Awaken

It was that time of year again. Move-in day. Every year a new family would spot how much of an amazing deal it is to move into the old neo-classical manor on Hayden street. The time of year where the entire family would all come together to enjoy the year’s festivities. The time of year Danny hated. It was time for the haunt.

Danny sat up slowly, and felt her self awaken. For the last two years she slept peacefully in the eternal darkness that is death, however, the obligation that kept her chained to the material world once again beckoned. She despised it even more than the untimely death that robbed her of her young existence. Family is family though, whether you like it or not.

“There’s the sleepy girl,” Danny’s father said as he crawled out of the furnace, “you ready to show those flesh bags who’s boss?”

She stared at her father. His skin charred black from his moment of death inside the furnace that provided her family heat for the 17 years of her young life. It was disgusting, but she never said anything. It wasn’t his fault he ended up in there.

“Danny? You still groggy? That happens after staying asleep for two years. We missed you last year“ Her father said finding his balance again.

Danny skipped last year’s haunt, because she just couldn’t bring herself to scare off another family. She hated seeing the children cry, and the fathers struggle to protect their family from a force they couldn’t see. In the back of her mind she would always consider it a favor. If some spirits scared her family from the house, would they have ended up murdered? She shook her head and climbed to her feet.

“Yeah, I just didn’t have the energy to fully awaken last year.” Danny stated blatantly lying to her father’s charred face.

“Oh, that’s okay sweet pea. It takes a lot to come back. Believe me, I know.” Her father said putting his hand on her shoulder.

“There you are you two!” A familiar voice called out.

Danny turned to see her mother leaning down the stairs, jaw detached from her face. It just dangled and swung with every move she would make. After 47 years of this, however, she got used to it. She walked towards Danny trying to put the most pleasant face on she could to not disturb her daughter too bad. Danny appreciated the effort. She knew her mother always tried to make best of the situation they had stumbled into.  

“Are you ready,” Her mother said grasping her hand, “the rest of the family is waiting from you two upstairs.”

Danny nodded and followed her parents up the stairs of the dark, cold basement where she had met her end so many years ago. They passed through the bare kitchen, and entered the living room where her brother and uncle stood waiting. The living room looked different. Carpet had been laid, and a new ceiling fan spun above circulating air she couldn’t feel. That had to be the worst thing to her about death. She couldn’t feel anything at all. She looked down at her bare feet, and moved her toes on the new grey carpet. Nothing.

“About time you woke up dunce.” Her brother Freddy said leaning on the wall, still wearing his high school letterman jacket.   

It broke her heart to see her family like this every year. Danny couldn’t understand why they chose this life. She thought to her self that she wanted this life too, but the memory of that decision faded away with time. All her memories had begun to fade. It scared her. She knew she was losing herself to this stupid tradition a dead family made so long ago.

“Alright gang, here’s the game plan,” Her father began, “We’re going to wait until they get nice and settled. Make sure they are finished moving all the heavy stuff in before we start.”

“Oh, hell yeah!” Freddy cheered banging his fist on the wall. 

It made a noise that startled Danny. How could he have this much energy to make that noise this early in the haunt? She was afraid that the once harmless tradition they would perform would become something more. Something that couldn’t be controlled. Something that would prevent her from crossing over. If there is such a thing. 

She couldn’t do it anymore. Most of the time it didn’t even feel like they were a family, but rather a group of teenage mischiefs trying to scare their elderly neighbor. She couldn’t even remember the last time they did something just as a family. Time seemed to tuned into a sea of forgotten memories that she just drifted away on. She loved her family in life, and in death, but the time had come for her to finally make a decision for her self. 

“Dad, I’m totally going to pull down the chandelier this time!” Freddy claimed making the chandelier swing with a slight wave of his hand.

“No.” Danny stated.

“No?” Freddy questioned turning to look at his sister with the rest of the family.

“I can’t do this anymore,” Danny began finally being able to say what she wanted to for the last 47 years, “This isn’t fun. It’s terrible what we’re doing to these people.”

“Well, honey. We have to do this. It’s the only way we can remain here as a family.” Her mother explained with the nods of approval from the rest of the family.

“But why Mom? I mean, how did this even happen?” Danny said trying not to get upset.

“Sweet pea, if we don’t do this we’ll forever be asleep.” Her father followed up placing an hand on her shoulder.

“This is a good home, Dad, these people deserve a chance to have a happy life.” Danny argued.

“What about us,” Freddy cut in, “what about our happy life? Stolen that’s what.”

“Freddy, do you even remember how you died?” Danny asked knowing he can’t look in a mirror to see the hole in the middle of his forehead. 

“Well, no, but we knew this was a side effect of awakening.” Freddy said shrugging off her concerns.

“Exactly,” she snapped proving her point, “how long will it be until we lose all of our memories? Will we forget each other?”

“Danny baby, how could we forget each other?” Her mother asked. 

“Time Mom,” Danny began to explain how she felt, “time takes everything from our bodies, our house, and our memories. It’s time that I move on as well.”

“Sweet pea, you can’t be serious.” Her father pleaded.

“I’m sorry, but I quit. I’m done with this.” Danny said turning to make her way back to the basement.

“So what, that’s it? You’re just going to leave us like that! We don’t even know if there is anything on the other side!” Her brother challenged.

“I don’t care,” Danny said taking one last look at the shells that were her family, “I hope you join me one day before you all fade away.”

Danny took each step down the basement slowly. She knew that this is the last time she’ll ever walk in this house again. She reached the bottom and surveyed the dark dungeon she had called home for so long. She crawled to her corner, in front of the furnace for the last time. She laid on her back, and stared at the floorboards of her bedroom just as she did that fateful night 47 years ago. Her eyes began to blur, but she wasn’t scared. This is what she wanted.  

Sleep took her. A familiar sleep with which she would never awaken.