The characters in this story are creations of Trey Parker and Matt Stone.


Chapter One: First Night

Kenny and Kevin McCormick lay on their new beds, surrounded by their new foster brothers. This place was in mildly better condition than their old house, but Kenny missed the privacy of his own bedroom, with its posters of girls and monster trucks instead of these stupid "agnostic" sayings all over the walls. Kenny wrapped himself up in his parka, wishing he could go back to sleeping in his underwear.

"Hey, Ken!" Kevin whispered, nudging him. "Look what I brought!" He waved a couple cans of Pabst Blue Ribbon in his little brother's face, and Kenny gave him a "Dude, are you serious?" look. ("I don't want any.")

Kevin shrugged, and was about to open one of the cans before Mrs. Weatherhead opened the door to check on the boys. Kevin hastily concealed the beer can under his pillow and feigned sleep. By the time the stern-faced foster mother finally left, Kevin was asleep for real, but Kenny just couldn't close his eyes. He could hear poor Karen crying from down the hall.

As quietly as he could, Kenny pulled out his bag from under the bed, unzipped it, and took out his Mysterion costume...


Several minutes later, Kenny panted as he returned to his bed, throwing his blanket over himself to hide his superhero outfit when Mrs. Weatherhead came to check on the boys again. Didn't these people have anything better to do, especially at night? Stupid, nosy, weird foster parents and their stupid two-storey house; he'd almost died getting back here. Being a guardian angel was so much easier at home; Kenny never thought he'd miss his parents' inattentiveness.


In the girls' room, Karen fidgeted on her bed as Mr. Weatherhead continued to stare out the window. At last, he turned to leave.

"This is your first night here, Karen, so I will let this go. But, if I catch you up this late again, it's the punishment room. Understand?"

Karen looked down at her hands, to hide that she was crying again. "I...I...um...uh huh?"

The vague answer seemed to satisfy Mr. Weatherhead, and he left without another word, turning the light back off on his way out. Karen looked out at the night sky and fell asleep while mentally repeating her guardian angel's comforting words: You are not alone. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, I will always be here.