THE DECEMBER DIARIES

chapter one

The plurality of friendship is a funny thing. To have people be completely unalike and yet deeply connected: To have fragility, wilderness, and urgent tenderness hold hands in the winter and share a sidewalk with comfort. To have a cathedral share intimate secrets with a museum at dawn, and celebrate life with a stadium at dusk— it's the completely random, accidental togetherness that life gifts us, and we have the choice to either deny the gift because it was too unexpected (and it really was) or accept it and watch what it becomes, like a flower, or a child, or an old family dog.

In their case, they had accepted the gift— and had grown to watch it unfold for a little over ten years now, into something interesting, at the very least, and precious.

Constantine, Olympia, and Barnaby were good friends. They were Winter, Summer, and Spring. Their personalities, their tastes, their goals were divergent with each other, but amongst the few things they had in common the list included: Loyalty, honesty, and admiration.

December had arrived and with it, the three girls sparked excitement for the season of joy ahead, for their very favorite holiday was quickly approaching: Christmas.

Constantine took pictures of the blurry fauna from the train's window, and gazed at her phone like a little kid admiring a wrapped present. "Look at this one." She mumbled to Barnaby, who sat next to her.

"That looks so edgy." She replied.

"Let me see." Olympia complained, goggling at her friend's phone.

"Listen, this is great and all but I'm not gonna lie, I feel a little sick right now." Barnaby admitted sighing deeply and closing her eyes while sinking into her seat, her complexion turning pale. "If you see me throw up all over this booth.... no you didn't." She added, making Constantine burst out a short laugh.

A mighty voice echoed from the sound-boxes above, "Ladies and gentlemen we will be arriving shortly at our destination. Estimated arrival at local time-zone: 8:15PM."

Olympia sighed sharply and grabbed her makeup mirror, bringing it up to her face as she checked her lips, "Fucking finally."

-

As they stepped out of the train and soon arrived at their destination for the trip, they looked around bewildered: They had quite possibly never seen a more beautiful sight in their lives.

It had been years since the three friends had seen each other in person, since each one went on with their lives separately, scattered across the globe to follow their aspirations. Deciding to spend a holiday together to reconnect was both expectedly awkward and familiarly intimate, and this location seemed secluded enough to enhance the memory that re-discovering each other's presence was their final destination.

Their eyes fell upon the old castle with curiosity and wander, but their shaking bodies asked kindly of them to seek refuge from the cold before satisfying their hunger for adventure-- after all, they were not fifteen anymore, and their fantasies weren't alive enough these days to overcome their desire to sit in front of a fire and share a glass of wine with a side of logical concerns. Still, they exchanged looks quietly and smiled, each of them containing their emotions.

They entered the main lobby and let out heavy breaths as the warmth started embracing them with a welcome hug.

"It is our pleasure to welcome you to the Morrison Manner!" They hear an old woman chanting from a counter. Immediately, two men grab the bags from their hands and disappear with them. The old lady walks over and hands them a key. "You three must be Olympia, Constantine, and Barnaby. We've been preparing for your arrival." The girls looked at each other smiling slightly, not quite knowing how to respond to the peculiar woman.