The Long Way Home by Phillip Overton

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  Simon finished peeing and washed his hands, forgetting to flush the toilet like he usually did. He started to make his way back to his bed when he heard the sound of voices drifting down the hallway from the other end of the house. He thought they’d gone home long ago. Maybe he could ask his Mum if he could have a drink before he went back to bed.

  He walked quietly down the hallway, past his bedroom door towards the centre of the house. Stepping into the living room he could see there was a light on in the dining room. It was turned down low because it barely filtered enough light through the doorway into the kitchen while the rest of the house remained cloaked in darkness. Simon tip-toed across the carpet into the kitchen and stopped dead in his tracks, he could see the backs of them now through the open doorway leading into the dining room. They were gathered at the dining room table, holding hands in a circle around a table full of candles while they were talking with funny voices.