A Yogsmas Carol

Part 4: Adapting a musical without the music is hard

It was not long after, once Lalnable had wiped his eyes and taken a deep breath, that just outside of his bedroom door a warm light burst into life, a hearty chuckle accompanying it. Lalnable stood up, feeling less afraid this time around as he made his way to the source of the commotion. There, where his hallway should be was a tall man dressed in a green suit with tinsel around his neck, a pair of thick black rimmed glasses and shiny black shoes also being sported by the spirit. The ghost was sat on the railing of the stairs, smiling expectantly to Lalnable. Behind him however, was the most extraordinary thing to Lalnable. Falling buckets of water suspended in mid-air, stuck floating.

"Ah, you. About time you got here." The spirit laughed in a Scottish accent, "I'm the ghost of Christmas present! I represent the here and the now. And tell me, Mr. Lalnable Scrooge, what is it today?"

"It's Christmas day." Lalnable replied, taking in the strange sight.

"Right you are. How about we go take a look around?" the spirit jumped to his feet, walking past Lalnable to open up a window. The outside world had suddenly become the middle of the day, people celebrating Christmas at what should be 2am. The spirit took a deep breath in and smiled, "I wonder if anyone got any presents!" The spirit chuckled, grinning at his own stupid pun.

Lalnable let out a smile, which turned into a snicker. The spirit grabbed his hand, instantly transporting them to the street outside. It was certainly cold, but the crowds of people in and outside of their homes seemed to not care. Children were running about with crudely made toys, not caring about the poverty and cold around them but happy about Christmas. Many people talked and smiled, walking through the fresh snow between the crooked houses. The ghost of Christmas present had already begun looking around, smiling through windows at the unaware people inside. Lalnable too wandered around, taking in the smell of cooking roast dinners and chestnuts and snow. He could sense the atmosphere of happiness all around.

"Oh come on now, take a look! Christmas morning in Minecraftia!" he exclaimed, waving Lalnable over. Slightly begrudgingly, Lalnable walked with the spirit, taking in the sights of a bright Christmas morning. People of all kinds were out and about, the dull weary town full of life and magic.

"I suppose it is quite nice..." Lalnable admitted, a glint in his eye.

"Yes indeed! There's nothing quite like Christmas, don't you agree?" The ghost asked, phasing through a crowd of carol singers nonchalantly.

"Well, not really. I've never experienced a Christmas with friends or family..." Lalnable looked down.

"Hmm. Well how about we take a trip? There's lots to be done before the future comes for us!" the spirit exclaimed, suddenly moving them to an entirely different area of Minecraftia, a quiet little street with small houses.

"Where is this, spirit?" Lalnable asked, not knowing the street at all.

"Why this is Specimen Cratchit's home! And I think I smell a lovely goose cooking inside." The man in green smiled, stepping inside the house in front of them. When Lalnable followed he was greeted with a small cold room with a low ceiling and chipped walls, barely enough for the table and stove. Sat around it was a small boy with brown hair, black clothing and pale skin. He was playing an instrument of some kind. Opposite him was another boy dressed much the same fiddling with his cutlery. He turned to the man in the room Lalnable had almost not noticed, turning a spit over the fire. "When will mother be home? I can't wait for thish goosh!" The boy asked, his lisp standing out. The man at the spit smiled. He was dressed in a green jumper, a tree-like symbol knitted into the design.

"Not long now, she and Zoey should be back any moment Zylus. Oh and Parv, do put that instrument away!" He sighed, looking to the door expectantly, right through Lalnable and the ghost of Christmas present.

"What a quaint home..." Lalnable remarked, looking around.

"Ah, I think it is about to get even quainter." The spirit smiled, stepping back. As he did the door opened slowly, and in stepped Five, a young girl wearing a purple jumper and a rainbow hand knitted scarf much like her father's holding onto Specimen's hand. The small girl had a crutch, limping her way to her chair at the table. Lalnable watched the girl intently.

"Hello everyone!" Five beamed, sitting down at the table too. "How's that goose doing Martyn?"

"I think it's all ready for you now." Martyn replied, serving up thin slices of the small bird onto plates and bringing them to the table, giving Zoey some soup instead, then sitting down with everyone else. "How was the church today?"

"It was lovely." Five smiled, "tiny Zoey here loved seeing all the ducks on the pond."

Zoey simply nodded.

"A merry Christmas to us all!" Parv exclaimed.

"And a thank you to the founder of the feast, Mr Lalnable Scrooge!" Five added. Martyn frowned. Lalnable perked up.

"Well that doesn't seem very deserving..." The blonde man in green replied.

"And why not?" Five turned, not wanting an argument. "If it wasn't for him there'd be no goose at all."

"Well, for everything you do for him I think you would deserve a little more than what we get, that's all." Martyn sighed. Lalnable awkwardly stood in the corner, guilt setting in for once in his miserable life.

"God bless us, everyone!" Zoey exclaimed, to which everyone cheered and began to eat. Zoey soon began coughing, her whole body shaking slightly. Five immediately comforted her, making sure she was ok. "How is um Fiona? I thought you wanted us to meet her today, Zoey." Five asked after a moment.

Zoey looked down to her food. "Fiona couldn't make it today... Her mum didn't want her going out, again..." She then coughed once more, taking small spoonfuls of soup slowly.

Lalnable turned to the ghost of Christmas present, a look of desperate worry in his face. The spirit simply nodded.

"What shall become of her spirit?" Lalnable asked, his eyes looking back to her.

"I see a chair with nobody to sit in it. And a crutch without an owner." He replied, taking Lalnable by the hand and teleporting them away once more. Lalnable's eyes never left tiny Zoey. He did not want to accept it.

The pair were sat in a church, Lalnable looked around confused, before turning to see the ghost of Christmas present had gotten grey streaks in his hair, his eyes weary.

"Are you alright spirit?" Lalnable knelt down, looking up to him.

"I live in the present, and my time grows short now. The future draws nearer always." The ghost replied, smiling weakly despite his lack of merriness. "After me comes the ghost of Christmas yet to come. I hope you are ready."

"Yes, I am ready." Lalnable spoke softly. Then high, high above them a bell began to chime. The ghost before Lalnable began to slowly disappear. Yet, the spirit seemed accepting, smiling to Lalnable. A second chime, more was vanishing.

"What happens in the past affects the present. What happens in the present will affect the future." He took Lalnable's hand. A final chime of the bell and Lalnable Scrooge was alone, kneeling on the floor to an empty seat.