Chapter Two

“Hugo!”

I opened my eyes. It was dark outside my window.

“Hugo! There’s food if you’re hungry,” said Mary.

“Woah! Mary! Wait a second,” I said, hurrying to get up off the floor.

I threw the door open and Mary was waiting with her hand on the banister, poised to head downstairs.

“What’s your problem?” she asked.

“I was just about to ask the same thing. Don’t you remember what happened about an hour ago?” I asked her.

“Hugo, what are you talking about? I was asleep,” explained Mary.

“You don’t remember anything strange happening? Nothing at all?” I asked.

“No… should I?”

“You let out this freaky scream. I thought someone was killing you or something,” I said. “When I came into your room—“

“You came into my room?!” she exclaimed.

“That’s beside the point! You gave me this really possessed look. I mean, it looked like you could have been sleeping, but you were more animal-like than human… it was weird.”

“I can’t believe that you’re already invading my privacy! We just moved here!” said Mary exasperatedly. “Seriously, Hugo…”

I looked down at my feet. This was not going how I had hoped it would.

“Maybe I gave you that demonic look because you woke me up. Did you ever think of that?” demanded Mary.

She stomped down the stairs and I was alone on the second floor.

That night, after eating a plateful of Chinese food for dinner, I crawled into my sleeping bag and went to sleep. I slept with my windows open to let the air flow through.

In the middle of the night, I became completely cold even though it was still summertime and I was in a sleeping bag that was meant to keep you warm in negative thirty degree weather. I pulled the blanket closer to me to prevent any more cold air from getting in. It was surprisingly easy to fall back asleep.

Next morning, I woke up to find my sister sitting on my knees. I let out a small yelp only to have it stifled by my sister’s hand.

“Shut up! Mom’s still asleep!” she said.

“What are you doing in here?” I asked her.

“I had to tell someone, but mom would have been too upset,” said Mary.

“Okay… what is it?”

“I think dad visited us last night,” she said.

I just stared at her.

“That’s ridiculous… you know as well as I that that’s not possible,” I told her.

“I’m not so sure anymore, Hugo,” said Mary. “Last night, when I was in bed, I swear I felt someone brush my face and kiss my head. I know for a fact that it wasn’t mom. I was half-asleep, but when I felt something touch me, I opened my eyes and there was no one there.”

“Mary… I don’t know what to say. I think you’re still getting used to the idea that he’s gone. You still want him back,” said Hugo.

“Of course. He’s our dad. Don’t you want him back too?” asked Mary.

I didn’t answer her question. She didn’t know about everything that happened.

“Can you get off me now?” I asked her.

She nodded and got up. She made to leave the room, but then stopped in the door way.

“I’m sort of surprised at you, Hugo. After everything that man did for you…”

With that, she left and went downstairs.

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Here you go! Chapter two.

The reason I wrote this so fast is because it was all I wanted to work on last night. It was one of the few things I thought about. If I have another night like this, you'll have chapter three (currently in progress) in a day or two.

Tell me what you think of it. Just leave a comment below!

--Jude Rosenberg