Charlie's Haunting

                                                            Charlie’s Haunting

                                                             by Mary Nicholson

     Another torturous day was coming to an end.Charlie sat back in the lazy boy, pushed thoughts of his miserable day behind him and watched television. Normal kids would kick back and relax after school, but he was feeling anxious over the setting sun and the impending darkness. Not only were the visions worse at night, but the feelings of guilt over John’s disappearance also intensified. He shifted his view to the side, looked out the window and fell deep into thought, when he was distracted by the sound of his mother bouncing down the stairs. Tonight was bridge night with her friends. Unconcerned, he looked back at the television.

“Charlie”, she said. One hand was on her hip and her head tilted to the side, her futile attempt to make eye contact.

He responded with a stifled, “What?”

She moved in front of the television and blocked his view. “Don’t stay up too late. You have school tomorrow.” There was a moment of silence. “I’m serious!”

“Sure mom.” He gave her a fleeting glance then shifted his view back out the window. The darkness seemed to be creeping in faster than usual. He wished she would leave.

She gathered her purse and keys, ambled to the door then hesitated. Charlie could feel her concerned eyes upon him, but he ignored her until she finally left. The relief he felt was almost instantaneous. However, the evil was still around him and panic began to ensue. His heart started to race and when he focused back on the television he saw John’s face rise from the screen.It bubbled out toward him, taking the shape of a head surrounded by a soupy fog. Its expression was somber and called out in a low moan.

“Wait, it’s too soon.Wait it’s too soon.”

“What does that mean?” cried out Charlie. He jumped from the chair, covered his ears with his hands and walked a complete circle.

“Wait it’s too sooooooon”

“Stop! Stop!” he yelled.

Charlie shut his eyes and squeezed them tight. Pushing through the apparition he reached for the television and turned it off.Hands sweating and breathing heavy he ran to the kitchen straight for the bottle of Vodka. “Mom has so much booze here, she’ll never know its missing” he thought.His mother only drank when she had company and never kept track of her inventory.Without any hesitation he twisted off the bottle’s cap and threw it on the floor. It rolled on its side right under the refrigerator.He proceeded to take one giant swig after another until he developed a solid buzz. The room began to spin and he now felt brave enough to saunter into the room from which he had left in such a hurry. There was silence, the evil had left.

He climbed the stairs, taking slow and deliberate steps. Once he reached the top he turned off toward his room, entered and slammed the door shut.He lost balance a few times as he stripped down to his boxer shorts. The messy bed seemed a thousand miles away, but he staggered over to it and collapsed on the soft and comfortable mattress. His breathing slowed and he felt numb. Not wanting to lose that sensation or chance facing the evil, he continued to drink until he passed out.

When he woke his head was still spinning from the night before and the thought of dragging himself out of bed to go to school was more than he could bear. Laying face down on the mattress, his left arm dangling over the side, he fumbled around for the nearly polished off bottle of Vodka.He stretched his arm as far as he could under the bed and just as he grasped the cool glass neck of the savior bottle there was a loud knock at his door. It startled him enough that he released the bottle, causing it to roll under the bed.