I screamed desperately for my mother l, shaking, terrifed at what stood infront of me. My mother, drunk as always, came into the room angrily to see why I was screaming. I frantically pointed at the upper corner of my bedroom, trying to show my mother. She yelled at me dismissively, telling me there was nothing there. She left my room, as I was sobbing. She couldn’t see what I saw. She couldn’t see him.
This was one of the many bad memories that I carried along into my adulthood from when I was younger.
My mother, an alcoholic never really cared for me. She was usually drunk, passed out on the couch. My mother never attended any school events and we never spent any quality time together. She’d usually forget anyways.
My father, working an office job was never home, and when he was, he was working. I don’t blame him though, without him, we would’ve had no way to buy food. It’s not like we could rely on my half-ass mother.
I haven’t seen my mother or father in thirty-something years. I moved as soon as I possibly could. There hadn’t been any contact with either of them for years.
To my strange suprise, when I came home from work today, my wife awaited me in the kitchen, a letter in hand. “What’s that love?” I asked curiously. “It’s a dinner invitation, from your parents.” She said, hesitantly. I thought to myself. Why would my parents want to see me, especially my mother, after not talking at all? My wife handed me the letter, and walked away into our bathroom.
I opened the letter, my hands shaking nervously at what awaited inside.
“Hey son, your mother just got out of rehab. We want to see you, we miss you. We would like to have dinner with you, Thursday at 6:00 P.M.
-Sincerely, Dad.”
A strange happinesses filled inside my heart. Though I hadn’t given my parents a second thought in forever, it was strangely cheerful knowing that they were thinking of me.
My wife, hesitant on going, eventually obliged after some convincing from yours truly.
Thursday arrived, and I was getting ready. I wasn’t sure how to dress, so I just wore a button down and some slacks.
Me and my wife left the house around 5:15, since my parents lived a bit far away. We arrived early, at 5:52 and decided to just wait in the car. As we were waiting, I saw my mother step out of the house, looking happier than ever. She ran to the car excitedly, and knocked on the window.
“What are you two doing, waiting here? Come in, come in!!” My mother said. My wife and I exchanged a look and smiled akwardly at eachother as we got out of the car.
The moment I stepped on the front doorstep, a feeling of dread dawned on me. All of the bad memories from this house started flooding my brain. I’d remembered all of the beatings I got, and all the things I’d been told. This house haunted with the shadows of my childhood. sent chills up my spine.
As we stepped in, my dad attacked me with a bear hug, picking me up off the ground. I introducted my mother and father to my wife, and we all exchanged hugs.
After greeting my parents, my mother returned to the kitchen. It was strange seeing my mother so happy, usually she was angry and drunk. My dad, wife, and I all talked at the dinner table as we waited for dinner. I’d wondered where the cat that they told me they had was. “Where’s the cat?” I asked. My dad responded “Unfortunately, he ran away last night.” After around 5 minutes of talking my mother came to the table with our plates. We all thanked her for the food and began eating. As we ate, I noticed something, tall, move in the corner of my eye. “What was that?” I asked concered. Everybody gave me a strange look, and dismissed my question and returned to eating.
I went the rest of dinner without seeing anything odd, though I did feel a strange presence surrounding me.
After dinner, I offered to do the dishes and help clean up, but my mother insisted that she cleaned. I wasn’t complaining though.
As my mother was cleaning and my dad was making coffee for us, me and my wife headed to my cshildhood bedroom. I twisted the doorknob slowly and pushed open the door. As I opened the door, a gust of wind blew into my face, and chills ran down my spine. Not only that, but a heinous oder filled my nostrils. I flipped on the lightswitch and walked in slowly. I ran my fingers along the walls that had been collecting dust. It was almost like I could see all of the memories. I saw myself sobbing on my bed, playing with my dog, and eating dinner alone at my desk. Tears ran down my face as all these memories returned to me. “Honey, do you need some time alone?” My wife asked lightheartedly. “Yeah, that’d be nice. Thank you” I responded.
As I sat on my bed remembering everything, I saw my closet open. I quickly turned my head to see what opened it.
Nothing.
I turned away slowly, confused at what opened my closet. “Must’ve been the wind..” I said to myself. I tried to return to my train of thought, but I couldn’t stop thinking about what opened my closet. Then it hit me.
“Mommy, help!!” I screamed desperately for my mother l, shaking, terrifed at what stood infront of me.
The worst memory of all suddenly came back to me. I tried to forget that as much as possible, I did everything I could to forget it and suddenly it’s back.
I heard footsteps emerge from my closet, they almost sounded wet? I look up and I see him. A tall lanky figure, with barely any skin on his bones and no eyes. Just sockets. I called my wife in, terrified. She comes in quickly to see what was wrong. “What’s wrong, Damien?” I shouted at her, “What do you mean, what’s wrong?? What’s WRONG is the man standing right there!!!” She looked at me like I was crazy! “There’s nothing there..?! My wife yelled back. I thought to my self angrily. “Am I the only sane person here?Why can’t she see it?” My wife scoffed and left the room annoyed.
I looked at the figure terrified, not wanting it yo hurt me. I closed my eyes, in hope that it was a dream. I opened my eyes and he was gone! I was only dreaming, thank God!
I left my room and wiped my tears happily. The rest of the night my mother, father, and I had caught up with eachother.
After we got home, me and my wife were getting ready for bed. I pull the covers over my body and kissed my wife goodnight. Then, I feel that same strange presence again. The figure is in my room.