The Family Of The Haunted

Chapter 2, The Golden Child

I woke up in a sweat and breathed unevenly as I sat up so brutally that I turned on the lamp to see where I was. I sighed in relief that I was in the cabin and not in that horrible place again. I rested my head against the wall and sighed softly, then went into my thoughts. Why do I always go into my thoughts about that day when we went to find out what was wrong with Mom–the news wasn't that great. Dad hid his feelings from us until we got home and took me to his office so we could talk about the future if Mom didn't make it through that–I wish he didn't think that way back then, but he did. Fucking hell, I was only ten years old when he told me I needed to mature more and be more responsible.

I couldn't remember the last time I relaxed for once and had a day to myself.

I made my way to the kitchen and got myself a cup of cold milk, then sat down in the chair as I tried to relax but couldn't with the feeling of that dream that I've been revived every time. Yet it felt so natural when I heard about Mom at the hospital. Hate that a lot. I remember that day when we had to go the hospital when Mom fainted in the kitchen-I was ten, and Jack was nine, while Molly was six and Polly was only one year old at the time, so she doesn't remember much during that time of Mom's treatment.

~At The hospital~

I am holding Molly's hand while Jack has Polly in his arms while Dad is in a room with Mom with the doctor after doing some tests on her. Mom fainted in the kitchen, so they wanted to test her while we had to wait in the next room. It has been an hour or something, and I looked over at Molly, who's been hiding her feelings about this.

" Mollie, it's going to be alright. " I reassured her as she looked up at me " How are you so sure? " She inquired, letting out a quietly sighed " Because Mom is strong and won't let trounce her." she nodded slightly, probably not believing. I hope it isn't so bad. " But you know how Mom is- she won't let this thing stop her if it would make her weak," I added as she looked down. " True, but it could be worse? She fainted while cooking even though she was fine yesterday." Jack glanced at me with worried " Mollie, don't get overwhelmed about this. You know how you get when you do." Molly took her bracelet off and played with it as she softly counted to three to herself. "I know, Jackboy." She mumbled.

The door opened to reveled Dad with a frown as he shut the door behind him. " is Mom coming home with us?" Dad shook his head and looked at us sorrowfully. " she's going to stay here to run a few more tests-we. Can still visit her when we can." Dad led us back to the car as he avoided the questions and made eye contact with us while we walked past the rooms with other patients, then the doctors or nurses running past us. I remember the titled floors with the simple colors on the walls in that hospital, then the sounds from the machines that they had too.

When we got home, Dad took me to his office and set me down in the chair with a rugged look. " Mark, I need you. Ask you to do something for me that could help around the house." He started to say, sitting on the edge of the desk and looking at me in the eyes. " And that is?" He took a shaky breath and looked away, then back " I need you to become an adult. "

I stared, shocked at him, and shook my head, " What do you mean by that?" I asked as he sighed and rubbed his temples, "I'm going to be busy with your mother at the hospital, so I will need to help to care for others when I can't. They do look up to you."He stood up and rested his hand on my shoulder. " I know this is a lot for you, but I need you to do this for me." I looked up at me.

" Okay...Dad. "

I stared blankly at my computer screen of the picture of Mom and me in the forest together. I sighed heavily, leaned into the rolling chair, and glanced around my room when I heard a thud from the hallway.