At Dawn They Sleep

Awakened, I Have Become

October 31st, 2008

12:30 PM following Lee Goldberg's Weather Report on WABC-TV

A storm was coming, and his niece. (Uncle) Roy was in the kitchen baking when his niece, Sunny, arrived under developing storm clouds. According to the local weather news, the full brunt of the storm wouldn't hit until ten that night and shouldn't disrupt most people's Halloween plans. Before he knew much and more than he wanted to about the Uninvited, he hadn't thought twice about the pagan holiday, but he knew it marked a period when the membrane of the world was at its weakest, allowing strange and deadly things to pass through. He already knew more about that supernatural part of the world than he wanted to. Troy had always stayed in his lane, and he was in his. Occasionally, their professional paths would cross, but most of the time, they kept out of each other's way.

Roy's thoughts turned back to his niece, Sunny (Ro's older sister), whom he hadn't seen since their father's passing. Sunny entered her Freshman year shortly after Troy's death and hadn't been back to the house since then; that was over a year ago when he'd taken over the place of his deceased brother. She was a good kid and knew how to work hard; too bad more of her better angels hadn't rubbed off on Ro.

Roy heard a car pull up out front, and a familiar voice, etched in worry, walked into the house: "Uncle Roy, you left the door unlocked."

Roy walked out of the kitchen and into the front room to greet his niece. "I could hear you coming a mile away."

"Damn, really? And you're not even wearing your hearing aids," Sunny said, dragging in a suitcase, backpack, and book bag.

Roy went to assist. "Here, let me help with those."

"Thanks." She got a whiff of something sweet and savory in the crossbreeze from the kitchen. "You cooking something, Uncle Roy?"

"One of your grandmother's old recipes for mincemeat pie."

"Oh. You using meat?"

"Suet and ox tail."

"So, I guess not for Ro?"

"He doesn't eat here anyhow. I made you some fresh lemonade. Why don't you pour yourself a glass while I take these to your room."

"Where's Ro?" Sunny said, slipping the book bag off her shoulder.

"He moved out."

Sunny shot her uncle a surprised look. "He moved out? He didn't tell me that."

"He'll be by later for the poker game. You're welcome to take it up with him then."

"I drive from Philly to see his ass, and I won't see him until tonight?"

Uncle Roy just shrugged and grinned as he carried her belongings towards the stairs. "How's your mom?"

"She's good. Well, I thought there'd be more of a welcome committee for my arrival."

*

Sunny entered the kitchen and saw the pitcher of lemonade Uncle Roy had left for her on the counter. Driving always made her thirsty, and her uncle's lemonade was a legendary thirst zapper. She pulled a chimney glass from the cabinet and poured the lemonade into it. A cool, sour sweetness touched her lips and tongue and put in mind the sugary curd Uncle Roy used for his lemon pies. Sunny hadn't seen her Uncle in years, but he was aloof as ever. She knew deep in her bones that something had gone down between him and her brother, but neither had nor would tell her shit unless she stomped her feet and yelled or beat it out of her brother, figuratively. And post-midterms, she was just too damn tired for their drama bullshit.