I crept along the moonlit path in the rain, wet leaves sticking to my shoes, eventually blowing off in the biting breeze. I dreaded autumn. It's the season of gloomy days and finger numbing chill. Most people are happy when it arrives; they get to cozy up next to their loved ones and sip on hot tea, watching some sappy movie in front of the heat of glowing embers in the fireplace. Not me. Not since the accident exactly one year ago that tore apart my heart and my sanity.

She was my home, my once-in-a-lifetime love. Her glossy auburn hair complemented the changing leaves perfectly. Her face radiated joy, emerald eyes alight with excitement at all the possibilities life had to offer. She smelled of cinnamon and warm vanilla, my favorite scents. Penelope was the light calling me back to shore in the raging sea that was my mind. She died last Halloween, killed by a car full of drunk teenagers. They weren't punished by the judge, ruling that "one little accident shouldn't destroy their lives." Instead, they had to send me apology letters. How cute.

It would have been better to send them to jail. At least they were protected behind all the gates, guards, and bars. It was time for their "little accident," and trust me, it would ruin their lives.

I had followed them to the old house that stood in the forest clearing, trailing them as silent as a shadow. The boys carried candles and a Ouija board, and the two girls with them clutched brown paper sacks. There was no doubt in my mind that the sacks held more liquor; my chest blazed with the white hot fires of hatred. I decided to let them have their fun. They would be nice and frightened when I exacted my revenge.

"Xander, what are we doing here?" one of the girls whispered. "This house doesn't look structurally sound." Hah! That would be the least of their worries in the end.

"Shut up, Tonya, everything is going to be fine. Some of the guys came here last year, remember? We'll be fine. Just relax," he replied. Yes, please do relax. Everything will be juuust fine... for now.

I watched from the broken window as they lit the candles in the dusty, abandoned den. For a while, they just talked and drank. After about an hour, Xander unpacked the Ouija board from its box and the foursome placed two fingers each on the planchette.

"Spirits of the night, we call to you! Speak to us, commune with us this night!" they called, slurring their words a little. A little dramatic, but I had to appreciate their dedication.

Nothing happened for ten minutes. Just as they were about to give up, the little planchette slowly started moving.

H-E-L-L-O

Tonya gasped and almost took her fingers away before thinking better of it.

"Who sits among us?" She asked. A pause, and then...

M-U-R-D-E-R-E-R

The other girl started trembling a little, and I chuckled. Good; serves her right. The two boys were grinning and asking the others which one of them was moving it. Both asserted firmly that it wasn't a prank. They asked more stupid questions, wondering if the spirit was a murderer or was murdered. Tonya offered to help it "cross over." There were no more replies, so they gave up. None of them remembered to say goodbye. Pfft, amateurs.

Xander stooped down to pick up the board when a strong breeze blew the candles out and plunged them all into darkness. A strange energy swirled, making me shudder. What was that?

Just then, a female voice floated up from the portal of green light breaming from the floorboards.

"Why did you kill me?" she moaned, and a sorrowful sob followed.

My breath caught in my throat, and my legs threatened to buckle underneath me.

Penelope?

The storm clouds thickened in the sky,

And raindrops splattered in my eyes.

The wind shook even giant trees.

This was more than a summer breeze.

The waters rose, cities went dark.

Hell, I even considered building an ark.

Days went by, it finally passed.

Just when I thought I may not last.

I ventured out into the newfound sun.

Now that the drenching rain was done.

Mud and twigs as far as I can see,

But no damage to my house or me.

Some did not fare as well as I.

Sadly, there were some who tragically died.

To His power, I’ll give a nod.

That I survived, I do thank God!

<font color="red">The Uncles are red-faced and merry, as Grandma is sipping the sherry</font>

<font color="green">The hour's but quarter to seven, and biscuits are starting to leaven</font>

<font color="red">In the tree hangs a cat, quite canny, with tinsel streams from his fanny!

<font color="green">Held in my room I resist, for around my family I musn't exist</font>

<font color="red">Little John tugs the tree to get kitty, sending tinsel en l'air ('tis quite pretty)</font>

<font color="green">And the Christmas tree falls to the ground, sending little sparks all around</font>

<font color="red">Old Aunt Mary with her bad knee, one step, two, she trips over the tree</font>

<font color="green">And sweet Cousin Mini kissed big burly Moe, there they stand under the mistletoe...</font>

<font color="red">Hark, jolly big 'Ma sings merrily, for fallen Aunt & tree isn't sad tragedy!</font>

<font color="green">But there was a box squashed by the tree: a delicate present unfortunately...</font>

<font color="red">The clay owl statue lost its beak; alas, it was an antique.</font>

<font color="green">Pa walks past the tree and grabs a box from the coffee table which holds the rare, precious, unbreakable, identical, triplet-owl-statue from the nearby antique store.</font>

<font color="red">But alas, as good ol'Dad turns around, he falls over Aunt Mary tinsel tangled on the ground.</font>

<font color="green">A gasp escaped from everyone there; on the floor with the owl, Pa's toupee very near!</font>

<font color="red">Till Cousin Brun-Hilda shrieked, "a Rat!" while chucking her heirloom red cloche-hat</font>

<font color="green">And though it was toupee not rat, she struck it quite hard with a bat, and while we looked on, encouraged by song, the owl was purloined by the cat.

<font color="red">Woof! Peewee the dog jumped off the sofa, sniffed and snatched the toupee belongs to ol' Pa</font>

<font color="green">Oh No cried Dad and covered his head, the rest of his face had turned quite red.</font>

<font color="red">Peewee the dog ran out in a flash, burying the toupee with the rest of his stash.</font>

<font color="green">Falling snow on frosty lands, Reflected from the earth below</font>

<font color="red">Arose the fullness of helping hands, bringing joy from where ever they go.</font>

<font color="green">Through freezing ice and burning sand, hearts are bright and all algow.</font>

<font color="red">Young singer's ring Jingle Bells gladly, while chanting out loudly...

<font color="green">Carolers arrive, such a joyous sound, hark what have we here, a man digging up the ground.</font>

<font color="red">In a large hat, Dad mutters and digs, where has that f***ing dog put my wig?</font>

<font color="green">This man needs help, the ground's frozen hard, come on carolers, let's dig up the yard!</font>

<font color="red">The carolers scramble all over the snow, and then one yells "found it!" as she pulls from below...</font>

<font color="green">The carolers clapped and cheered. Then, look! jolly big 'Ma brought them some Christmas treats</font>

<font color="red">Peewee the dog came out of his hiding place behind the wall sheepishly as the carolers began to sing Deck the Halls gracefully</font>

<font color="green">Without noticing the toupe looked worse for wear. Dad plopped it back on his head and presto he had hair.</font>

<font color="red">The yard full of holes, hands like ice, come inside, said Dad, it's warm and nice.</font>

<font color="green">The room filled up with much chat and good cheer, the tree stood askew, the floor had been cleared.</font>

<font color="red">Ahh... well-now, we're ready then perchance, for music and a good-old square-dance?</font>

<font color="green">Square dance sweaty, some romantic winks, food and gifts and loads of drinks.</font>

<font color="red">Everyone danced well into the night, Dad did some breakdancing and gave gran a fright.</font>

<font color="green">After a headspin he was bald once again, but moved into a freeze with a big fat grin.</font>

<font color="red">Then Ma called him into the kitchen, whilst music still made its merry din.</font>

<font color="green">The Uncles on cue began to tease, what should they tell Santa, if you please...?</font>

<font color="red">The kids didn't know what to believe— Bells rang out! and they had to go see.</font>

<font color="green">Outside a figure (much like Pa's), but outfitted in red! It MUST be Santa Claus!!</font>

#HolidayCrambo

Line #

1. The uncles are red-faced and merry, as Grandma is sipping the sherry

2. The hour's but quarter to seven, and biscuits are starting to leaven

3. In the tree hangs a cat, quite canny, with tinsel streams from his fanny!

4. Held in my room I resist, for around my family I musn't exist

5. Little John tugs the tree to get kitty, sending tinsel en l'air ('tis quite pretty)

6. And the Christmas tree falls to the ground, sending little sparks all around

7. Old aunt Mary with her bad knee, one step, two, she trips over the tree

8. And sweet cousin Mini kissed big burly Moe, there they stand under the mistletoe...

9. Hark, jolly big 'Ma sings merrily, for fallen Aunt & tree isn't sad tragedy!

10. But there was a box squashed by the tree: a delicate present unfortunately...

11. The clay owl statue lost its beak; alas, it was an antique.

12. Pa walks past the tree and grabs a box from the coffee table which holds the rare, precious, unbreakable, identical, triplet-owl-statue from the nearby antique store.

13. But alas, as good ol'dad turns around, he falls over Aunt Mary tinsel tangled on the ground.

14. A gasp escaped from everyone there; on the floor with the owl, Pa's toupee very near!

15. Till Cousin Brun-Hilda shrieked, "a Rat!" while chucking her heirloom red cloche-hat

16. And though it was toupee not rat, she struck it quite hard with a bat, and while we looked on, encouraged by song, the owl was purloined by the cat.

17. Woof! Peewee the dog jumped off the sofa, sniffed and snatched the toupee belongs to ol' Pa

18. Oh No cried Dad and covered his head, the rest of his face had turned quite red.

19. Peewee the dog ran out in a flash, burying the toupee with the rest of his stash.

20. Falling snow on frosty lands, Reflected from the earth below

21. Arose the fullness of helping hands, bringing joy from where ever they go.

22. Through freezing ice and burning sand, hearts are bright and all algow.

23. Young singer's ring Jingle Bells gladly, while chanting out loudly...

24. Carolers arrive, such a joyous sound, hark what have we here, a man digging up the ground.

25. In a large hat, Dad mutters and digs, where has that f***ing dog put my wig?

26. This man needs help, the ground's frozen hard, come on carolers, let's dig up the yard!

27. The carolers scramble all over the snow, and then one yells "found it!" as she pulls from below...

28. The carolers clapped and cheered. Then, look! jolly big 'Ma brought them some Christmas treats

29. Peewee the dog came out of his hiding place behind the wall sheepishly as the carolers began to sing Deck the Halls gracefully

30. Without noticing the toupe looked worse for wear. Dad plopped it back on his head and presto he had hair.

31. The yard full of holes, hands like ice, come inside, said Dad, it's warm and nice.

32. The room filled up with much chat and good cheer, the tree stood askew, the floor had been cleared.

33. Ahh... well-now, we're ready then perchance, for music and a good-old square-dance?

34. Square dance sweaty, some romantic winks, food and gifts and loads of drinks.

35. Everyone danced well into the night, dad did some breakdancing and gave gran a fright.

36. After a headspin he was bald once again, but moved into a freeze with a big fat grin.

#HolidayCrambo

"Do you think he's gone?'

"Be quiet. I don't know."

"The screaming stopped at least."

"She's probably dead. There was a lot of blood."

"I hope he doesn't find us. You think he'll look in here?"

"How should I know? But, please stop touching me."

"What are you talking about? I'm not touching you."

"Then who... uuuhhh..."

"Daren? Darren? What's wrong?"

"Darren can't talk right now. He's dead."

"What? No! Shit! No! The door won't open! Please don't kill me! Why are you doing this?"

"If you're quiet and sit still, I won't kill you. I only want your eyes."

"My eyes? What do you mean? I don't understand!"

"They're such a pretty blue. I need them for my collection. Now sit still."

"Aaaaahhhhh......"

I️ live in fear,

Don’t we all?

When the clock hands

Move fast against the wall.

I️ was so afraid of dying,

That I️ became scared of living

And now I️ work fast pace

To the sound of my sighing.

The trees are bare once more

And I️ still haven’t woken,

The world’s still spinning

Just as it was before.

Well what’s the point,

If we only ever speak in rhyme?

The same letters rearranged

In a futile attempt to form something

New and strange.

I am glass

Extremely fragile

Yet sharp

Easily broken

But a fighter

Barely transparent

Still putting up a wall

Love can strike fast

And hit your heart like a grenade blast.

Or love can strike slow

And fill your heart with a warm glow.

No matter where you try to turn

When love strikes, you will feel it burn.

The fire of love runs hot and bright

It fills your eyes with shining light.

Whether the strike is fast or slow

Grab on with both hands and don't let go.