L A M I A

I scrunched my nose at a commercial for a costume store.

All monsters look the same.

A rotting zombie that wants to rip you apart and eat your brain. A paper white skeleton that wants to skin you alive and wear it. A white sheet of a ghost- or more seen now, a barefoot ghost with long black hair in a tattered wedding dress with broken chains around her wrists and ankles that wants nothing more than an afterlife friend.

None of them are different, and if you think you've found a new monster, they've probably been seen or thought of before.

"Still trying to figure out a costume?" My older brother Kyler flopped on the couch next to me.

"As if I would actually go trick or treating," I scoffed, leaning back into the cushion, "Come on, Ky, I don't even have friends to go with, Halloween is tonight." I turned my head to face him.

"Just go for the shits and giggles, scare some little vampires and take their candy."

I punched his shoulder, "You're so dumb, Ky."

"Maybe. Oh!" He perked up, "You should go as me!"

"You?"

"Yeah, common, I'm scary." He flexed, then dropped his arm back down as he smirked, "It'll scare mom for sure. Maybe it'll scare some life back into her."

I raised an eyebrow, "You think so?"

Mom hasn't left her bed in weeks. She hasn't moved since dad and her fought. He left us the same night.

Kyler and I take turns going into feed her, she never really eats much though. Not anymore.

"Maybe," He shrugged, coming to his feet, "Go heat up some dinner."

I clicked my tongue, standing up as well, "Why am I the one always cooking?"

"Well, I can't. I'm dead."

"Oh, haha. Very funny, Kyler. Just because you're dead inside doesn't mean you're dead." I flicked his forehead and went into the kitchen to look through the fridge for the special meat.

I pulled out a small container with six not-very-thick slabs of meat. I took a pan and a small pot out and put them on the stove, laying all six slabs on the pan. I dumped a bottle of thick red sauce in the pot and let both start heating.

This type of meat was our favorite, all of our favorite, dad always liked his a bit raw though. I preferred younger meat, personally.

It was expensive, the price to get it was always high, but it was good quality. Most of the time.

When they were heated nicely, I put two slabs each on three plates and drizzled the red sauce on top. 

"Kyler!" I called, grabbing forks. When he entered, I shoved a plate across the table, "Go feed mom"

He left with the plate and I took a bite from my own. The meat was tough, and a little bitter, but still tasted alright. Maybe because this one didn't cost as much? 

Kyler reentered, placing the untouched plate back on the table. "Still won't eat for you?" I asked, wiping my face.

"Nope."

I sighed, picking up the plate, "I'll try." Mom and Kyler had a falling out before we moved here, but I don't really like to remember it. I trailed into her room, she was still in the same position as the night before. I crawled onto the bed, scrunching my nose, "It's really starting to stink in here." Her eyes were blank, as if she couldn't see me. "Open wide, mom." I placed a bite of meat in her mouth.

Moms right hand lied above the blankets, dried blood over her bandages. She was missing her thumb and pointer finger, it happened right before dad left. She wasn't eating anymore, so I left the room, closing the door behind me.