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. 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. I apologize for not completing the final two chapters in time for the Holiday Contest 2005.
Ebenezer Screwed Chapter 4 (Christmas Future) Author's Note on this Chapter: Chapter 4 is only 3,000 words. The "Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come" is the darkest spirit to visit Ebenezer and similarly this is the darkest chapter of the five, personally I find the images in my own mind as I write somewhat disturbing and hopefully I have been able to convey that. The sex themes are besides the voyeurism, non-consent/mind-control, gay, rape, gang rape, non-human, and anal so if any of these things bother you, be prepared and don't read further. Also I apologize for any editing errors, with time constraints I have chosen to forego having this edited by anymore than my own eyes.
Ebenezer wakes in his own bed and fear grips him as realizes that it all must be more than only a bad dream, and not the result of the bad cheese.
Fear squeezes the breath from Ebenezer and he closes his eyes trying to regain control of himself. The next spirit expected to come would be due any minute now and that was the one that he knew would be most feared. The bank's clock begins to chime the hour and Ebenezer's eyes shoot open, his skin pales, and sweats breaks out over his forehead.
In the corner of his room Ebenezer sees a dark looming figure seeming to rise up from the floorboards as it approached his bed with eerie silence. The figure wore a dark robe complete with hood; his outline was cast with a red-orange light that glowed ominously.
" Are, are you the third and final spirit foretold me, the spirit of Christmas Future?" Ebenezer asks as he tries to hide under the cover of his bed sheets.
The spirit nods and then extends its bony arm with its finger-crooked beckoning Ebenezer to come.
Slowly Ebenezer rises from his bed and comes to stand beside the dark spirit. The spirit raises its arm in front of Ebenezer and Ebenezer takes that as a signal that he should take the sleeve of the robe. As soon as Ebenezer grabs hold of the sleeve the room darkens and shifts, the lighting only improves slightly as the scene re-solidified.
" Where are we?" Ebenezer asks only to be greeted by grim silence. " Great conversationalist." Ebenezer grumbles.
A group of three people bustle into the cramp quarters of the shabby room the spirit had brought Ebenezer, apparently from the door coming off the street. A fourth person enters the room from the opposite door.
" What have I here? A cop, a housekeeper, and an undertaker come to me at once? One would expect conspiracy." The forth person a man bent over and hunched but with eyes that glittered with greed.
" If there is conspiracy it is not amongst us." The housekeeper states as she throws a bundle on the floor.
" The former owner was the sourest creature to walk the earth and investigation into his untimely demise is unlikely." The cop says, with a grim smile, " I think the coroner has already ruled it heart-attack."
" Bloodiest damned 'heart-attack' I've seen in years." The bent over man says with a smile as he notes blood on the bundle the housekeeper presented. " Well what have you got?"
" I'll go first." The third person, the undertaker says.
The undertaker holds out several pieces of jewelry, a ring, several buttons, and cuff links.
" Hmmm... none of them are particularly special, or of particularly high quality... I'll give you $25 for the lot of them."
" Done." The undertaker says without expression.
That transaction complete the fence turns to the cop.
" Things from the evidence locker..." The cop says with a smile as he holds out several items.
" A silver letter opener, with blood, perhaps the cause of the 'heart-attack', a brass statuette, also with blood, and a pair of reading glasses, amazingly undamaged... $30."
" $30?!? They are worth twice that!"
" They need to be cleaned, they can't go on the market immediately as they are from 'evidence' and they are not that valuable, take them to someone else if you think you can do better."
" Fine." The cop grumbles and completes the transaction grumbling and stalks out back into the streets.
" Now madam..." The fence says turning to the housekeeper.
The housekeeper unwraps the bloody linens to reveal several items in good clean shape.
" I knows what you need and can sale." The housekeeper states proudly.
" You are very crafty, and hiding the good stuff among worthless stuff so the cop didn't try to lay claim to more evidence. These will sale easily and quickly... $120 for the lot."
" Pleasure doing business with you Joe." The housekeeper says with a crooked toothless smile as they complete their transaction.
" Spirit, of who do these people speak?" Ebenezer asks.