The Whole Being Alive Thing

To Err is Human

Downstairs, the whole family were gathered in the living room, helping Betelgeuse adjust to being human fresh in everyone else's minds. Betelgeuse was sat on the couch in between Adam and Barbara, whereas the Deetzes sat on a set of chairs opposite them. Not one of them were unsure of what to even say. And there was a tension of sorts within the air of the room.

One of these days, the rest of the family thought, Betelgeuse was going to forget that he was no longer both dead and a demon and try to use powers that he no longer had. And, in order to prevent that from happening, they all knew that they had to act fast if they were going to help Betelgeuse adjust to being human.

There was also the matter of how old he was in human years that they needed to bring up at some point in the conversation.

They all assumed that he was at least an adult when it came to his appearance - but with his maturity level, they guessed he would be somewhere around Lydia's age at the very least. If not older.

Anyway, it wouldn't hurt to ask, would it?

Putting an end to what she didn't want to be an everlasting period of silence, Barbara opted to be the first of the six of them who spoke up. But when she couldn't find the right words to say, she turned and looked to Adam for help.

Racking his brain for the right words to say, Adam also turned his attention over towards Betelgeuse and, when he did happen to find the right words to say, he decided to be the one who spoke up instead. "Betelgeuse, do you know anything about being human? And please don't say murdering people."

"Other than that last thing, no," Betelgeuse responded, confusion present in the tone of his voice. "I was a demon far longer than I was in this state. So all I know is everything that there is to know about demons."

"So, you still think of yourself as a demon and not a human?" Barbara was quick to ask, a hint of confusion in her voice as well.

Betelgeuse found his attention drifting from Adam to Barbara as he came up with an answer to the latter ghost's question. "Yeah, basically, I guess. But feel free to remind me anytime I forget that, okay?"

The rest of the family nodded, then looked at one another. Now they knew that Betelgeuse still thinking of himself as a demon rather than a human was going to interfere with all of them trying to help him get accustomed to being a breather. And not one of the five of them knew what to say next, all of them turning their attention back to Betelgeuse - who was now in the middle of inspecting his hand.

Barbara coughed to grab his attention and he stopped with what he was currently doing, his eyes focusing on Barbara. "Beej, if you were still a demon... how old would you be in human years?"

He looked away from Barbara and towards the carpet of the living room as he considered that for a brief second, then turned his attention back over towards Barbara. "Well... if I was still a demon.... I'd probably be somewhere around Lydia's age. Probably an adult. You guys can decide on how old you think I am. Since even I'm unsure.of that."

The other five members of the family turned and glanced at one another, all of them having a silent conversation. Then, as he and the rest of the family turned their attention back over to the former demon, Charles cleared his throat and Betelgeuse's attention flicked to his fellow living male. "We have agreed that you could be in your teenage years, Betelgeuse. And there is a lot you need to know about being human. How would you like to be enrolled at Lydia's school?"

After a while of thinking quietly to himself, Betelgeuse turned his attention back over towards Charles. "Sure, I guess... but why?"

"Well, one of the reasons why is that you're going to need some friends other than the five of us. Need others in your new life," Delia explained, Betelgeuse now looking over towards her and nodding.

"I'll call Lydia's school later on today and see if I can get you enrolled there," Charles spoke up, directing Betelgeuse's attention back over towards him. "And, if I can, then you'll have Lydia to help you out since this is all new . As well as any new friends that you make. Does that sound okay?"

Again, Betelgeuse nodded, adding, "is that all you guys needed to discuss with me?"

He moved to stand up and leave the room, but, before he could, Barbara coughed again and he turned to look over towards her. "No. We still need to discuss helping you get accustomed to being human."

Betelgeuse huffed then sighed, sitting himself back down on the couch in the same spot in between Adam and Barbara. "Why do I have to get accustomed to being human when there is so much chaos that I could be doing right about now?" He turned and focused his attention over towards Lydia, who looked back at him. "Hey, scarecrow, do you think you can help me with a-..."

"Lydia isn't going to help you pull a prank on us. Nor are you even going to pull a prank on us," Charles spoke up, his tone stern and serious at the same time. "First, we need to discuss your strength. Yesterday evening, Adam and Barbara brought to the attention of Delia and I that you managed to break Lydia's bedroom door in half just by grabbing it and throwing it to the side."

"Yeah... so? What's that got to do with all of this?"

"Was your strength something that you kept from back when you were a demon? Because that amount of strength is not natural for a regular human being."

"Not all demons were that strong until they were teenagers in demon years which is about three hundred years of age," Betelgeuse responded. "I didn't know that my strength would carry on to my human state until I accidentally broke Lydia's bedroom door. Speaking of which, I should go and break some more stu-..."

"No!" all four adults chimed in unison.

Barbara added, "but for now, let's help you get used to being alive. As well as help you keep your strength under control. As well as other stronger skills from when you were a demon that may have remained when you first became a human... however that happened..."

Betelgeuse's face fell at that and his eyes focused on the living room carpet again. "I'm not sure I'm ever going to get used to being alive and being a breather nor am I sure just how much of my psychical abilities have carried over to my human state. Nor am I sure how much stronger  they are for a human that used to be a demon like yours truly than they are for a normal human being. What if I end up hurting or injuring one of the Deetzes with my sheer amount of strength?"

"How about this, we'll help you get your strength under control. Then we'll focus on helping you adjust to being a breather," Barbara suggested, the others nodding as Betelgeuse turned his attention over towards her. "And if you do end up accidentally hurting Lydia, Charles, and/or Delia, then you can just apologize to them. Okay?"

"I... don't know how to do that either," Betelgeuse steadily admitted after a while, twiddling his fingers and looking embarrassed.

The others groaned in unison at that. That was yet another thing that they were going to have to help Betelgeuse with. What else was there that he had yet to bring up that he was going to need their help with?