My new Papa looked down at me with a smile. “Don’t you worry about them, Milly. You go on in the house. Me and your mama are going to go sort them out.” He tapped me lightly on the nose and started walking toward the old house with my new Mama even as my new brother and sister took my hands and led me inside my new home. They were laughing and hugging me, saying I could finally stay with them forever.

****

That night was the happiest I’ve ever been. Mama and Papa came back a bit later and we had a big party. They said it was to celebrate me coming to stay. We played games and ate good food and nobody got mad or got hurt. It was after midnight when we finally went to bed, and I found out I got to have my own room right next to my new sister’s.

Just like the rest of the house, it was like something out of a dream. The walls were painted with jungles and animals, and the ceiling looked like a beautiful night sky filled with stars. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to sleep, but my new bed was so warm and soft, it wasn’t long before I couldn’t keep my eyes open any longer.

When I woke up, it was still dark, but I could see a little from the moonlight coming in through the window. My new family was around me, kneeling down along the sides of my bed. I didn’t understand why at first, and wondered if it was some new funny game. Then I realized their mouths were on my legs and arms. They were biting me a little. It didn’t hurt, but I still felt a bolt of fear that caused me to sit up and let out a small scream.

They all stopped and looked at me, their eyes shiny and their mouths glistening in the silvery light. Mama patted my arm comfortingly.

“It’s all right, honey. We’re not going to hurt you. We love you.”

My new sister giggled. “We just need a little bit from you so we can stay. So we can all be together always.”

Papa nodded in agreement before looking at me. “Isn’t that what you want, sweetheart? To stay with us forever?”

I was already nodding as he finished asking the question, and within seconds of lying back down, I was somehow back asleep.

The next morning I looked out at my old house and saw it looked different. Instead of just looking worn down, it looked like it was rotting or drying up somehow, like an old apple left out in the sun. By the third day it had started to collapse in on itself, and within a week it had blown away like forgotten autumn leaves.