One night, Billy is in his bed, having a nightmare about the murder of his parents in 1971. He is tossing and turning and moaning in his sleep.
In the nightmare, Billy is in his family's car, still 18 years old. His father is pulling over as the man in the Santa costume came walking over to them. Billy's father rolled down the window and said, "Need a ride, Santa Claus?".
"Oh, no, not exactly," said the man.
"Oh, no...", said Billy, starting to freak out.
"What's the problem?", Billy's father asked.
"Oh, there's no problem, it's just that... I ran into a little bit of lousy luck," said the man as he brought out the gun and pointed it at his father. Startled, Billy gasped.
"Jim! Go! Aah!", shouted Billy's mother. Quickly, Billy's father stepped on the brakes and put the car in reverse, trying to escape the man.
"Dad, duck!", shouted Billy as he pushed his father's head down as the man began to shoot at the car.
"Billy, I can't see!", said his father as he kept trying to drive. Then he put his head back up, but unfortunately, he still got shot in the shoulder and the head.
"No!", Billy's mother shouted as her husband fell out of the car. Billy gasped and shouted, "Dad!" He then looked to see the killer running over to the car, so Billy quickly got out of the car and ran into the bushes. He sees the killer running over to the car as he drags his mother out and pins her to the ground, trying to rape her.
"Mom!", Billy shouts in agony.
She then smacked the killer across the face, trying to fight him off. Angered, he hit her back, making Billy gasp in shock.
"Nobody hits my mom!", said Billy.
"Don't hit me!", shouted the killer as he then brandished a knife. Billy gasped in shock and shouted, "MOOOOOOOM!".
"BILLYYYYYYY!", shouted his mother. The killer then slit her throat as Billy screamed in terror.
The killer then got up, then said, "Ho ho ho! Where are ya, ya little bastard?!"
"No! No!", Billy began freaking out. The killer began searching in the bushes.
"Aha! Gotcha!", said the killer and Billy screamed as the killer stabbed Billy in the chest.
Finally, Billy woke up and shouted, "NOOOOO!". He started breathing in and out in a panic. He cried out, "MOMMY! DADDY!" and started crying hysterically. He looked up at the ceiling and said, "Mom! Dad! Can you hear me?! Can you see me?! I really miss you!"
Crying some more, Billy got up from his bed and sat down by the window, looking out at the night sky, missing every single moment of his life with his parents and knowing how horribly it all went away. He remembered when his mother used to sing him and his brother lullabies, such as "Rock-a-bye Baby." He remembered when he would play tee-ball with his father. He remembered when his parents would read him Christmas stories, most notably The Night Before Christmas. He even remembered when his mother would tuck him and his brother in bed, as well as her playfully tickling him sometimes. His life was so much happier and better then. The more he thought about it, the more tears he released. He then broke out into song, singing his own version of "Papa, Can You Hear Me?" by Barbra Streisand.
God, our heavenly Father
Oh God, and my parents
Who are also in Heaven
May the light
Of this flickering candle
Illuminate the night the way
Your spirit illuminates my soul
Mom and Dad, can you hear me?
Mom and Dad, can you see me?
Mom and Dad, can you find me in the night?
Mom and Dad, are you near me?
Mom and Dad, can you hear me?
Mom and Dad, can you help me not be frightened?
Looking at the skies
I seem to see a million eyes
Which ones are yours?
Where are you now that yesterday
Has waved goodbye
And closed its doors?
The night is so much darker
The wind is so much colder
The world I see is so much bigger
Now that I'm alone
Mom and Dad, please forgive me
Try to understand me
Mom and Dad, don't you know I had no choice?
Can you hear me praying
Anything I'm saying
Even though the night is filled with voices?
I remember ev'rything you thought me
Ev'ry book I've ever read
Can all the words in all the books
Help me to face what lies ahead?
The trees are so much taller
And I feel so much smaller
The moon is twice as lonely
And the stars are half as bright
Mom and Dad, how I love you
Mom and Dad, how I need you
Mom and Dad, how I miss you
Kissing me good night
As he finished singing, Billy started crying some more. "Mom! Dad! Speak to me! Speak to me!", he cried. "Speak to me if you can see me! Or even hear me!" He kept crying and crying and crying.
All of a sudden, he heard familiar voices.
"Billy," the voices said.
Just then, Billy stopped crying and looked up to the sky. "Mom? Dad?"
As he looked up, he saw his parents appearing in the night sky in spirit form.
"Billy, it's okay. We're doing just fine," said Ellie.
Billy is absolutely surprised. He thought he would never see his parents ever again.
"Mom? Dad? Is that really you?", Billy asked in amazement.
"Yes, darling," said Ellie.
"Oh my goodness. I thought I'd never see you guys again," said Billy. "I'm so sorry for what happened to you."
"Billy, it wasn't your fault," reassured Ellie.
"That shouldn't have ever happened. I was hoping we'd get back home," Billy told them.
"I know, hon," Ellie told Billy.
"If I ever find that guy, I swear, I will avenge you!", promised Billy.
"Oh, thank you, Billy," said Ellie, smiling.
"Thanks, son," said Jim, also smiling.
"You know I'd do anything for you," said Billy.
"We know," said Jim.
"We understand, honey," said Ellie.
"Oh, it just feels so good to talk to you again," smiled Billy, wiping away some tears.
"You, too, son," said Jim, "You, too."
"And you'll always be with me, right?", asked Billy.
"Of course, sweetheart," said Ellie. "No matter where you are, no matter what happens, we'll be there to guide you. No matter what, we'll always be with you."
"And that's a fact," added Jim.
"Oh, good," said Billy, relieved. He was starting to feel a little better.
"Well, we have to go now," said Ellie. "But don't worry, you'll see us again."
"I know, Mom. I know," said Billy as he wiped away some more tears.
"Goodbye, Billy," said Ellie.
"See ya, son," said Jim.
Billy waved back and said, "Bye, Mom and Dad."
And with that, Billy's parents disappeared back into the clouds. Billy let out a huge sigh, feeling extremely nostalgic and relieved that he had seen his parents again. He then went back to bed, feeling a little more comfortable.
"I love you, Mom and Dad," he said as he closed his eyes and started to go to sleep. He knows now that he does not need to worry about his parents since they are in a better place and can look forward to reuniting with them.
As he drifted off to sleep, he remembered his mother's words: "No matter where you are, no matter what happens, we'll be there to guide you. No matter what..."
"We'll always be with you."
