Austy Quinn's Christmas Special I

Chapter 4: Sunshine Stockings

Sometimes, there is a line in life. A line to form boundaries, and if someone crosses those lines, there will be consequences to pay.

Morgan groaned as her alarm went off. She did not want to wake up. But it was Christmas. She knew she had to do that. It was a family time, and not to say she didn't mind her family, she just didn't want to get out of bed. She put on some semi-nice clothes, looking at herself in the mirror. It would do for now.
She didn't mind her family, she told herself. She didn't mind her family. She reminded herself everyday of that. She had to make an exception for Christmas. She had to be with her family.

She was surprised to not hear a single word inside the Hollingsworth abode. She came down the steep steps and noticed no television was turned on. No music was playing. Not even the lights on the Christmas tree were on.

"Mom?" She called out, to no answer. "Marshal? Kaylee? Jakson?" Still no answer. She peeked in Jakson's room, and no one was inside. She rubbed her head in confusion. Where were they?

A note on the fridge answered her as she walked in. Her mother and the others had to go grab something real quick, they would be back around 10.

"Thanks, Mom." Morgan grumbled. She didn't mind her family.

She walked into the living room, where the green Christmas tree now stood, dark from the absence of the Christmas lights in it. Morgan looked at the plug. No, it was still connected. One of the bulbs must have gone out. Danny would probably fix that when he got home. She didn't mind that.

She looked down the tree to find a small case, wrapped in red-and-black. No doubt from Quinn, she thought. She opened it and was slightly surprised as to what was inside. Stockings.

She was surprised, because she thought she had stockings. She looked at the wall in confusion. Guess not.

She shrugged. At least Austy wanted to help. She hung the stockings up in the living room, and admired them. They had a decoration of a sun on them, shining as though they were the star itself. Suns weren't her taste, but she didn't mind that.

She sat on the couch, looking out the window at the snow, the neverending white seeming to watch her, sympathetic for her predicament. She didn't mind her family, and she didn't mind the snow.

She sat down and turned on the TV. Everything seemed to be just fine, as long as her family came back. Everything would be fine. She didn't mind that she was alone.

Did she turn on the heater? At least, she didn't remember doing that. But God, it was getting hot. She wiped her forehead as she checked the controls for the heater. It wasn't even on, it was on an automated schedule. Why was it so hot?

She didn't mind it, though. At least, she thought she didn't. She stopped when she started seeing smoke. She ran into the living room, where the stockings were hung. They were shining brightly, sparks starting to come out of them. What in the world? Morgan tried grabbing them, but she yelped as they were extremely hot. She couldn't throw water on them, they were near an electrical outlet. This wasn't right to her. She left her phone upstairs. She needed to get help. She ran up the stairs as the stockings started to catch on fire.

"Oh my God..." Morgan mumbled as she grabbed her phone. She forgot to put it on the charger last night, so it was dead. How would she call the police? Or her mom?

The fire started spreading, devouring the tree. She had to think quickly. She grabbed her phone and the charger, and a couple other things before rushing down the stairs. Smoke was encasing the entire house now, and she was coughing furiously. She reached for the door, the only light from the burning fire, now inching towards her. She opened it and ran out, coughing furiously, her eyes stinging red. She could do nothing but stumble out, falling to her knees.

That was her family's house. They called it home. Memories walked the halls like distant ghosts, even if it was a short time in there, much had already happened.

Her family's belongings were in that house. Identities. Gifts. Memories.

Now, they would be gone, taken with the dastardly flames. And for once in her entire life, she really didn't mind that.

End of Chapter 4