A/N: Hey guys! Welcome to week 3 and the third and final Christmas story! Enjoy! :)
Mr. Grouper was dead. Everyone knew that. His register had been signed. Even Grumpfish had signed it. Grouper was dead as a door-nail, that's for sure.
Mr. Grumpfish knew he was dead. He knew it very well. However, he did not cry when this tragic event happened. Despite the fact they were best friends and partners for many years, he did not cry and go to his funeral. He just went to work in the counting house they had both owned together.
You may be wondering why that is so. Mr. Grumpfish was very grumpy. The cold and heat never seemed to bother him. What did he care about so much you may ask? Why, that would be money. Money, money, money.
Now, let's begin our story. It had been about 7 years since Mr. Grouper had passed on. This day was a day that Mr. Grumpfish hated. It was Christmas Eve. He hated all the joy and happeniess brought upon Bubbletucky. The carols, the laughing, the giving, the getting. Oh, how he hated it!
Outside, the weather was the opposite of the joy. It was very cold, snowy, and foggy. The door was open to the counting house so Mr. Grumpfish could keep a close eye on his worker Mr. Langoustine. The fire in the fireplace was low and could not be bigger because the coal for the fire was in Mr. Grumpfish's room and Mr. Langoustine didn't dare go in. He just put on his jacket and tried to get warm. Suddenly, Mr. Grumpfish heard a cheerful voice.
"Merry Christmas Uncle Grumpfish!" said the voice.
"Bah Humbug!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
His nephew just laughed.
"Very funny! You don't mean that right?" asked the nephew.
"Sure I do! Why be merry? What's so special about Christmas? You're poor enough." said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Why do you need to be so grumpy? You're rich enough." said the nephew.
"Bah Humbug!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Come now uncle. I was only joking. Be happy it's Christmas!" said the nephew.
"Be happy? Listen here Goby, it's just a time of year for paying bills with no money. You're not any richer. Anyone who thinks that Christmas is joyfully and merry ought to have their tongues boiled." said Mr. Grumpfish.
"But Uncle!" begged Goby.
"But Goby! Celebrate Christmas in your own way and I'll celebrate it in mine!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"You don't even like it!" said Goby.
"Just go away and leave me alone then! I hate Christmas!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Christmas gives me joy and and the warm fuzzy feeling. I have so much to love about Christmas. Not just the decorations and the presents but the people you spend it with as well. That's what there is to love about Christmas! God bless it!" said Goby.
Mr. Langoustine clapped at this.
"You make another sound and you'll get the pink slip!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Come now Uncle Grumpfish, join me tomorrow for dinner!" said Goby.
"I will do nothing of that matter! Hey Goby, answer me this. Why did you get married?" asked Mr. Grumpfish.
"I fell in love!" said Goby.
"You fell in love? Ha! How foolish! Good afternoon!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Come tomorrow for dinner!" said Goby.
"Good afternoon!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Why can't we be friends?" asked Goby.
"Good afternoon!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"I'm sorry if I angered you! If I don't see you tomorrow then Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" said Goby.
"Good afternoon!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
Goby hurried away laughing. As he left, 2 lobsters entered.
"Hello! We are here to collect money for the poor! This is Mr. Grouper and Mr. Grumpfish right? I hope you have money!" said the lobsters.
"Ha ha! Very funny! Grouper died 7 years ago! No money for you!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Come now, there must be money for the poor!" said the lobsters.
"Do you have prisons and workhouses? Are they up and running?" asked Mr. Grumpfish.
"Sadly, yes." said the lobsters.
Mr. Grumpfish smiled evilly at this.
"Do you not wish to pay?" asked the lobsters.
"Yes! Go away and leave me alone! I hate Christmas! Get out of my counting house!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
The lobsters nodded and left. The hours went by as the sky darkened and the weather got worse. Mr. Grumpfish heard carolers from time to time come by. Finally, it was time to let his worker go.
"Go on home now." said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Thank you sir!" said Mr. Langoustine.
"Be sure to be back bright and early tomorrow! No excuse for a holiday!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Yes sir!" said Mr. Langoustine.
He hurried away. Mr. Grumpfish decided to close for the night. He locked the door and walked down the snow-covered road. The fog had covered up the whole place but Mr. Grumpfish knew very well where he was going. He arrived at his house. On his door, he saw a familiar face that had never been there before.
"Grouper!" gasped Mr. Grumpfish.
Suddenly, the knocker returned to normal. Mr. Grumpfish shook off his nervous feeling and went inside. He entered his bedroom and started a fire in the fireplace. Hours went by. Suddenly, the bells in his house went off for no reason. This startled Mr. Grumpfish. He then heard the sound of chains being dragged. It seemed to come from his cellar. Now, downstairs. Now, up the stairs, Now, outside his room!
"Humbug!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
It stepped into his room. It was the ghost of Mr. Grouper! His orange skin was a light blue. He was transparent and his eyes seemed not to move. There were chains being held to him and attached to these chains were padlocks, safes, and locked metal boxes.
"What do you want from me? Who are you?" asked Mr. Grumpfish.
"It's me. Your old buddy Grouper." said the ghost.
"Sit down if you can." said Mr. Grumpfish who had suddenly be scared.
Mr. Grouper took a seat in the chair next to him.
"You don't believe in me." said Mr. Grouper.
"Of course not!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"Why not?" asked Mr. Grouper.
"I don't know. Little things affect me. You could be some beef, a slice of cheese, or some gravy on whatever it is you are." said Mr. Grumpfish.
He held up a toothpick.
"Can you see this?" asked Grumpfish.
"Yes." said Grouper.
"How? You're not looking at it!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
"I can see it still." snarked Mr. Grouper.
"You're not real! You're just my imagination! Humbug! Bah humbug!" said Mr. Grumpfish.
Suddenly, the ghost let out a loud cry that shook the whole room! He unwrapped the bandage around his head and his jaw dropped! Mr. Grumpfish dropped to his knees at the ghost.
"Mercy! Mercy! What do you want from me?" asked Mr. Grumpfish.
"Do you believe me not?" asked Mr. Grouper.
"Yes! Yes! I do! Why did you come to me? Why not someone else?" asked Mr. Grumpfish.
"Everyone has a ghost come to him." said Mr. Grouper.
He suddenly cried out and shook at his chain.
"Why do you have a chain on you?" asked Grumpfish.
"Due to my greedy attitude, after my death, I was forced to wear these chains forever and forever. You are 7 times worse!" said Mr. Grouper.
"But you're so good in business!" said Grumpfish.
"Forget about business! Think about people! I am tormented most around this time of year because of the joy and happeniess about Christmas! You can be changed however. You have a chance." said Grouper.
"How?" asked Grumpfish.
"You will be visited by 3 ghosts. Listen to them! They will come tonight!" said Grouper.
"Thank you so much!" said Grumpfish as he tried to hug the ghost.
Mr. Grouper went over to the window and Mr. Grumpfish followed. They both looked out. Flying all around were wailing ghosts of people that Mr. Grumpfish had known in the past. They were forever miserable. Mr. Grumpfish was scared. He wanted to run away but he just watched. Suddenly, they all disappeared including Mr. Grouper. Mr. Grumpfish wanted to say "Humbug!" but now he could not for some reason. He just put out the fire and went to bed.
A/N: Ooh! Who do you think will be the first ghost to come? How do you like the story so far? Leave a review! Come back tomorrow for more! Bye! :)