"Hey, did you hear the story?" "What story?" "You know the one about the Wind Chimes?" "No what about it? " Don't go in there cause if you do...you will die."
BEEP BEEP BEEP
I woke up suddenly with an annoyed and aggraviated experision. I smacked the top of my alarm clock hard enough to only feel pain instead of feeling eroded. My multi-color PJ's swung with my legs over the bed as i yawned into blurry daze. BOOM. My 9 year sister Rose came busting through my, what should have been locked, door. " Sarah, Sarah, Sarah! You need to get down her quick!" " What's wrong!", I said even more annoyed." Just come down now, it's super important!" she said with sparkles in her eyes. I walked grudging along the hallway, down the stairs, into the living room. "Look, look,look!", she echoed. I looked up to see our Christmas tree with tons of presents underneath. Oh yea, today with Christmas, I totally forgot. As much of a jolly spirit i was this moring the extra wake up call made me feel extra choleric.
" Thanks great Rose.", I said with as much fake enthusiam as possible. See, I didn't care about presents because i never usally got any. Usally in my family, once you stopped believing in Santa you stopped the gifts. We weren't rich and lived in a small house. We barely had enough food to feed everyone three meals a day. We had to fast every now and then. I would have pretended now even at 17 to believe in Santa, but even now i would rather eat.
I sat on the couch to see my mom, dad, brother,sister, and my cat Muffins already sitting as though the have been waiting for a century. I didn't even notice them before." Ok children, Rose here's your present, Ben here's yours , and Mittens! How could i forget about you!", my mother exclaimed. Of course Mittens couldn't say he believed in Santa, but even then envy from I was little surged up. Mother could have gotten food instead of a cat toy of cat nip. Then, as I slipped my hand under the pillow where I always sat, i felt a little card. I sat up, pulling out the red, clearly marked Sarah Mossen, card. No one saw me open the card, as they watched with glee as Ben and Rose got their forever wanted and "desperately needed" toy trucks and pop star merchanise.Everyone started laughing and smiling so I put the card in my pants pocket and tried to look happy too.
We finished, more like everyone else finished, opening their presents. I stood up and walked into the kitchen. I opened the cupboard, bread,jam,cherrios. So for breakfast I had toast with jam and Cheerios. I ate at my polished glass table as I gnawed on the warm toast. I looked out the window next to our table, the sky had the winter feel, but not the kind you get cheery about, the kind that gives you a striking shiver that rolls down your spine. I watched as the dirt on the ground started to cover with fluffy flakes of powdery wonder. The snow was falling at a quick, fast pace that it was hard to concentrate. "Hey", my mom said. "Hi mom". "Are you ok? It's Christmas! A time to celebrate family!", she said jubilantly. "Yea, a time for family", I said purposely making it sound sarcastic."Honey, I know you didn't get any presents, but do you really need them? You are a grown-up! You should be taking this day to bond." "Ok mom I will bond, I will bond in my room, by myself, without you or dad or Rose or Ben! Ok! Leave me alone and don't bother trying to come in!", I yelled as I ran in my pink slippers ,a gift from when i was 11. They don't really fit, but I was too lazy to get my blue slippers that are nearly in half. I guess leaving them by Mittens wasn't a good idea.
I slammed the door and locked it. I heard the sound of foot steps in the hallway, but to only hear them disappear into another room. I layed on my bed with my head on my pillow. I put my hand in my pocket. I forgot I put the card in my pocket, so i opened the red card.
Dear Sarah Mossen,
I have been waiting to give this to you. It's very special and i hope you cherish it. Merry Christmas.
- Aunt Polly
In the enevolpe was a locket. Inside was a picture of a young girl. Maybe from the 20's or 30's. I was dull and sepia. The young was sitting expersionless in a dress with her hair in a bow. I looked closely to see incarvings in the locket. They said " 187 south." 187 South? I ignored inscription and placed the shiny metallic locket on my table. I got up and opened my door. I walked quietly to the bathroom. I didn't hear laughing anymore so I assumed everyone was outside watching the snow. I walked in the bathroom and closed the door. I looked in the mirror and suddenly heard a scream.
