The Grinch: A Fillie Christmas story

Thanks Giving

Thursday, 28th November

"Two years ago today we, the Browns, decided to move from London" dad began his toast. "Ever since we came here all of you have been nothing but kind to me and my family"

My older sister Paige and I nodded. Our dad got transferred to Hawkins as the new lab supervisor for the company he worked with back in London. We were weary at first. We knew nobody here. Thankfully dad's assistant Mr. Alexei brought us to where we are now. Indeed we felt so much welcomed that we settled into our new house within a few days with the help from all of our neighbors. Scratch that. With the help from most of our neighbors.

"In the spirit of our first thanks giving, I would like to propose a toast to our little community in Hawkins" dad said rising his glass. "An appreciation toast for being the extended family we never thought we can have. Cheers!" A loud chorus of cheers followed suit. Our first thanks giving party then began.

We didn't get to be a part of this tradition last year since we've only just moved. Also we don't celebrate thanks giving back in London thus this festivity is quite alien to us Brits. Lucky we had helping hands to organize the thanks giving party.

Now, when I said only most of our neighbors helped I really meant it. See, our houses are merely a few feet apart divided only with a fenced small pathway leading towards our backyard, similar to all the houses in this housing scheme. It is not large but it could fit our trampoline and is ample enough for us to invite people over for barbecue.

Our house is right at the end of this street and there are three houses that came before ours. Our neighbor from house number 351, Mr. Keery, is my History teacher at Hawkins High. House number 352 is where the ever so friendly Matarazzo family resides: Gaten, my new best friend happens to be one of them. Us the Browns resides in house number 354.

Now, why did I skipped house number 353?

"Only one person lives there. I heard the person was a juvenile delinquent. But, that's all I know" I remembered Gaten said when I asked about the neighborhood.

A different account was shared by another friend, Sadie Sink, house number 355, the house opposite to Mr. Keery's.

"How could you forget Gaten? Whenever there is a Christmas party almost all of our decorations are gone! It all started ever since 353 entered this neighborhood"

Sadie has been living here the longest. Her family is the first to occupy the area and then came Mr. Keery. Gaten and his family moved a year later. Then 353 entered a year after.

It happened when the Matarazzos decided to organize a grand Christmas celebration within the neighborhood block. Mrs. Heather Matarazzo, Gaten's mom happens to be the head of choir for our local church (me, Gaten and Sadie are members) and has been the one in charge of the Christmas extravaganza.

The whole block was filled with Christmas decorations, Gaten told. He even showed me a picture of the huge Christmas tree they put right at our entryway. The house we live in now has always been vacant until we came along. It was weeks of preparation as neighbors from other blocks are invited to the party. It should be the best party that would ever happen in Hawkins but thanks to house 353 it almost went down the drain.

It was on the day of the party, just hours before it began, the decorations on the gates of house 353 leading to the big Christmas tree vanished. The lights were gone and only the wirings were left at the scene and some ornaments were broken. I wouldn't have believed it until Sadie showed me pictures of it.

"At first we thought criminals might have stolen them but when this happens year after year and it always starts right at the gate of 353, we kind of knew the person who lives there is the 'Grinch'" Gaten said while air quoting the word. "Even when there's no Christmas party, our Christmas decorations just poofed into thin air"