A Head Full of Ghosts

Merry wakes in the middle of the night to the sound of Marjorie screaming. Marjorie’s voice and a distinctive banging sound emanate from Marjorie’s bedroom. Merry emerges from her room just in time to see her parents running across the hall. Mom tells Merry to go back to her room, but Merry disobeys, remaining to watch the scene unfold. As she sits on the floor, Merry notes that the floors had not been swept for weeks.

Mom and Dad try Marjorie’s bedroom door, which they are unable to open, pleading with Marjorie to open it. Dad finally manages to push the door open. He shouts at Marjorie to stop as Mom cries out from the hallway, imploring him to be careful and gentle with her. Crying out in desperation and fear, Marjorie pleads with her parents for help. She refers to her fear of “them,” insisting that “they” are in her head, tormenting her, and that “they” are inescapable.

Merry inches toward the open bedroom door and sees that her sister is up on the wall, her hands and feet secured into holes in the plaster as though she were climbing a rock wall. Mom whisks Merry out of the room and back to Merry’s bedroom, where she reassures Merry that everything will be all right, Mom sobs as they listen to the sounds of Marjorie and Dad shouting in the next room.

When Merry wakes up, her mother is still asleep in Merry’s bed, and Merry discovers that her white cardboard playhouse is covered in the green vines from Marjorie’s story of the two sisters, drawn in magic marker. Merry can’t remember seeing these drawings on the house before that moment, leaving her to wonder whether Marjorie had been in her room again. She finds a note from Marjorie, which reads: “There’s nothing wrong with me, Merry. Only my bones want to grow through my skin like the growing things and pierce the world” (54).

When she looks at her hand, she finds a vine drawn there, too.

Merry hides under the kitchen table to eavesdrop on her parents. They believe their discussion is private, but argue often and openly enough for Merry to be acutely aware of tension between them. Their conflicts center around insufficient finances and Dad’s lack of participation in housework despite free time from being unemployed. Mom feels undermined in her parental authority, and frustrated with Dad’s propensity toward yelling and verbal intimidation when he becomes stressed.

Merry learns that the nature and expenses associated with Marjorie’s treatment have become a source of contention. Mom is furious when Dad confesses that, instead of job searching as he claimed he was, he has instead been going to the local Catholic church and meeting with Father Wanderly. When Dad suggests that Marjorie should meet with Father Wanderly, Mom dismisses the idea outright, declaring that they will continue with her current treatment, regardless of what they might have to do to pay for it. Merry takes note when Mom refers to religion as “mumbo jumbo.”

Dad admits he already took Marjorie to see Father Wanderly, instead of to her appointment with Dr. Hamilton. Dad defends his decision; Marjorie had become combative and accused him of being interested in her sexually, laughing at him when he cried. Dad insists that Dr. Hamilton hasn’t done anything for Marjorie. He says that when he pulled up in front of the church, Marjorie “calmed down.” Mom is incensed, telling Dad that Father Wanderly should be helping Dad find employment. As the fight escalates, Merry crawls out from under the table and her parents order her upstairs.

Merry finds Marjorie upstairs in the yellow sunroom, humming a song Merry has never heard. Merry asks what it’s like to go to the psychiatrist, and Marjorie says that she just answers the questions she is asked. Merry peppers Marjorie with questions, and Marjorie asks to be left alone. Merry doesn’t stop, asking if Marjorie is texting Father Wanderly. Marjorie’s demeanor changes, and she tells Merry that Merry isn’t a baby anymore; she needs to mind her own business, and has no concept of what is happening.

When Merry continues to press her, Marjorie tells her that she knows that Merry tattled on her. She blames Merry’s indiscretion for the fact that Dr. Hamilton wants to increase her medication. In graphic detail, Marjorie promises that if Merry tattles on her again she will “rip [her] fucking tongue out” (65). Merry is stunned as Marjorie continues to elaborate, cataloging the gore that would result in the amputation of Merry’s tongue and how happy it would make Marjorie if Merry were finally forced to shut up and stop babbling.

Merry confides in the reader that she has never forgiven herself for remaining frozen in place while her sister spoke. Just as quickly as Marjorie descends into being sinister and severe, she seems to emerge when Merry starts crying, insisting that she was only joking. To soothe her, Marjorie has Merry sit in front of her. She draws letters on Merry’s back to see if Merry can make out what they are. She spells out “Gloomy Sunday,” the name of the song she had been humming when Merry came up the stairs. Merry asks where Marjorie heard the song, and Marjorie says that it simply appeared in her mind, that she had never heard it before anywhere else.

In The Possession, the Barretts are depicted watching the series Finding Bigfoot. Merry confirms that as a child she was convinced that Bigfoot was real, and was fixated on the show, watching it incessantly and insisting others watch it with her. A hint at their dire financial state, the Barretts eat pasta for the third night in a row, drinking only water. Dad doesn’t force anyone to participate, but takes his time while silently praying over his plate. Merry moves to copy him, but Marjorie shakes her head at her. When Dad crosses himself, Marjorie gags audibly.

Merry prattles on about a book, mimicking the characters’ voices. Dad praises her, and she revels in being the center of attention. Merry asks Marjorie if she can borrow a hat she likes, and in response, Marjorie drools vomit onto her plate. Marjorie replies, mocking Merry’s baby-talk voice: “You can’t wear the hat because you’re going to die someday […] I don’t want dead things wearing my very special hat” (78). Marjorie changes her voice again and reminds them they’re all going to die. Mom and Merry begin crying, and Dad asks Marjorie to pray with him. Marjorie hides under the table, but reaches up her hand and agrees to pray with Dad.

Praying aloud, Dad cries out. He pulls his hand away to reveal two bleeding cuts, and Mom asks if Marjorie cut or bit him. Using yet another voice, Marjorie says he cut himself on the jagged metal under the table. Marjorie crawls away from the table, teasing: “I can do voices too, Merry” (81).

The following morning, Merry is disappointed when her mother forgets to include sugar and sufficient milk in her Rice Krispies. She watches four episodes of Finding Bigfoot. Her father joins her in the living room after proclaiming his disappointment with the lack of options in the kitchen. He takes the remote, declining Merry’s proposal to find something they both like. When she asks him to play with her, he half-participates while remaining seated. He tells her to go upstairs and see what Mom is doing and repeats himself when she doesn’t cooperate: “Seriously. Stop bugging me” (83). She acknowledges that Mom will resent Dad’s transfer of responsibility, but proceeds upstairs.

Opening the bedroom door without knocking, Merry recognizes Marjorie, wearing only a tank top, laying in their parents’ bed. Seeming not to notice that Merry has appeared, Marjorie masturbates, vaginal blood soaking their parents’ sheets. Merry understands that there is something terribly wrong. She rushes out into the hallway and calls for her mother, who is in the bathroom. Suddenly, Marjorie is behind her, copious blood on her hands, babbling nonsensically in what sounds to Merry like a strange dialect. As Merry, outside the bathroom door, begs her mother to help, Marjorie’s body convulses, and she urinates and defecates on the floor. Marjorie sits on the floor, smearing her hands in her waste.