Family Dinner

He came running from the nearby forest as the sound of his father’s voice grew louder with every step. When he reached the front yard, he saw his father standing on the porch, calm and fatherly as ever. Entering the house, he was greeted by the warm sight of his mother setting pots and plates on the table. Creamy alfredo steamed beneath the kitchen light, mushrooms resting on the pasta like trees in a misty field. He sat down quickly, wiping the saliva from the corners of his mouth, fork already in hand and ready to dig in. “Not now. Wait for your father.” A pout formed on his lips as he stared at the steam curling upward in white tendrils from his plate. Moments later, the creak of floorboards behind him announced his father’s arrival. His father sat down heavily, scooting his chair forward with a long scratching groan against the floor. “I saw you talking to Michael. How’s he and Bella?” his mother asked. “They’re good. Newlywed life. If only they knew.” “I was thinking of taking a trip to my mother’s house.” His father looked up from his food and gave a small, almost hesitant nod. “Sure.” “You can say no. I just thought it would be nice to see them… and for Jason to see them too.” “I think so too. It’s just a lot of effort getting out to the countryside. But it has been a while. Maybe by next weekend I’ll figure something out.” She ran a hand gently over his. “Thank you, hon.” Jason looked at his father’s faint smile. It wasn’t rare, but it wasn’t common either. Seeing it always made the house feel warmer somehow. As he finished his meal, his mother stood to serve him another helping. That was when he heard it. A creak. Upstairs. Jason strained his ears, glancing toward his parents, expecting some reaction. But neither of them acknowledged it. They continued eating as though nothing had happened. After dinner, Jason sat beside his father on the couch while a sports game played on the television. The room flickered blue and white with every change of camera angle. Yet beneath the sound of cheering crowds and commentators, he could still hear faint movement upstairs. Slow creaks. Soft dragging noises. His father eventually stood and walked toward the kitchen, either to grab a beer or check on his mother, leaving Jason alone in the living room. The television illuminated the coffee table in front of him. He looked left. Out the window. His mother was standing outside. Her hair hung over her face, hiding it completely. Her body looked limp, almost boneless, as though something behind her was holding her upright. Jason’s throat went dry. A sick churn twisted through his stomach. He squinted into the darkness behind her, trying to convince himself he was imagining it. Then he saw it. A thin, needle-like limb protruding from the shadows behind her. It was nearly invisible unless you truly focused on it. And he did. Much to his horror. He wanted to scream for his father, but his legs refused to move. The voice in his head wouldn’t come out properly. When sound finally escaped his mouth, it was weak and trembling. Then his mother’s head fell from her shoulders. It dropped wetly to the ground as the needle-like limb snapped backward into the darkness, dragging itself out of sight. Her body collapsed a second later. Jason shot up from the couch and sprinted toward the kitchen. His father stood in the doorway. Motionless. His head hung low, like a puppet waiting for its strings to be pulled. Jason could see the grayness in his eyes, the slackness of his open mouth. He ran. Up the stairs. Behind him came the rapid patter of footsteps that didn’t sound human. Jason slammed his bedroom door shut and locked it. Tears burst from him immediately. His head felt numb while his body shook violently, rattling like a snake’s tail. Then came a voice from the other side of the door. “Jason? Are you in there?” It was Bella. “Yes! Please help!” he cried. “Jason, open the door. Let me in.” Hope surged through him. With trembling hands, he unlocked the door and pulled it open, tears streaming down his face. The smile of relief that formed on him vanished instantly. It wasn’t Bella.