A Head Full of Ghosts

by Paul Tremblay

“The flooding black river of blood will be the only thing to ever pour out of your mouth again. No more words. No one will listen to you. That’s the worst part, Merry. You will not be able to speak ever again, which means you will never be able to tell anyone about what will happen next to you and everyone else in this house. All the awful, terrible, unspeakable shit that will happen to you, and it will happen to you, and to everyone else. . . . I know. I’ve heard about it and I’ve seen it. No one escapes.” Marjorie finally stopped talking and texting. She gently placed her phone on the side table and folded her hands in her lap.

“Oh, come on, I’m just kidding, Merry. Jeez. I would never do that to you. You know that, right?”

because I have to fill my head with something other than the ghosts.”

Dad was badly overacting. He had that fake smile on his face, the one that looked painful to wear.