W B Aodh Gothic Ghost Stories

The Christmas Village

Anna stood at the kitchen door, cupping her mug of tea as she stared into the garden. In her mind, she visioned the yellow and red roses. The thick, dark green leaves. The iris, gladioli, and the fuchsia bush. She loved that bush. When she moved into this house, she took a cutting from her grandparent’s tree, and now, no matter how often she cut it back, it stood seven feet tall. As a child, she made earrings out of the fuchsia flowers and perfume from the rose petals: setting up the decorating table outside her house and sold the foul-smelling odour to her neighbours. With a shake of her head, Anna dispelled the memories.

As she stood daydreaming, although the cool late autumn weather had chilled her tea, she sipped it. Her bright yellow dressing gown, and pink fluffy slippers kept her warm. Kept the morning frost from nipping at her. A sign winter was days away. A smile flittered around her lips. This was her favourite part of the day. The morning was only just breaking. The darkness of the night, fading as the morning sky took ownership of the day.
Her family was still in bed. She was always up first. To enjoy this part of the day by herself. It might be selfish of her, but the quietness of the morning was hers. Hers alone. She stepped outside and settled in the garden chair and breathed in the air. From her pocket she pulled out the notepad and checked the list.

Christmas was two weeks away and butterflies teased her stomach. Since seeing the first Christmas tree in a stranger’s house as she passed. Its lights glinting in the window, she had tortured herself. Waited five weeks for this day to arrive. Today, she was starting her Christmas. Christmas was the only time she took out of her busy schedule. Weeks ago, she had baked the Christmas cake. Soaked the fruit in brandy for two weeks. Next weekend, she planned to send the girls to her mother’s so she could decorate the cake in peace.

Last night, after school, she, and Kit had taken the girls tree shopping. When they returned home, she potted the tree. Giving it the night to settle. Today, as a family, they would decorate the tree.

Anna took another sip of her tea. The air released slowly from her as she leaned back in her chair. The year Kat was born. That first Christmas had been all about the rush. She had wanted everything to be perfect. She learned the hard way, no matter how much she planned, it had been a disaster. Over the years, she would like to believe she had got it perfect. That her lists compiled painstakingly over the weeks since the shops first displayed their Christmas stock, she had everything in order. Yet. no matter how many lists she made, she always forgot something.

Even when Kit shopped with her, or they visited their friends, they missed something from the list. Last year, she forgot to send Julia and her partner their Christmas card and the gift voucher for the weekend away. Julia had laughed it off when the family met up for New Year’s Day dinner as she thanked her for the gift. After the holiday, Julia and her partner separated. The year before, she forgot the carol service. This year, they were at the top of her list.

Kat at eight, and Ellie at six, had their own lists. Like her they loved the two weeks build up to the main event. However, while her lists contained food, and presents to buy, and people to visit, the girls list compiled of the twelve Christmas films they planned to watch and books to read. Their Christmas countdown started at the beginning of December. Kit had already taken the girls to do their Christmas shopping. When they arrived home, they were full of giggles. High from the hot chocolate and marshmallows Kit bought them. After tea, they ran upstairs and wrapped the gifts they bought. Later today, when the tree was decorated, these would be the first gifts placed under the tree.

Kit told her there was no such thing as the perfect Christmas. But she did everything possible to make it a happy, joyous occasion. To make it perfect.

When she met Kit, he had hated Christmas. A true bah humbug. Christmas had not been his thing. At first, it had only been to make her happy, he had pretended to love Christmas. Now, after ten years together, he was full into the Christmas spirit.

‘Your smile scares me,’ Kit said, stepping into the garden.

Anna placed her cup on the garden table then turned her gaze to Kit. ‘Just enjoying the morning before the rush.’

Kit sat in the chair next to Anna. His smile deep. ‘The girls are eating breakfast.’

For Anna, the morning past slowly. Kit climbed into the loft and together they brought the decorations into the lounge. Christmas songs filled the air, and Anna smiled. The lounge was a chaotic mess. Boxes of decorations lay open. Kat and Ellie sorted the decorations into piles while Kit put the lights on the tree.

'Come on, Mum. You can't stand there all day,' Ellie said, wrapping blue tinsel around her head.

‘I haven't - I emptied the cabinet so you and I can set up the village in there,' Anna said, looking at the boxed village her grandmother, gave her when she married Kit.

Ellie gathered the blankets of white gauze as Anna removed the vintaged cottages, houses, church, skating rink, carousel, and train station, from their boxes. Together, they created a small village. Then they placed the ice skaters on the frozen pond and the couple holding hands on the bridge under the lamp. A dog sat outside a house. Trees scattered amongst the houses. More children were scattered around and tiny lights imitating stars when switched on.

Ellie's and Kat's giggles reached out to Anna, and she turned to them, watching them dance as they wound tinsel around their bodies. ‘Look, Mum. We’re angels,’ they said, and Anna chuckled.

Merle, the calico cat lay on the sofa. His sharp gaze on the bright baubles lying beside him. Kit drank his beer as he stood by the tree. He had already started placing large baubles on the branches. As the hours passed, the plain room was transformed into a magical world.

The large window filled with stickers of Santa, a tree, sleigh, reindeers, and stars. Coloured lights wrapped in fake fir garlands, covered the mantle. This year, Kit hooked Christmas lights across the ceiling. ‘More stars,’ he said.

‘The postman’s just been. Look there’s a parcel for you, Mum,’ Ellie said, dancing into the living room holding a box out to Anna.

Anna frowned, she was not expecting anything and accepted the parcel from Ellie. She checked the label. It was for her, and slowly she opened the box. She frowned as she stared at the small village cafe. It was the missing piece to her Christmas village collection. She tried to recall how long it was since she lost it. The village was an heirloom, and she had been annoyed when the cafe went missing.

'Did you buy this, Kit?' she asked.

Kit glanced at the ornament then took it from Anna to place it in the village. 'No, but we'll keep it,' he said.
Anna shivered as she looked at the village. The glitter in the snow glistened from the overhead lights. For a moment, she thought she heard soft laughter but shook her head as she closed the cabinet door.

The afternoon was nearly over, and now the dark nights came in early, the room was a blaze with tiny lights.
'It's beautiful, Anna,' Kit said, coming to stand behind her.

Anna smiled as she looked around. Four hours earlier, the room had been a chaos of boxes, ornaments, and tinsel spread across the floor and furniture. Now, the boxes were back in the loft. The tree glistened as the lights danced and flickered over the ornaments; some reflected off the baubles. Anna had placed a small spotlight in the window and the beam spread over the Santa and reindeers.

The village in the cabinet appeared to be alive and Anna felt drawn to it. As though she could step in to it. As she looked at the glass, she saw the reflection of a boy's face. As she blinked, she dismissed it as the reflection off the lights.

‘It is, Kit. Now, what do you want for tea?'

'I thought we'd have pizza. Stick them in the oven with some garlic bread,' he said.

'And chips,' Ellie said.

'And chips,' Kit said.

Anna woke. She was unsure why, and as she lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, the mechanical melody a carousel plays, drifted up the stairs. At first, she ignored it but as the music continued to play, she climbed out of bed and strolled to the window. 

The streetlights cast a glow in the dark night, but the street was deserted. The hall light of number twenty-four was on. The occupants never slept with it off. The television at number eighteen flickered. Mr Jones never went to bed before four am. But there was no music or people in the street. Yet, the music, faint that it was, continued to play. Anna turned to the bed. Kit continued to sleep. Anna stepped forward, then changed her mind about waking him.

Now, she was awake, Anna decided to make herself a drink and left the bedroom. When she reached the landing, the music grew louder, and Anna went to the girls’ room to check on them. They continued to sleep. Then she turned to the stairs. As she descended them, she noticed the light coming from under the lounge door. She was sure she had switched them off before going to bed. The only time the lights remained on overnight, was Christmas Eve.

As Anna came closer to the door, the carousel music grew louder. With a stomach that clenched and a heartbeat that skipped, she reached out and opened the door. Her breath caught. She went to shout Kit, but no sound came from her. The tree lights were not on, but the village was ablaze with lights shining out of the tiny windows. The cabinet door stood wide open. The carousel behind the skating rink was spinning round. Laughter filled the room, and the boy, whose reflection she saw in the glass earlier in the day, stood in the centre of the room.

He turned to her. His smile over bright and she stepped back, bumping into the door. 'Hello, Anna. Do you want to dance?' he asked.

Anna shook her head. She was sure she would wake, find herself in bed.

'You used to dance, Anna. Don't you remember?' the boy asked, stepping close to her as she shook her head.
As she stared at the boy, she pushed herself away from the door and stepped into the lounge. Her frown deepened as a memory poked at her. 'You were never real,’ she said. ‘You were always a dream.'

The boy chuckled as he moved closer. 'I've always been here, Anna. When you were younger. When you were a child. You always came and danced with me.’ His smile turned to a frown. 'Then you grew older, and you abandoned me like a stray dog. I was no more fun to you. You forgot me. You moved and you left the cafe and me in the attic.' He stepped closer. His face close to Anna’s 'It took me a long time to find you, Anna.' He smiled, 'And I have. Now dance with me.'

The music swamped her head, and she stepped closer, accepting the boy’s hand. As she touched him, the room faded. She was the child of so long ago. The boy laughed and Anna giggled. How could she forget the boy and the joy she was feeling.

'Mum.'

Anna blinked. The overhead light was on. The cabinet door was shut, and no lights shone from the houses.
'Mum - What are you doing?' Kat asked.

'I came downstairs for a drink.' Anna said.

'But you were spinning round and round and laughing,' Kat said.

'I was. Never mind. And why are you out of bed?' Anna asked.

Kat glanced back into the lounge. 'I heard music. It sounded like the fair and I wanted to see.'

Anna took one last look at the village in the cabinet. Then she closed the lounge door as she frowned. Why was she scared of the boy. Although they danced and laughed, she knew the boy scared her.

'Go back to bed, Kat. You're just over excited,' Anna said.

Kat sighed, 'grownups always say that.'

©W B Aodh 2024

If you enjoyed this short story, clink on the below image and recieve your free copy of A Most Desirable For Sale, a collection of short Stories.

Did you enjoy the free short story collection. then check out Uninvited Guests

The Owl Toad Mole Publishing House™

BT66 8EY 2024 ©