(Image is AI generated using Prompt Hunt)
**
“Clarence, this will be your new room,” Marlie guided her nephew inside.
The five-year-old boy scanned the room with downcast eyes. The cobwebs in every corner made him frown.
“My old room didn’t look like this,” he said as he grimaced at the sight of the crevices on the old concrete walls. Its faded blue paint was dusted with the sadness of being abandoned, for he didn’t know how long. “Dave hasn’t been here for a while?”
Marlie fell silent upon hearing the question. “He left. He’s not coming back,” she said shortly after.
“Where did he go?”
“Gone to where your parents must’ve been by now.”
Clarence looked down at the floor, trying to shed his tears. “I wish he were here. We hadn’t spent much time playing together. I can't even remember his face.”
Marlie couldn’t hold it anymore. She knelt and hugged the child in front of her. He returned the embrace.
“You’re warm. I missed my mom’s arms around me. But the last time I hugged her, she was rigid and as cold as ice. Dad, too.”
She burst in tears. Her heart broke for the innocent child who had know idea about his parents.
“You’ll live with me from now on, okay?”
“But how about mom and dad? They might be looking for me.”
“No, honey. They know you’re with me. They asked me to look after you.”
“I miss them.”
“I know. I miss them, too.” Marlie secretly wiped her tears while hugging Clarence. Then she filled her lungs with air and smiled to face him. “Now, how about aunt Marlie clean your new room and you stay with uncle George in the kitchen?”
“Who wants pancake and hot choco?” George announced as he climbed the stairs. His beaming face greeted Clarence, whose eyes brightened at seeing his uncle wearing a floral apron.
“I do!” he said and ran to George. “You look like a girl in your apron, uncle.”
George gave his wife a wink and took Clarence by the hand to lead him downstairs. “Really? How about we play later after eating?”
When the two were out of sight, Marlie grabbed the broom and began cleaning. But her eyes were caught by a huge box at the corner of the empty bed. Curios, she walked towards it and carefully removed the packaging tape. What she saw made her jaws drop.
**
“What were you thinking?” Marlie whispered to George, trying to control her outburst. Clarence had just gone to bed, so confronted her husband.
“About what?”
“The box with the dolls. Why did you bring it here?”
“No, I didn’t.”
“Then who could’ve done that?”
George shrugged, not wanting to heat the argument. But Marlie was persistent.
“Fine! I did. I bought them for your nephew, thinking that he might miss his parents. He needs company more than us.”
Silence filled the air. She understood what her husband did, so she got up from their bed and walked to the closet. She took a life-size doll and hugged it tight before going back beside George.
“Then let’s sleep with Dave tonight,” she said.
**
At midnight, Clarence twisted and turned on his bed despite how comfortable it is. The room was also well-ventilated, but the temperature seemed to be around forty degrees and he was sweating. His pajamas were drenched in sweat. Then gentle footsteps permeated. Steps he was very familiar with.
“Mom?” he called. “Is that you?”
He got up and rubbed his eyes, reaching for the bedside lamp switch.
“Mom?”
He stared at the end of his bed. Two silhouettes were standing there.
“Dad? Mom?”
“Yes, dear? We’re just here. We’ll watch you till you fall asleep,” the female silhouette said.
“It’s hot, mom.”
“Just sleep, dear. I’ll take care of it.”
And so, Clarence closed his eyes.
**
“Did you sleep well last night?” Marlie asked.
“I did. It was hot, but mom and dad opened the window, so the air came in.”
The couple was stunned.
“Are you sure you weren’t dreaming?”
Clarence nodded. He couldn’t speak because of munching on a huge bite of his apple.
“Nope. They told me that when I hear footsteps at night, I should stay awake because it’s them visiting me. They also told me they’ll bring Dave tonight, so we could play.”
George almost choked on his coffee. “They said that?”
“Yes. And I’m excited to see Dave and play with him.”
“Honey,” Marlie said. “Didn’t I tell you that your parents have gone to where Dave is?”
“Uh, huh? But they said it’s okay to visit me because they still have plenty of time left to stay. Wait up, I’ll get something from my room.”
Clarence ran to his room, and when he returned, he had the dolls in his arms.
“See? Here’s mom.” He raised the female doll. “And this is dad.” He bragged about the male doll to his aunt and uncle. “You have Dave in your room, right?”
' Was the fire incident that killed his parent that traumatic for this kid for him to be seeing things? But he didn't even know about it.' Marlie asked herself. Still puzzled about her nephew's behavior.