Diary of a Ghost

[Date Unknown]

Jack was tired of this. Edd and Molly were arguing again. This was the third time that day, and Rosemary was away and Susan was busy tinkering with Charles again. God, he loved his children, but this had to stop.

    "I want to play with Rocket!" Molly wailed. Her brother crossed his arms and blew a raspberry at her. This only made Molly cry louder, "Daddy make him give Rocket back!"

    Jack stood, crossing the room to them. He knelt on the floor, looking Edd in the eye.

    "You've had your turn, Eddy. Let your sister play with him. She hasn't gotten to learn it all yet."

    This made Edd frown, "Dad, she doesn't need to learn. It's not that hard."

    "Maybe for you, it's not, but she's little. Let her have a turn."

    Edd sighed angrily and handed Rocket over to Molly, who giggled excitedly and started running around with Rocket.

    Not with, Jack had to remind himself.

    Not with, but as.

    He stood, the old animatronic's rusted joints squeaking angrily. He remembered it like it was yesterday, watching his body getting stuffed in this thing. Parts of it were still there, old dried blood staining the blue metal black, decaying skin and bits of hair in the joints of Bon's ears. When Jack caught a glimpse of his reflection somewhere, he was always horrified, terrified by how his beloved creation, a children's entertainer, had become such a twisted monster.

    It was Felix's fault, of course.

    He knew the children didn't blame their uncle. But he did. Why hadn't he just said no to picking them up? He could have said, "Hey, I'm not feeling so hot right now. Sorry," and none of this would have happened. Jack knew he could never forgive him, especially after Felix's overreaction to Jack and Rosemary's questions had led to... to this. This purgatory.

    A door creaked open and there was the rotting face of Sha, the sheep animatronic. Jack smiled as the children ran to greet their mother, before once again beginning to fight over Rocket.

    "Hello kids," Rosemary smiled, Sha's lips pulling back to reveal too-sharp teeth. Why Jack and Felix had decided to make all the animatronics' teeth like that, he couldn't quite remember.

    Edd and Molly took control of Rocket's arms, Edd on the left, Molly on the right, and hugged their mother in greeting, before beginning to assault her with questions about where she'd been. She'd left her body behind, did she know that? Where'd she go, what'd she do, did she see anyone? Jack picked Rocket up, causing the children to fall into silence.

    "I just went on a walk in the forest," Rosie smiled again, "And I saw lots of pretty flowers, and squirrels, and I watched the sunrise."

    "Why didn't you take us with you, Mommy?" Molly asked.

    "Well, you two were sleeping so soundly, I didn't want to wake you up."

    "Aww..." Edd frowned and slipped out of Rocket, crossing his arms across his chest. His ghost form, Jack had gotten used to, but after the children spent most of the day in Rocket, he found that his breath caught in his throat, seeing his son's mangled body before him. He had to remind himself that Edd wasn't in any pain this way. He had died without even feeling it.

    "Eddie, Molly, why don't you go play with Aunty Susan?" Rosemary asked gently, "Your dad and I need to have a... discussion."

    The children both nodded, and Jack put Rocket down so they could run off to one of the other areas of the backrooms. Rosie put a hand on his shoulder.

    "Where were you, really?" He asked her, his voice barely a whisper.

    "I went to see her again."

    Jack turned his head to look at her, "Rosie..."

    "No, I know. I know we said it was a bad idea. And you're right, it was," she sniffled, wiping at her face. Of course, she couldn't actually cry, but that didn't matter, "it was a terrible idea, because she could tell I was there, and she was terrified. I... I don't know how, either."

    "She...?" He looked at the floor, then stepped back, away from Rosemary, so he could sit Bon down and get out. Jack then walked to the door.

    "Jack, don't see her. You know it will hurt. And it really does. Love, just... stay here, alright?"

    "But Rosie, remember that plan we always had, the plan to have her live with us again?" He turned to look back at Rosemary. She had gotten out of Sha, and now the two animatronics were slumped together. She took his hand.

    "Yes, but what if that plan isn't what she wants for herself anymore? She seems... happy now."

    "Rosie, I want my daughter back."

    "I do too. But maybe we should wait, and come up with another plan."