The Grims

Chapter 2- Daddy, I'm A Zombie

It was a stormy night for Dixie Grim. Her mother and father were fighting in the other room. Dixie sat up, thinking she saw the broken heart necklace around her lamp glow. Her sister had the other half. Thunder sounded and shook the house. Dixie gasped scaredly, before crying out, "Mommy!"

Five years later, Mr. Grim walked into the preparation room, pulling his gloves on tightly. He walked toward a man lying dead in a coffin.

"Good morning! Did you sleep well, Mr. Rudolph?" Mr. Grim asked cheerfully, patting the man's cold cheek. He walked over to a cabinet, opening it to see a record player. "Shall we play some music? Anything Vivaldi to lift one's spirit. Yours, and my daughter, Dixie's. She needs a small nudge in the morning."

He turned on the record, and upstairs, Dixie heard it faintly from outside her closed bedroom door. Mr. Grim opened the door, humming and smiling in the dark room. "Morning, Dixie. Did you get a good night's sleep?"

"No," Dixie groaned tiredly.

"It's so dark in here, isn't it?" Mr. Grim asked, walking over and pulling the curtains apart.

"No," Dixie sighed as she turned from the sun.

"C'mon, rise and shine!" Mr. Grim urged her.

"Go away," Dixie said, sinking under the covers.

"Hurry, or you'll be late to school again!" Mr. Grim reminded her.

"So what? I hate that place," Dixie spat.

"Don't you want to see your buddy, Julia?" Mr. Grim questioned.

Dixie groaned. "She's been weird lately."

"Why don't you invite her to the fair on Saturday? I've got two tickets," Mr. Grim suggested.

Mr. Grim went down to the room a few moments later and started combing Mr. Rudolph's hair to the side. "Oh, remember, you're going to your mother's today."

"I hate that house." Dixie stomped her foot. "Grizzly can't stand me."

"Please, be more respectful. He is your stepfather, after all," Mr. Grim reasoned. "Her second choice."

"He's always kissing up to her. It's gross," Dixie said, making kissing noises after.

"He's just trying to be nice," Mr. Grim reasoned with a sigh.

"And then, there's his horrific little daughter," Dixie said mysteriously.

"Well then, stop painting all her dolls black," Mr. Grim reasoned.

"Goth barbies are way much more interesting." Dixie rolled her eyes.

Mr. Grim sighed. "Talk to your mother. Let her know how you feel."

"She's too busy talking to her plants," Dixie said, getting up and walking away.

They got in the car. Dixie looked at the back briefly, imagining her older sister sitting diagonally from her. She regretted those awful things she said that day. Now, Dixie doesn't even know if her sister's dead or not.

"Blue skies and sunshine! Today's destined to be divine, I can feel it," Mr. Grim said excitedly.

"Look out!" Dixie said, pointing past the windshield.

They had stopped for a cat, which only showed its tail. It was black as Dixie looked at the side of the car.

"No worries, Mr. Rudolph! I'll reset your hairpiece in a jiffy!" Mr. Grim assured the dead man.

"Dad, he'll be six feet underground in an hour," Dixie deadpanned.

"Dixie, don't be so cynical. Remember, you attract what you put out, dear," Mr. Grim reminded her.

"That wasn't the case for Cima, was it?" Dixie said bitterly.

Mr. Grim frowned at the thought of his oldest daughter. "She was so kind, but there are also too many unkind people in this world."

"That's something you and I can agree on," Dixie snorted. "Um, stop here."

"I can drop you off at school," Mr. Grim replied. "I've got time."

"I don't want anyone to see me in this death tank," Dixie spat.

"As you wish, dear. Just remember, the glass is half full, not empty, and it's the only way-"

"Give it up, Dad," Dixie cut him off.