Tis the Season to be jolly, Tis the season to be jolly the elves kept singing in my ear as I decorated the tree. Standing there I put each ornament on while smiling as I glanced at my reflection in the mirror. My grandma stood by the tree holding cookies as she gave out a jolly laugh. The ornaments were grandmas prized possession. Each year should would carefully pick out certain ones to fit her color scheme for the holiday. Looking at the tree closely I noticed something odd with the ornaments, they appeared to have faces. Moving in closer I saw a mouth open and it quickly sucked me in. In horror I began screaming as my sister hit me waking me up.
Vivan! wake up! its Christmas Eve and we need to get ready to go to the Ella vineyard to visit grandma for Christmas. The more she shook me out of my bed, I could feel my eyes rolling into the back of my head. I don’t know why she is so excited about going to the vineyard to see grandma. Our parents had long passed many years and it was just my sister and I. As she kept screaming about we needed to go, all I could think about was reaching up and grabbing her tiny throat and choking her for waking me up. As I arose from my bed, I turned to look out my window and I could see the snow falling softly like rose petals from a old stem. I hated the thought of going to grandmas but she was all we had left. Every time we had to go she wanted us to bring a stupid ornament for her tree. If it wasn’t for my sister I would of have never went. But this year was different because grandma lost grandpa last year and we didn’t want her to spend Christmas by herself. After my visual of choking my sister disappeared I was ready to see grandma.
Gathering my thoughts I put on a black shirt, jeans,and went down downstairs to see my sister waiting on the couch. She was dressed in her usual Santa decor she had on a bright red sweater, jeans, red hat, and bright green boots. “Come on silly! are you ready yet!’ she yelled as my face went from Oprah to Marilyn Manson in minutes. I told her make sure she didn’t forget the ornament for grandmas tree. Every year she adds a different ornament to the tree as a memory of mom and dad. Thinking back to our Christmas with my parents, All I could think of is how mom used to make the best gingerbread cookies and how they smelled up the whole house. I would spend the whole day twirling by the Christmas tree and singing my favorite songs. The memory faded as I gathered my bags and headed out the door, I took one glance at my parents wedding picture resting on the mantel by the fire place then a tear rolled down cheek when I shut the door.
Riding with my sister is the worst thing in the world. She sings every song that comes on the radis as if there is an audition for American Idol in the car. Her singing terrifies me to my bones. “Vivian, she says to me. “I brought a new ornament for grandmas tree, I hope she likes it.” I told my sister that the ornament can’t be new it has to be one from the tree mom has. “Grandma won’t even know the difference.” she says. Even though grandma is the classic apron and baking housewife much about her is unknown to us. Mom only said so many things about grandma but we never knew where she grew up or what exactly happened to grandpa. Its all a mystery to us but this time I plan on finding out more about grandma.
As we ride through the mountains darkness falls as we approach grandmas vineyard. The vineyard has been a source of wealth for the family and has been passed down from generation to generation. My grandmother hardly speaks of the history of the vineyard. When we arrive at my grandma house I could see her window lit up with colors of amber and candles resting in the eyes of the windows. The Christmas tree glows through the window as I stop to park the car. Excitedly my sister jumps out the car, almost tripping over her own feet running to grandmas door. Just like out of a movie grandma opens the door with her apron on with a tray full of chocolate chip cookies. As she ushers us in I could smell pumpkin bread and all kinds of sweet spices racing past my nose. Coming through the door I saw a pitcher of egg not sitting on the table. I told grandma she always makes the best egg nog and in a blink of an eye she poured me a cup. Delighted, I sipped slow as if I had all the time in the world. “Grandma I brought your ornament a new one see!” my sister screamed. Grandma loved it and hung it up on the tree. She reminded us it was late and that we should hurry upstairs to our room for the night. We got up to the room and flicked on the light and it was like going back to my childhood. She had the bed made up with pretty pinks and greens. The ivory vanity was there with a comb and brush just as I sat as a little girl. Taken back by the room, I sat at that vanity and combed my hair smiling in the mirror.
As I slept in my bed, I dreamed of mom and dad watching me open my gifts. My sleep was so good, I awoke in my bed. Hmm, I thought it was morning but it was still night so I crept down stairs to get another glass of grandmas good egg nog. As I gently came down the stairs I could here grandma talking. As I got closer I was wondering was their a visitor but I didn’t see anybody. I just seen grandma talking to the Christmas tree cussing it out. “Damn you children you have been so very bad shhhhh you have to be on your best behavior so they won’t find out!” Moving closer to hear what she was saying I could see tears coming from the ornaments, they were all crying. Wiping my eyes in disbelief, I started to creep back up the stairs and as I turned to go back up grandma was standing behind me. She said to me” You nosy bitch, hmm you just couldn’t stay away.” My sister by then had awoke and seen grandma with her hands around my neck. She screamed for grandma to let go but she wouldn’t. “Grandma No!” screaming at the top of her lungs.
As my eyes rolled back in my head filling with blood I could feel every breathe leave my body. My hands trembled with fear. I leaned back a little while my feet dangled like a lifeless doll. Eyes swelling up with tears, I began to think about my parents. Staring deep into grandma eyes, I could see no love within her soul. My fear became real as her gripped tightened on my neck. In my mind I was screaming but I couldn’t hear my own voice as she grabbed harder. The voice of my sister distracted her and i felt her hand release my throat as she threw me against the wall. Grandma charged after my sister as she ran away screaming in fear. Rolling on the floor I tried to think of what to do next but grandma was moving so fast my sister was losing her steps along the way. Listening to my sisters voice screaming begging grandma to stop. She just ran faster and as i heard my sister body hit the floor I heard glass break then a crackle.
Grandma came back to me as my body lay to the floor. Her apron was dripping in blood and she said your sister was always a loud stupid bitch. She then said, “The idiot jumped out the window.” Crying inside I wonder if she was dead or not. The tears couldn’t come down my face quick enough before I heard her footsteps approaching me. She grabbed me by the hair and drug me over to the tree, pieces of wood from the floor pierced my back. I screamed so loud as I trembled but I knew nobody could hear me. Panicking, “Oh God she is going to kill me.” Screaming as she wrapped my hair in her fist she hung me up by the chimney. Feeling all the blood rushing through my body I just cried, asking her to please stop. As she stood by the tree the ornaments started to moan and cry again. This time I could hear them call my name Vivian, that’s when grandma laughed like a evil witch. She told me that my mother and father bodies were made into ornaments in the tree. Then grandma laughed so loud her eyes turned red and green and she said Merry Christmas bitch.The fire place went into a blaze as I kept screaming I could see out to the living room but I felt trapped and then I realized she turned me into a ornament on the tree.
Up Next: Run
Livia Flair 