| Supernatural Fiction posted June 28, 2015 |
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Dead, but not departed
The Birthday Party
by Spiritual Echo
My sister says mommy killed her. It makes me mad when she says it, like she's an expert, on account of she's the oldest; by minutes, but she came first. Most days I enjoy her visits, but on days like today when she tries to mess up the whole day with her temper tantrums, I tell her, 'I'm glad you're dead.'
I should know better than to argue with Kate. She's never wrong. Usually, I just agree with her and she goes back to playing with her ghouls or demons or whoever her friends are, but today it's my birthday party and Kate has done everything in her power to mess things up.
"It's my birthday too, you know," she said, popping all the pink balloons that Mommy spent so much time blowing up. "You always want to be the centre of attention, but not today, Amy. Today I'm going to enjoy MY birthday party."
"Ghosts don't have birthdays."
"I'm not a ghost, dog breath. You talk to me every day. I'm just as much a part of you as that puss you see in the mirror. Thank God we weren't identical twins. I'd die if I looked like you."
"You are dead, bird brain."
"Define death!"
I tried to ignore Kate, but she was on a tear, slamming cupboards, knocking over furniture and deliberately trying to trip me as I tidied my room in anticipation of my guests.
My tenth birthday--finally reaching double digits--is a big deal for me and my parents. I'm an only child and the family dotes on me, gladly agreeing to my plans for a karaoke party.
The amplifier, microphone and song sheets were ready to go and we had all kinds of props and costumes for my friends if they wanted to dress up like their favourite rock star. All I had to figure out was how to get rid of Kate. She was definitely NOT invited.
"Why did you have to invite Bimbo to the party?"
I knew Kate didn't like Barbie, and I hated that she called my best friend Bimbo. She did it so often that sometimes I'd make a mistake and call her that myself. Barbie didn't take it personally. She knew about Kate, and made allowances when she tried to mess things up between us girls.
"Don't you have things to do...somewhere to go?"
I was tired of fighting with Kate. Every time I made my bed, Kate messed it up when I turned my back. My guests would start arriving in an hour and I was on the edge of a panic attack. I had not accomplished a single chore my mother had given me before leaving to pick up the cake at the bakery.
"That's a bad attitude. Don't you want to spend your birthday with your twin sister?"
"You were born dead. I never had a living twin. Why do you keep rehashing this same old story?"
I was beginning to feel desperate. Kate had an edge to her voice, like she was already planning on a way to ruin the party; a sinister grating tone, a warning that I knew only too well. Unless I calmed Kate down and sent her away, I knew I would be apologizing for the rest of the day. I tried bargaining with Kate.
"Look, if you just leave me alone today, I'll do anything you want to do tomorrow. Can we make a deal?"
"Anything? Will you help me punish Mommy?" Kate's laughter was beginning to give me a headache.
"Why do you want to hurt Mom? She's knocked herself out for the party. Everything she does is to make life better for Dad and me"
"She killed me. Don't you get it? She wrapped a cord around my neck and strangled me. She must be punished."
I flopped down on the bed, my head starting to pound. "It wasn't her fault. It's not like she went out and threw a noose around your neck and tied you to a tree. It happened inside of her, while she was pregnant."
"She chose me--not you--me! She picked me to kill!"
"She didn't choose anyone, moron."
I heard the front door slam downstairs and knew I should help Mommy bring in the groceries, but I was so tired and Kate's incessant chatter had finally gotten under my skin.
"Fine; if you leave me in peace today, I'll think about helping you punish Mommy tomorrow. Can you go now?"
Kate didn't bother to answer. It was Mommy's voice I heard next, a shrill scream followed by heavy footsteps running up the stairs.
"What have you done?" My mother yelled as she yanked the bedroom door open. "We worked so hard to decorate the house and you've ruined it--torn down everything. How could you, Amy?"
I knew it was pointless to tell her that Kate was responsible. My parents had indulged me when I was a toddler, playing along with what they called my imaginary friend. I thought they believed me, but Kate was content back then. But when I turned six, the doctor prescribed pills and my sister disappeared for awhile. When Kate came home, she was bitter and angry, always causing problems, forever getting me in trouble. Kate may have come into the world as stillborn, but I knew she had never left. She refused to stay dead.
"I'm sorry, Mommy. Maybe we should cancel the party--no one's going to come anyway."
My mother's anger turned to compassion. "Of course, they will. Barbie is already downstairs. She's blowing up some new balloons. Do you have a headache again, Amy?"
I sat up in bed and saw Kate sitting in the corner.
"What's it going to be?" Kate asked, the smirk clearly showing me who was in charge. "Do you want your precious little party today? Do you agree to the deal?"
"I love you, Mommy. I'm so sorry about the decorations."
My mother pulled me into her arms. I only caught a glimpse of the fear and concern on her face, but Kate saw it and used it against me.
"Is it a deal?" Kate was hovering, picking up objects, holding a lamp over Mommy's head like she was going to bludgeon her. "Tomorrow we party my way--yes or no?"
"Okay, okay" I said. "Let's go downstairs, Mommy."
Super Scary Supernatural Story contest entry
My sister says mommy killed her. It makes me mad when she says it, like she's an expert, on account of she's the oldest; by minutes, but she came first. Most days I enjoy her visits, but on days like today when she tries to mess up the whole day with her temper tantrums, I tell her, 'I'm glad you're dead.'
I should know better than to argue with Kate. She's never wrong. Usually, I just agree with her and she goes back to playing with her ghouls or demons or whoever her friends are, but today it's my birthday party and Kate has done everything in her power to mess things up.
"It's my birthday too, you know," she said, popping all the pink balloons that Mommy spent so much time blowing up. "You always want to be the centre of attention, but not today, Amy. Today I'm going to enjoy MY birthday party."
"Ghosts don't have birthdays."
"I'm not a ghost, dog breath. You talk to me every day. I'm just as much a part of you as that puss you see in the mirror. Thank God we weren't identical twins. I'd die if I looked like you."
"You are dead, bird brain."
"Define death!"
I tried to ignore Kate, but she was on a tear, slamming cupboards, knocking over furniture and deliberately trying to trip me as I tidied my room in anticipation of my guests.
My tenth birthday--finally reaching double digits--is a big deal for me and my parents. I'm an only child and the family dotes on me, gladly agreeing to my plans for a karaoke party.
The amplifier, microphone and song sheets were ready to go and we had all kinds of props and costumes for my friends if they wanted to dress up like their favourite rock star. All I had to figure out was how to get rid of Kate. She was definitely NOT invited.
"Why did you have to invite Bimbo to the party?"
I knew Kate didn't like Barbie, and I hated that she called my best friend Bimbo. She did it so often that sometimes I'd make a mistake and call her that myself. Barbie didn't take it personally. She knew about Kate, and made allowances when she tried to mess things up between us girls.
"Don't you have things to do...somewhere to go?"
I was tired of fighting with Kate. Every time I made my bed, Kate messed it up when I turned my back. My guests would start arriving in an hour and I was on the edge of a panic attack. I had not accomplished a single chore my mother had given me before leaving to pick up the cake at the bakery.
"That's a bad attitude. Don't you want to spend your birthday with your twin sister?"
"You were born dead. I never had a living twin. Why do you keep rehashing this same old story?"
I was beginning to feel desperate. Kate had an edge to her voice, like she was already planning on a way to ruin the party; a sinister grating tone, a warning that I knew only too well. Unless I calmed Kate down and sent her away, I knew I would be apologizing for the rest of the day. I tried bargaining with Kate.
"Look, if you just leave me alone today, I'll do anything you want to do tomorrow. Can we make a deal?"
"Anything? Will you help me punish Mommy?" Kate's laughter was beginning to give me a headache.
"Why do you want to hurt Mom? She's knocked herself out for the party. Everything she does is to make life better for Dad and me"
"She killed me. Don't you get it? She wrapped a cord around my neck and strangled me. She must be punished."
I flopped down on the bed, my head starting to pound. "It wasn't her fault. It's not like she went out and threw a noose around your neck and tied you to a tree. It happened inside of her, while she was pregnant."
"She chose me--not you--me! She picked me to kill!"
"She didn't choose anyone, moron."
I heard the front door slam downstairs and knew I should help Mommy bring in the groceries, but I was so tired and Kate's incessant chatter had finally gotten under my skin.
"Fine; if you leave me in peace today, I'll think about helping you punish Mommy tomorrow. Can you go now?"
Kate didn't bother to answer. It was Mommy's voice I heard next, a shrill scream followed by heavy footsteps running up the stairs.
"What have you done?" My mother yelled as she yanked the bedroom door open. "We worked so hard to decorate the house and you've ruined it--torn down everything. How could you, Amy?"
I knew it was pointless to tell her that Kate was responsible. My parents had indulged me when I was a toddler, playing along with what they called my imaginary friend. I thought they believed me, but Kate was content back then. But when I turned six, the doctor prescribed pills and my sister disappeared for awhile. When Kate came home, she was bitter and angry, always causing problems, forever getting me in trouble. Kate may have come into the world as stillborn, but I knew she had never left. She refused to stay dead.
"I'm sorry, Mommy. Maybe we should cancel the party--no one's going to come anyway."
My mother's anger turned to compassion. "Of course, they will. Barbie is already downstairs. She's blowing up some new balloons. Do you have a headache again, Amy?"
I sat up in bed and saw Kate sitting in the corner.
"What's it going to be?" Kate asked, the smirk clearly showing me who was in charge. "Do you want your precious little party today? Do you agree to the deal?"
"I love you, Mommy. I'm so sorry about the decorations."
My mother pulled me into her arms. I only caught a glimpse of the fear and concern on her face, but Kate saw it and used it against me.
"Is it a deal?" Kate was hovering, picking up objects, holding a lamp over Mommy's head like she was going to bludgeon her. "Tomorrow we party my way--yes or no?"
"Okay, okay" I said. "Let's go downstairs, Mommy."
I should know better than to argue with Kate. She's never wrong. Usually, I just agree with her and she goes back to playing with her ghouls or demons or whoever her friends are, but today it's my birthday party and Kate has done everything in her power to mess things up.
"It's my birthday too, you know," she said, popping all the pink balloons that Mommy spent so much time blowing up. "You always want to be the centre of attention, but not today, Amy. Today I'm going to enjoy MY birthday party."
"Ghosts don't have birthdays."
"I'm not a ghost, dog breath. You talk to me every day. I'm just as much a part of you as that puss you see in the mirror. Thank God we weren't identical twins. I'd die if I looked like you."
"You are dead, bird brain."
"Define death!"
I tried to ignore Kate, but she was on a tear, slamming cupboards, knocking over furniture and deliberately trying to trip me as I tidied my room in anticipation of my guests.
My tenth birthday--finally reaching double digits--is a big deal for me and my parents. I'm an only child and the family dotes on me, gladly agreeing to my plans for a karaoke party.
The amplifier, microphone and song sheets were ready to go and we had all kinds of props and costumes for my friends if they wanted to dress up like their favourite rock star. All I had to figure out was how to get rid of Kate. She was definitely NOT invited.
"Why did you have to invite Bimbo to the party?"
I knew Kate didn't like Barbie, and I hated that she called my best friend Bimbo. She did it so often that sometimes I'd make a mistake and call her that myself. Barbie didn't take it personally. She knew about Kate, and made allowances when she tried to mess things up between us girls.
"Don't you have things to do...somewhere to go?"
I was tired of fighting with Kate. Every time I made my bed, Kate messed it up when I turned my back. My guests would start arriving in an hour and I was on the edge of a panic attack. I had not accomplished a single chore my mother had given me before leaving to pick up the cake at the bakery.
"That's a bad attitude. Don't you want to spend your birthday with your twin sister?"
"You were born dead. I never had a living twin. Why do you keep rehashing this same old story?"
I was beginning to feel desperate. Kate had an edge to her voice, like she was already planning on a way to ruin the party; a sinister grating tone, a warning that I knew only too well. Unless I calmed Kate down and sent her away, I knew I would be apologizing for the rest of the day. I tried bargaining with Kate.
"Look, if you just leave me alone today, I'll do anything you want to do tomorrow. Can we make a deal?"
"Anything? Will you help me punish Mommy?" Kate's laughter was beginning to give me a headache.
"Why do you want to hurt Mom? She's knocked herself out for the party. Everything she does is to make life better for Dad and me"
"She killed me. Don't you get it? She wrapped a cord around my neck and strangled me. She must be punished."
I flopped down on the bed, my head starting to pound. "It wasn't her fault. It's not like she went out and threw a noose around your neck and tied you to a tree. It happened inside of her, while she was pregnant."
"She chose me--not you--me! She picked me to kill!"
"She didn't choose anyone, moron."
I heard the front door slam downstairs and knew I should help Mommy bring in the groceries, but I was so tired and Kate's incessant chatter had finally gotten under my skin.
"Fine; if you leave me in peace today, I'll think about helping you punish Mommy tomorrow. Can you go now?"
Kate didn't bother to answer. It was Mommy's voice I heard next, a shrill scream followed by heavy footsteps running up the stairs.
"What have you done?" My mother yelled as she yanked the bedroom door open. "We worked so hard to decorate the house and you've ruined it--torn down everything. How could you, Amy?"
I knew it was pointless to tell her that Kate was responsible. My parents had indulged me when I was a toddler, playing along with what they called my imaginary friend. I thought they believed me, but Kate was content back then. But when I turned six, the doctor prescribed pills and my sister disappeared for awhile. When Kate came home, she was bitter and angry, always causing problems, forever getting me in trouble. Kate may have come into the world as stillborn, but I knew she had never left. She refused to stay dead.
"I'm sorry, Mommy. Maybe we should cancel the party--no one's going to come anyway."
My mother's anger turned to compassion. "Of course, they will. Barbie is already downstairs. She's blowing up some new balloons. Do you have a headache again, Amy?"
I sat up in bed and saw Kate sitting in the corner.
"What's it going to be?" Kate asked, the smirk clearly showing me who was in charge. "Do you want your precious little party today? Do you agree to the deal?"
"I love you, Mommy. I'm so sorry about the decorations."
My mother pulled me into her arms. I only caught a glimpse of the fear and concern on her face, but Kate saw it and used it against me.
"Is it a deal?" Kate was hovering, picking up objects, holding a lamp over Mommy's head like she was going to bludgeon her. "Tomorrow we party my way--yes or no?"
"Okay, okay" I said. "Let's go downstairs, Mommy."
 Recognized |
The prompt requires the sentence be used exactly as shown. While mommy should be capitalized in the opening sentence, I have deliberately left it in lower case to satisfy the rules.
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