Christmas Day part I

I am currently recovering from what can only be described as the most unnerving Christmas of all time. I'm lucky to be alive, to be honest, and now my poor girls are roped into this, too.

Christmas Eve was spent at our cousin's apartment. We chatted, drank out after dinner coffees and exchanged a few gifts here and there. We stayed until nine-thirty, in which we returned home to wait the arrival of St. Nick himself.

Our house had been Christmas central for a long, long time, becoming a tradition. My family and I threw ourselves into the holiday and every level was exquisite. In the happily blinking outdoor lights I saw, out of the corner of my eye, a flash of someone moving to a darker area. I blinked and my heart began to race a bit. Would I have another note tapped to the door in the morning...or something worse?

As soon as we got into the house I made sure that all the doors and windows were locked. I chastised myself for doing something so foolish--they would find a way in no matter what, and that alone made me terrified for my family.

Sleep didn't come easy, but I managed.

Christmas morning should have been a happy one, and at first, it was. We opened up presents and ate Christmas-y pancakes, drank eggnog and played with the gifts we so loved.  For a few hours we watched classic movies and enjoyed one another's company until it was time for the party. I went upstairs to my room and stopped dead in my tracks.

The Nutcracker was out on its box (which had been shoved in the back of a closet) and stood proudly on my bed, staring at me intently. I honestly didn't know what to expect from the thing, but I was terrified of going any closer. I grabbed what I needed and ran out of my room like a coward. I refused to go back into my room.

Finally it came time for our little party, and just as promised my girls came. There was a  voice in my head that wanted to tell them that the party was cancelled and that they had to go home, if only for their safely. The only good side to what happened was no mysteriously locked doors.

We mingled, we laughed, they asked me how I was doing after the Halloween incident, and even though I said I was alright, I could tell they weren't buying it. Eventually I would have to come clean about everything.

Then Naomi looked behind me, her brow furrowing into a confused knot, and said, "Hey, who brought your nutcracker down?"

I spun around and there it was again on the dessert table as if it always was there. Florence was the first one to make her way over to it, and soon they all crowded around the table.

"Woah, it looks like someone put a lot of love and effort into making it." Rebecca sounded really, really impressed. "This is something you would see in museums or sold online for hundreds of dollars. Who sent you this?"

So I told the rest of them what happened. Vivian smiled a bit, "looks like someone likes you enough to do this. Save those notes and call the cops if they try to do anything funny. Until then, maybe we should try breaking a walnut with its mouth, just to see if it works."

"We didn't buy any walnuts, Vivian. Where do you see them?" I was out shopping with my parents the majority of the holiday season. I would have known for sure if we got any. In a small bowl near its feet were several nuts, all of which seemed to beg to be crushed. Without any prompting, Vivian took a walnut and was seconds away from trying it out.

Rebecca grabbed Vivian's wrist. "Vi, no! This looks priceless! That's actual gold leaf and Swarovski crystal on this thing! Don't break it!"

"She's not gonna break it, Becks. Chill out." Florence almost rolled her eyes. "I don't see the point of a nutcracker if it doesn't crack nuts, you know what I mean? Just one isn't going to kill it."

"I think we should go play some games and forget about this. Come on, my brother got a new fighting game I think you'll like... guys?" I tried to sway them away from their object of interest, but they were so fascinated by it that it was hard to drag them away.

Without even a second thought Vivian took her nut of choice, opened its mouth and pushed the handle down.

It cracked the walnut perfectly. But the shell didn't yield anything edible--inside was a tiny skeleton key. Vivian whistled her surprise. Next thing I knew, Florence took another nut, and yet another key appeared. Soon all four of my girls had beautiful keys as their prizes.

I didn't like where any of this was going. Unluckily for all of us, things didn't get any better. It was just getting started.

Present

I got a present in the mail today. No address or anything--just my name scribbled on the box, wrapped up right with twine and dull pink ribbons. I didn't want to open it, lest it contain something evil, so I just left it there by the street. That would have been that, had the box not suddenly appeared in my room. It was still closed, but now the twine and ribbons were undone. I took the box and threw it out the window.


I went into the bathroom to wash up, and upon me descending the staircase the box was there, under out decorated Christmas tree, with the top wide open.


Nestled in the old, yellow newspaper was a well crafted, very dignified nutcracker. There was a note, too, which read:


Dearest Princess,
Accept this gift as a token of our hopes for you. Throw it away again and you will regret it.


Merry  Early Christmas,
Viceroy Almaric Drosselmeyer


Whoever this person was, he was an amazingly good stalker. I could have called the police, but what could I have told them? Instead I called Naomi to vent. She answered after two rings, and I talked about what happened.


"Holy crap, girl. Call the cops and report this dude. And who is this 'we' they are talking about?"


"No clue. But I'm not happy about this. I'm not going to throw it away or anything--the note told me I'd regret it. I can't keep it here, either. What if it comes alive and slits everyone's throats with its little sabre?"


"I suppose you can just put it in a container. We'll be at your house for the party, so maybe we'll take a look at it."


"I guess. He's handsome, I'll give him that. The Swarovski crystals are a nice touch, too."


"Love the look already. I have to get back to making these cookies for Christmas, but if anything chances, call me."


"I will. Love you."


We hung up together and I stared at my gift. It didn't move or blink...but I hated what it could bring. Who is this Viceroy, and what doe he want?

Midnight part 2

I was panicking. The clocked ticked steady closer to midnight and my stomach was in knots. If anyone noticed my flight from room to room, door to door, they didn't say or do anything. My hands clenched into fists to tight they trembled.

Here I was, trying to have a good time free from the madness that was chasing me, and they decided to play these goddamn games. I was furious at them.

But it was my choice to come here; perhaps if I stayed home everyone would be safe. I was furious at myself.

Anger, sadness, helplessness, they all swam in me like a school of fish in a shallow bucket of water. I looked to my left and saw a pretty antique mirror hanging near the living room wall.

I saw the black ballerina smirking at me. I wanted to spit at her so bad, but I worried that I might invoke their wrath further. So I glared back at her, not as a challenge, but just to let this mysterious figure know that her bullshit was not needed. She laughed and disappeared, leaving my own reflection to stare at me. I grabbed a handful of sea salt caramel popcorn and shoved it into my face.

It was 10:55 when the lights started to flicker. No one gave it any mind, which made it even more agonizing. Again I went to the front door and wrestled with the doorknob, praying to God to please, please, let me out. I couldn't help myself--I started to sob.

"Liz? You alright?" Naomi laid a hand on my shoulder and gently pulled me away from the door. "Hey, what's wrong?"

"I need to go home. I just...I need to go home. Now. Right now." I blubbered pathetically. "Naomi, please. Please open the door for me."

Poor Naomi, she had no idea and I struggled with whether or not I should even tell her. She put down her drink and dapped my eyes with her tie-dye handkerchief. Rebecca griped my hand, "Calm down, what's the matter?"

And just like that the lights went out completely. People moaned and cursed their terrible luck, and I almost fainted.

Mike said, "Weird. It's not windy outside or anything. I'm going to check."

"No! No, don't! Don't go outside, please!!" I begged, sounding like total lunatic in the process. My ears rang with a heavy pain and I saw, from the bright screen of someone's cellphone, the time go to 11:03.

No one was going to die tonight. No one. If I had to grab the ceramic lemons and oranges from their fanciful bowls and throw it at them, so be it.

"Lizzie, chill. I'm just going to be out and then in before you know it." He opened the backyard door effortlessly and I threw off the comforting arms of my friends, racing right through the threshold and in to the cold autumn air.

I tripped over the giant pumpkin on the walkway which sent me careening to the hard ground. Pain shot through my limbs and chest like lightning--for a moment all I could do was lay there in pain. I heard the voices of my girls and several others wondering what the hell was going on with me, but I paid them no mind.

I got up and ran like a bat out of hell. I ignored the wind, the branches that caught my slippers and tights, I only focused on getting to my car. I was out of the house, so I was halfway there.

Just when I, something grabbed my leg. It felt like a mix between human skin and tar. I screamed, clawed at the thing until it let go and kept running. That is, until I felt people behind me. It wasn't anyone from the party--it was something worse.

I had it. I was done.

I tore off my silver ballerina slipper and threw it as hard as physically possible at the nearest figure. I saw it make contact and I dashed to my car. I must have blanked from the panic, because the next thing I remember I was on the highway, driving towards my destination and paying little mind to anything else.

It was 11:56 when I came into the foyer like a hysterical hurricane. I collapsed onto the floor and inhaled as much air as I possibly could.

When the Grandfather clock struck midnight I relaxed...and then panicked one again. I whipped out my phone and texted my girls, asking them if everything and everyone was alright.

Seconds later I got four messages all confirming that yes, all was well, followed by them all attempting to call my poor phone.

But I couldn't answer, not when I was so exhausted. I would answer them in the morning and explain everything.

I dragged myself to the couch where I fell into a deep, dreamless sleep, only waking up when the sun was just starting to rise. As I rubbed my eyes to get the sleep out of the corners, something before me made my heart nearly stop.

On a pillow was my slipper with a note attached. It read:

Princess,

You have done well this night. We look forward seeing more of you.

Much regards,
Viceroy Amalric Drosselmeyer

Midnight part 1

I went to a Halloween party held by one of Vivian's associates. I debated about going, but I decided to anyway.

Vivian dressed as a raver butterfly, Florence was Iron Man, Naomi was a hippie and Rebecca was Albert Einstein.  As for me, I went as Odette from Swan Lake. We were gorgeous, all five of us, and when we pulled up in our respective cars at four in the afternoon we took the opportunity to take as many pictures as possible.

Mike (that was his name) opened the door and let us in. He was dressed as a stereotypical Frenchman, cigarette and all. He did a pretty good accent and made us laugh. Soon more people arrived in their marvelous costumes, some homemade, some store bought, but all in good fun. Our host did a head-count and breathed a sight of relief when all twenty-two of his guests had come to his house safely. Now the party could truly begin.

The table was lined with all sorts of snack foods and candies as well as pizza and Taco Bell. Spooky themed drinks were made, much to everyone's delight. I sipped a bit of the Witch's Brew and mingled with the guests. Florence, possibly channeling her character, had started to drink another cup of Laudanum (thankfully not the one with opium) and she went on about how she could beat everyone in any video game ever.

I grabbed a plate and piled it with foodstuffs, heartily eating it while being careful to not drop it on my costume. It was when I reached over to grab another handful of black and orange napkins that I looked up.

In the mirror just across from the food table I saw a woman in a black ballerina outfit picking at raw, bloody meat. She stared me with her golden-red eyes, never once breaking contact. Wreathed around her body like a chic accessory was the corpse of a black swan, its feathers glimmering with white dust.

You would think it was my reflection. But it wasn't--the shape of the face, the eyes, the snarl. None of that was me. My throat became bone dry and I felt my breathing slow to a crawl. I closed my eyes tightly and then opened them; she was gone.

I turned away and sat myself down to watch a few people play round after round of Smash Brothers. I made the fatal mistake of looking down, and from the glass of the table the woman appeared again and bared her fangs. When she opened her mouth to speak I was the only one to hear her.

Leave before midnight or everyone dies.

I looked around and saw nothing but joy. No one knew about my hallucination (or was it?) and were oblivious of their doom.

In that instant I felt panic, anger, sadness and a desire to get the hell away from this place. I looked at the clock; it was 6:03 at night. I needed to go. Now.

Keys in my hand I made a rush for the door, only to find that it had been locket so tightly I couldn't open it. I asked a partygoer to help me, but she too had problems. I went to the back door, where I encountered the same problem. Every door and window leading outside might as well have been welded shut. I was trapped there.

My Catherine

I dreamed of her on her birthday, the 20th. She and I held hands in a field of spring flowers, the sunbeams dancing in her hair and her smile overflowing with love. On her head was a beautiful wreath of lavender and lilac, the combined perfumes filling my nostrils. In each blossom was a tiny bird that sang the sweetest of songs. I kissed her, held her, promised to never let her go as she spoke to me. I can't remember what she said, not in the slightest, but I do remember the agonizing feeling of waking up. I cried for a long time.

The good news is that it has strengthened my already iron resolve to find out what really happened. Don't worry, Catherine...I'm on the case.

Anticipation

Life is surprisingly normal after what I've been through. I still have no idea who Sophia Blanchard is, or what she has to do with my situation. Maybe another DVD will appear in a cookie jar; that wouldn't be out of place right now.

But I guess that's just how things work. Something insane happens, a stretch of eerie silence, and then another insane thing. Rise, lather, repeat.

I'm just on edge for what's next. What will it be? Will I come out alive?

I'll schedule an appointment with Dr. Frey. He won't believe me, but I have to tell someone. I don't want to drag my girls into this...

The DVD

I finally got up the nerve to play it. Honestly I was expecting something like The Ring video tape: lots of symbolic yet incoherent images and disturbing sounds followed by a phone call that foreshadows my untimely death. None of that happened. Instead of disturbing figures there was just a grainy, constantly moving snowy texture. I could barely make out two figures sitting at a table. The following is what I could transcribe from the DVD:

Dr. Gordon South: This is Doctor Gordon South of Highwind Mental Institution. With me is one Miss Sophia Evelyn Blanchard, age twenty-nine. The subject arrived here on July seventh of this year, 1994.  Okay, Miss Blanchard, we are starting now. Miss Blanchard?

Sophia Blanchard: I…I have no idea what happened. It just…happened, Doctor. That's all I know, I promise.

GS: I know, I know…but tell me, what happened on June 27, 1994?

SB: (silence)

GS: Sophia?

SB: Robbie and I were taking the boys down to our cabin. It was summer vacation, and it was a family tradition. When we were in college we used go there and just…do anything and everything.

GS: Robert Hensher was your husband, correct?

SB: No…no, we never got married. We didn’t need a piece of paper of a big, fancy party to prove that we were in love. We just decided that it was for the best. Save up the money for something else, like a house.

GS: Uh huh. And who were your boys?

SB: James and Nolan. James was seven and Nolan was four. They were the best little boys anyone could ask for. Not always well-behaved but…(she chuckles).

GS: And when were they born?

SB: James was born 1987 and Nolan was born 1990.

 

GS: And, for the record, please tell me how you and Mr. Hensher met.

SB: Me and Robbie…we were together for a long, long time. We met in middle school and could not be separated. Barely after graduating college I found out that I was pregnant with James. He was actually really happy about it. A part of me worried that he would up and leave.

GS: But he didn’t.

SB: No. No, he didn’t. He was thrilled. He comforted me and told me that he wanted this, wanted me and the baby. I was so happy I cried.

GS: Well, he is one of a kind; I can’t think of any man who would be excited about an unplanned pregnancy, if you don’t mind me saying.

SB: You aren’t the first to say that, Doctor.

GS: Anyway, continue on to what happened on that day, Miss Blanchard. On the day of the incident, how long had you already stayed?

SB: We were getting closer to the end. The boys didn’t want to leave, neither did Robbie or I, but we had to. A bunch of odd things had happened before that, though…I remember the smell of something dirty and burning. I can’t even describe it properly. I checked the stoves, checked the heater, checked everything in the house. It was all fine. But...

GS: But?

SB: Nobody could smell it but me. I asked James if he smelled anything strange but he didn't. I thought I was going crazy.

GS: How long was it before it happened? Before the cabin--

SB: Stop. Please...Doctor, please stop.

GS: Miss Blanchard, we need for you to tell us, in your own words, what happened that day. I understand that it was traumatic for you and that you still have issues stemming from it, but please just, tell me. Tell us.

(For a while there is nothing but the sound of the static becoming almost deafening. For a split second I thought I saw words in the grainy images, but they didn't make anything I could read.)

SB: No. Not today, I'm sorry. Not today.

GS (sighing): Alright. Next time we'll talk further. The nurse will take you back to your room.

(A woman walked in and gently took Sophia by the shoulder and led her out of the sterile room. The DVD ends there. I'm going to keep it somewhere safe in case I need it later. Sophia Blanchard...who is she and what happened to her?)