A Yogmas Carol

A Yogmas Carol - Part I

We all know how the story starts.

Marley was dead (kind of) to begin with...

The streets of London were bustling with people doing their last minute Christmas shopping and he hated it. The young lawyer pulled his thick black pea coat closer to his body and continued to push his way through the crowd. The wind ruffled his dark hair as he reached his place of work; a large brick building with big windows and a modern interior. He made his way into the building, stamping his expensive black shoes to rid them of snow, and entered the lift. He pushed the button for the 11th floor and waited in silence as the lift moved towards his destination. Upon arriving he hung his coat on a rack. He passed his PA as he made his way to his office, and when he sat down at his desk he was immediately interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Brother!" a cheery voice called out from behind it, the man gave an exasperated sigh and put down his pen. The door swung open to reveal a man with shaggy black hair, wearing glasses and an old suit, carrying a Christmas wreath under his arm "Merry Christmas brother!" he said "Christmas!" the other scoffed his brothers greeting "no bother."

"Christmas no bother, brother! What nonsense" the cheery one said and beamed "Do you have any particular reason for this splendid visit, Nilesy?" said his brother

"Actually I do" Nilesy said and thrust the wreath forwards so that it was mear inches from his brother scowling face. The other pushed it aside with one hand and repeated "Christmas is no bother" before returning to his work.

Nilesy started to open his mouth but was interupted by a second rap on the door, the shaggy haired man answered it. Two men entered. One was tall and muscly with brown hair and stubble, the other was shorter, blonde and less muscled.

"What do you want?" The young lawyer said angrily and the tall man answered "Mr. Brindley I think?" "Yeah?" "Well, at this festive time of year it is our tradition to go around and collect donations to help the poor and the homeless" "Wonderful!" Nilesy said "Mr. Brindley here is very generous to charity!" "Brother!" Brindley hissed at his bother and the two charity men exchanged hopeful looks. "What shall we put you down for then" the blonde said

"Nothing." the young lawyer said flatly

"You wish to remain anonomous?"

"I wish to be left alone! I do not make myself merry at Christmas"

"That certainly is true" Nilesy said

"And I do not have enough money to make idle people merry!"

"That certainly is not true" His brother comented "Do you not have other things to do this day, my dear brother!" Lewis said, pushing back his chair and standing up "Sadly I do. So I will make my donation and wish you all a merry Christmas!" Nilesy said and gave the charity men a few bills and headed to the door, placing the wreath on a small table on the way, but he quickly spun around and said "Brother! Why don't you join me and Mints for Christmas dinner tomorrow?" "That's highly unlikely" his brother said and the other shrugged before leaving, huming Christmas carols.

"Hold on, hold on!" the farmer said, interupting his pale friends story. "What?" the CEO said, bewildered and the farmer continued "These people sound like our friends. Lewis is like Xeph, you actually used Nilesy's name and the charity men sound like Martyn and Strippin'" "C'mon Sjin" the pale one whined "just let me tell the story!" "Fine" Sjin said and waved his arms for Sips to continue.

The two charity men still stood in front of the lawyers desk and the dark haired man looked up from his work. "Still here are you?" he said in a low voice

"Yes. About the donation..." the blonde trailed off

"Yes, the donation" Lewis said and plastered on a smile that was more of a sneer. "My taxes go to the poorhouses, the homeless must go there" he said and walked towards the door

"But some would rather die!" the tall one said, obviously outraged.

"If they'd rather die then they better do it and decrease the surplus population! This is the door, you may use it." the young lawyer said as he swung open the door. The two men headed out, the tall one saying to his comrade

"C'mon Martyn. I think we've taken enough of Mr. Brindley's time" and Lewis shut the door behind them. Peace at last. He went back to work.

"I suppose you'll want the day off tommrorow" Lewis questioned his PA at closing time

"If you'd be so kind. It's to spend the day with family" the blonde man said as he pulled on his thin windbreaker, the exact opposide of his employers lavashly warm coat.

"It's a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every December the 25th. But if you must, take the day off." he said and left, leaving the blonde beaming in his wake. Before he shut the door he said "Be here all the earlier the next morning!"

"Yes, sir" the intern said as the doors to the lift closed.

"Just stop for a second" Sjin interupted his friends story once again "What now?!" said an exasperated Sips. "Is the intern Lalna?" the farmer asked "How'd you guess?" his boss said "There's only two blonde men in our group of people and you already used Martyn" Sjin explained his logic. "Fine. Can I continue now?" Sips said impaitiently "Yes, of course" Sjin said and leaned back in his armchair by the fire, waiting for the story to start up again.

Lewis approached the door of his house (that had once belonged to Marley) and fumbled with his keys. He made to unlock the door when his eyes darted to the old door knocker and he froze. The knocker seemed to be changing...into a face? Lewis squinted at the knocker and jumped back in fright "Simon?! Simon Lane?" He whispered and the face opened it's mouth and yelled, causing the young man to stumbled back into the snow. When he regained his posture he looked at the knocker, it had returned to normal. "No bother." He muttered and entered the house.

He didn't turn on the lights when he entered. Darkness was cheap, and he liked it. He chucked his bag onto the couch before changing into his night clothes and sat down before the Telly. A cold breeze made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up and he went to close the window...only to find it sealed shut already. He whipped around when he heard a knock coming from his bedroom door. He stood stalk still as footsteps grew closer and closer and something seemed to glide through the door. It Simon Lane, his partner who was at this moment in a coma from a car accident.

Lewis pressed himself into his chair as Simon continued to glide over and sat himself in the chair opposite the terrified young man.

"Y-you...can't possibly be here!" Lewis stammered out as he gazed into the spirits eyes.

"And yet I am." The spirit said and Lewis breathed out softly, taking in his surrounding.

"What are those chains?" The young lawyer asked and motion to the long tendrils of metal that snaked all over the spirits being.

"These chains I forged in life. You wear such a chain yourself." He answered and Lewis shook his head.

"I won't believe it. I don't believe it!" He exclaimed as was about to say more but the spirit held up his hand and silenced his colleague.

"I'm here to warn you. Tonight you will be haunted by three spirits."

"Haunted?! I've already had enough of that." Lewis said quickly and the ghost continued.

"The first one will arrive at midnight."

"Can't I meet them all at once and get it over with?" Lewis said weakly but the apparition of his partner had begun to fade.

"Un-forge the chain you wear. The first spirit will arrive at midnight." That was the last thing the ghost said before fading into nothingness and leaving a very frightened man in his wake.

Before Lewis closed his eyes to try and sleep, he took one last room and huffed.

"Ghosts indeed." He muttered before turning over and drifting to sleep.

That is the first part of this short five part Yogmas Carol. I do hope you enjoy it, and the last part will be published on Christmas Eve.

Happy Holidays!

- Jo

(PS. Each part will have one Yog Christmas video attached)