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December 21st, 20XX
There’s a raging blizzard outside, and I don’t think the house has ever been this quiet. I sit at my desk with an old family album and box in front of me that’s filled with items I’d like my son to have in case he ever finds it: A few older family photos, one of his mother’s necklaces, my watch, a note, and most importantly—a locket I wore often. The locket had an outstretched photo of him, my wife, and me.
I sigh, close the album, and put it away where he’d easily find it if he does return. I sit back down at my desk, feeling lost and hopeless. I don’t know why Pip disappeared, where he is, or what happened. It’s been months since I’ve last seen him. I remember being worried sick— I still am. I remember how I called the parents of his friends, then the parents of friends of friends, and then the parents of friends of friends of friends; no matter what I did, there was never a trace of him.
I place my hands over my face and try to ignore the bitter cold. I try to remember back to when things were better, back to when all three of us were together…
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November 19th, 20XX
Outside the leaves are gracefully dancing off the trees and our house is decorated with the brightest of colors. My wife sits next to me, helping me blow up balloons for the party when we hear the bell ring. I stand up and look through the peephole; outside are our neighbors, Monica and Jeffery Poindexter along with their two children. I open the door to let them in and they place the presents they’ve brought for Percy on the table.
The kids, Frederick, a five-year-old, and his sister, ███████, who was two, the same age as Percy ran up to him and they immediately started chatting. I observe them from afar to make sure that they’re playing fair and nobody’s getting hurt.
“Happy biwthday, Pip!” ███████ chirps and claps her hands.
“Uh… ███████… his name is Percy”
“Why?”
“Because”
“Pip easier” ███████ sticks her tongue out at her brother. ███████ had a speech impediment that made it hard for her to pronounce her Rs.
I sat down with the kids, “Is everything okay?”
Freddy points at his sister, “ ███████ DOESN’T WANT TO CALL PERCY BY HIS REAL NAME!” he pouts.
“Percy?” I ask and he turns to me, “Are you ok with what ███████ called you”
He nods and smiles.
“Well, if he’s okay with being called that, I don’t think there’s much for you to be mad about” I help Freddy calm down.
A few hours later, it’s time for Percy to open his presents. The first present is from his mother. It’s carefully wrapped with red and yellow striped wrapping paper with a simple lemon bow stuck on top.
Percy looks at the gift in awe as we wait for him to begin unwrapping it. I gesture him to open it and he begins ripping the paper off, revealing a Russian blue cat plushie with a blue scarf wrapped around its neck.
“Thank you, Mama; thank you, Papa” There’s a shiny glitter in his eyes.
“You’re welcome,” My wife, Vienna gently smiles.
The next gift he’s given is also from us, this wrapping paper has a pattern of orange and grey cats. Just like the last, he tears off the wrapping paper. He holds up a rainbow xylophone with mallets, complete with a cat for the handle. The next two gifts were from the Poindexters, each picked out by one of the children.
The third gift he was given was from Freddy. Like the last two, Percy ripped the wrapping paper out and was greeted by a red remote control car. ███████’s gift was next, Percy opened up the present to see a colorful light-up mushroom toy★. ███████ had a strong interest in mushrooms and she knew much more about her than other kids. Percy gladly accepts the gifts, thanking everyone in the room.
More time passes and it’s soon time to serve the cake. It’s a cat-shaped cake with blue and white frosting covered in a multitude of brightly colored sprinkles. The cat has a mouth made of icing and chocolate for its eyes. On top, there’s a pastel yellow candle shaped like the number two.
Percy sits in front of the cake, watching my wife light the candle for him. After we sing Happy Birthday he blows out his candle. Everyone claps and I start cutting the cake.
“I wished for–”
I cut him off, “Shhh, you’re not supposed to tell what you wished for, if you do it won’t come true!” Even though I didn’t want to ask, I still wonder what he wished for
I could really use a wish right now.
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Was that really fifteen years ago? Back then I wouldn’t have expected the nickname Pip to stick. Without thinking, I reach for the key to the drawer that I’ve always kept locked up and away from Pip; I then take it and open the drawer, pulling out my gun.
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
December 18th, 1989
It’s a week before Christmas and everyone at school is going to this big holiday dance. I don’t find parties that interesting but It beats staying at home with my dad.
I walked in the snow to the party, shivering since my dad had never bought me anything warm to wear, and the warm clothes I had were much too small for me. The moment I reach my school I can already hear the commotion.
I enter the gym and the very first thing I see is the Christmas tree set up in the corner covered in red, yellow, blue, and green lights and decorated with ornaments made by the art students.
I look around and everyone’s wearing fancy clothing, including myself. I wore a black dress shirt under a dark red vest along with pants of the same color. The ensemble was tied together by a red bow tie around my neck and shiny black shoes.
I go to the table to pour myself some punch, not knowing what I am going to do here— since the dance was just an excuse to get away from my father.
Suddenly, a voice startles me, “THOMAS! YOU CAME!”
I peer behind me to see one of my closest friends, Vienna Finnigan, “I didn’t think you would, with your dad and everything,”
“Oh… him,” I nervously laughed, I don’t think he was even listening to me when I asked.
“Is everything okay?”
“Yeah,” I nervously twiddle my thumbs and look away.
“Well, I’m glad you could come, that guy I asked out rejected me,” her expression saddens.
“I…I’m sorry that happened” I stutter.
“Aw, It’s okay, I’d rather spend tonight with you than that jerk,” she laughs.
My eyes widen, “re…really?”
“Yeah… I guess I only asked him out since I thought you wouldn’t be here,” She then notices how much I’m shivering, “Are you sure you’re okay? You look cold,”
“I… I um…” I blush, stumbling over my own words.
She sighs, “Stay right there, I’m gonna go get something,” She leaves the gym and I stand there waiting awkwardly, wondering what she’s getting. She comes back with a spare coat and she gently drapes it around me, “there you go,” she smiles.
“Thank… thank you…” I feel my cheeks warming up.
I don’t know how, but we were now away from the food stand and the middle of the gym. Although there were so many other people around us, Vienna was all I could see and all I could think about. Her presence made everything seem warmer… or maybe it’s just the coat she gave me, but she made me feel so much more secure.
I then heard the DJ play a song from one of my favorite artists, I could feel myself getting excited but I tried to stifle it since it was one of, if not the most popular Christmas song of the decade.
Last Christmas I gave you my heart,
But the very next day you gave it away,
This year, to save me from tears,
I'll give it to someone special,
I placed my hands onto her shoulders and we started to slowly dance. I’ve never had any experience slow dancing, but she helped guide my feet in the right direction.
“Thomas… I don’t think I’ve felt like this with anyone else,”
“Hmm?”
“I… I uh… I don’t know how to ask this… I know we’re close but… would it be okay if I were your girlfriend?”
“...R-really? I’m…I’m not sure…”
“Do… do you wanna kiss? Maybe that could help you figure it out,”
I sheepishly nod my head, She cups my face with her hand and I close my eyes and lean in. She gently kisses me and it feels like my heart is about to beat out of my chest. Once we part, we both open our eyes.
“..So… how was it?”
“...Okay yeah, I think I’m in love with you.”
- - -
After a few hours, the party ends and It’s time to go back home. By now there’s an awful lot more snow than there was when I first got here, which would make the journey home even harder; not to mention how angry my father would be.
“Hey… are you gonna be okay out there?”
“I… I don’t know,”
“I could drive you home if you want,”
I think for a second. I really don’t want to go back and see my father, “Can we… Can we go to your house instead?”
“I think I’d love that”
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
I clenched my gun tightly, wondering if I really wanted to do this. What if Pip comes back? What if he’s alive somewhere out there? What If I can see him again?
I’m going to miss seeing him, even if it’s just in photos.
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
July 18th 20XX
It’s been a few months since the crash. Each night sleeping somehow seems less possible for me. It’s around 2:00 AM and Pip’s been asleep for a couple of hours. He’s eleven now, the loss of his mother must be hard for him.
I sit in the living room on the couch, a glass of wine in my hand. With Vienna gone, I’ve resorted to drinking as a comfort. It may not sound healthy, but it beats what I used to do. The room is silent apart from my sobs.
I cling to a pillow, hoping that this was just some sick nightmare and that I’d wake up by her side. She’ll kiss me good morning and we’ll get ready together. When I’ll get home I’ll cook dinner for her and Pip, and then we’ll watch a movie together.
But as much as I wish, that reality never comes.
It comes to the point where I’ve been crying so much that I haven’t noticed Pip at the bottom of the stairs, “Dad? Are you okay?” he was in his pajamas, holding onto a stuffed cat.
I can’t get a word out. Pip’s never seen me in such a disheveled state. I wipe my tears with my sleeve, unable to hide how much I’ve been crying.
He sits down next to me and immediately hugs me. My heart sinks; he’s just a kid. I’m reminded back to when he was little, he used to put cartoon bandages on my scars. He didn’t know how I got them, but he knew I was hurt.
I hug back, trying to think happier thoughts.
“Dad? Why are you crying?” He asks.
At first, I could barely get any words out, but then, I say “your… your mom…”
He frowns, knowing exactly what I mean. He misses her too.
After a few moments of silence he asks, “Can we watch a movie?”
I nod, thinking a movie could take everything off my mind for now.
I get up to go pop some popcorn while Pip finds a movie.
For the rest of the night, we watched Who Framed Roger Rabbit?, Pip falling asleep in the middle of the movie.
I miss him.
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
I place the gun to my temple, taking a final, shaky breath in.
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
“Thomas?” my wife asks.
“Yes, honey?”
“I’ll always love you.”
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
I’m coming, Vienna.
BANG!
≻─────────────────────── ⋆🪑🪦⋆ ───────────────────────≺
I freeze in place.
No.
No.
No, this can’t be happening.
Without thinking, I dash upstairs, knowing the worst has come. I peek through the door and I’m greeted by my husband, who’s now a grotesque mess; his head rested on his once white desk, now obscured by crimson brains and blood. He lies cold and lifeless, color draining from his face every passing moment.
I rush to his side, I wasn’t expecting for him to give up so soon. I sit beside him, clutching his hand and waiting for him to meet me in the afterlife.
I carry his spirit to our bed and gently hold him, patiently waiting for him to wake. After about ten minutes, his eyes flutter open and as he cuddles into me, he sleepily mutters, “I just had the worst nightmare,”
“You can tell me what happened, honey”
“Well, first you died and I had to live a long time without you… and then Pip went missing… and then everything went worse from there,” he continues to snuggle up against me, but when he looks away, he realizes,
it wasn’t a nightmare.
After a few long seconds, he turns back to me and asks. “Vienna… where’s Pip?”
I sigh and gently caress him, “I don’t know,”
He buries his head in my chest and he begins to weep, “I… I never wanted to leave him alone. I didn’t want to hurt him,”
I don’t let go of him, “I know,” I whisper, running my hand through his hair.
After a while, the crying stops, and he looks up and asks me, “Vienna… was I a good father?”
“A wonderful one,”