A/N: Hey guys! Welcome to week 3 and the third and final Christmas story! Enjoy! :)
Mayor Goodway was dead. Everyone knew that. Her register had been signed. Even Humdinger had signed it. Goodway was dead as a door-nail, that's for. Humdinger knew she 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 her funeral. He just went to work in the counting house they had both owned together.
You may be wondering why that is so. Mayor Humdinger 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 Mayor Goodway had passed on. This day was a day that Mayor Humdinger hated. It was Christmas Eve. He hated all the joy and brought upon Adventure Bay. 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 Mayor Humdinger could keep a close eye on his worker Mr. Porter. The fire in the fireplace was low and could not be bigger because the coal for the fire was in Mayor Humdinger's room and Mr. Porter didn't dare go in. He just put on his jacket and tried to get warm. Suddenly, Mayor Humdinger heard a cheerful voice.
"Merry Christmas Uncle Humdinger!" said the voice.
"Bah Humbug!" said Mayor Humdinger.
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 Mayor Humdinger.
"Why do you need to be so grumpy? You're rich enough." said the nephew.
"Bah Humbug!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Come now uncle. I was only joking. Be happy it's Christmas!" said the nephew.
"Be happy? Listen here Rocky, 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 Mayor Humdinger.
"But Uncle!" begged Rocky.
"But Rocky! Celebrate Christmas in your own way and I'll celebrate it in mine!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"You don't even like it!" said Rocky.
"Just go away and leave me alone then! I hate Christmas!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"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 Rocky.
Mr. Porter clapped at this.
"You make another sound and you'll get the pink slip!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Come now Uncle Humdinger, join me tomorrow for dinner!" said Rocky.
"I will do nothing of that matter! Hey Rocky, answer me this. Why did you get married?" asked Mayor Humdinger.
"I fell in love!" said Rocky.
"You fell in love? Ha! How foolish! Good afternoon!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Come tomorrow for dinner!" said Rocky.
"Good afternoon!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Why can't we be friends?" asked Rocky.
"Good afternoon!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"I'm sorry if I angered you! If I don't see you tomorrow then Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!" said Rocky.
"Good afternoon!" said Mayor Humdinger.
Rocky hurried away laughing. As he left, 2 men entered.
"Hello! We are here to collect money for the poor! This is Mayor Goodway and Mayor Humdinger right? I hope you have money!" said the men.
"Ha ha! Very funny! Goodway died 7 years ago! No money for you!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Come now, there must be money for the poor!" said the men.
"Do you have prisons and workhouses? Are they up and running?" asked Mayor Humdinger.
"Sadly, yes." said the men.
Mayor Humdinger smiled evilly at this.
"Do you not wish to pay?" asked the men.
"Yes! Go away and leave me alone! I hate Christmas! Get out of my counting house!" said Mayor Humdinger.
The men nodded and left. The hours went by as the sky darkened and the weather got worse. Mayor Humdinger heard carolers from time to time come by. Finally, it was time to let his worker go.
"Go on home now." said Mayor Humdinger.
"Thank you sir!" said Mr. Porter.
"Be sure to be back bright and early tomorrow! No excuse for a holiday!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Yes sir!" said Mr. Porter.
He hurried away. Mayor Humdinger 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. Humdinger 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.
"Goodway!" gasped Mayor Humdinger.
Suddenly, the knocker returned to normal. Mayor Humdinger 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 Mayor Humdinger. 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 Mayor Humdinger.
It stepped into his room. It was the ghost of Mayor Goodway! Her brown skin was a light blue. She was transparent and her eyes seemed not to move. There were chains being held to her and attached to these chains were padlocks, safes, and locked metal boxes.
"What do you want from me? Who are you?" asked Mayor Humdinger.
"It's me. Your old buddy Goodway." said the ghost.
"Sit down if you can." said Mayor Humdinger who had suddenly be scared.
Mayor Goodway took a seat in the chair next to him.
"You don't believe in me." said Mayor Goodway.
"Of course not!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"Why not?" asked Mayor Goodway.
"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 Mayor Humdinger.
He held up a toothpick.
"Can you see this?" asked Humdinger.
"Yes." said Goodway.
"How? You're not looking at it!" said Mayor Humdinger.
"I can see it still." snarked Mayor Goodway.
"You're not real! You're just my imagination! Humbug! Bah humbug!" said Mayor Humdinger.
Suddenly, the ghost let out a loud cry that shook the whole room! She unwrapped the bandage around her head and her jaw dropped! Mayor Humdinger dropped to his knees at the ghost.
"Mercy! Mercy! What do you want from me?" asked Mayor Humdinger.
"Do you believe me not?" asked Mayor Goodway.
"Yes! Yes! I do! Why did you come to me? Why not someone else?" asked Mayor Humdinger.
"Everyone has a ghost come to him." said Mayor Goodway.
She suddenly cried out and shook at her chain.
"Why do you have a chain on you?" asked Humdinger.
"Due to my greedy attitude, after my death, I was forced to wear these chains forever and forever. You are 7 times worse!" said Mayor Goodway.
"But you're so good in business!" said Humdinger.
"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 Goodway.
"How?" asked Humdinger.
"You will be visited by 3 ghosts. Listen to them! They will come tonight!" said Goodway.
"Thank you so much!" said Humdinger as he tried to hug the ghost.
Mayor Goodway went over to the window and Mayor Humdinger followed. They both looked out. Flying all around were wailing ghosts of people that Mayor Humdinger had known in the past. They were forever miserable. Mayor Humdinger was scared. He wanted to run away but he just watched. Suddenly, they all disappeared including Mayor Goodway. Mayor Humdinger 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! :)