[Felix Foley sits in his childhood home, looking through an old photo album. In it, there are no happy memories.]
“I’ve looked the devil right in his eyes.”
[He turns the page, looking at a black and white photo that shows his father Fernicus – in the form of a muppet, looking down at him with scorn.]
“I was twelve in this picture. I vividly remember what happened not long after the photograph was taken. My father accused me of misbehaving for the photographer because I didn’t want my picture taken and took the belt to my behind.”
[He shakes his head.]
“I cried until I wept, and then I wept until I had no more tears. It wasn’t enough. He took me off his knee and grabbed me by both arms. My bottom was red raw with welts and bruises, and my face a shade of pale red from the pain.”
[Foley begins to tear up.]
“I looked the devil right in his eyes, that day.”
[He turns his head away.]
“And do you know what he said to me, Old Nick Morningstar? He said that he wished I was dead. He spent what felt like an eternity berating me. He told me I was nothing and that I was worthless. He said he wished I was never born and that one day, if he’s lucky enough, he’d make sure I took my last breath.
But I’m still here, Nick.
He’s not.”
[Foley turns the page, this time revealing a photograph of Old Nick Morningstar.]
“I know the devil when I see him.
I’ve looked long and hard into the eyes of the devil on more than one occasion. I saw the devil in the eyes of Destructo Boy last week when he brutally attacked me. I saw the devil in the eyes of Tombstone when he tossed me off Hell in a Cell and I saw the devil in his eyes when he snapped my brothers freakin’ neck.”
[He puts his hands on the face of Nick in the picture.]
“I see the devil in your eyes too, Nicholas.”
[He grimaces.]
“Any sensible man would be afraid. Heck, anyone who hasn’t spent most of their life looking the devil in his eyes, would likely be terrified. But I’ve been around men like you my entire life, Nick. I’ve stood before a man who beat me black and blue, all the while his eyes looked exactly like yours.
And I’m… still… here.
I’ve watched as monsters with eyes like yours have killed those I wanted desperately to love.
And I’m… still… here.”
[Foley closes the photo album and looks at the camera.]
“What do you see when you look into my eyes?”
[The camera zooms in.]
“It’s not the devil.”
[His eyes blink.]
“It’s the man who looks into the devil’s eyes as they stare back and lives to tell the tale.”
[This time his eyes remain wide open.]
“And now I’m looking at you, Old Nick Morningstar…
Because the devil always gets his due.”