Ghosts of the Past
by Shannon McKinnon

It was a dream. He knew it was a dream, even as it was happening. He was trying to wake himself up, but he couldn’t. The nightmare just kept happening and he was powerless to stop it; just as he had been all those years ago.

“Just look at you,” his Pop sneered in utter contempt. “Pathetic.”

“Go away, Pop. I never cared what you thought when you were alive, so why should I start now?”

“Loser. I thought after I was dead and gone you’d become the man of the house. What a laugh. You became another woman of the house.”

“Go to Hell, Pop. Ooops, too late.”

“I thought you might take over the house, rule it. But instead you let yourself be ruled over by the women. You make me sick.”

“You wanted me to rule the house, Pop? Like you did, with my fists, and my drunken threats and insults? I don’t think so.”

“Oh, you think you’re so much better than me? At least I’m not some sissy. Cooking. Cleaning the house. Women’s work.”

He shook his head. “You know what, Pop? I can almost feel sorry for you.”

The comment enraged the older man. “Sorry for me? Don’t you dare feel sorry for me. The one you should be feeling sorry for is yourself. Just look at you.

“Pushing forty and divorced, with no marriage prospects anywhere; you’re a Cop... A stupid Cop, for God‘s sake. A thankless job as a government civil servant. Boy, you must really pull down the big bucks, working for the city like that.

“No wonder you care so much about that damn stupid ugly car of yours. It’s all you’ve got. Who on Earth would ever want someone like you?”

Ray jerked awake suddenly. He squeezed his eyes shut and rubbed his hands over his face, trying to make the nightmare recede.

Then he looked next to him on the bed, and his features relaxed into a smile. Benny was lying there, fast asleep, sprawled on his stomach, his face turned towards Ray. One arm was flung out on the mattress next to him, and the other arm was wrapped firmly around Ray‘s waist, even in sleep.

Ray let out a slow breath and rolled over, next to Benny’s warmth and safety and love.

“Yeah,” he whispered. “Who on Earth would ever want me?”

Ray closed his eyes and slipped into a peaceful sleep.

THE END