Tucker laid down on his double bed with a black comforter. His feet stretched just short of the edge as he reached over and turned on his stereo.

It seemed to be an all-too-typical 17-year-old guy's room. It had sports posters, memorabilia, a TV, and a fairly new stereo. He found it ironic sometimes, a gothic-minded person with a preppy-looking room.

As he turned on the stereo, he inserted a CD, AFI to be more exact. Tucker Brian Morgan was his full name. He laid back into his pillows, letting his school-desktop brown spikes rest gently above him.

As the songs continued to play, Tucker slowly fell under the intoxication of sleep. He pictured himself outside the two-story house as a car pulled into the driveway. It was a rusty '84 Grand Prix, much like he saw in old pictures around the house. The man that stepped out didn't appear much cleaner, sporting old, dirty, faded blue jeans and a white T-Shirt.

The man said his name was Mike Deegan and that he was on a trip from North Carolina. Tucker asked what all that had to do with him there in Akron, Ohio. Before the figure, no taller than Tucker, could respond, Tucker was awakened from a ringing of the doorbell at his family's front door.

The youth, roughly 5'8'', preceded downstairs to the front door. A man, much like the one he had envisioned in his dream, was standing on the other side as Tucker peered though the peephole. What the hell? He thought to himself.

"Can I help you?" Tucker asked as he opened the screen door.

The man shifted his weight and looked up. "Uh, yeah. Is uh, well, do you know anyone by the name of Tucker Morgan?"

Is this guy trying to kidnap me? What's wrong with him? He thought, but instead responded, "Um, I'm Tucker. Why?"

The man wriggled more, looking down at his feet now. "Uh, well, Tucker, this may come as a shock to you but. . ."

Nothing surprises me anymore. Tucker thought.

"I am your father."

Tuckers jaw dropped. I take that back. He looked into the eyes of the man, who now was unsure of himself and his being there. "That's news to me, to say the least." Tucker said after a pause.

"I figured it would be." His biological father began. "I'm sure you know the story by now. Before you were born, I left. Eventually I moved down to the Carolinas. Rah, blah, blah, I decided it was time to make myself known, so I came up here on a trip."

"Let me guess, you're from North Carolina?" Tucker asked, afraid of the answer.

Mike shook his head. "No, South actually."

Tucker smirked. Grandma always did say dreams were the opposite.

"So, Tucker, I'm here now. You've grown into quite the young man I see." Mike stuttered. "And, um, I'm gonna shut up now and let you say something."

Tucker sighed and looked past the man and into the woods across from his house as he spoke slowly. "I would be floored if it wasn't for me dreaming about you every so often without any ending. I guess this is the ending though. Before me stands a man who is part of me, I am his seed, his offspring, and now I look into his eyes for the very first time. I never thought this day would come, ever. And by the way, I thank you." His biological father was taken back and showed a puzzled look on his face. "You thank me for what? I haven't done squat for you, ever."

The boy smiled for the first time now, he felt bad inside, but he knew he had to do it. "Why, father, I thank you for everything you have given me. You have given me a world without your seemingly worthless and hopeless self. You have given me a 'step'-father as they say, that I think more as a real father and a better father than you would have ever been to me. You have given me a reason act differently than an average, uncaring, happy-go- lucky teenager that doesn't feel pain and agony. You have given me depressing thoughts and dreams that I would be unaccustomed to in any other situation. And most of all, you have given me the opportunity to thank you for doing all of that, and to, for once in my life, not be the better man, but a vengeful one. I thank you for the opportunity to shut you out of my life forever, and not give you a chance, just like you did to me, walking away from it all. Once more you can walk away from me, because poisoned hearts will never change, but this time it is on my terms, not yours. Goodbye, Mr. Deegan. I hope you go to Heaven, because I have no room for you in my eternal Hell, and even if I did, could not bear to live with a soul such as yourself."

Slowly Tucker shut the door, locked it, and went back upstairs.