Family Stays Together

“Good evening.”

I nod and smile at the elderly woman greeting me. “Good evening, Mrs. Brown.”

She returns my smile. “Home from work?”

“Yes. Just finished my shift.”

She clicks her tongue. “I wish my son could be like you. It’s like he never left this house. I have to do everything for him. Wake him up. Make him breakfast.”

I try not to roll my eyes and maintain my smile. That’s what she says. But when her son Jasper went to college, she was practically complaining everyday why he doesn’t call her or at least visit.

“And I don’t know how a young girl such as yourself could live in that house alone,” she continues. “Especially after—“

“I can’t leave, Mrs. Brown. I don’t believe my parents will leave me.”

“Well, I sure hope you are right. Are you sure you don’t want to call the police? It’s been a week since they were missing.

I shake my head. “They skip town for days and then come home like nothing happened. I’m used to it.”

She sighs. “Oh yeah. I remember that. Couple of times too. Good thing you can look out for yourself then.” She chuckles and waves her hand as she gets into her car. “By the way, the smell is getting worse.”

“Smell? What smell?”

“I do envy you young people. You become used to it so quickly,” she says as she starts the car. “But I just can’t ignore that rotting smell. Maybe I’ll have it checked tomorrow.”

I shrug. “Sure, Mrs. Brown.”

When she was finally out of sight, I use my keys and open the door.

Mrs. Brown is an amusing woman.

I lock the door behind me and drop the bag on the couch. I sniff the air around me as I make my way up the stairs.

Of course I can live here. I’m not alone.

“Hi, Dad. Hi, Mom. Just got home,” I call as I enter the bedroom. “It’s such a tiring day.”

I’m used to the silence. I sit on the edge of the bed.

They look the same as I left them this morning. They didn’t move at all.

But Dad’s mouth is slightly open. I reach for the cloth I tied around his head and adjust it. “That’s not good, Dad. The flies are already gathering in your mouth. Do they taste good?”

I look at my mother. Her face is pale, but the rest of her body is starting to darken. I need to do something about it.

Finally, I look at their stomachs. They weren’t as bloody like last week. I tried my best to clean and wipe them. But now they’re all black.

I can figure out something later.

I move my mother aside and squeeze in between them. They’re cold, but it doesn’t matter. I’ll warm them soon enough.

“Mom… Dad… You won’t leave me again, right?”