Victor sighed in relief when he came upstairs to see that Sparky was still there. Hearing what Lucas said about how maybe the things that he brought back to life didn't last had scared him half to death. But Sparky had come prancing up to him, same as always.
Victor dropped to the floor and brought Sparky into his arms, his heart still racing from the scare that Sparky might not have been here.
"You're a good boy Sparky…," Victor muttered into his fur.
Sparky broke out of his grasp and looked at him. He barked happily and started trotting around in a circle.
Victor stopped him, picked up Sparky, and got up from the floor. He had left Sparky up here last night to sleep so that his parents wouldn't find him, but he had worried all night about the poor little dog. Sparky shouldn't have to sleep up here all alone. Victor was planning on having Sparky spend the night in his room.
He slowly walked down the attic steps and then glanced down the hallway to make sure the coast was clear. He ran as fast as he could to his room and then slammed the door shut, locking it.
He let Sparky down and let the pup scurry around the room. Sparky looked so happy at the new change in environment. Victor chuckled and played with him for a while. It was so nice to have Sparky back…It was like he had never left.
Victor strained his ears to hear if anyone was coming upstairs. Victor knew his parents were already in bed so there was a very slim chance that they would be coming up to his room that night. Which was good. He relaxed again and looked down at Spark who was tugging on his shirt. Maybe he should let Sparky sleep here every night if it was safe enough. That was after all one of the things he had missed most about when Sparky had been…'gone', cuddling with Sparky every night.
Victor looked over to the clock, decided that it was late enough, and changed into his night wear. He then climbed into bed, and held the blanket up.
"Here boy!" Victor whispered.
Sparky jumped into his bed and settled down beside Victor. Victor lowered the blanket over Sparky and rested his arm on him.
"Goodnight Sparky," Victor said, giving Sparky a kiss on the head.
Victor really wished he could tell his father about Sparky. They were so close and he was pretty sure he wouldn't be freaked out by it…but Victor just couldn't take that risk. He trusted his father but there was so much that he didn't tell him. Like the 'family secret' for example. Though his father actually did seem to want to tell him it…he just couldn't.
Victor sighed and looked down at Sparky who had fallen asleep. Sparky had to be kept a secret for now.
And he really hoped Lucas would keep his promise.
Victor sat daydreaming through his history lessons. He usually never daydreamed in class but now he was always so paranoid about Sparky that it was hard to concentrate.
Having Sparky sleep in his room last night had been great. If he got Sparky out of the basement late enough, and returned him early enough, Sparky should be able to sleep in his room every night without his parents ever knowing a thing.
Victor ran out of the room when his lesson ended and started making his way up to the attic.
He stopped in dead horror when he reached the top of the stairs.
The attic door was open.
How could it be open? He had locked it hadn't he? He was pretty sure he was the only one who had the key to the attic. Had he been stupid enough to forget to have locked the door this morning?
He heard Sparky barking and he ran into the attic.
"Sparky!" Victor yelled, hoping he was all right.
He saw Sparky running around playfully and his father trying to catch him. His mother was plastered against the attic wall, horrified.
"Sparky!" Victor called again.
Sparky looked over to him and barked happily. Victor knelled to the ground and Sparky ran into his arms. He slowly looked up to see his parents both staring at him.
"Victor…," his mother breathed.
How was he supposed to explain this? Would they understand? What if they made him get rid of Sparky? He felt his heart thumping hard in his chest as he looked at Sparky, who was oblivious to all the chaos that was about to happen.
Victor opened his mouth to say something but his father asked, "How is Sparky here?"
Victor took a deep breath and looked up at them nervously. Shakily, he replied, "I…I brought him back to life."
"Oh Victor!" his mother cried, "It's impossible to bring something back from the dead. Normal people can't do that!"
"Victoria…," his father said, turning to her.
"All I want is for us to have a normal life," she said, tears spilling out of her eyes. "I'm tired of the dead haunting us."
She hurriedly left the room, leaving them alone with his dead dog in the attic. What had she meant, 'the dead haunting us'? But Victor had a feeling he knew what she meant-the family secret.
Victor suddenly felt anger fill him. Why should he be such an outcast? If his life was doomed to be like this forever, he had the right to know why! He was tired of the secrecy. He wanted answers, now.
"Father, what is the family secret?" Victor demanded.
His father sighed and looked at him with sad eyes, before he responded sorrowfully, "You already know."
"What do you mean I already know?" he questioned furiously.
His father got down on one knee and looked into his eyes, before he started explaining.
"Remember that bedtime story I always used to tell you?"
"The one of the Corpse Bride?" Victor asked, confused, "The one you stopped telling me about a year ago?"
"Yes, that one. Do you remember her name?"
"Of course I do. It's Emily."
His father smiled, as if remembering something, and then said, "Do you know the man's name?"
"No…You said no one had known his name…"
"Do you want to know his name?" his father asked calmly.
Frustrated, Victor blurted, "What does this have to do with anything?"
"The man's name was Victor Van Dort."
Victor felt the blood drain out of him. There was no way that story could have been true…it was impossible, wasn't it?
"You mean…one of our ancestors was the man who married the Corpse Bride?"
"No Victor," his father said, placing his hands on Victor's shoulders and staring straight into his eyes, "I was the one who married the Corpse Bride."