Page 135 of 12 Months of Mayhem

“The zombies are scary, Daddy,” she whispers.

“Remember what we talked about? They’re just people in costumes. It’s all pretend, baby.” Rem reaches up and gives her leg a reassuring squeeze.

Suddenly, Beaux lets out an excited yelp. “Look! There they are!” He points eagerly as a group of zombie performers lurch into view, their makeup gruesome and realistic under the flickering street lights.

I feel Birdie’s grip tighten again, but she doesn’t cry out. Rem moves closer, placing a protective hand on Beaux’s shoulder as the zombies approach. Their eyes are milky white, skin painted a sickly gray-green, with fake blood and bits of ‘rotting flesh’ hanging off their faces and arms. It’s impressive work, I have to admit, even as I feel a twinge of unease.

One of the zombies spots us and begins to lurch over, arms outstretched. Beaux is practically vibrating with excitement. I’m about to suggest we step back when the zombie speaks, his voice surprisingly gentle despite his gruesome appearance.

“Hey there, little man,” he says to Beaux. “Want some candy?”

Beaux nods enthusiastically, and the zombie pulls a handful of wrapped sweets from a hidden pocket, dropping them into Beaux’s waiting hands. Then he looks up at Birdie, still perched on my shoulders.

“How about you, sweetheart? You want some too?”

Birdie hesitates, then nods shyly. The zombie reaches up, offering her a piece of candy. After a moment’s pause, she takes it, her tiny hand brushing against his makeup-covered fingers.

“See?” The zombie performer winks at Birdie, breaking character for just a moment. “Not so scary up close, huh?”

I feel Birdie relax on my shoulders, her grip on my hair loosening. She even manages a small giggle. “Thank you, Mr. Zombie,” she says softly.

The performer grins, revealing fake rotting teeth, then shuffles back to rejoin his group.

“That was so cool!” Beaux exclaims, bouncing on his toes. He’s clutching his handful of zombie candy like it’s a treasure. “Can we follow them, Mom? Please?”

Rem hesitates, glancing at me. Before she can answer, another float rumbles by, this one throwing strings of purple and gold beads into the crowd.

“Ooh, pretty!” Birdie squeals, momentarily distracted from the zombies. She reaches out, trying to catch the flying beads. I grab a strand out of the air and hand it up to her.

Rem catches my eye, her brow furrowing slightly.

A particularly garish float lumbers by, all orange lights and giant pumpkins. The crowd around us surges forward, and I instinctively reach out to steady Rem. My hand finds the small of her back, and for a moment, I’m grounded again. This is my family. This is what matters.

“Mama, look! It’s the ghost ship!” he shouts, bouncing on his toes.

Rem’s attention is pulled away, and I’m granted a temporary reprieve. But I know it won’t last. As soon as we get home, as soon as the kids are in bed, I’ll tell her. How she will react to the news is unlikely to be positive. I should probably hide her gun before I tell her. It might be safer for all parties involved.

Birdie squirms on my shoulders, her tiny hands patting my head for attention. “Daddy, I’m thirsty. Can we get a drink?”

“Sure thing, sweetheart. Let’s find a food truck.”

As we start to move away from the parade, I catch a flash of blonde hair in the crowd that makes my heart skip a beat. For a moment, I’m certain it’s Meredith, but then the person turns, and I see it’s just another costumed reveler. The kids are talking excitedly about the parade, but I’m only half-listening. We’re about to reach the row of food vendors when Beaux suddenly lets out a gasp of excitement.

“Look! A funhouse!” he shouts, pointing to a garishly painted structure just off to our left. It’s all neon colors and warped mirrors, with a comically large clown face serving as the entrance. The mouth is wide open, forming a doorway that leads into darkness.

“Can we go in? Please, please, please?” Birdie chimes in, bouncing on my shoulders.

I hesitate, eyeing the funhouse warily. It’s clearly built for kids. The entrance is barely tall enough for me to duck through, let alone navigate the twists and turns inside. Under normal circumstances, I might consider letting them go in while Rem and I wait outside. But today? With Meredith lurking somewhere in the city, possibly even in this very crowd? No way in hell.

“I don’t know, guys,” I say. “It looks pretty crowded in there.”

Rem gives me a questioning look, picking up on my unease. She knows me too well.

“Aw, come on, Dad!” Beaux pleads, tugging on my shirt. “It’ll be fun! We’ll be super quick, I promise!”

I’m about to refuse again when Rem steps in, her tone gentle but firm. “How about this, I’ll take Beaux and Birdie through the funhouse while Daddy gets us some drinks?”

“Rem…”

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