Author's Note The Story over all: I only I hope Dickens doesn't come and get me for this but the name came to me the moment I ready about the winter contest and I had to do it. Destined to be 5 chapters total with one chapter devoted to each spirit of Christmas, this is not going to be short. (This charter alone is over 5,000 words.) So if you are looking for a short simple read to a quick and easy jerk, wrong story. Also, the original tale is strongly non-consentual/voyueristic in nature so I will be taking those things into the sexual realm, so faint of heart don't apply.
Chapter 3 (Christmas Present)
Author's Note on this Chapter: As I said above Chapter 3 is 5,000 words. The sex themes are besides the voyeurism are non-consent/mind-control, lesbian, gay, and anal so if any of these things bother you, be prepared and don't read further.
Ebenezer feels relief wash over him as he realizes that it must have only been a bad dream, probably yet another result of the bad cheese that had given him his earlier bad dream/hallucination of Janice Marley.
Ebenezer closes his eyes preparing to resume his interrupted sleep until he hears the bank's clock chime 3 o'clock. His eyes shoot open expecting to see another pure white light ready to blind him.
At first there is nothing, and Ebenezer is ready to laugh at his paranoia but then he notices a soft green glow coming from beneath his bedroom door, and the sound of loud boisterous singing seemed to float over the air.
Ebenezer cannot resist his curiosity so he climbs out of bed and shuffles over to the door. When he opens the door he is washed in soft colors and light, the smells of foods rich and delicious, and the sound of joyful singing.
The singing came from a single large man who wore a green robe of velvet. His head and was topped with curly red hair matched by his full beard and moustache. His mouth showed perfectly white teeth with every word he sung out with a laugh, and often a mouthful of food from the bounty that surrounded him.
" What manner of spirit is this?" Ebenezer asks himself softly.
" The type of spirit filled with Christmas joy. Now don't hide behind that door and come join me at this great feast little man!" The giant of a man says turning towards Ebenezer with a smile.
" You then are the second spirit foretold to me?" Ebenezer asks cautiously.
" I am the spirit of Christmas Present!" The giant says with another smile and laugh.
" And all of this?" Ebenezer asks, his eyes taking in the large meal sprayed out before them.
" The bounty of human kindness, the feast of Christmas Spirit..." Present says with a smile.
" It seems like a waste." Ebenezer says with a snort.
" And if this were everyday food it would be, but by its nature, the more that is enjoyed the more that there is." Present says still smiling, " But perhaps you are right as it would be wasted on the likes of you."
Ebenezer looks up with a feeling of resentment clearly written on his face.
" You are the one who is at fault if it is wasted on you. If you cannot enjoy the spirit of others then it is your loss, and no one else's." Present says for a moment losing his smile but then he reaches over and slaps Ebenezer on the back with a laugh. " But then tonight is about trying to help you see that so... We must be off."
The food disappears and the lighting in the room disappears save for a torch Present holds in his hand. Ebenezer looks around in shock.
" I do not have near enough time, take my robe in your hand." Present urges and Ebenezer complies, doing as he is told.
Present starts walking for Ebenezer's bedroom door and Ebenezer follows, struggling to keep up with the spirit's large strides. As they step through the bedroom door they step onto a snow-covered street instead of Ebenezer's bedroom.
Ebenezer looks around in bewilderment for a moment not recognizing it at all.
" Where are we spirit?"
" You brought harm to couple of specific people today who are good people, I thought perhaps you should see for yourself who they are, what they do, and what you did to them." Present says softly before leading them to a somewhat dilapidated building.
They look in through the window and the two women from earlier today, Tracy and Erica, are seeing to the needs of several children who are dirty and obviously under fed.
" Okay I get it, I should have helped them with a donation." Ebenezer says exasperated sounding.
" In truth you don't get it." Present says firmly. " You only say that you should give them a donation in order to get past this. There is more in question in your spirit than simply Christmas spirit. You have a general disregard for humanity, punctuated by hate towards certain groups, the poor being the most obvious, but also for women, family, lovers, even more particularly same sex preferences. There is more involved than simple lip service, the thought and the act should be one and the same."
" Same sex love is unnatural." Ebenezer growls angrily.
" Love is love. Love is the greatest gift of all, and the sharing of it is the single most human act of all. If it had mattered who people loved then the almighty would have had everyone born with their intended's name tattooed in their flesh to prevent confusion." Present says, as he seems to laugh at the very idea.
" The purpose of love is sex, the purpose of sex is procreation, same sex love can not lead to procreation therefore it is unnatural."
" Well I'm sure you are procreating the hell out of the world when you are jerking off watching other people have sex." Present says with a smile. " The difference is what form of sex you find acceptable, and quite honestly what you find acceptable is irrelevant, it is not your opinion that matters in the end. After all, your behavior takes advantage of others and you see nothing wrong with that, while what you are upset about is consensual activity between adults who have every right to decide what is good for themselves."
Ebenezer nods as if in acceptance but the spirit notes the defiance still showing in Ebenezer's eyes.
" Let us walk around inside." Present says with a smile he steps forward through the wall with Ebenezer holding his robe tight.
Ebenezer looks around in shock as he notices that they really had passed through the wall as if it really weren't there.
He looks around the room filled with grubby little children ranging in age from 3 to 12. The older children help Erica and Tracy with the younger ones, and despite the overall condition of things they are laughing and smiling to each other sharing the time together.
" This is the best Christmas ever." A little girl whispers
Ebenezer feels the shock of those words go through him. Even his worst didn't seem as bad in comparison. He always had enough to eat; he always was able to bathe...
" But you are never in the company of others." Present says with a smile following Ebenezer's thoughts.
" Is that really so important?" Ebenezer asks.
" You tell me." Present says with a laugh.
Erica and Tracy move down a hallway, which Present leads Ebenezer down to follow. They go into a room and close the door behind them as Present and Ebenezer pass through it.
" Are you okay?" Tracy asks.
" Just my ankle hurts from that bastard." Erica snarls angrily.
" Shhhh..." Tracy says with a smile taking Erica's hands into her own. " Let the world work itself out. It's Christmas, happy thoughts."
" Sure, my happy thought is my hands around that Ebenezer Scrooge's neck." Erica says in a menacing tone made light with a smile.
