GHOSTS OF THE PAST: THE REUNIFICATION OF EBENEZER AND RANI SCROOGE

prologue

My heart  beat out of my chest with fear as I ran with the love of my life, and my Papa, away from London. It was nearly night, the end of Christmas Day. We were not exactly running outside in a snowy road to a tavern outside of town, you see. At least, that was what I thought we should be doing after the wedding, but we weren't. We were running from something else...something deadly that someone was casting--a deadly curse...something I thought was impossible, but it certainly was, and we had only until 10:00 o clock at night to stop it. It was at least ten until ten. Again, impossible, but it was.

But then again, eight years ago, I had seen four different spirits who had changed my Papa's entire outlook on life, for you see, he was once a miser. It was hard to believe that back then, my Papa was a penny-pinching old skinflint who was selfish and cared little for merriment.

"Now, go to the graveyard, and wait for me. If I do not return..." My papa said and trailed off. His hands were on my shoulders, his strong chiseled features looked sad.

"Papa, no. Please, it scares me to think we will never see each other again!" I felt myself heave with sobs. I felt like that scared abused little orphan girl again.

Eight long years of warmth, love and happiness that were given to me, would be gone in an instant he went in to confront and stop his father from casting a curse that would separate me from him, and cause our memories of each other to fade forever, unless something could be done.

His father, Franklin Scrooge was even more of a swindler and a skinflint, and he had made an unforgivable bargain with a school master to keep my Papa at Black Bridge Boarding School to do with him as he wished. Now he was back with a vengeance, hell bent on separating my Papa from me, and from everyone he held dear.

"I cannot promise that I will come back alive, Rani. I have to try and stop him. I must." Papa said resolutely. His blue eyes met my dark eyes, and my olive tinted cheeks filled with tears. He noticed, and gently wiped them with his glove.

"I'm scared, Papa." I whimpered.

"I know, me too. No matter what happens to me, just know that I love you so much, Rani. You've been my entire universe, and you always will be. I would not change my life one bit." Papa cupped my cheek, his baritone British accent breaking with emotion. I could see the tears in his eyes.

"I love you too, Papa. Thank you for raising an abused, lost and lonely little Hindu girl who just needed to be loved, and who needed to trust again." I sobbed, hugging him.

I felt Papa hug me back, and kiss my hair.

"I'll look after her, I promise, Mr. Scrooge." my Alice affirmed to him as we broke the hug.

Alice was tall, pale, with brown hair and dark chocolate brown eyes, wearing what a groom would wear, while I was wearing what a traditional Hindu bride would wear when it was cold.

"I have your word, dear girl. Now go, both of you. Go!" Papa said urgently.

Without a word, Alice and I sprinted without him, and I looked back at him for what could possibly be the very last time, before looking ahead to our future...or so we thought.

The spell he had cast blocked our way out of London, and so we were forced to go to my birth parents' graveyard. There, we sat and waited for Papa.. but he never came. The deadly mist that blanketed all of London came to us.

"I reckon this is the end." Alice said holding me close.

"Papa, I will find you." I resolved before my breath left me, and I slumped into blackness with my love at my side.