“In her fury, the princess raced to her husband’s bedroom. By the next month, the nurse confirmed that the princess had conceived a child, and they announced it to the kingdom. Soon, the king died and the prince became the new king. The position of the heir became even more crucial. The prince stopped seeing his concubines during his wife’s pregnancy. The concubine’s baby boy arrived, but the new king didn’t put his pride and joy in an illegitimate heir.
“One evening the queen was eight months along and wished to share the new fallen snow with her soon-to-be-born baby boy. She stepped outside for a short walk around the castle. It was a huge mistake.” The ghost paused and looked away afraid to continue. “Then,” she continued slowly, “She heard footsteps behind her. They fell softly, but she felt danger and ran. Unfortunately, the abdominal pain became too great and the princess fell. In an instant, a knife, wielded by the concubine, slashed her belly. The new queen watched painfully as her wounded baby boy slipped out covered in red slime.
“The new queen along and baby couldn’t survive the night. Afterward, the concubine was caught and punished. After the new king had given up on her child, she had recently married a man, whom she had had several children with before becoming the prince’s concubine. The kingdom no longer remains except for the former princess who kneels before you.”
Almost instantly, the boy asked, “Why do you still remain?”
“I cannot leave until I find peace or rather… revenge.” The princess’s eyes darkened.
“Why…” the boy stammered backward. The ghost rose and walked toward him slowly realizing that he hadn’t understood.
“Who is most like your mother in the story?” the ghost asked in cold anger.
The boy realized his mother matched most with the concubine. She tried to get a very rich guy and got stuck with a little boy, him. Joe looked up at the ghost and asked, “How is my mother involved?”
The ghost cocked her head and replied disgustedly, “Your mother is a descendant of that despicable concubine.” Her venom spread throughout the room like the cold. “The last time we met before she went off to find her peace was when I found how she cherished every child she had. Unfortunately, I don’t have any blood passed down like her! She stopped my bloodline. Why shouldn’t I stop hers?!”
The ghost raged after the boy with a newly created sharp icicle in her hand. The boy stumbled and fell in front of the heater control. He turned on the heat. Fearful, the ghost dropped her icicle, which began melting. She slipped back out the window and scattered back into snow. The exhausted boy sighed and fell into a deep sleep.
Tires rolled down the driveway. Joe peeked at the clock which read 4:00am. He noticed the window was egged and the heater turned on. Clutching onto his blanket, the boy rushed to turn on the lights afraid the ghost would appear again. His mother came in dressed in a white princess robe with a red stain on her lap. The boy stared speechless.
“What’s with you? It’s just a bit of punch,” his mother told him ruffling his hair.
“Sorry,” he replied. “How was the Halloween party?”
“Well, I met a guy. Anyway, you should be asleep. Why do you have your blanket with you?”
“I slept in the living room because it’s warmer.”
“Okay, I’ll sleep down here too after I take a shower.” She left for the bathroom. When the boy heard the click of the lock, he checked the freezer. The boy froze. The snowy jack-o-lantern felt cold in his hands like her presence.
