Dreams Only Last for a Night

"I love you too, Gaskarth."

Those words haunted Jack to no end. He doesn't remember saying it anywhere in his entire life. Jack passed it off as a hallucination, since he was sleepy and it was at 3am, anything could happen. Although that, Jack secretly hoped that it did happen once.

What haunted Jack about it is because the sincerity in his younger self's eyes, he really did mean it.

What happened last night had to be swept into the corners of Jack's aged mind as he shuffled to his grandchildren's room to wake them up for school.

Jack heard a door creak as he headed towards the room, catching his attention. He looked down the hallway, squinting to see if Amelia and Beatrice are trying to prank him. Nothing unusual at their room. He looked around, until his eyes caught something.

It was the door to the attic, the steps to the door, dusty and unused. The door was opened slightly, as if inviting Jack to come in. Jack shuddered at the thought of ghosts and went back to what he was doing.

As Amelia and Beatrice, identical twins, stumbled out of their bedroom, half-awake, Jack kept being reminded of the attic. Something about it didn't give a creepy feeling, but quite the opposite. Maybe it was time to clean that place up.

Jack gave another long sigh as he slid up his glasses and opened up his newspaper. He eyed his grandchildren as they pick their cereal messily across him on the dinner table. Jack couldn't help but crack a smile at how adorable they were. He turned back to his paper but was interrupted when Amelia ran up to him, with Beatrice running close behind.

"Grandpaaa!" Amelia screeched next to Jack, as she tugged his arm. "Beatrice spilled milk onto my favourite skirt!"

Amelia then dramatically twirled around and showed Jack the milk stain on her grey skirt. Beatrice caught up, and pushed Amelia aside, before hooking her arms with Jack.

"See, Amelia?" the older twin teased, looking up to Jack. "Grandpa doesn't care about your stupid skirt."

Jack grinned before pulling both of them into a hug.

"Grandpa cares about both of you, okay?" He nodded towards the twins. "So Amelia, go change your skirt and Beatrice, say sorry to your sister."

After getting a reluctant apology, Amelia runs off to change her skirt, while Beatrice had to clean up for punishment. Jack got back to his reading before he says goodbye Amelia and Beatrice as they hop into's their parents' car to go to school.

He walks past the attic door once again, staring at it, as he slowly went up the stairs. Jack held the wall for support, running his rough hand against the dusty beige wall. He reached for the knob, and slowly turned it. His heart thumped in excitement and anxiety as the door creaked open.