The Birthday
I made a wish. You know the wishes you make before you blow out the candles. Yeah, I think my wish was pretty interesting. I’ll just tell you how it all started:
“Kyle, Sandra, Mike,” my mom yelled. “Come down for breakfast!” I raced down the stairs faster than everyone else and beating them to the table. I was so hungry. “’I’m ready,” I said. I then turned to see Mom looking at me. “Jake, what are you doing here,” she asked. “You know where you eat.” She was pointing to the broken down chair outside. I looked back at her and said, “But today is October 13th. My birthday. You said I get to eat a meal with you guys for once.” Mom rolled her eyes and sighed. “Fine,” she said. “But you only get one waffle and that’s it!” I was so excited by not only the fact I get to enjoy a descent breakfast, but it’s also my birthday. Usually, I don’t eat with the family, I eat outside. I get to eat waffles and milk instead of bread and water. My two brothers and my sister then entered the kitchen and sat down.
“What is he doing here,” my brother Mike said. Mom served everyone their waffles and milk and sat down. “It’s his birthday today,” she said. “I’m sorry but he has to sit with us.” Kyle then got out of his seat and started walking toward me. “Your birthday, huh,” he asked with a smile on his face. “Y-Yeah.” Kyle nodded and said, “How old are you turning?” I gulped nervously. “T-Twelve.” He then started laughing in a crazy way. “Hey guys,” he yelled. “He’s twelve! Twelve punches each!” Everyone, including Mom, got out of their seat and started punching me everywhere.
Seven Hours Later…
I walked home covered with bruises and bumps. The punches that I got from this morning was nothing compared to what I got the rest of the day. Kids at school started smashing lunch food in my face, thanks to Kyle. Everyone in my P.E class started throwing basketballs at me because Sandra told them to. Also, more kids at school started kicking me twelve times each and that was because of Mom and Mike. Mom honked the horn and told everyone it was my birthday and Mike told the kids to start kicking me. Today was a little bit worse than the other birthdays. While I was walking, I stopped by a supermarket to pick up some food for myself. As soon as I walked in, Mr. Lugas spotted me with all the wounds on me.
“Hey Jake,” he said while he put another batch of his bread in the oven. “What happened to you?” I tried to think of a lie, the most believable one. “I fell off my bike while I was trying to do a trick.” He then nodded and smiled. “What?” I asked. He suddenly pulled out a cupcake with a candle on it. “Happy Birthday,” he exclaimed. I was shocked. No one this day has once said a genuine ‘Happy Birthday’ except Mr. Lugas. I quickly ran over the counter and hugged him. “Thank you,” I said while tearing up. “Thank you so much!” Mr. Lugas then started hugging me and then we both let go at the same time. “Wow,” he said. “I didn’t realize that you were so sensitive about your birthday. Is this how you reacted with your mom and your siblings?” I nodded. Mr. Lugas never found out how my family really treats me. He then handed me the cupcake with the candle on it. “Thanks again Mr. Lugas,” I said. “I’m going to save it until I get home.” I turned to walk away but Mr. Lugas stopped me. “In that case I have another present for you,” he said. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a lighter. I looked at him and started feeling a little bit scared. If Mom caught me with this lighter than she would lock me in the basement. “I appreciate the gift but if Mom…” He put his finger on my lips. “Just take it,” he said. He unfolded my hands and put the lighter in it. He then disappeared into the kitchen.
I placed the cupcake on the kitchen table and began praying. On every Sunday I’ll try and go to church. After I was done, I took out the lighter and began to light the candle. “I hope I have a better birthday next year,” I said. “I also wish that maybe my family would give me a chance. I know I was a mistake but I don’t want them treating me like this.” I then started to blow out my candle when Kyle snatched the cupcake. The candle fell out but it was still lit. I grabbed it and started running after him. “Give it back,” I yelled. I then turned into the living room to see Kyle eating my cupcake. He turned toward me and said, “Hey, this stuff is good,” he said while stuffing his mouth. Mom then walked in and saw what was happening. “I cannot believe this, Kyle,” she said. Finally, Mom was sticking up for me. “I can’t believe you didn’t save me a piece!” Then, Mom and Kyle started laughing. I burst into tears and yelled, “I wish you guys were all dead! All of you!” Out of nowhere, the candle and all the lights in the house went out. Sandra and Mike came running out of their rooms. “Mom! The lights are out,” she yelled. “Oh, so scary,” Kyle said while laughing. Suddenly a bullet burst through the window and hit him in the head. He fell to the ground with blood oozing everywhere. Everyone screamed except me. I was just in shock. Mom ran to Kyle and started crying. I looked through the window to see a guy wearing a smiling emoji mask with a rifle. He looked at me and waved. I then closed the curtains and ran to lock the door. Mom then grabbed me by the hand and asked, “Who’s outside?” I had no words. Kyle is dead and there’s a man outside who’s trying to kill us.
Mom ran to the phone and dialed 911. The rest of us just sat at the couch, scared. “Dammit,” she yelled. “There’s no service!” She then fell on the ground and started crying. Sandra and Mike went to comfort her. I followed them but Mom pushed me away. “Don’t you realize you are mistake,” she exclaimed. “No one loves or cares about you! If only your father were here to take you, he only loved you! Just get the hell away from me!” I then slowly went back to sit on the couch. Just then, the door broke down and the man walked inside. Mike, Sarah, and I ran toward the room. Mom ran to hide somewhere else. Sandra opened her room door. “Hurry up,” she yelled. She ran inside and I followed her. We hid under the bed but realized that Mike was gone. He then ran inside and yelled, “Where are you guys?!” Before we got to speak, we saw a machete thrown into Mike’s head. He fell to his knees and then onto the floor. Blood was everywhere. We could see his dead body; his eyes were still open.
“Oh my god! Oh my god!” Sandra was screaming those words so loud. I told her to shut up because I heard some footsteps. The man then walked slowly into the room and stood over Mike. He bent down and took the machete out of his head. I was sure he probably saw us, but he didn’t do anything. He just turned and walked out. I turned toward Sandra and she was shivering. “It’s okay he’s gone,” I said. Sandra then stopped but suddenly she was dragged out. “No! No,” she screamed while kicking and squirming her way out. The man then held his machete up and quickly slit her throat. She was coughing and gagging blood. He then repeatedly started stabbing her in the stomach many times. I was just watching. I didn’t even try to help her. ‘I have to get out of here’, I thought. I then slowly got out from under the bed and tried to walk past the man. He then turned his head toward me and stood up. I ran away before he could try to kill me. I could hear his footsteps behind me getting closer and closer. I ran into the kitchen and hid under the table. Suddenly, two hands grabbed me and pushed me out from under the table. I turned around to see it was Mom.
“Mom, please don’t do this,” I said while tearing up. She then looked toward me and pulled out a gun. “I was supposed to do this years ago,” she said. “I tried all my life to make it look like an accident, but it was just too damn hard.” She pointed the gun at me and started laughing. “Good-bye Jake.” But then, two hands grasped her neck and pulled her out from the table. It was the man. He then walked toward me with Mom still in his hands. “You…Son of a…Bitch,” she murmured. “I should’ve-” There was then a snap and Mom fell on the ground. The man walked toward me and then stuck his hand out to help me up. I didn’t take it, I just tried crawling away. “Get away from me,” I yelled. He then pulled his hand back. “But Jake,” he said while walking toward me. “I thought this was your wish?” I was confused. How did he know my name? How did he know my wish? The man then stopped walking. He reached for his face and took his mask off. It was Mr. Lugas. “Jake, I’m your father,” he said. He reached down into his pocket and pulled out a cupcake with a candle on it. “Sorry about the mess, son. Happy Birthday.”
4 Years Later…
So there you have it, that was my wish. Pretty exciting, huh? Well, hopefully you have many good birthdays, just like mine. “Jake,” my dad yelled. “The cake is here!” I closed my notebook and ran downstairs. “Hey, birthday boy,” Dad said. “Ready for some cake?” I nodded and walked to the table to sit down. “Dad,” I said. “Just to let you know, I’m sixteen. I’m not a little boy anymore.” Dad then placed the cake on the table. “I know son,” he said while lighting the candles. “But your growing up so fast, I just wish I was with you before.” I then smiled and hugged him. “Alright,” he said. “Make a wish.” I thought of one in my head; every wish counts. I blew out the candle. Suddenly, all the lights in the house went out.
The End.
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