Ghost Family

The wind howled outside, a prelude to the fall chill that swept through the neighborhood. Ghost stood at the entrance of his home, his silhouette silhouetted against the warm light spilling through the windows. He wore his mission wear, a faded hoodie, and jeans scuffed from the day, but the festivity of Halloween decorations clashed with the dark scowl etched into his face. Pumpkins adorned the porch, their carved smiles lit with flickering candles, while spider webs danced in the wind, remnants of his children's laughter echoing in his memory.

Y/N was in the living room, a careful balance of joy and sorrow painted across her features. At eight months pregnant, she moved a little slower, but her eyes sparkled as she directed their four kids in a flurry of creativity. A haunted house made of cardboard was being pieced together, and vibrant splashes of paint were applied haphazardly, their giggles infectious. Ghost felt a sense of warmth at the sight, yet an icy pang of guilt pierced through. He hadn't spent enough time with them lately, shackled to the weight of his duties as the lieutenant of the task force.

"Daddy!" one of the kids shouted, rushing towards him, arms open wide. Ghost knelt, lowering himself to the child's level and enveloping them in a hug, a fleeting moment of solace that slipped away just as quickly. After a few heartbeats, he stood up, his expression hardening as he glanced at Y/N. A hollow ache settled in his chest; he longed for the connection they once shared, but it felt miles away.

Hours passed. The distant laughter began to fade as the children were packed off to their grandparents' house for the evening. The atmosphere shifted, heavy with unspoken words. Y/N busied herself cleaning up, but the tension grew palpable. She could sense that something had changed, and now was the time to confront it.

"Simon," she started, her voice wavering. He knew she meant to talk, to break the silence that had wrapped around them like a shroud. But he merely shrugged, avoiding her gaze. "We can't keep doing this. The anger, the distance—it's tearing us apart."

"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered, frustration bubbling beneath his surface. He turned his back to her, ready to retreat into the sanctuary of solitude.

"Please, just… just listen," she pressed, her voice thick with emotion. "You keep coming home angry and drunk. I know something is bothering you, Simon. You're not just angry at me. What's happening? Why can't you let us in?"

Ghost snapped. He turned sharply, eyes blazing. "I said drop it, Y/N! You wouldn't understand!" The hurt in his voice floated in the air, and he stomped towards the door, desperate for an escape, for a breath of fresh air—anything to silence the chaos inside him.

But her voice, trembling and urgent, cut through the turmoil. "If you're not going to show up for us anymore," she cried, tears spilling down her cheeks, "then I want a divorce!"

The words hung in the air, heavier than a thousand weighty anvils. Ghost halted, his heart shattering at the finality in her declaration. He turned partially, looking over his shoulder as conflicting emotions warred on his face—shock, pain, anger, and despair. Yet, every word she spoke felt like a truth he had tried to bury, a reckoning he wasn't ready to face.

Without saying another word, he walked out, the door clicking shut behind him with a finality that echoed throughout the house. Y/N promptly fell to her knees, the floodgates releasing as her sobs broke the silence. The warmth of Halloween faded into a chilly void; shadows wrapped around her, swallowing the laughter they'd built.

Outside, Ghost leaned against the car, his heart racing. He had a life that mattered—a family, children who looked up to him—yet here he was, running like a coward. The alcohol, the anger, it was all a mask for the turmoil he felt about returning home, growing farther apart from the love of his life and the children who relied on him.

He wanted to go back inside, to fight back against the darkness cloaking his heart. But tonight, lost in spirit, he drove away, unsure of where he was heading, but knowing he had to face the demons that threatened to swallow him whole.