Happy Birthday Arayen (Birthday special)

 Happy Birthday Arayen

By: Ray Bush

Arayen woke up on his sixth birthday with a stomach full of butterflies and a mind full of excitement. Today is the day that he would be getting his first bike, he thought it would have been on his fifth but mom was extra cautious so it didn't happen. Arayen waited a whole year for this day, it was all he asked for. Arayen  didn’t even want them to have the option for anything else. He wanted the dark blue one with the yellow rims, hand grips, and pedals. The young boy looked at the bike the same way a car collector would look at a classic muscle car. 

It was four o’clock in the morning so mom and dad would still be sleeping.  Arayen decided he would sneak into the living room and peek, but he wasn’t sure because he did love surprises also. There would be no chance of him going back to sleep, but on the other hand how could he wait for at least four more hours until the house came to life for the day. Normally Jevon would be on the top bunk but he was spending the night with a friend. Arayen decided he would go look.

He flung the blanket off of him, his mom screamed. It was short-lived despite it echoing through the silent house. Arayen pulled the blankets back over his head. He heard soft footsteps on the hardwood floor. It sounded like someone walked from mommy and daddy’s room to his big brother’s room. What would Aaron be doing in his parents room so early in the morning? Why did mama scream?

Arayen waited for what felt like an eternity and a day waiting to see what happened next. Nothing happened. There was not a single sound in the entire house, not even dad’s snores. The silence was thick with terror and so was Arayen’s blood. He focused harder to try to hear dad, he couldn’t but he could hear Aylah all the way from downstairs. She was snoring extra loud today. Arayen wished Jevon was here, talking to him always made Arayen feel better. Arayen couldn’t take it anymore, he had to see what was going on. He quietly climbed out of his blanket, slipped into his slippers, then walked out the door. 

It was weird that dad wasn’t snoring or he hadn’t heard either of them moving for hours. Both mom and dad were restless sleepers, but he had not heard a sound since mama screamed. He slowly twisted the doorknob, the click of the latch disengaging sounded as loud as a gunshot in the silent house. Arayen froze. After a few minutes of silence he pulled his door inwards. 

Arayen snuck down the hall and pushed his parents door open. “Mom,” Arayen spoke softly, he didn’t want Aaron to hear. “Mom? Is it time for my birthday breakfast?” She didn’t answer and neither did dad. 

Arayen stepped softly on the hardwood floor, it squeaked but only a little. Neither mom nor dad even sounded like they were breathing. Arayen inched closer, his parents still made no sound. He inched even closer, then a little closer. His parents still did not make a peep, Arayen’s heart was pounding. The view on the bed was straight out of his worst nightmare. Arayen’s young brain couldn’t wrap his brain around what he was seeing. Dad lay next to mom with a slash across his throat, mom had a knife sticking straight up from her throat like a tombstone.

Is that what Aaron was doing in their parents bedroom? Arayen felt a scream rising in his throat, he fought with everything he had against it. He couldn’t let Aaron hear him. He pushed his mom, she moved but didn’t react in the slightest. His eyes filled with tears, he had to get to Aylah. He had to let her know what happened, and he needed her to help him. He hoped she wasn’t in on it with Aaron. Arayen couldn’t imagine Aylah cooperating with Aaron on this. But the two had always been close. Before this morning Arayen wouldn’t have imagined Aaron doing something like this either. Aaron was six years older than Arayen, the younger brother would have no chance of fighting off Aaron. 

Arayen crept out of his parents room with blurred vision from eyes full of tears. He tiptoed down the hallway, past Aaron’s room into the kitchen. He passed the fridge and stove and now stood at the top of the stairs looking down into the darkness. Arayen hated going into that basement. There was something about it that was terrifying. Aylah was the only one that dared to sleep down there. The other rooms were a laundry room, a family room, and a bathroom. They would have to get out before Aaron woke up. There were only three windows in the basement, a small one in both the laundry room and the bathroom. The other was a larger one in Aylah’s room, that one had screws above the window to prevent intruders. Arayen might be able to squeeze through the smaller windows but Aylah was four years older and would never be able to fit. 

Arayen snuck as quietly as he could down the stairs, he hated the way the old wood stairs creaked under his feet. He reached the bottom then walked down the hallway, Aylah’s room was straight ahead. The young boy prayed, with very little understanding what he was doing, that Aylah hadn’t locked the door. She did that sometimes, he really didn't want to knock. Aaron would hear that for sure. Thankfully the door was unlocked.  

He snuck to her bed, he was more than grateful that she was still breathing and that Aaron hadn’t got to her already. Arayen tapped his sister on the shoulder, Aylah twitched but she didn’t wake up. 

“Aylah,” Arayen whispered as loud as he dared and pushed her hard with both of his small hands. She rolled but not far, but still she whistle-snored through her nose. Arayen climbed on her bet and sat on her chest. 

“Arayen get out of here,” She sounded a little annoyed but nobody ever really got mad at Arayen. She was half asleep and half frustrated. “I know it’s your birthday but I’m sleeping.”

“Aylah?” Arayen sounded terrified, “Aylah please wake up. Please Aylah.” Arayen climbed her chest and now sat between his half asleep sister and her wall. 

Aylah was instantly alarmed by the tone in his voice, her little brother was always happy. So when she heard the terror her eyes snapped open. “What Arayen?” All of her frustration was gone, she was concerned about her little brother. She was still trying to shake the cobwebs from her brain. “What’s wrong buddy?”

“Something happened to mom and dad,” He said on the verge of a cry bursting out of him, “I think Aaron did it.’ 

“Aaron did what?”Aylah was now sitting up in her bed in her nightgown. She turned her flashlight on, when she saw how scared Arayen looked Aylah panicked. “Arayen tell me exactly what’s going in.”

“I think Aaron hurt them,” Arayen said, “Can you come look with me?” Arayen cried when he heard footsteps from Aaron’s room. “He’s awake Aylah,” Arayens heart was beating hard.       

Arayen pushed himself a little further from Aylah, he was all the way pressed against the wall and shaking like a leaf with eyes full of tears. “Buggy,” Aylah said, that was the nickname that his family used for him. Except for dad, his dad called him fat head due to the fact that Arayen had a giant head. “What’s wrong buddy?”

“He’s coming, Aylah,” Arayen had never been this terrified in his young life. “We have to hide," he pulled the blankets over his head then decided that would be a horrible place to hide. “We have to hide, we can’t let him find us.”     

He jumped off the bed and tugged on her hand wildly making her arm wiggle. Aaron walked to their parents room, the squeaky floor made it easy to track their older brother. Deciding that everything was still ok in there, Arayen heard Aaron moving towards his bedroom. 

“Wake up Buggy,” Aaron was still in the hall but he wouldn’t be for long. He would surely come downstairs to Aylah’s room when he didn’t find Arayen. Arayen’s bedroom door opened and Aaron walked around in there for a minute, “Where are you bug?”

Aylah was holding Arayen’s hand and could feel him shaking like a cold dog and could see the horror in his eyes. She turned off her flashlight, “Let’s climb out the window.” In her worry Aylah had forgotten about the screws in her window seal. She slammed the window hard against the screws, it was as loud as a symbol in a marching band. Aaron stopped walking around Arayen’s room. He moved quickly out of the room and into the hallway then towards the stairs. 

“Where can we hide?” Aylah couldn’t stand the fear in her baby brother’s voice. “Aylah we need to hide.” Aylah didn’t know what was going on but she believed that Arayen believed that something was going on.

“Under the stairs,” Aylah whispered as she whisked him out into the hall towards the stairs. 

The two younger siblings ducked into the laundry room door which was directly at the bottom of the stairs. They were just in time for them to not see Aaron appear at the top of the stairs with a cleaver in his right hand. He paused and looked into the near midnight black darkness, none of the siblings liked going into this scary basement. It always felt like they were being watched. The family room door was opposite the laundry room door at the bottom of the stairs, that room was windowless. The bathroom door was shut, and Aylah had her windows blacked out. The only light was a dim light from the small laundry room window, and the slit of light from Aylah’s room because of the slightly opened bedroom window. 

“Arayen,” Aaron called down the stairs, he clearly didn’t want to go down into the basement. Aylah was the only one that could stand it. “Where you at Bug? Are you with Aylah?” Aaron waited for an answer, he clearly didn’t want to descend the stairs. “Aylah are you up? Bug’s missing, mom and dad can’t find him either. I can see your windows open.”

The two younger siblings were hiding under their mom’s giant stock pile of blankets. Both siblings jumped a little each time Aaron stepped on a new stair, they hated the squeak of every footstep. Arayen was crying silently while Ayalh held her quivering brother tight in her arms. 

“It’s ok Buggy,” Aylah whispered in his ear, “I’ll make sure you are ok.” Arayen buried his face into his sister’s chest, he was so thankful that she was here with him. He was weeping almost silently as she brushed her hand through his hair. 

“Where are you guys at?” Aaron asked from the bottom of the stairs. He was standing between the family room door and the laundry room door at the bottom of the stairs. He didn’t want to go any further into the basement than he had to. “Aylah, mom wants us to find Bug,” Aaron was starting to sound irritated. 

Aaron moved towards Aylah’s room, he opened the door and turned on the light but Aylah was not there. He opened the bathroom door, but she was not there either. She silently uncovered her and her baby brother. She heard Aaron open the shower curtain. 

“Now bug,” Aylah whispered, “Get out of here, I’ll make sure he doesn’t get you.”  Arayen opened his mouth to protest, he didn’t want to leave his sister. Before he could, Aylah pushed him to his feet, “Run Bug.”

Arayen obeyed this time. He was out of the laundry room and on the stairs in a flash. Aylah was right behind him, their feet clomped hard on the stairs.

“Hey!” Aaron yelled, “Get your asses back here.” Aaron sounded insane, “I have a birthday present for you.”

Arayen looked back to see Aaron coming out of the bathroom with that, cleaver in hand. Unfortunately for Aylah Aaron was very fast. He tackled her on the stairs then chopped the cleaver into the back of her head. Her eyes opened wide in surprise. Her body went limp and slid down the stairs, Aaron rode her body like a sled on a snowy hill. Arayen watched in horror.

“Don’t just stand there bug,” Aylah said weakly, “Get the hell out of here.” Her eyes closed. 

Arayen did just that. He wanted to get as far away from his insane brother as he could. The sound of Aaron grunt with effort and the wet sound of the cleaver cleaving his sister would haunt him for a lifetime. Where could he go? His parents and his sister were dead. He had no clue how to get to Jevon’s friend's house and Aaron was crazy. Arayen couldn’t believe that Aaron was doing this, he had always protected his younger siblings. 

Arayen heard his brother slowly walking up the stairs like a lion stalking a wounded antelope. Aaron knew that Arayen was helpless and he had nobody left to help him. Aaron also knew that Arayen knew that there was nobody here to protect him. It was only a matter of time before Aaron got to his baby brother. Arayen ran into mom and dad’s room and took mom’s phone off of her night table. He ducked in the closet as quietly as he could and found Gma’s number. He pushed the call button, it rang once.

“How’s my favorite oldest daughter?” His Gma always sounded so happy. “We’ll be there soon for Bug’s birthday breakfast, me and your dad are excited.”

“Gma,” Arayen said in a panicked voice, Gma was nervous by the tone of his voice. Arayen had always sounded as happy as she did. “They’re dead. I’m scared.”

“What do you mean Bug,” Gma said, sounding nervous but still cheery, she knew her grandson had always had a vivid imagination. “What’s going on?”

Arayen could hear that Aaron was in the kitchen now, “Come out little brother,” Aaron called out. Arayen could tell his brother was smiling. How could he sound so happy? “I did all this to protect you.”

“Gma,” Arayen was speaking in a soft but terrified voice, “Aaon killed everyone, now he’s coming for me.”

“Bug,” Gma was very serious now, “You’re scaring me, this isn’t something to joke about. You know that, Right? Tell me exactly what’s going on.”

“I can’t, he’s coming,” Aaron opened Arayen’s door and wandered around the bedroom. Arayen recognized every squeak in his floor. “Please come help me, bring Gpa. Please.”

“Stay on the phone Bug,” Gma said, “RICK!” Her scream was terrified. “Get your gun, we need to get to Brandy and Ray’s.” Arayen heard Gpa say something but only understood one of the words. It was his Gma’s name, Hazel. “Stay on the phone. Are you hiding?” 

“Yes,” Arayen whispered, his whole body was trembling and his voice was even shaky. Aaron left Bug’s bedroom and went to the bathroom. “I’m under the sheets in mom’s closet.”

“K good,” Gma said, “Don’t move and stay as quiet as possible. Don’t even talk to me, just stay on the phone.” Her voice was full of fear, “Gpa and I  are on the way.”

“Thank you,” Arayen whispered in a tiny voice, “Please hurry, he’s gonna find me.”

“Don’t worry Bug,” Gma was trying to sound strong through the horror, “We won’t let anything happen to you.”

Arayen heard Gpa’s diesel engine come to life with a loud roar. It was loud even through the phone, Arayen loved Gpa’s pickup truck. That made the young boy feel so much better. When he heard his parents' door open Arayen almost screamed. He silently  tucked himself deeper in the sheets, he was thankful that his mom loved blankets, sheets, and pillows. 

“He’s in the room,” Bug said as quietly as he could, “Are you almost here?” Gma said something and Gpa’s diesel engine roared louder.  

Arayen heard Aaron walk to his parents bed and shuffle the covers, Aaron didn’t even seem to care that his dead parents were just laying there. Aaron got to his knees to look under the bed then stood when Arayen wasn’t there. Arayen wondered what happened to the brother that always protected him. 

“Arayen come out,” Aaron said, “C’mon Bug. Don’t you want your birthday surprise.”

Arayen heard Aaron walk into his parents’ private bathroom then pull the shower curtain back, just like he had downstairs. Arayen was so scared, he knew that Aaron would check the closet next. He tried to think of anything he could  do as Aaron walked out of the bathroom then towards the closet.

“Well Bug I guess I know where you’re at,” He slowly continued to walk towards the closet. 

“Gma,” Arayen couldn’t help crying openly, Aaron must have heard him. “Gma what do I do? He’s coming Gma.” Aaron stopped outside the door. Arayen screamed into the phone. 

Aaron open the closet and pulled the sheet off of Arayen, “Hey little brother, I’ve been looking for you.” Aaron’s eyes looked like the eyes of a madman. Arayens’ had tears pouring down his cheeks. 

“Get away from him you little bastard,” Gma screamed into the phone. “Floor it Rick, why can’t this thing go faster.” The engine roared even louder. 

“Aaron please,” Arayen cried to his big brother, “Please don’t hurt me.” Aaron smiled a smile that chilled Arayens’ blood. “You can’t do this Aaron, you can’t hurt me.”

Aaron raised the cleaver over his head. Gma and Gpa held their breath, but most of all Arayen wasn’t breathing. Arayen screamed when Aaron brought the cleaver down. Arayen closed his eyes in anticipation of a hard blow. The blow didn’t come, Arayen sat in darkness. Arayen kept waiting. 

When nothing happened, Arayen opened his eyes. Aaron was standing above him but he was not holding a cleaver. He was holding a present wrapped in blue paper with a yellow bow, those were Arayens’ favorite colors. Arayen pushed himself away from his brother, he fell out of his bed onto the floor. 

“Oh no,” That was mom’s voice, “Are you okay Bug?” How was he hearing his mother’s voice? 

    Aaron peaked around the foot of the bed, Arayen screamed. “Are you okay dude?” Arayen jumped back on his bed. 

“Wow fathead,” That was dad who was now on the bed with Arayen. He wrapped his son in a hug. “It’s okay buddy, we’re all here, I got you fathead.” Arayen fell into his father’s gentle embrace and cried into his shoulder. “What’s goin on Oy?” That was another nickname his dad used, it was an animal from his dad’s favorite book. 

After a minute Arayen pulled away from his dad and wiped his eyes, “I had a nightmare.” He looked at Aaron still scared of his brother from the dream. Aaron smiled that same insane smile from the bad dream, Arayen looked away. Arayen stiffened when he heard footsteps approaching from the hallway. Gma stepped through the door followed by Gpa.

“Happy Birthday Arayen,” Gpa said.