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— REESE WOKE UP THE morning of December twenty-fifth slick with sweat; her stomach churned uneasily from her nightmare, expressionless faces calling at her to save them, trees burning with uncontrollable fire and a torrential downpour of rain acting like gasoline. Her heartbeat pounded against her ribs so hard that Reese was sure they would crack. She glanced at her alarm clock, the numbers reading four fifty-five and groaned. The sun had barely touched the horizon, the thick layer of clouds turned a golden color, and the sky turned from indigo to violet. Reese tried to shut her eyes, the headache throbbing against her temples pleading for more sleep, but the adrenaline coursing through her veins, charged by the whispers, made it nearly impossible for her to stay still long enough for her brain to shut down.
Frustrated, Reese rolled out from under her mound of thick blankets and slipped out of her bedroom and into the dark hall. She used her hands as a guide to the stairs where she could see a faint light coming from the bottom floor, Christmas music playing softly. Reese placed her steps cautiously, not wanting the wood to creak and risk waking the twins or, even worse, Poppy. When she reached the landing, Reese spotted Elizabeth; she was wearing pajamas that Reese swore she saw hanging in her mother's closet with a Santa hat pushed over her head. Elizabeth hummed along to Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Frank Sinatra, swaying along to the sweet sound and positioning presents under the wonky tree she'd bought the previous day. She stuffed little things into stockings tacked to the fireplace that crackled with a small fire, with the children's names written on them in sharpie.
"Hey," Reese greeted softly, trying not to startle her aunt.
Elizabeth jolted but smiled when she saw Reese. "Hey, what're you doing up?"
Reese sat down on the couch, wrapping the throw blanket around herself. "Bad dreams couldn't sleep."
Elizabeth's smile dimmed, but then returned to its original state when she handed Reese a poorly wrapped gift. "I know most people open presents together, but, well, this one is just for you."
Tears pricked at Reese's green eyes as she held the gift in her hands. She wasn't sure why she was crying, it wasn't as if this was the first present she'd ever received, but she also hadn't expected her aunt to get them all of this stuff. Then, Reese realized Elizabeth never had anyone to buy gifts for; no reason to decorate a tree or hang stockings. She was all alone. Her sister and her family never around, no husband or other loved ones. This was the first Christmas in a long time that Elizabeth had company. Reese forced down a sob and tore open the wrapping that had pretty red bows and Christmas trees decorated on it.
