Christmas with the Days (DAY! Series Book 1.5)

Prologue - What happened so far

Two months had sauntered by since the funeral, and lo and behold, tranquility tiptoed back into the tiny town of Youngsville. With Wanda's demise being deemed an accident and not a dastardly deed, the townspeople were already gossiping about gifts, roasts, and Ruth Fletcher's burgeoning belly, and of course, Father Reid, who was still twiddling his thumbs, awaiting his verdict.

Colin Day was still wrestling with the heartache of losing his dear wife, all while trying to keep his real estate agency and the hotel afloat, and raising his kids - Henry had turned into a regular old statue, hardly uttering a word these days, while LeighAnn kept hitting Colin with the classic 'Where's Mom?' zinger, delivering a new wound to his heart each time. And as for Belle... well, her story's a whole other can of worms. But let's focus on Colin for now. Most evenings, he found himself in the company of his pals Chris, and Single and Malt, along with their trusty problem-solving sidekick, marijuana.

Under the cover of night, Colin would pour his heart out to Wanda, as if she were right there beside him, giving her the lowdown on his day. His heart, shattered into a million pieces, seemed destined to stay that way forever. Wanda was his one true love, and not even the long-overdue murder of Leyla could shake him out of his funk.

He adorned the house with pictures of his dear departed wife, each one a bittersweet stab to the heart. But with Christmas fast approaching, Colin found himself decorating the house with his kids and Chris. For their sake, he mustered up a smile or two, but inside, he felt as lively as the woman he murdered on December 6th. The aftermath was a real horror show, bloodier than a B-movie marathon. It got so gory that even Thommy, brave soul that he is, couldn't stomach it and ended up losing his lunch in Chamber 9.

Chris found himself in the basement apartment of the Days' residence, stuck in a divorce limbo with Ashley, who had dug her heels in and refused to budge until the ink was dry. And though the only lawyer in town, Preston, had met his untimely end at Chris' hands, leaving him to navigate the legal maze with a new, slower-than-molasses attorney.

But hey, Chris wasn't exactly losing sleep over it. Evenings at the Days' place were a real treat, and he'd stumbled upon a newfound pastime: good old-fashioned hook-ups. The Suzie saga was history, but thanks to Tinder, he'd become quite the connoisseur of casual, commitment-free encounters. His phone was practically bursting at the seams with contacts, and he was happily making the rounds, one bed at a time.

He had fully embraced the maternal duties for Belle, even keeping his promise to accompany her to the gynecologist. Chris' commitment to Belle's well-being didn't go unnoticed, earning him more than a few wistful glances from the ladies in the waiting room (and the number of a lady named Georgia).

Douglas and his girlfriend Natasha decided to fast-track their nuptials and tied the knot on December 1st, with the hotel playing host to the joyous occasion. The DAY! clan showed up in full force, turning the hotel's basement into a bustling hub of activity, filled with life and... death. At that very wedding, Thommy chose this momentous event to FINALLY confess his love to Belle, leading to a night of dancing that didn't escape Colin's watchful eye - and pissed off Louis who still had a big crush on Belle.

Belle's frequent sleepovers at Thommy's place remained a source of concern for her father. While Colin appreciated Thommy's visit that fateful morning, the whole 'being a killer' thing didn't exactly put him in the running for the ideal son-in-law position Colin had in mind. However, Belle's heart was set, and on December 5th, at 8:05 pm, she took a significant step in her relationship with Thommy and lost her innocence to him. Thommy strictly followed the rules set by Colin, and the teasing at work stopped, as he had achieved an 'untouchable' status through his relationship with Belle.

Wanda's passing hit close to home for many, serving as a stark reminder of life's fragility. Her sudden departure prompted a profound introspection in quite a few individuals. It's a curious thing – even those familiar with the darker side of life, like serial killers, can find themselves grappling with the fear of death. It's almost as if, despite their macabre profession, they, too, can't help but feel a twinge of unease at the thought of their own mortality. After all, even the most unlikely companions can find themselves face-to-face with the great Grim Reaper.

Artyom bravely came out to his wife and made a fresh start in Youngsville with his boyfriend Dimitri. Meanwhile, Karl took a leap of faith and jetted off to the Philippines to marry his beloved Louisa, only to discover that 'she' was actually a 54-year-old man named Alon - just as Chris had predicted. When he set foot back in Germany and caught sight of the mischievous smirk on his mother's face, he wasted no time. Now, her body is chilling in the freezer, cozied up between roast beef and some peas.

Theodor has set his sights on furthering his education, David treated himself to a new camera, and Anna's love life took an unexpected turn when she met a sheik on her flight home, leading to a direct trip to Dubai and the gift of six camels. Just six days after they met, the Sheikh popped the question to Anna, and they're set to tie the knot on the first of January.

Paxton was still a voyeur, Timothy still a cannibal, Jesse still a nympho, and Marcus made one last attempt at Lydia. When she rejected him again, Marcus smashed her skull in a subtle fit of annoyance and is currently on the run from the authorities, trying to make his way to Youngsville.

Yes, everyone in Youngsville had moved on.

Everyone.

Even the person who, when they went to bed in the evening, still thought about the moment when they had rammed a knife into Wanda Day's heart...

***

So, Wanda's been dead for 55 days

And Colin feels like he's stuck in a maze.

But Chris celebrates, happy in life,

Is fucking ten girls (and none is his wife).

Belle and Thommy are still together,

The folks began talking about the weather.

The DAY!'s went on, still praising their queen,

Yet there was this smile no one had seen...

So, who was the one? Who went to play?

Yes, who was the one who killed Wanda Day?