For the first time after her abrupt change, their mother brought a man home. When Daniel was ready to kick both of them out of the house, the man greeted him in the most polite way possible. He was nothing like those she brought before.

Apparently, she met him at work. He was a very important client. Rich, handsome, but still alone and without family in his late thirties, Jacob Green was a perfect husband candidate. Many women were competing for his attention, but he chose that single mother who worked hard to provide for her children.

Jacob was a true gentleman, he invited her to restaurants and always asked for her consent whenever he tried to initiate physical contact. Even after many dates, he still didn't try to pressure her into anything. They just talked and tried to know each other on a platonic level.

Daniel's mother slowly but surely fell in love with Mr. Green, it was a feeling long forgotten by her. When they, at last, started dating and did the deed, she used her experience with many men to give him, as he said, "the best sex in his whole life". Of course, they wouldn't reveal those intimate details to the kids, but she made the situation clear. He wasn't like all the other men, he was "the one".

Daniel was confident that she hadn't told Jacob of her sexual feats in the last few years, nor about how she loved to drink and abuse her son, nor about the reason why their father left them. He could break their relationship with a few words, but he chose not to do it. It was unknown how this crazy woman would react. Moreover, Daniel didn't have a reason to force things. He was confident that this man wouldn't stick with them for long.

Alas, he was wrong. Jacob was the most amiable and friendly person Daniel ever met. No matter what kind of rude remarks the boy said to him, Mr.Green was able to answer with a smile and shrug them off effortlessly. Other than that, Jacob was a fantastic cook, he revealed that a long time ago he was a chef at one famous restaurant.

Successful businessman, kind and honest, tall and athletic, caring and attentive, Mr. Green could as well be called Mr. Perfect. Honestly, Daniel thought that he was too good for his mother. But, if he will really become their step-father, then their quality of life will improve tremendously. Both him and Lisa would have a real chance to be accepted in an elite university, and their future would be secured. Thinking like this, Daniel started to slowly accept his mother's new suitor.

It wasn't until the end of the school year that he started to notice that something is seriously wrong. Jacob started to give more and more attention to Lisa. He regularly took the initiative to help her with the homework. He hugged her each time he visited while giving Daniel just a nod. He held her hand when they visited the amusement park. He tried to act more and more as a father, but something bothered Daniel.

When Jacob suggested helping Lisa bathe, Daniel felt a chill running down his spine. He found an excuse to deny this request and was the one who took the role.

"Oh, big bro. It was a long time since-"

Lisa was obviously glad to have someone to talk while in the bath. But Daniel hushed her, putting his finger before his mouth.

"Lisa, please don't be loud - Jacob could hear us," Daniel whispered, "please tell me, did he ever touched you in strange places? Did he ever do something scary? I'm always on your side, trust me on this."

Lisa realized that her brother is worried about something. Her answer was "no" to both questions.

"You look scary, brother," Lisa said in a whisper, "do you worry about me? It is fine. You don't need to do anything about Jacob. I have this feeling... that he will disappear. Soon. In half a year, at most."

Daniel didn't understand what she was talking about, but he warned her to avoid being left alone with Jacob at any cost, and then they just talked casually. After they both left the bath, he started to ponder how to solve the situation if his fears were indeed real.

There was no way his mother will listen to him. She could go crazy just from hearing the accusation. How can her perfect future husband be a pedophile? He just loves her kids as his own! The police are unlikely to do anything just because of his suspicions, after all, Jacob is still did nothing serious. Even if Daniel asked Lisa to lie, and she accused Mr. Green of things he didn't do yet, it could be exposed, and then no one will help them again.

Moreover, the boy just didn't trust adults anymore. They did nothing about the bullying in the school, after all. Another thing is - if Jacob is indeed a pervert who targeted his barely nine years old sister, then he just can't leave him to someone else. Daniel wanted to destroy that trash with his own hands.

He started to observe Jacob more carefully. And indeed, the way that man looked at Lisa wasn't that of a doting father. There was carefully hidden lust.

Each time Mr. Green attempted to have some time alone with Lisa, Daniel was there to prevent it. Soon, the kind man wasn't so kind to the boy anymore. He treated him as a pest instead, even if he never showed it in an obvious manner.

When the school year ended, Daniel was convinced in this scum's true nature. But he still was unsure how exactly he should solve the situation. Just beat the shit out of him? It would solve the situation, but only temporarily. And it will create a lot of trouble as a result... Moreover, just a beating was not enough, he thought.

Unexpectedly, Jacob was the one who created a perfect opportunity for the bloodthirsty boy. It was Daniel's fifteenth birthday, June 7. Their mother was busy at her work, and the only person he invited was Ted.

It was a simple birthday with only three people. That is - until Jacob arrived and gifted new high-tech PC to Daniel. Mr. Green was friendliest he ever was and invited them all to go fishing at the lake, to have some of his first-rate barbecues while looking at the beauty of nature. Of course, they will stay there at night. Daniel's mother already approved, and Ted's parents, simply put, didn't give a fuck.

Of course, Daniel could reject this offer. After all, it was his birthday. But he didn't. Of course, he didn't - this was a perfect opportunity after all! The chance to get rid of this fucking scum.

Daniel didn't want to involve Ted, but the boy was way too enthusiastic and just didn't understand his hints. For Ted, who never has had a proper childhood, it was the most exciting event in his whole life.

After two hours long drive in Jacob's SUV, they arrived at the designated place. A magnificent lake at the center of a small wood.

"Wow, Mr. Green," Ted exclaimed, "this place is so beautiful! How did you find it in the first place?"

Jacob's expression became gloomy for a second, but only Daniel was able to catch this change.

"When I was small, my step-father and I often spent time here," the man answered with a smile, "we fished, we eat barbecue, we... well, enjoyed our time together."

Hearing this answer, Daniel felt a deep discomfort. He did read that many pedophiles were abused when they were children. He doesn't want to know what kind of things his step-father did to Jacob. It doesn't excuse this man's intentions in the slightest.

No matter how twisted is Mr. Green as a person, his cooking is superb. It was the first barbecue in Daniel's life, but he was confident that there wouldn't be a better one in the future.

They spent the day eating, catching fishes, and talking around a campfire. Jacob's stories were engaging, he told the kids how he traveled the world when he was younger, how he was an elite chef at the Michelin restaurant, he told them about all the interesting people he encountered. While listening to those stories, Daniel contemplated how exactly he would get rid of this predator.

At last, night came. Jacob prepared two tents, one for the boys and one for the girl.

"I will sleep in the car, don't worry about me," the man said, "before that, though, how about a relaxing herbal tea from the thermos?"

He offered the tea to everyone, to avoid any suspicion, Daniel pretended to drink it as well. Ted and Lisa became very sleepy just a minute after the drink, Daniel played his role as well. He wanted to catch the pervert red-handed.

Jacob didn't even go back to the car like he was supposed to, he just waited a few minutes before the drug he mixed in the drinks took full effect.

Then, he approached Lisa's tent. His patience was really short. He endured his burning desire for months, he just couldn't take it anymore. Alas, before he can enter the sacred place, a cold voice stopped him on his tracks.

"Where do you think you are going, scum?" The birthday boy watched the sneaky man with undisguised disgust.

"I just wanted to check if she is alright," the man still tried to hide his true nature, "why are you looking at me like this? I think you misunderstood something, Daniel..."

It was ridiculous that even now, this person still thought that he can excuse his actions with some bullshit.

"Yeah, sure. And you mixed the sleeping drug in your herbal tea to make us relax," Daniel said with sarcasm, "I totally believe you, Mr. Scum. I watched you carefully for the last month, I know what you truly want. It isn't my mother, it is my sister. Am I wrong?"

Suddenly, Jacob started to run. Though surprised, Daniel followed him just a second later. Soon, they arrived at the lake. It wasn't the place where they fished. The man no longer tried to run away. Instead, he looked at the teenager with a smirk.

"Oh, you are really in good form, boy," Mr. Green said as he circled around Daniel, "not anyone can keep up with me, moreover at such a tender age. I guess all this training you do isn't for naught. You have good genes, as well."

The man's expression wasn't kind or amiable anymore. He no longer tried to hide his perverted nature.

"But your sister is something else! She is perfect. I never encountered anyone as cute and sexy as she is. A real treasure!"

Listening to this piece of shit calling nine-year-old Lisa "sexy" made Daniel sick to his stomach. He wanted to fucking kill that hateful creature. And so, he charged at Jacob, his blood boiling.

Daniel executed his trained low-kick at Mr. Scum's leg. But it was perfectly blocked. Pain assaulted the boy, then he tried to retreat to keep his distance. Alas, his opponent wasn't merciful. Jacob sent Daniel flying with a powerful straight kick.

"You are strong, Daniel," the man said, grinning, "for a kid, that is. It seems I forgot to tell you brats that I'm also a 2-nd Dan Black belt at Taekwondo. If you intended to beat the shit out of me, you should have asked about my experience in martial arts. I wouldn't lie about something like this, you know?"

Just when Daniel managed to stand up, he was kicked again. And again. Each hit was heavy and painful as hell. Illusion about his own power was shattered right before his eyes. He wasn't the strongest. He was just a 165cm tall boy who weighed only 53kg. There still were countless people who could playfully beat him without breaking a sweat. It is just up until now he didn't encounter any of them. Up until now. No matter how he tried, Daniel was unable to do anything against this man. His enemy. His sister's enemy.

"Do you know why I choose this lake and this place, Danny?" Jacob leisurely asked, "My step-father really loved to have fun with me. In a sexual way, of course. Other than being into little boys, he was an excellent father."

Daniel felt the pain all around his body, but his face wasn't hit even once.

"He bought me toys, he never hit me, never yelled at me, always helped with homework. He was a nice man, really. At eight, I was too young to understand that having a penis put into my ass is the wrong thing. Actually, I started to enjoy it to some extent after a year or two. I even asked him to have 'secret play' when I was lonely."

Daniel tried to find a way out, he was afraid that this monster can do next. The boy was certain that it wouldn't end with just a beating.

"And this lake was our favorite playground. Both my first and my last time with him happened here." Jacob looked around the place, dim moonlight made his expression even more creepy than it was.

"But you know what? One day, when I was twelve, I understood that the thing we were doing is wrong. I didn't complain to anyone or asked for help. Just, you know. One day when we 'played' like usual, I pushed him into the lake."

The man sadly sighed.

"I just did it to give him a lesson, you see. But how could I know what this fucker didn't know how to swim? I didn't want to kill him, really. Even if what we did was wrong, I still loved him."

Jacob shook his head and sighed again.

"But he died. I was scared shitless, left here, alone, far away from the civilization. Just after killing my step-dad. Right here where we are standing right now, Daniel."

Mr. Scum stared at the beaten boy with a disturbing smile.

"The things your step-father did to you don't excuse your actions!" Daniel bellowed, "What you want to do, you fucking pedo? Rape me? Kill me?"

Jacob made an expression as if he was hurt by those words.

"You got it completely wrong, dear!" he said as if wronged, "It is the same as calling a bisexual man gay. I'm not pedophile, I'm pansexual! I don't discriminate against a person's gender or age. If I were was a pedo, why would I be interested in you? You are way too old."

The pervert approached Daniel, step by step.

"Just, you know. I have preferences, all of us do. And Lisa is totally my type. The hottest person I ever met. Your mom is fine, too, by the way. I just don't like sluts that much. You are a little bit too muscular and unruly for my taste. Your friend Ted is better."

Mr. Scum started to undress.

"But you know what? Even if you aren't my type, but it would be too much of a waste to kill you without even tasting. I'm sure your screams would sound nice."

They were just two meters from the lake's steep shoreline.

If it was the place where the trash's step-father died, then it would mean that the water here is deep from the start. If only I could push him in the lake... then I will have a chance to survive or even to finish him off.

But Daniel was unable to execute this plan, his body just didn't listen. He hoped that there would be a chance while that scum has "fun" with his body.

He already accepted his fate of being violated. Better me than Lisa, he thought.

"Hey, why are you quiet? It is less interesting this way, you know? You can try to resist if you want, I will be fine. C'mon, try to bite me or something."

The naked beast looked at Daniel with unhidden lust and sadistic delight. Then, it started to undress the boy slowly. But, it made a grave mistake of not pay attention to its surroundings.

"Haaaah! Keep your hands away from my friend!"

The boy even smaller than Daniel charged at the nude brute. Apparently, he already gained some speed and momentum beforehand, so Mr. Scum was unable to dodge or resist the assault. The beast lost its balance and was pushed right into the lake.

"Ted?!" Daniel asked both delighted and surprised, "Why are you here? Didn't you drink that drugged tea?"

The heroic youth was completely out of breath but was able to answer nonetheless.

"I suffer from insomnia for as long as I remember. I used sleep-inducing medications for so long that they are barely working on me anymore."

Daniel was able to relax for a second, but he was afraid that their fight wasn't over yet. But he was wrong.

"H-help me! I can't swim! Fuck, I'm dying here! Save me, please, I beg you! I will pay you, Ted! One hundred thousand dollars, how about it?!

What the hell? Both Daniel and Ted thought.

"Hey, Danny, no, Daniel - I was just joking around. I would never touch you or your sister, I swear! Just help me, please!"

The beast desperately floundered in the water, trying to stay afloat.

"It is hilarious. What the fuck, dude? You really didn't learn from your step-father's mistake?"

Daniel laughed his ass off while looking at this ridiculous sight.

"Hey, Dan. Wouldn't he really die? Shouldn't we save him?"

Daniel looked at Ted as if hearing something absurd.

"Ted, are you serious? This fucked wanted to rape my sister, rape, and kill me, for fuck's sake, he probably planned to rape you as well!"

Ted still was hesitant. Wouldn't it make him a murderer if that man really dies?

"I know, this guy is scum. But couldn't it be better to leave everything to the police? What if they catch us?"

Daniel patted his friend on the shoulder.

"Do you still believe in the adults, in the system, in the police? No one helped you when you needed help. Only I did. Now, you saved my life, you can't imagine how much I'm grateful to you, Ted. But you really think we can prove his guilt to the police? No way."

He shook his head and sighed.

"Listen, Ted. After they find his body, cops would just assume that he drown by himself while swimming. Naked, late at night."

Daniel bitterly smiled.

"For better or worse, his body doesn't even have any traces of violence. In the worst-case scenario, I will take all the blame. You have nothing to worry about, mate. Just believe in me as you always did."

And so, the two boys silently watched the last moments of the animal named Jacob Green.