Cheryl Blossom
Slowly, I walk down the staircase carrying a candelabra in front of me with my long red dress flowing around me. I walk the familiar path through the hallway and find myself in front of the casket, Jason's casket.
Taking a deep breath, I reach forward, not of my own will. It felt like I was being forced to, and the casket doesn't creak as I lift it open. My eyes are wide, fear and confusion filling my head as I stare at the empty casket. The empty casket with bloody marks as if someone clawed at the top on the inside.
I feel something behind me, and my stomach drops. Taking a deep breath, I slowly turn around and gasp, horrified at what I see. My brother, my twin Jason, is standing in front of me. He looks like something out of a horror film, particularly a zombie one. His skin is pale and eyes look dead, clouded over and glassy.
Finally, I find my voice and I scream as he reaches for me.
I jolt up, my breathing hard as I realize I was only dreaming. 'It was just a dream.' I tell myself, taking a breath. 'Just a dream.'
"I told you no more sleeping in Jason's bed." My head swings to see that my mother is in the doorway, observing me with an annoyed look.
"Oh, I was just working on the eulogy for JJ." I hold up the paper, trying to defend myself in some way. I hadn't mean to fall asleep, it was an accident.
She snorts in response, "You're not speaking at the memorial. God knows what you'd say, something to embarrass this family." Her words cut into me deeper than they usually do. I am used to her sneers, contempt filled looks and words. The paper I'd been using crumpled in her palm and she dropped it on the bed behind me.
She leaves me sitting there, alone in the dark and I feel tears well up in my eyes. I take a shaky breath, trying to hold back it back, but the pain bubbles out anyway and tears stream down my face soon causing mascara and eye liner in trails down my cheeks and smudged under my eyes.
"JJ." I cry, "I'm so sorry JJ." I pull my knees up to my chest, "I'm so sorry. I wish I didn't leave you on the riverbank that day. I wish I stayed with you." Not for the first time I just cry. I've managed to keep it all inside when I'm at school and with my cruel parents, but now that I'm alone it's just too much to always hold inside. "I want my brother back. I want my twin back. JJ, come home. I want you to come home."
I plead with the world, with whoever is listening, that I will wake up in the morning and Jason will be alive and next to me. I can picture it. Him smirking at me and asking me what's wrong when I begin crying, happy to see him.
This time, when I fall asleep, I meant to stay here. Here in my brother's room.