Molly sighed. She had used so many flowery sprays her room was like a fragrant garden. Her parents had approved although they couldn’t really smell it as much as she could. Everything was quiet now. The noises didn’t start until dark and Molly had to get to school. Mom and Dad were away, far away, so Molly got herself ready for school. She was very good at it now. Her parents didn’t ever leave her home alone but they had no choice this time. She would see them soon, very soon.

Molly loved school. Her teachers didn’t question her about the odd mistake, mismatched socks, hair not quite brushed right, coat inside out. They were used to Molly’s ways. She skipped home after school just as twilight deepened to darkness and headed upstairs to her bedroom. Rattle, rattle. Click, clack. They were so impatient.

“Okay, okay, keep your skin on,” she giggled, ” oh, that’s  right, you can’t now, can you.”

Molly threw open her wardrobe door and there they were, two stripped clean, jiggling, grinning skeletons, unrecognisable now as her Mom and Dad. Well there was still a little bit of dark hair on Mom’s head. Molly hadn’t meant it really. She just got so angry sometimes and Mom was holding the kitchen knife. Why couldn’t she go to the party anyway? It just wasn’t fair.

“Mom, I’m sorry. I love you .  Can I have a hug?” Squeeze, squeeze and squeeze. Dad was too engrossed in his morning paper to notice anything. Easy! Peasy!  Knife in the back. Done and dusted.

Molly’s temper cooled somewhat after a while and she missed them.  She had seen on the TV that a wish wished  hard enough would come true. And it did! Her parents stood to attention and under Molly’s directions  they buried themselves in her closet, nestled comfortably beside Tigger, Mickey Mouse and her favourite doll Poppy. It’s a good arrangement. They play with her at night, read her stories with their clackety mouths and rock her to sleep in their bony arms.

Molly sighed. It would all have to end soon. The neighbours were complaining about the nightly noises.

Now,” thought Molly, “where did I leave that knife

?”