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?781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTlda6Xlbsy
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡaI0FtX1VbX
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUyVG7SYDy4
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNqDAdfapA0
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjXP79foTWa
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxHucWN6aJo
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡo5oQjvqQIJ
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzXGvlEGzGS
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFBTEqDrDmf
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAvgLPPKeUF
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD7KSu2sdPR
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡS3j4mTAXbr
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7uirEBtPrI
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3cMaDJgffN
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJVy7k0d7L2
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPCrjhHwK7D
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoGKbBPKVw4
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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?”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvzgR2QYXkw
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2fAUPzbD5r
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“I swear,” she said, “everyone has forgotten their manners today. It must have something to do with it being Halloween.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVvKWs8Zrg0
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAfKAbc6fJa
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLlW2vfMTsi
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He sat his fork down and looked at her intently. “How?” he asked gingerly. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPITeY6B8qS
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“How?” Rhonda asked. “How what?”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ8SMESFtdB
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“How are you here right now?”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡl2x6NT8ZBE
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“What kind of question is that? I live here.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGAiPiDU8SM
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“But, but…”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6AxYUG5wj6
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYjO70CLEVk
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNlJd5zVBev
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡF6RStWwx3s
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7Deio7DuPg
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡX01Kr1S3lT
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxTpvOhlR3a
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbrvoNnoO0D
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“Mikey doesn't live here anymore, babe,” Eddie answered. “None of the boys do.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBikc56olKm
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“Nonsense,” she replied.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡINMjOGFzkP
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxRfqvNw5yh
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“Ha ha. Very funny,” she said with no amount of amusement in her voice. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡd4TuQO8CyL
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“I'm telling you the truth, babe,” he said. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkgQmb16SVz
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO5Wi8INVT5
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“Sweetheart,” he said, “you have to listen to me.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeTSYBy8qDI
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡNMAUen4VAa
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“Baby, the boy's ain't coming home,” he said, “I told you. They don't live here no more.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5M9rYGlI2F
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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?”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGdKPdm8MQ4
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcK3WroPrVq
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She lifted her eyes to meet his. “Rhonda,” he said, “honey, you've been dead for twelve years.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf338thfaH4
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Rhonda pushed him away. “Enough of your tomfoolery!” She cried out and then went back to writing her list. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4T5VbKygOR
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJ9LaPnxYYp
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCNTSg820uN
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYI6HxKPA9u
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡm31PI9kY30
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH3ZkbDH6a1
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“My boys!” Eddie cried as he ran over to hug them. “When did you get here?” 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCjtl5g2TGf
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhHn9Wa2uqo
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“We figured you could use a few minutes alone,” Mikey added. “To sort things out.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJKbV3lzE0B
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“Oh,” Eddie replied. “Where’s Johnny?”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmkaizQpWNH
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“Johnny couldn't be here, pa,” Billy replied. “He's living overseas now. You know that.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFYrOXwkNmZ
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“Oh yeah,” their father replied. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9oGVysWfri
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiBGgSgmTAo
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“I don't know how I got here,” their mother said to them. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWOt8Ysz4yq
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“It don't matter,” Billy said softly. “But you can't be here anymore. It isn't right.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGn1ReBCKqB
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5h0oKCEZFR
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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.781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡgg5CLCVqVU
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbN4SBOKky
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“I'm buried in the back yard?” she asked. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMofoPeufpd
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡi8GzIRwSIK
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ18iI8wTkw2
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwA9CThftLQ
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIzjOqSgGX2
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxcRztXsOLA
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyMKmVvErtg
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Eddie’s brow furrowed once again. “What?” he asked. “You just enrolled last year! You couldn't be done already!”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzHAQZ7xBAs
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“Billy patted his pa on the back. “It's true, pa,” he said. He's been out for years now.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡITCIT9Q5fQ
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“This is insane!” Eddie exclaimed. “This whole morning has been bonkers!”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡG0cGiQQVaS
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“It has, pa” Billy answered. “It is every year.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWGtFcwTzsD
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“Every year?” Eddie said. “It ain't ever been like this! I would have remembered a morning this whacky!”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1FNm21R1Ab
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡy4npGnDHkR
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcuUKit3gWc
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsUnflNiZcy
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“But that ain't right,” Eddie muttered. “I ain't rotten like she was.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO4IosaEac0
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2mJsiKduxL
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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.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡT2z2fMt95m
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“We know,” Billy replied. “We love you, too.”781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkzmMOGkygC
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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. 781Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ908BPLCdJW
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