Demon Stories

Violette: The Giggles, 1902, New York City

Violette

The Giggles

1902, New York City

There he goes again. Giggling. He is a terrible giggler. His giggling is contagious and I can't help myself.

I start giggling, too.

"What...what are you giggling about?" I try to ask.

By now, he's giggling so hard that I see the beginnings of tears in his eyes.

"I don't know!" he announces, all jolly.

"Heehee, you don't know, but you're the one giggling!"

"Heeheehee, I know! But I don't...I don't know...w-why!"

I cuddle up to him, my body rocking in both of our giggles, hugging him close, my head on his chest. Ah, Beau's joie de vivre. All of it. He's smiling and giggling because he's happy. Just happy. And I want to join in that moment, and let his happiness spread to me, too.

Diana pokes her head in the door.

"What? Why are you two laughing?" she asks in a disapproving, grumpy tone.

"We don't know!" we announce to her.

She makes a tsk-y sigh and goes back to what she was doing.

And we just laugh and laugh. Together. And I never want the moment to end. I want always for us to be happy. I never want us to be sad or discontented. There are too many terrible things to be sad about. It is moments like these which attempt to erase them. This rare moment of unbidden happiness like freedom. That is the dream within this nightmare dream. Always to be happy. Always to the end. No matter where we go, or what we do. This is what I think as I hear his giggles, each one falling into place in my heart, for me to keep. Each one a little reminder of the dream, each to become a memory to call upon for hope in those nightmarish times to come.