Vincent-McWilliams: A Christmas Carol

Chapter Two: Kimberly and Rachel

Pippa stopped her work for a moment to look at what was happening outside. Outside, Pippa had a watch over what Selena and her two children were up to. They were listening to the band that Maddie scolded earlier. Selena gave some of her earned money to the two women for the donation and walked away to buy some things for their Christmas feast. Pippa was almost going to give some of the money Maddie took away to the Smith family but decided not to.

Chewy growled at her for that. Pippa told him not to be dramatic and that she would get him a juicy bone for him on the way home as a treat. That reminded her that the butcher owes her and Maddie money so it would be a worthwhile trip. Chewy didn't like that last part and just went to his bed. Pippa looked back outside to see the orphans from earlier making a snowman of her and her sister.

The girl threw a snowball at the window, seeing Pippa watching. She looked away to a couple who were being lovey-dovey outside the window. She banged on the window telling them to scram. She then left the window as an icicle picture of two faces appeared on the window. Pippa looked at the time to see that she'd better get ready to leave.

'Every year, the same reminders of the things I've lost,' she blew out some of the candles and put some money away in a safe, 'Absent friends and broken pledges wrapped in freezing frost. Why should I be bright and merry? Why should I, won't someone tell me? Tell me, tell me, tell me.'

Pippa and Chewy left into the cold and windy streets. Pippa fought against the wind to get home with Chewy after getting a bone for him as promised. A man she passed gave her a flier for something. She took it and snarled at the man.

'Cold bleak winters filled with sorrow are all I've ever known. Seasons greetings? You can keep them. Just leave me alone.'

Feeling someone following her, she looked behind her to see no one.

'"Why not join us, toast the season?" Don't they know I have my reasons? Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me!'

Pippa walked inside where Maddie was already ready for bed. Pippa got into her night clothes and went near the fire where Maddie was sitting.

'Every year such joy and gladness sparkling in their eyes!' Pippa ranted to her sister

'Treat them tougher, make them suffer,' Maddie told her, 'Bring them down to size!'

'All around us, oh so cheery. We're not happy so why should they be?' the two asked Chewy who was happy with his bone, 'Tell me, tell me! Tell me!'

Pippa poked the fire only for it to turn blue and spark at her. She fell back in shock, bumping into Maddie and knocking over both her and the chair she was sitting in. The fireplace grew icicles all around it as the fire became more intense. Two faces made of ice appeared above the fire before disappearing and freezing the fireplace even more. Bells ran as the ice reached the chandelier, freezing it completely. Chewy whimpered while the two sisters hugged each other as protection from the falling ice and the sound of the bells ringing.

Chewy howled, making everything stop. The sisters let go of each other and watched it snow in their living room. The room creaked as heavy, metal boxes fell from the ceiling. They opened up, forming chains that lead up to the sky. Two figures formed as the chains did. It was Kimberly McWilliams and Rachel Murton. Maddie's cruel Grandmother and Pippa's cruel Stepmother, very much dead and cold with coins over their eyes. Maddie and Pippa's chairs flew forward and were placed below the two ghosts. They sat down with a thud.

"G-G-G-Grandma?" Maddie stuttered, recognizing her old abuser.

"Rachel?" Pippa asked recognizing her old abuser, "Impossible. You're both dead!"

"Dead?" Rachel asked

"Dead tired!" Kimberly spoke up

The two laughed before Kimberly's jaw came loose. She fixed it while the girls cringed. Rachel then said hello to Chewy who recognised her.

"I do apologise for the dramatic entrance, my dears," Kimberly apologised, "Those in charge insist on a touch of pageantry.

"Goes with the territory, you see," Rachel added, "But I'm sure you and I can discuss the rest like reasonable people."

Maddie started to realise what was happening, "Ah, I must have drifted off by the fire. We're dreaming."

"Serves me right for eating cheese so close to bedtime," Pippa said jokingly to Maddie

Knowing that the two girls wouldn't believe them, they used their ghostly abilities to bring the two into the air with them. Chewy joined but not listening to anything that would happen as he was chasing his bone that had been brought up too.

"Listen well, girls. This is no dream," Rachel told them, "Look upon the chain that binds us. In life, we forged it, link by link, yard by yard."

"It grew to match our greed," Kimberly added, "In death, we will never be rid of it. Nor will you two with yours."

"Ours?" Maddie asked frightened

"Yes, yours!" the two ghosts said

Chains started to wrap the two girls, preventing them from moving. Their chains had grown so long that they would never be able to go anywhere with them. Even more ghosts just like them came out of the fireplace, flying around the four.

"We were all like you," Rachel said, "Trapped in our own selfish worlds. We never reached out to our fellow people in life, so are condemned to do so in death."

"We have watched you many a day, girls," Kimberly spoke up, "Watched your chains grow, link by link, yard by yard. But you may yet escape our fate. We have pulled a few chains and arranged for three visitors to call on you before morning."

"The first, when the bell tolls 1:00."

"The second, at 2:00."

"And the third, at... Well, 3:00."

"Listen to these visitors. Learn from them. And heed our warning before it's too late!"

The two ghosts started shattering before they blew up, leaving Maddie and Pippa suspended in the air wrapped in chains. Every ghost and all the ice started to disappear and so did the chains trapping the two girls. The chains disappeared, leaving them to fall to the ground only to wake up in their chairs. This only proved to the two that what happened wasn't real. They didn't think the two ghosts would be concerned for anyone both in life and death. But they remained paranoid regardless.