The housewarming party.

Ian’s journey away from home led him through the woods and then deep underground through the storm drainage tunnels. All this time he wondered how things were going with his parents and their selfish scheme to throw him out of the house just so they could sell their house and retire to their old house in New Jersey. There was only one way to find out.

Ian was feeling tired anyway, so he decided to lie down on the soft layer of sand that covered the floor of the tunnel. Closing his eyes, he willed himself to leave his body and fly to New Jersey. Before long, he felt himself rise above the ground and into the sky for his flight above the clouds.

A short while later Ian made his descent and landed in what he recognized to be the back yard of the old house where he grew up. Then he spotted a picnic table near the house that was occupied by people along with a man standing at one end, holding up a wine glass as if about to propose a toast. Curious, he crouched behind some bushes and listened in. He then recognized the people at the table as members of his own family. He saw his mother Karen, his sister Sue and her husband Harry along with Ian’s older brother Jeff and his wife Caroline. Ian’s father Ron was the one about to propose the toast.

“I’d like to thank everyone for coming,” Ron said. “Sue and Harry, I know this is farther north from you so it’s going to be harder to see us without the complex travel arrangements.”

“Harder maybe,” said Harry, raising his glass, “but not impossible.”

Ron raised his glass at Harry with a smile.

“Jeff and Caroline, on the other hand, we’re much closer to you now so you can expect more visits from us.”

“You know where we live,” Jeff replied with a raise of his glass, “We’re just up the street.”

Ron raised his glass at Jeff.

“I know Ian’s not here,” Ron continued, “I have no idea where he is or how he’s doing, but I feel this celebration wouldn’t be complete without his presence, so I went ahead and went with the next best thing to him being here, a pile of dirt.”

“A PILE OF DIRT?” Ian screamed, sitting up from his sleep.