"Happy Birthday!"
It's been a hard life. It's about time they had a good birthday.
She pins back her hair as she steps into the kitchen and gets right to work.
He opens the cabinet and looks at the line of cake mix boxes.
She has her heart set on strawberry. That was always his favorite.
He recalls that she used to favor chocolate and takes the box touting such.
It doesn't really matter. It's the thought that counts.
The oven's old and takes some time to heat up, so in the meantime she gets the batter ready.
He can't remember where they used to keep the candles. He searches through the drawers.
She pours the batter into the cupcake liners and slides them into the oven.
He finds the candles in the back and sets them aside as he wraps up the rest of the work.
Now onto the decorating. She gets out the multicolored streamers she bought a few days ago.
He cuts open a plastic bag filled with balloons, takes them out, stretches them, blows them up.
She puts the large 'Happy Birthday' streamer over the television, to make up for the lack of a mantle.
He tapes the balloons in bunches into the corners of the doorways and rooms.
And now it is time for the gifts.
She hid it in the downstairs closet. It's long and thin, wrapped in paper decorated with balloons.
He hid it in the crawlspace under the stairs. It's small and square, wrapped in paper decorated with confetti.
They both place the presents on the coffee table. Soon, the cupcakes are done.
She chooses chocolate icing and warms it in the microwave before smoothly gliding it over the tops.
He chooses vanilla icing and scrapes into a plastic bag that he uses as a makeshift icing bag. He tries to make roses.
She covers the top with multicolored sprinkles shaped like stars and moons.
He chooses the best one and puts it on a plate, slides a candle into the top, and lights it up.
Smiling, she carefully carries the cupcake as she makes her way upstairs and back to the bedroom.
He opens the door but doesn't turn the light on, instead deciding to use the candle's light to its full effect.
She pushes Stanley aside with her foot-
He steps over Ella's track-
and knocks on the top of the large present box waiting on the other side of the room.
After a few moments, the flaps open and a form raises out of the box. Tall, lanky, inhuman.
A white face stares down, broken by a wide smile, only illuminated by the soft light from the candle.
They both smile.
"Happy Birthday, Sammy."
"Happy Birthday, Charlie."
"It should've been me."