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"I&039; home," Mos on Dad&039;s chair scraped against the floor as he pushed back He went into the living room, where he turned on the news

"Aurora," Mom said

I folded my arms over my chest and waited for the rest, but that was it Justher eyes

Aw, hell

I slipped into the chair beside her "Look, I know I&039;ve been a pain in the neck lately" I stopped and laughed

Mom didn&039;t so o to the party with Dad I&039;ll be fine Promise I could use a little tio"

"Why not?"

Mom shook her head "I don&039;t know anyone at those parties"

"You know Dad"

"Everyone knows your father, and they&039;ll all want to talk to hio for the free food and drinks"

"I don&039;t know"

"Go"

"I guess I could go I do every year"

"Right They&039;ll be expecting you"

As far as attending Dad&039;s holiday function, Moht up to the last minute when she shuffled across the carpet in her black pu a separate vehicle Fine, whatever e door closed, I headed down to the wine cellar

Time to start on the list of resolutions and numero uno was: Get Drunk It was New Year&039;s Eve, after all After years of disuse, Dad had converted part of the downstairs into his beloved wine cellar; a walk-in oak enclosurebottles laid across wood planks, mostly reds At the far corner was a srabbed a bottle of Moet - what the celebs drank during the Oscars

I set the bottle on the kitchen table and removed the foil around the cork After the first attempt to twist the et this thing off? Weren&039;t they supposed to pop off on their own? I grabbed the bottle by the neck and pointed it at the wall I&039;d already lost a heart, kidney, and lung - I didn&039;t want to add an eye to the list I pushed e I pushed harder and the cork shot out, hit the wall, and thunked to the floor

I giggled "Whoo-ee!"

Foaes like one of those erupting volcanoes kids rade science fair I leaned forward and sucked in a mouthful of foam

I lifted the bottle in the air "Happy New Year!"

So I was early It was ht in Massachusetts

I walked around froht from the bottle I paused in front of the fra "Happy New Year, Dad Happy New Year, Mom"

I walked upstairs, turned my stereo on, and danced, bottle in hand I bowed to my dresser "So this is where the hottest party of the year is being held Who knew?"

I drank and danced I used the bottle as a microphone and discarded it when it was e way down, and I was feeling lightheaded Bed was looking good, but it wasn&039;t even ht yet

Finally I collapsed on top of the blankets I hadn&039;t fallen asleep so heavily since the accident The one Sweet oblivion until I woke soht My rooht on before falling asleep

What concernedthat wasn&039;t lowed from a twisted face He wore the sa here? I killed you"

He grinned and approached slowly

My hands tre you Get out of here You&039;re not real" I covered my head in my hands and rocked myself "You&039;re not real" I squeezed my eyes shut When I reopened thean flailing against the covers all the while screa pitch "You&039;re not real!"

"Aurora! Aurora, wake up" My et it? I ake I&039;d always been awake I slapped at her and resuwith her?"

There was an edge to my father&039;s voice I didn&039;t have to look at him to know his jaw bones were clenched around his chin I listened froht enclosure

"It&039;s just a nightmare"

"It&039;s ht since the accident"

"We have to give her time, Bill Bill?"

My parents&039; voices moved out of my room They crossed the hall into the master suite, fainter now

"Bill, what are you doing?"

"I&039;?"

"Soht&039;s sleep"

I sht it was funny, not because I was glad, but because I couldn&039;t help it People reacted so predictably under pressure Running was the easiest course of action If only I could run away too

My father&039;s footsteps moved in a flurry around the roo that my mother attempted to appeal to hio"

He didn&039;t answer His feet pounded down the stairs I heard hirab his set of keys froe just below e door went up, and the car pulled out with a roar then took off down the street

I heard my mother walk inside my room "Your father needed some time alone," she said weakly

I kept my head planted in irl You need to get better This needs to stop"

I lifted ned the contract It can never be undone"

"You don&039;t have to act this way We can go back to the way things were You&039;re just not trying hard enough" She looked at hed "Get some rest, Mom I&039;ll try not to bother you with any more of my demonic dreams"

As predicted, my mother didn&039;t ask for details about the aforementioned dreams She kissed my forehead and shuffled into the empty bed that awaited her I lay back and stared at the ceiling I shut ain He would always be looking at me No matter what he&039;d been, I&039;d killed him I was a murderer