It was the morning of Halloween when Rhonda opened up her kitchen door, walked in and started cleaning. The boys had made a proper mess of things. Dishes were piled up, the margarine had been left on the counter and the bananas were so dotted with black and brown spots that they could barely be considered edible. And what was that horrible smell?785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1eWuUmi56h
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Rhonda sighed as she changed the garbage sack. There was a wicked crick in her neck and her back hurt. Such is the price of getting old she thought to herself. She took the trash out and threw it in the rubbish bin. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXYoGdMYFW
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Mrs. Wiggins, from across the street, was doing the exact same thing. She had a gaggle of boys, too. Mrs. Wiggins was dressed in a baby blue bathrobe and slippers. She hadn't quite gotten her day going from the looks of it. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtxAEcYEVUS
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“Hello, Regina,” Rhonda said. “How’s Henry and Matthew?” Henry and Matthew were her two boys. They went to the same school as her Johnny, Mikey and Billy. They played football together and got on very well. So well that their families had spent many a summer day together having barbecues and swim sessions in the Wiggins’ pool. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡczvIIFNnF7
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Much to her dismay, Mrs. Wiggins didn't return her cordial greeting. Mrs. Wiggins dropped the trash bag she was holding and it split open and spilled rubbish onto the sidewalk. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyddZXLFbPw
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Regina Wiggins whimpered and ran back into her house with a look of terror on her face. “How very rude,” Rhonda said, but then she thought better of it. “Don't be judgmental,” she muttered to herself.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAqTuyTMPxs
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She remembered that Regina suffered from IBS. Irritable Bowel Syndrome. When she felt the need to run to the bathroom she had to go right away or an unfortunate accident was sure to follow. The IBS had taken it’s toll on her poor neighbor. Aged her prematurely. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhYf7Fpw6Tr
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Being the good neighbor that she was, Rhonda cleaned up the trash that Regina had spilled onto the sidewalk. She decided that she would bring Regina a nice cup of tea later and find out if she was all right. But not until she finished cleaning that dreadful kitchen.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTxuSLt4GHD
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She filled the sink with suds and water and began cleaning the dishes. Most of he kitchen had been put back in order, but there was still a dreadful smell coming from something. One of the boys had probably dropped a piece of fruit behind the trash can. It wasn't unusual. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4SFbWzhnWo
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The clinking and clanking from her cleaning of the dishes awoke her husband Eddie. Eddie walked into the kitchen and he paused at the door. He looked at Rhonda for what seemed an eternity, but was actually no more than a few seconds. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6g64YwY0W1
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The look on his face was one of bewilderment and worry. “Well hello to you, too, dear,” Rhonda said. “Are you hungry?” she asked. “Have a seat and I'll make you a bite.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmKO3SqdfN1
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Eddie stood there in his boxers and white tee shirt intently watching his wife of twenty seven years. His eyes were wide and his wispy, white hair was out of place. He took a step backwards. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡayxmi5qMik
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“Sit down if you want some breakfast, Eddie,” Rhonda said again. Eddie took a step forward and paused. He took another sheepish step. “Sit down, you unusual man,” she instructed him again. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDQ7qBKl8jC
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Eddie pulled a chair out and sat at the table. Eddie’s eyes never left Rhonda as she stepped over to him, bent down and kissed him on the forehead. Eddie’s brow wrinkled in horror and confusion.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLuIIUveELf
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Rhonda grabbed a skillet that she had just washed and sat it on the stove. She walked to the refrigerator and shook her head when she opened it. “My word,” she said. “I really need to go grocery shopping. It's as bare as bones in the ice box.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJzdwXnM5hR
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She pulled out an egg carton and opened it. There were only two of them in it. Clicking her tongue, she took the two eggs and sat them next to the skillet. She ignited the burner and put a wee bit of olive oil into the skillet. Before long the two eggs were sizzling.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFHFPdujR7b
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“I would make you some toast, but it seems we are out of bread,” she said. Eddie watched her in silence. When the eggs were finished she dished them onto a plate and sat them in front of her husband. He just stared down at plate of eggs. Every now and then he would look up at his wife, who was now sitting across from him.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzlLa1q2AG
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“Well eat them,” she said with an annoyed tone. “Would a thank you and a good morning be too much to ask?”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzljrq3KbVU
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Eddie shook his head. “Thank you, dear,” he replied. “And good… good morning.” He picked up his fork and began to put small bites into his mouth. He chewed, but all the while he never took his eyes off of Rhonda. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmrepvldu2f
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“I swear,” she said, “everyone has forgotten their manners today. It must have something to do with it being Halloween.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcJHhkoSfEG
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Eddie just nodded his head. The look of worry and confusion hadn't left his face. He took a few more bites of his egg. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzf1WADKOFR
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“Well what is on your mind?” she said to him. “I can see something is bothering you. Out with it then.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq3mNtfOGwZ
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He sat his fork down and looked at her intently. “How?” he asked gingerly. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBZtiBwozNE
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“How?” Rhonda asked. “How what?”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdWwn4ZQlQc
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“How are you here right now?”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDKEwc9UFRS
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“What kind of question is that? I live here.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAPFhtlAd1d
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“But, but…”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIroJpZpOI5
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“But nothing. I live here. What kind of question is that? I swear, Eddie, old age is finally getting to you. Making your mind soft.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLFQ6bhvK52
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Eddie picked up his fork again and took another bite. He sat the fork back down on the plate. “I don't know what's going on right now.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡigSMuRRdTW
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“You are sitting with your wife having breakfast,” she said to him. “As pathetic of a breakfast it is. I apologize for letting the shopping lax.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡChAaT6jm8a
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“I'm the one who does the shopping now,” Eddie replied. “I don't keep much here. I eat out most nights.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSRmnVnMPx
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Rhonda rolled her eyes and stood up. She walked over to the garbage can and looked behind it. “Do you smell that?” she asked. “It smells like something's gone rancid.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOVZUXpcRnK
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She searched the kitchen for a few minutes. Her husband stared at her the whole time. His look of worry turned to one of wonder. Then his wonder turned to seriousness. His eyes hung on the floor while she searched for what was rotten. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5dZsw4DUO
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“I bet Mikey left a piece of fruit out,” she said. “It wouldn't be the first time and it won't be the last.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtVpGnIN93d
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“Mikey doesn't live here anymore, babe,” Eddie answered. “None of the boys do.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjFRNJLkN5m
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“Nonsense,” she replied.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrq65Oda5Cs
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“Mikey is off in college now,” he said. “Johnny is in the army and Billy is working at the DMV. He has a family of his own now.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ968AwWTrgw
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“Ha ha. Very funny,” she said with no amount of amusement in her voice. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsOgtOKaPQ9
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“I'm telling you the truth, babe,” he said. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6gHI3YMVpP
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Rhonda grabbed the small pad that sat on top of the refrigerator and grabbed a pen. She started making a shopping list. “Is there anything you need from the market? Razors? A new toothbrush?” she asked. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyXrQLGuHNG
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“Sweetheart,” he said, “you have to listen to me.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxjQYwYZFei
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“I don't have time for your nonsense,” she replied. “I have to get the house in order before the boys get home.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEaHpRVjwSe
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“Baby, the boy's ain't coming home,” he said, “I told you. They don't live here no more.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡobDuc36C4d
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This time she slammed the yellow pad she was writing on down on the counter. “Enough with this nonsense, Eddie!” she declared. “I have enough to do without you adding to the list with your foolish pranks! I need to go to the market and get groceries and Halloween candy for the kids in the neighborhood. Now are you going to make yourself useful and help me or are you going to sit there and continue to be a horse’s ass?”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡj5xWjXrYjD
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Finally finding the courage, he stood up and walked over to his wife. He gently put his hand on her shoulders and turned her around to face him. “Babe,” he said quietly, “you've been dead for twelve years.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡizR4ExftJL
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She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Rhonda,” he said, “honey, you've been dead for twelve years.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmn5sl79iCF
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Rhonda pushed him away. “Enough of your tomfoolery!” She cried out and then went back to writing her list. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2Niz5hSm1
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He put his hand on hers and stopped her from writing. “I'm not fooling you, babe,” Eddie told her. “You got in a car accident after you dropped the kids off for school. Twelve years ago today.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsnJ0NZYh75
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She put her pad down and sat the pen on top of it. What was he saying to her? Then suddenly it came back to her. Just like Eddie had said, she had been driving to the market after dropping off the boys and a van came out of nowhere and hit her station wagon. Then there was nothing but blackness. Until earlier when she walked into the kitchen. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe1XTcgg9FA
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Pulling out a chair for his wife, Eddie sat her down and then sat on the edge of the table. She looked confused. Almost as confused as Eddie did. “Okay,” she said in barely a whisper. “Okay. Will you help me find what that horrible smell is, Eddie? And then I'll go back to where I came from.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtGgfRxLcNv
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Eddie nodded. “I would help you with anything, darling,” Eddie replied. “But I think what you are smelling is yourself. You been in the grave a long time.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3WpoGq8WWg
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“He’s right, mom,” came a voice from the entrance to the kitchen. It was Mikey. There he stood, grown and handsome. Beside him stood Billy. He was much older than he was the last time she saw him.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡe7jPSDZoqY
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“My boys!” Eddie cried as he ran over to hug them. “When did you get here?” 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfhCm4OFnXO
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Billy returned his embrace. “We got here a few minutes ago. It took us a few minutes to process what was going on, so we just sat quiet in the hallway.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuIb4r9Qb1k
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“We figured you could use a few minutes alone,” Mikey added. “To sort things out.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFdnLWIiHhn
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“Oh,” Eddie replied. “Where’s Johnny?”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOUn73ArFvl
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“Johnny couldn't be here, pa,” Billy replied. “He's living overseas now. You know that.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyfLYY6g2Ox
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“Oh yeah,” their father replied. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEsjHmRx4ws
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The boys turned their attention to their mother. “Hi, ma,” they both said. They took turns giving her a long hug. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYyEWA9cibt
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“I don't know how I got here,” their mother said to them. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9gO8RApGml
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“It don't matter,” Billy said softly. “But you can't be here anymore. It isn't right.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5bPBsYUAD2
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Mikey took his mother’s decaying hand into his own. “You need to go be at rest again, ma,” he said. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbsy6fNrI0G
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“Okay,” Rhonda relied. She knew he was right. She didn't know where he came from, but she knew it wasn't natural for her to be where she was now.785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSL3yiz99Ji
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Billy opened the back door and motioned for her to follow him. Holding Mikey’s hand all the while, she did. The four of them walked out into the back yard. Under a tall tree there was a hole dug in the ground. There was a wooden cross at the head of the hole. “That's where you came from, ma,” Mikey said to her. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0sKYnGoZMV
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“I'm buried in the back yard?” she asked. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUwdG4FmziO
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“We had you in the cemetery for a while,” Billy answered, “but every year on Halloween you would dig your way out of your grave and make your way back here. It got to be a real hassle sneaking you back into the graveyard, so here you lay.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVfAUi9xr75
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They all sat and just stared in silence for a few moments. Rhonda broke the silence. “I guess it's time for me to go,” she said. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡp07oR3WT94
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The boys and their father nodded. They boys took two shovels that were there waiting for them and turned the hole into a nice, deep, rectangular grave. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9QzI4tN9oD
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They all said their goodbyes and their mother climbed into the freshly dug grave. As soon as she laid back in the dirt her eyes closed and she was gone once again. The life had slipped from her. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq4NCNN0SBH
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“How did you boys know? Why did you come here? You aren't playing hooky from school are you, Mikey?” Eddie asked. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFbPd5edo9v
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“No, pa,” Mikey replied. “I'm not playing hooky from school. I haven't been in college for ten years. I graduated. I have a family of my own now.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq2FsKNn6GU
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Eddie’s brow furrowed once again. “What?” he asked. “You just enrolled last year! You couldn't be done already!”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqW8bQU1V2g
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“Billy patted his pa on the back. “It's true, pa,” he said. He's been out for years now.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡycsm3HG5ol
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“This is insane!” Eddie exclaimed. “This whole morning has been bonkers!”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3s2suW3aGP
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“It has, pa” Billy answered. “It is every year.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZlkn796xEZ
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“Every year?” Eddie said. “It ain't ever been like this! I would have remembered a morning this whacky!”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTMuVkYQiCt
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Mikey turned his father a half turn and nodded towards the east end of their back yard. A hole, not unlike the one Rhonda has come from sat there waiting. “It happens every year, pa,” Mikey replied. “We don't know why, but it does.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡh40MnnwbXY
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“Naw,” Eddie responded, shaken. “Naw it can't be right.” He looked at his hands. There was no decomposition of the skin like Rhonda had. There was no stink on him like there was on her. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHsXPMhwIAb
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“It is, pa,” Billy answered. “You died six years ago. Had a heart attack at the factory. On Halloween morning. Just like ma.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHOv0ijj77R
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“But that ain't right,” Eddie muttered. “I ain't rotten like she was.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlgGWj1RiIn
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“It's true, pa,” Mikey said. He put his arm around his father’s shoulders and led him to the hole. “Every year on Halloween you and ma both come back. We don't know why. You just do. And we don't know why you aren't rotten. We can't figure that out.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvON7pVrk02
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Eddie’s look of confusion turned to one of acceptance. “Well it is what is I guess. It was good seeing you boys again. You know your mother and I love you dearly.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtfWE0KsMOA
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“We know,” Billy replied. “We love you, too.”785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ62GChLZlDH
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The boys took their shovels and dug the grave while their father watched. When it was finished Eddie walked over to it and said, “I guess I'll see you next year,” he and the boys both laughed uncomfortably and Eddie jumped into the hole they had dug. As soon as his feet touched the dirt of the grave his body fell limp and lifeless once again. For another year at least. 785Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTOeK4D8gdP
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