn't come soon enough.

So did Ankad.

-