Duke, The Spook

The Gundersons and Duke helped the Yuns clean up their supplies and pack it all back into their suitcases. They worked in silence, and Duke couldn't help but wonder what each of them was thinking. Were they really going to talk to him? What would he say? How would they react? All too soon for Duke's liking, they all went down the stairs, flashlights in hand.

When they reached the landing overlooking the entryway, Duke felt a stab of guilt as he saw the battered chandelier, broken banister, and front door off its hinges.

As the Yuns and then the Gundersons made their way down the stairs, Duke realized they would have a hard time walking over the mess. "Hold on," he said. They stopped and looked up at him. Duke waved an arm and every piece of wood and crystal swept across the floor and piled up near the far wall.

Mrs. Gunderson put out an arm in front of Violet as if to shield her. Mr. Gunderson's eyes widened.

"Thank you, Duke!" Mrs. Yun waved up at him. "Stay out of trouble!"

Mrs. Gunderson and Violet stood near the front door as Mr. Gunderson carried the Yuns' luggage to their car. Duke waited on the stairs, unsure of what to do. No one said anything.

When Mr. Gunderson returned, he reached for the door handle to close the door out of habit. "Oh . . . right," he said. He went into the living room. Something fell with a thud. Something else shattered. A second later, he carried the front door into the entryway. He leaned it, upside down with the handle on the wrong side, against the door jam. Mr. Gunderson shrugged. "Good enough for tonight, I guess."

And with that, the Gundersons turned to Duke.

"Should we talk in the kitchen?" Mrs. Gunderson said. "I could use a snack."

"We could invite the Yuns back for pancakes," Violet said.

"Do you want pancakes, sweetie?" Mrs. Gunderson said quickly. "I think we only have maple syrup. You still like strawberry best. So, maybe we need to figure out something else. How about—"

"Maple syrup is fine, Mom. I like maple."

"Are you sure? We could—"

"Please, stop babying me, Mom," Violet said.

Mrs. Gunderson nodded and then turned to Mr. Gunderson. "Could you get them?"

Mr. Gunderson nodded. He gripped the door and lifted it away from the entry. He jogged outside, waving his arms over his head. "Pancakes! You wanted pancakes, right? Come back!"

Twenty minutes later, everyone was in the kitchen. Duke hadn't disturbed that room in his fits of rage. It was so bright and clean that one could almost forget the destruction in the entryway and living room just mere feet away.

Mr. and Mrs. Yun sat at the kitchen island happily eating pancakes, Mrs. Yun on her second plate. Violet sat next to Mrs. Yun, her pancakes untouched. Mrs. Gunderson made the pancakes at the stove, and Mr. Gunderson stood at the far end of the island. Duke stood near the entryway, off to the side, partly out of habit and partly out of feeling like an intruder.

"Why don't you start at the beginning, Duke," Mrs. Yun said. "Are you going to eat those?" She pointed to Violet's pancakes.

"No. Go ahead."

Mrs. Yun smiled and pulled the plate in front of her. "Go ahead, Duke."

Mr. Gunderson folded his arms over his chest. Mrs. Gunderson didn't turn from the pancakes, but she tilted her head to listen. Violet turned in her chair and looked directly at Duke.