I Am: God's Forgotten Child

By Heath E. Hoy

Tyler Trenton is the product of a childhood devastated by abuse and neglect. While fighting the battle between good and evil, child and demon, he finds solace in a god named Elzba. Tyler believes that he can achieve the status of a god by doing the bidding of the she-god. Then things turn tragic, and the teenaged Tyler is faced with the feelings of losing friends in a tragic car accident, followed by the abandonment of Elzba. These actions send the young mans world spiraling out of control.

Years pass, and as Tyler becomes an adult, he also becomes an expert at killing and disappearing. He leaves a trail of bodies and baffles the police with the pen name he has given himself: I Am. One day, things get even stranger for the man, and he falls in love. Although he keeps his life a secret, there are things about the young woman that he knows nothing about. Their strange relationship is tested when family gets involved and an unwanted friend from the past begins to come after the mans new lover. Tragedy will befall them, but who will die and who will live?

• Language: English
• Publisher: Abbott Press
• Release date: Mar 28, 2014
• ISBN: 9781458215055

Heath E. Hoy

Growing up, Heath always had a hunger to see what the darkness held. Now he knows. Are you willing to be adventurous? More than just a little curious? Then let go of all that’s real and take the trip with Heath as he leads you into the dark, twisted world of Tyler Trenton.

Book preview

CHAPTER 1

There are some lives that never have to be put through the ringer and there are some that never have to find out what a ringer is but on occasion some are turned upside down. They are the ones who must decide which path they will take in life. At times, several of those souls meet and in short create a matrix. They bond and become one with the lives in which they have been given. Humans, much like animals, can sense the pain and anguish of one another and the strong will kill the weak. Such was the life of Tyler Trenton.

He was born during a harsh and deadly snow storm in January of 1978. His parents already had one child that they could barely take care of and now there was another mouth to feed. No one at the time knew of the dark secrets that lurked behind the closed doors of the rundown apartment. Living in a small usually meant that everyone knew the business of their neighbors but that wasn’t the case in Tyler’s life. By all appearances, life in the Trenton home seemed no more or no less normal than anyone else who occupied the small town. Nothing was further from the truth. One year later, another child was born and life had become increasingly more complicated.

When Tyler turned two years old, he was no different than any other child his age. He potty trained normally, almost on his own, he was learning how to count and identify numbers and was even learning to ride a bicycle. His brothers, on the other hand, were a little slower in catching on to normal skills. Jimmy, the oldest by three years, was in kindergarten and was diagnosed as having a slight touch of downs syndrome. His abilities were a couple of years slower, about the age of two, but he didn’t seem different in any other way. He made friends fairly easy and participated in his classroom events. The youngest of the three was Kaleb. He was only a year old but he was the most outrages of them all. Trouble seemed to be his middle name.

Carl, the father, and Linda, the mother, also functioned on a lower level of learning than most adults. They were in their thirties but acted like teenagers. Carl was not a drug addict or an alcoholic but he had a dark side. Linda always tried to protect the children from any kind of harm whether it was in or outside the home. At times she would break down and cry because she had no clue as to what the future held for the children. Carl, on the other hand, didn’t seem too concerned and made it well known. That was the beginning to the cycle of horrible events that would transpire in the years to come.

Time passed and the kids grew older. Jimmy had repeated kindergarten due to his learning disabilities but was finally moving forward. He was eight years old in the first grade and Tyler was in kindergarten outdoing the rest of the children in his class. Kaleb was still at home not quite ready for school but was picking up on things that Tyler would teach him. Things always came quick and easy to Tyler so when it came to reading he was on top of the game. Every night he would read stories to the other two boys when it was time for bed. At times his mother would find him sitting in a corner of his bedroom reading out loud to himself.

One night when she went up the stairs to check on the boys, she didn’t see them and wondered where they had disappeared. Linda looked in the bedroom where Tyler slept but didn’t see them. As she turned the corner to go down the hallway to her and Carl’s bedroom she heard a noise. It sounded like something was being thrown against the wall or hard on the floor. When she got to the door it was closed. Slowly opening the door, she met eyes with her husband and he screamed at her to mind your own fucking business! Jimmy was lying on the floor against the wall and he was crying. Kaleb was hiding beside the bed to avoid coming into contact with his father. Carl had Tyler’s face shoved into a pillow and Linda could see that the boy was suffocating. She ran over to hit Carl to get him to stop but he was faster and hit her with a closed fist across the jaw. She fell to the floor with a thud and in great pain.

Tyler made a break for freedom and scurried across the bed to be with his little brother. Jimmy picked himself up from the floor crying. He felt the blood racing down his face. Carl jerked Linda up by the hair to stand her up straight and smacked her across the face. She fell on the bed crying in pain and begged her husband to stop. Just as fast as the violence began, it ended. He ordered the children to clean up the messy room and for Linda to tend to Jimmy’s wounds. As he walked out of the room, he yelled profanities at them and went down the stairs.

After they realized that Carl was gone Linda took the three boys in her arms and squeezed them tight. All of them were crying and she did her best to comfort them by saying that their father was just having a bad day. She held them for about thirty minutes before letting them go and she cleaned up Jimmy’s wound. She went to the bathroom and retrieved a wash rag and got it wet to make sure the blood came off of the boys head. She went down the stairs to get some ice for the young boy so the swelling would stop. That night she lay down with the boys until they fell asleep.

All was calm for the next couple of weeks. Carl didn’t beat up Linda or the kids but there was still a sense of fear in the air. The children didn’t walk in front of their father while he watched television and they didn’t complain about what was for dinner or how early they had to go to bed. Linda tried hard not to burn the food and she cooked what Carl told her to make. She didn’t want to set him off on a violent tangent again and hurt one of the children. While she was cleaning up the kitchen after dinner one evening, someone knocked on the front door. Carl told her to see who it was and without hesitation she obeyed his orders.

When she didn’t get back to cleaning the kitchen right away Carl got out of his chair and went to the doorway that led into the living room. He could hear Linda talking to someone but couldn’t make out who it was. She was trying hard to explain that things were fine in the apartment and she needed to get back to her work. The voice asked if she could come in and have a look around to make sure everything was okay. Carl listened with his back to the wall and heard the door open. He came around the corner and was staring into the eyes of two uniformed officers, two detectives in suits and a woman in dress slacks and nice blouse. He became enraged and asked them if there was a problem.

Mr. Trenton, we received a call that one or more of your children were being abused. We are here to talk with you and your wife about the allegations. The social worker told him.

What the fuck are you talking about? Our kids are fine! I punish them and if that is a crime then maybe I am guilty. Who told you that anyway? Carl demanded to know.

Sir, we are not at liberty to discuss that information with you but if we could just talk to the children and get this cleared up you can go on with your day. One of the officers replied.

There’s nothing going on here that you need to be concerned about and I want you to leave. Carl said.

Mrs. Trenton, where are your children? The second officer asked.

They are up…. Linda started to say.

Don’t answer these fucking pigs! They don’t have a right to be here and they only want you to feel like you did something wrong. Carl interrupted.

Mr. Trenton. If you don’t cooperate with us then we will have to arrest you and take you down town. Detective Sweed explained.

Just get the fuck out of here and leave us alone! Carl was loud and trying to pull Linda away from them.

Okay Mr. Trenton, you leave us no choice. Officer please place this gentleman under arrest.

The officers grabbed Carl and one of them read him his rights. Carl Trenton, you have the right to remain silent. If you choose to give up that right, anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one the court will appoint counsel to you. Do you understand these rights?

I’m gonna fuck your pig mother! Linda, don’t you say a fucking word to these bastards you stupid whore bitch! Carl was yelling as the officers struggled to get him outside.

They got him to the police car where they shoved him in with force. Detective Sweed asked Linda to sit down while they talked. He asked her if his partner, Detective King, could look around to make sure the living conditions were appropriate for the children. She was reluctant at first but finally consented. The detective assured her that she was not in any trouble but she needed to be honest with him. Detective king told her the worst case scenario was that the boys could be put in the care of the state until a full investigation was conducted.

She and Carl would have to go to court and counseling to make sure that things got worked out between them.

Linda started to cry and Detective Sweed comforted her by putting her hands in his. He told her that as long as she cooperated with their investigation, he would personally see to it that everything was handled in the most quiet and respectful manner. Detective King gave her his honest opinion that things were not as pleasant as she tried to make them out to be. Linda agreed. She told them about her husband’s temper and how sometimes he would hurt her and the children. She also told them about the incident in the bedroom where Jimmy had been injured. They were all fearful of Carl and didn’t want to set him off on an angry frenzy but they never knew what would trigger it. Detective King asked her where the children were and she told him they should be home any minute for dinner.

Just then Jimmy, Tyler and Kaleb came crashing through the back door into the kitchen. Linda stood up and walked to meet them and to tell them that there were some people there to see them. She led them into the living room and introduced them to the detectives. Jimmy and Kaleb said hello to the men but Tyler stood back and observed them in silence. Detective King approached the young boy with his hand out. They shook hands and he asked the child how old he was and where he went to school but the only response he received was a deep stare. The detective knew that he would be the tough one to get anything out of.

Detective Sweed was talking to Jimmy and Kaleb about toys and their favorite cartoon shows. He even told them about his two children that were about their age. Detective King was not having the same luck with Tyler. He could tell that the boy was different than the other two but knew that if he could get the child to talk then he could have a case on Carl to put him away for a while. He could also tell that they had all three been through some traumatic events in the past and really wanted to know what they had been. Tyler watched Detective Kings every movement.

Linda looked over and saw that the detective was having trouble with her son so she got up to help him. Tyler backed away towards the kitchen and moved closer to the door that he and his brothers had entered through just moments earlier. Linda moved past the detective to try and comfort the boy but he opened the door and took off like a bolt of lightning in the direction of the dilapidated shed in the back yard. It was the place that he and his brothers would go to hide or play games and he felt safe there. Detective King told Linda that he would take care of the situation. Before he walked out he told his partner that he had to go and retrieve Tyler.

Once outside he headed toward the shed. He opened the door to look around and it seemed like Tyler had vanished into thin air. He pulled out his flashlight to illuminate the smelly hide out and spotted the boy standing in the shadows with his back against the wall. His stare told the detective that he was confused but Detective King had the impression that the boy was in complete control. Eventually he convinced Tyler to come out so they could talk. Soon they were both coming back into the apartment and sitting in the living room together. The story that Linda and her sons told made both of the detectives angry.

She told them about the ritualistic beatings that Carl would dish out and how he tried to smother Tyler with a pillow. Jimmy talked about the time his father had struck him and split his head open after being slammed into the wall. Linda gave great detail about her husband’s frustrations in the bedroom. He would hold her down to make her have sex and if she didn’t do what he wanted the right way he’d choke her just to the point of passing out, let go, then threaten to kill her. Tyler described one incident when Carl had gone into his bedroom to tuck him in for the night but pulled the covers up to his neck and began choking him by pulling them tight. He said he would thrash around until he felt like he was going to go to sleep but his father would let go to let him breathe again.

Both detectives looked at each other in disgust. Linda could feel their stares boring a hole through her and knew that there were accusations being silently thrown at her. She held her head with shame and thought to herself how selfish it must sound to others for her not to call someone for help. Detective Sweed wondered if she even loved the three children at all or did she use them as a sacrifice to Carl so that he wouldn’t beat up on her when he was angry. Either way the detectives thought it was time to intervene.

Detective King excused himself from the room and talked to the lady from Child Welfare Services that was waiting patiently while they conducted their interviews. They talked about Carl being detained until the children could be put into a safer environment. She agreed and made a phone call to her supervisor to let him have an update on the case. After she hung up the phone Detective King walked back into the living room with a confidence that he hadn’t noticed in years. He hated this part of the job but this time felt great about telling a parent that their child had to be removed from the home.

Linda could tell from the look on his face that something was wrong. Something was about to happen that she didn’t have any control over. The detective sat down next to his partner and listened to the horrible jokes that he told the kids. Jimmy and Kaleb didn’t think they were all that bad because they laughed at them. He looked over at Tyler and saw a look in the young boy’s eyes that chilled him to the bone. It wasn’t a look of fear but of total disdain for any male adult. He could only think about the horrible and heinous things that the three children had endured up until that very moment.

Margy Greyson, the social worker, came into the room. She looked at Linda and saw her worried eyes. The mother sat silent as she watched her world fall apart. Emotions were colliding inside her like ice cream in a blender. Margy spoke to her.

Mrs. Trenton, I’m going to be placing your children in a temporary home until we can get a court date for you and your husband. She said.

Court? Why? Linda seemed confused.

To determine what should be done for you to get your children back. Margy said it slower this time.

But I haven’t done anything wrong! It was Carl who was doing the bad stuff! She pleaded with Margy.

Yes but when he gets released he’s going to come back here and the children can’t be here.

Linda didn’t know what to say and just starred at her hands. At that moment she realized that if she wanted her kids back then she would have to follow the instructions she and Carl were given to the letter. Margy had made no promises but did tell Linda that she needed to go to counseling and try to get the problems behind them. Linda agreed and told her that she would do whatever it took to be a great parent. There was nothing more important to her than her children. If she had to testify against Carl then she would tell the whole story in court to a judge. About an hour later a car pulled up in front of the house and Margy waited for the driver to walk to the door. Tyler was standing at the base of the stairs and when he saw the new people he started up the stairs but stopped half way up. He saw Detective King talking to the man but couldn’t hear what was being said. They both walked into the apartment together and stood in the living room. The detective stood at the base of the stairs looking up at the boy. The two locked eyes and he could feel Tyler’s anger, rage, confusion and anxiety as if they shared the same mind. He walked up the stairs to talk with the child.

Listen, son. I know that I can never understand what you’re feeling but that’s why I’m going to leave you my number so that you can call me if you ever need to talk. All you have to do is pick up the phone. He told Tyler with a sensitive tone.

He handed Tyler a piece of paper.

You promise that I won’t get into any trouble if I call you? Tyler asked in a quiet voice.

Any time day or night. If I’m not there then leave a message and I’ll get back to you soon. Detective King said with confidence.

Tyler could see the sincerity in the man’s eyes. He had learned to read people’s souls by looking into their eyes. Detective King seemed to be a man of his word and decided it would be okay to trust him. He walked down the stairs holding on to the detective’s arm. Linda called him over so she could hug him and tell him goodbye. After Tyler told his mom goodbye and walked to the door where Jimmy and Kaleb were waiting. He hugged the detective and started to cry tears of relief, sadness and joy. The boys were in the car and the detective watched as it drove away not knowing what was going to happen to the three children. He thought of his own children at home and began to weep. Detective Sweed stood next to him with his hands on his friends shoulder. Either one of them said a word. They both knew that no matter what they’d never stop thinking about the boys. Those children deserved a fair hand in life and if it cost them their jobs to make it happen then it would be worth the price. Margy told them that everything was under control. Detective King got into his car and drove to the police station so he could deal with Carl. He knew that the man was already angry and going in to deal with him would make things more interesting. When he got to the station he entered the room where Carl was.

Hello you son of a bitch. Detective King greeted him.

Fuck you! Where are my kids? I want to see them!

If it were up to me you’d never see them again. I wish I could lock you up in a cell and just accidentally forget about you.

Carl laughed.

That’s funny to you? You’re probably going to go to prison and lose your family but that’s funny? Detective King was getting even angrier.

Carl almost got out another laugh but before he could the detective grabbed him by the shirt collar and threw him to the floor.

How does that feel? Huh? You like being in control don’t you!?

Carl replied whimpering. Why are you doing this?

What? Are you serious? Let me help you up!

You broke my glasses! Cried Carl.

Suddenly, the door busted open and several uniformed officers swarmed in to pull their friend off of the detained man. At some point a public defender had entered the room screaming the law to the detective but nothing was getting through. Detective King stormed out of the room and headed for the parking garage. He got into his car, revved the engine and squealed his tires for about ten feet before shooting out onto the main street. He cruised the streets for nearly a half an hour which gave him plenty of time to think. He heard something on the scanner that made him chuckle to himself. There was an APB out for Detective Gregory King and if anyone saw him they were to report to the captain before trying to apprehend him.

He didn’t care and just kept driving.

CHAPTER 2

That night the three boys were settling into their new homes. Jimmy and Kaleb were together in a single family home where they were treated very well. Tyler was in a home without his brothers and that hurt him. He had never been away from them like this and he wondered when he would see them again. It was at that moment that he had to figure out how life worked and fast. He sat down at the table with his new family but they didn’t say a word. He refused to say anything that could be used as a weapon against him. He may have been put there against his will but no one said he had to talk.

Peter was a nice man who always wore a smile on his face and said nice things to people. His life was dedicated to making others feel wanted and appreciated. The nice man wanted to know if Tyler needed anything but the boy didn’t respond. It was clear that he was feeling scared and alone but that wasn’t acceptable in his home. Peter believed if one person was feeling bad then they would spread that feeling like a disease. Loreen, Peters wife, always wanted to do the right thing no matter what the consequences ended up being. She excused the other children from the table and told them to get ready for bed.

Loreen was a country girl through and through. She still lived by the old fashioned rule that kindness won every time. Maybe she was right or maybe she was full of shit, Tyler didn’t quite know. What he did know was that these people seemed nice and he was right. The boy felt that it was finally time to open up to them since no one had ever given him that feeling of trust. It was like a higher power was shining a light down on him at that very instant filling him with love. He started to cry but the tears were somehow different this time. They were the tears of a sad, broken hearted little boy. The Mesner’s moved closer to comfort him. He raised his head, wiped the tears away then looked at Loreen and Peter.

Can I stay here? He asked.

Honey, you can stay here as long as you need to. There will always be a space for you. Loreen told him with tears forming in her own eyes.

Tyler, you are just as special to us as our own children. We would never make you feel anything less than that. Peter told him.

How long can I stay here?

Well, they looked at each other as Peter spoke, we don’t know but I promise that we will feed you and keep you safe as long as you are here.

Loreen reached over to poke the boy. And tickle you until you can’t stand it anymore!

Tyler laughed as she poked his belly and sides. After she stopped tickling him, Loreen said she would get his bath water ready for him and then he had to go to bed. Peter changed the sheets on the bed that Tyler would be using and added two more pillows so that the message of comfort got across. Tyler entered the bedroom with his hair still wet and watched as the man fluffed the pillows. When the fluffing was completed he climbed into the bed. Loreen covered him up so that he looked like he was wrapped inside a blue and yellow fluffy cocoon. After he was settled, Peter and his wife hugged him good night. Tyler lay there watching the shadows dance on the wall from his night light. His eyes started to get heavy but he fought a valiant battle with them to stay open. He eventually succumbed to their will. When he drifted off to sleep, he dreamt of a happy place that he’d never experienced before.

CHAPTER 3

Early the next morning Tyler woke up to the smell of pancakes, sausage, biscuits, and eggs. He asked himself if he was still dreaming but realized that he was wide awake. The room was quiet and very bright. The sun shone through a window just across from the bed. Tyler stepped out of bed and looked in the mirror that rested on top of the dresser and wiped the sleep from his eyes. He brushed his hair back from his eyes with one swoop of his hand and opened the door. In the hall way the walls were decorated with bright flowers on top of yellow wall paper with white trim. All of the other doors were shut tight except for one. He followed the sound that was coming from the room which sounded like someone was singing with a muzzle on their mouth. The thought of right or wrong was deep inside his mind but curiosity was getting the best of him. He pushed his right side up against the wall and slowly peeked into the room.

His eyes were struck with awe. Tyler’s little brain couldn’t stop moving a million RPM’s. He was locked in a stare that even a stern hit on the head with a steel bar couldn’t break. He was watching the Mesner’s fifteen year old daughter sing and dance around. It seemed like an eternity before Cindy noticed that she had an audience. She let out a squeal of shock but started laughing at him. Tyler jumped because she startled him but he didn’t have a chance to run. The young girl grabbed his hand gently and started to dance with him. She was trying to make the young boy feel comfortable but she herself was feeling a little awkward. After a few minutes, Cindy and Tyler were both laughing from dancing around the room and she told him that he should probably go downstairs to eat. She told him that they should keep that moment between them and Tyler agreed.

Tyler walked down the stairs still not believing what had just happened to him. He heard Peter call for him and he went into the kitchen to see a table with more food than he’d ever seen in one spot. He sat down in a seat and saw the plate of food so piled up that he wasn’t sure if he was supposed to eat it or wait to be told he could. Loreen told him to eat before his food became cold. Tyler savored every bid of the delicious bounty in front of him and took his time chewing every bite slowly. When the plate was finally empty, Peter asked him if he was finished or did he want more but the young boy could not another bite. He politely said no thanks and Loreen took his plate. The moment was surreal because usually there would be yelling and dishes would be thrown followed by a punch or a smack. This process went on for weeks but Tyler knew that nothing could be that good forever.

Three weeks later, Tyler was on his way back to live with his mom and dad. The only thing that he was looking forward to was seeing his brothers Jimmy and Kaleb. Were things going to be different this time? He was almost seven and was getting tired of adults telling him things get better with time. Things were either good or they were screwed up and nothing in between. No matter what, for him and his brothers life was always going to be decided by the flip of the proverbial coin. He would lie awake in bed at night remembered what adults had said in his presence. At first the words were just words but eventually he’d put them together and figure out the adult super code of speech. It was just a matter of minutes before he arrived at the new house. What sort of surprises awaited them in the shop of horrors this time around, he wondered. The car pulled up to the curb and Tyler just starred at the house. It was beat up but evidently suitable for them to live in. He looked around thinking about how he was feeling.

A piece of him wanted to run as far away as possible but the rest of him knew that someone had to stay and protect his brothers. In reality, the decision wasn’t his but refused to think that he would never have control. Detective King’s phone number was still tucked away in a secret spot and would not hesitate to call him. Tyler took about ten steps when he saw Jimmy and Kaleb in the front room window. He ran inside and embraced them with the hug of a grizzly bear. It had already felt like an eternity since seeing them last. Linda and Carl joined them in their hug. The more he heard how sorry they were and how much they loved all of them, the more ill he started feeling.

A few months had gone by and for the most part life was seemingly normal. Carl hadn’t gone on any beating rampages and Linda was doing everything possible to keep the peace. Tyler was seven and wanted to start exploring things outside of the hose with or without a side kick. One Saturday afternoon, he and two of his friends went down to a river bed that was almost dried up since the reservoir had been capped off. When it would rain for a few days water would build up and the kids in the neighborhood went down to play in it mainly to get muddy and search for night crawlers. Sometimes the water would wash down an animal carcass from upstream. A great number of the older residents would tell the young kids that the river was cursed. It was a way of keeping them safe and clean.

Tyler and his two friends came across a hole that looked like a groundhog burrow. At first none of the boys wanted to get very close to the hole but Tyler stepped up and decided it should be him. He got on the ground and lifted his arm in preparation of sticking it in the dark hole. The game was set up years before by some of the locals and the rules were simple. When one of them reached into the hole, they could not come out empty handed. Many people lost a finger or two and some had to get tetanus shots but no one ever died. Tyler was ready to start the game when out of nowhere came a bang. They all turned around to see what it was but there was nothing to be seen. Jerry and Sam were too scared to stick around so they went home. He decided that those two boys just weren’t cool enough for him any longer.

He looked around one more time but didn’t see anything. Back down on the ground, Tyler readied himself for the game he’d set out to play. Slowly he reached into the hole. A noise came from the darkness but what was it? He wasn’t worried about being bitten. Deep in the cavern, his hand touched something wet and furry. He gently petted the creature to earn its trust. Every stroke brought that feeling closer and he cupped his hand around his furry mystery friend. When the animal stopped shaking and squirming, he slowly lifted it out. After he pulled the little creature out of its home it became evident what he was looking at. There was something about that little