The candlelight danced against the floral wallpaper of the living room as the five members of the Patterson family moved to their chairs, each carrying a platter of food. 

“Careful with that stuffing,” Robert Patterson said to his only daughter Alice. “We don’t want you to tip over the candle again like last year!” He smiled as he gently teased her.

“I’m never going to live that down, am I?” She replied to him smiling. She turned towards her younger brother Mark as she set down the stuffing. “Can you pass me the cranberries?”

Mark glanced at her grinning. “Why would you live that down? It pretty much set the mood for last Thanksgiving!” He passed her the bowl of cranberries before he sat down and poured himself a glass of sparkling apple juice. “Dad, that’s a mighty fine looking turkey you prepared this year!”

Robert’s eyes sparkled as they caught the candlelight, “It sure is, let’s hope this one doesn’t burn up like last year!” The whole family shared in a laugh as they sat around the table and held hands to say grace. They all bowed their heads and Robert started “Dear Lord, thank you for the wonderful abundance of the feast you have provided for us this year, please bless this food to our bodies as we partake of this wonderful time. In your name we pray, Amen.” He looked up to his three kids and his lovely wife. “Now, James, you start with what you’re thankful for this year, and I’ll get started on carving that turkey!”

James looked to his father and then around at his family. “I am thankful this year for getting an acceptance letter to Harvard,” his smile lit his face up as he slapped his letter on the table. Robert stopped mid slice and dropped the knife and meat fork.

“You got in?” He exclaimed, the joy evident in his voice. “I knew you could do it!” He walked up to his son and wrapped him in a huge hug. “I’m so proud of you James!”

Patricia also ran around the table to her son, tears in her eyes “Oh James,” her voice broke. “We are so, so proud of you!”

Alice and Mark were also grinning as this was going on. “Wow, way to take all the thunder,” Mark joked, “Now our thanks are gonna be nothing compared to that. Good job bro!”

Soon the two parents gathered themselves and moved back to their chairs. Robert turned to Alice, “You’re next sweetie.” Then he picked up the knife and meat fork and started to carve again.

Alice straightened in her chair, “This year I am thankful for,”

KNOCK, KNOCK, KNOCK the door interrupted her mid-sentence.

Robert set down his tools, “Who on earth is that this time of night, and during Thanksgiving nonetheless.” He strode to the front door and looked through the peephole. The creaking of the opening door was audible from the dining room. “Hello?” Richard asked pointedly. “Can we help you?”

“Yes sorry,” A man said from the doorstep. “My name is Ken, and I was just driving down the road when my car broke down. I’ve already called for a tow truck but they won’t be able to get here for another 2 hours because of the snow. I’m so sorry to bother you, but would I be able to come inside to keep warm for a bit?”

Patricia stood up quickly and walked towards the door, “Oh, of course, Ken, please come in, we are just starting supper. Let me get you a plate and you can join us!”

The smile on Ken’s face could have melted the icicles hanging from the eves of the house. “Thank you so much, ma’am.” He stomped his boots free of snow outside then gently stepped into the house. “It means the world to me,” he added, “I’m a filmmaker from Yale, and I was doing a documentary on Thanksgiving in New Hampshire, would it be alright if I filmed your family while we eat? It would be about how hospitable you folks are in this area.”

Robert grinned while he took Ken’s coat, “You mean we would be on TV and everything? Go ahead! Film away!” He placed a hand on Ken’s shoulder, guiding him to the dining room. “Just this way, I’ll introduce you to my family. We were just saying what we are thankful for this year and my son James just dropped a bombshell. He got accepted into Harvard!” The pride in Robert's voice made Ken smile as he walked to the dining room. 

The three kids quickly returned to their seats as the guest walked into the room, while Patricia returned with an extra setting for the guest. “I’m going to just set my camera up in the corner if that’s ok,” Ken told the family pulling a tripod out of his bag. “I’m also just gonna place this box on the table, it will help with the audio for the recording, so we can hear you all clearly.” He placed a small box next to the stuffing, the needle on the gauge covering the face of the device dancing around, with lights seeming to follow it. “I hope you all are ok with all this,” he added sitting at the place provided for him.

“Of course!” Robert replied, “Now Alice dear, would you like to continue?”

“Sure daddy,” She smiled, “This year I am thankful for being able to study hard enough to stay on the 4.0 GPA roster.” She looked around the table.

Mark cleared his throat, “This year I am thankful that our family was able to book the vacation to Cancun!” The excitement was plastered all over his face, “I’ve always wanted to sit on the beach with a margarita!”

His family and guest laughed, “I don’t think that’s gonna happen any time soon,” Robert said while he shaved off a piece of the bird. “Ken would you like the first slice? It only courtesy after all.” He grinned offering the meat to Ken.

“That would be lovely, thanks!” Ken held up his plate to accept the offer.

Robert dished out the turkey to each of the other dinner members and soon they were tucking into the delicious food. After about ten minutes Robert looked to Patricia, “You never told us what you were thankful for dear.”

She smiled at him and set down the mashed potatoes she was scooping onto her plate. “I”m thankful for all the wonderful memories that our family is going to have from this past year. It’s such a wonderful time and I love seeing my kids grow into respectful, kind, generous adults.” A tear formed in her eyes, making them sparkle in the candlelight. “How about you love?” She asked Robert

“This year I am thankful that my job was able to keep me through the recession, so I am still able to provide a wonderful mean and home for my family.” He smiled as he looked at his family, his whole world. Then he turned to Ken. “You never told us what you were thankful for stranger.” He smiled.

Ken went still for a split second, “This year I am thankful for your family Robert.” He smiled at the man and around at the family eating dinner. “I am thankful that after five years I was finally able to capture the Patterson family eating their famous Thanksgiving dinner.”

A frown creased Robert's forehead, “What do you mean, Ken?” He pushed his chair back, now worried about the man he let into his house with his family.

“Don’t worry Robert, I don’t mean your family any harm. Like I said, I’m just a filmmaker. I was told of your family five years ago in my Paranormal class. Over ten years ago, your family was having dinner in this very dining room, and something happened that caused a fire. You were unable to get out the front door, something caused it to stick. Your entire family was killed, Robert. Look around. Really look.”

Robert looked around the dining room, the candlelight faded and he could see the husk of his once beautiful house. The studs were sticking up towards the nighttime sky. The blackened walls showing little evidence of the floral wallpaper his wife picked out when the built the place. The lines on the door jam to the kitchen marking his children’s growth were no longer visible. He looked at his children. The panic that now crossed their faces twisted a piece of his heart. He remembered that night. Alice setting down the relish tray, tipping over the candle. The pine garland that his wife loved to adorn the table with was real that year, he gathered it himself from the woods behind the house. It caught fire immediately. It took the fire and fed it so quickly he couldn’t do anything about it, all he could do was watch as his home caught fire. As the inferno grew he quickly gathered his family under his arms and tried to usher them to the front door. The damn thing wouldn’t open. The heat was too much, he couldn’t get his family to the window that was just five feet away, he collapsed. He felt the body of his wife, trapped under his bulk. A tear fell from his eye as he realized he trapped his wife in this furnace. He could hear his kids screaming, crying out for him to save them. Then nothing. Just blackness.

“And there you have it people, real evidence of paranormal activity!” Ken had the camera turned towards his face, “I finally have proof that ghosts are real, you could see them plain as day. As soon as they were faced with the reality of their death they were able to pass on. We need to help the spirits trapped here.” He excitedly looked around the ruins of the house. “They are no longer suffering, living the same thing, year after year.” Ken stood up from the charred chair, gathering his belongings. As he turned towards the door that was no longer there to walk back to his car, he didn’t see the brief flash of a silvery being follow him out of the house. He didn’t see the entity crawl into the backseat of his car. He didn’t feel the hate radiating off of what used to be the cheerful spirit of Robert Patterson.