Passing in the Night

Passing in the Night
By Scott Wilson
Word Count: 219

Gavin woke up screaming with sweat dripping from every inch of his body like he’d run a marathon. The lights in his bedroom came on and his parents stood in the doorway.

“What’s wrong? Are you alright?”

“Just a nightmare I guess,” Gavin said.

“Must have been bad, that scream probably woke the whole neighbourhood.”

“It was so real.”

“Good night,” Gavin’s parents said.

“Night.”

Gavin looked at his clock radio. It was four twenty in the morning.

The following day, Gavin’s father picked him up school just after midday. Gavin was not surprised.

“Grandpa’s dead, isn’t he?” Gavin said.

“How did you know?”

“Last night, I swear poppa came into my room. It was like he came through the ceiling and hovered above me. He said goodbye to me. I was going to tell you, but I know how much mum freaks out about things out of the ordinary.”

“It’s alright, it was just a dream.”

“What time did poppa die?”

“It doesn’t matter does it?”

“I need to know, what time?”

“Quarter past four. Even if it wasn’t a dream, there’s nothing that you could have done. It would have been too late.”

THE END