The Grinch Who Stole Hanukah

Shane sighs.

"What's wrong?" I ask, approaching my older brother.

He looks at me. "I'm depressed."

"Why? It's Hanukkah."

"Exactly!"

"Hanukkah makes you depressed?"

"No, it's just that it's the last day of Hanukkah, and that makes me depressed."

"We still get presents, though."

"I know. But then tomorrow we have to take down the decorations. And then no more presents until… Christmas."

"Ah, yes, because Christmas is just so far away from now."

"I know!" Shane exclaims. "We have to wait a whole day!"

"Goodness gracious trumpets, how will we ever go on living?" I roll my eyes and walk away.

"I don't know!" Shane calls out after me.

That night for dinner, we ate this really good Star of David pasta my mum bought for us. We also at Matzo Ball soup and Challah bread.

Once we were all finished eating, we went into the formal room where our menorahs are and said a prayer before lighting our last candle.

I was just lighting my candles when I heard Shane yell, "Fuck!"

I looked over to my left, only to see that he had knocked over his menorah and Jason's, and the table had caught on fire. This caught the decorations on fire, as well.

"Shit!" I exclaimed, running into the panty. I grabbed the fire extinguisher and sprayed it everywhere.

The white foam was all around our formal area – on the table, the wall, Shane… (I just realized how dirty that sounds.)

And then I saw our unopened presents. They were burnt. The table was burnt. The decorations were burnt. Everyone was silent. My parents didn't move, my brothers didn't speak. Everything was ruined. And it was all Shane's fault.

I glare at my brother. Tears started forming in my eyes. "Shane, you ruined Hanukkah." I set the fire extinguisher down and run up to my room.

I slam my door and sit on my bed.

There is a knock my door.

"Who is it?" I ask.

"Shane," the voice says.

I look down at the floor. "Go away," I sneer.

Two minutes later there is another knock.

"I said," I called out, "go away!"

Whoever it was ignores me, because he comes walking in the room. "Nate, you can't be mad at Shane. It wasn't his fault."

Jason.

"Of course it was," I said as Jason sits down on my bed.

He shakes his head. "No. It wasn't. You know Shane is a klutz. He can't help it."

I sigh. "Everything's ruined now."

"But we're still family. And we have each other."

I look at him and raise my eyebrows. "That was so completely and utterly cheesy."

Jason rolls his eyes. "Point is, we're still a family, which means everything isn't ruined. So come downstairs and we can still light your menorah and celebrate."

"No," I say stubbornly. "It is ruined. The whole dining room is burnt. All of our presents are burnt. Shane ruined it. Shane's the Grinch who stole… Hanukkah."

Jason stands up. "Fine. Stay here all alone. But then you're going to be the Grinch who stole Hanukkah." He walks away and shuts the door.

I lay down on my bed. Me? The Grinch who stole Hanukkah? No, that was Shane. He's the one who almost burnt our house down.

I close my eyes and hear my brothers laughing downstairs. My parents are chatting softly.

The last thing I want to hear right now is the laughter of children.

Why? Because I'm in a dark and twisty mood.

But the laughing won't go out of my head.

They're playing Twister because I hear Jason say, "Shane! Left foot on green! That's your right, you idiot! You're half Asian, you should know that!"

I roll over on my stomach and put a pillow over my head.

The laughing is still stuck inside my head.

Ten minutes later and I can't stand it anymore. I get out of bed and walk down the stairs. I walk into the living room and see all three of my brothers playing Twister. Frankie is in an awkward position, wrapped around Shane, and Jason is the spinner.

Jason smiles. "Come join our game of Twister, Nate!"

I stand there. It's Hanukkah – the greatest time of year – and I was up in my room being emo, while my brothers were down here having fun playing a game. And they just forgave me for having a temper tantrum and asked me to play with them.

So I start crying.

Crying.

Crying.

Because I'm the Grinch who stole Hanukkah.

A\N: Happy Hanukkah, everyone! I meant to put this up at sundown, but I totally forgot. Oh, and the "Goodness gracious trumpets" thing is a little inside joke with my band.