Chapter Six- Christmas Day
Scrooge fell for only a brief moment before he felt something soft and warm. He looked up and stood up on his knees and looked around in amazement.
"I'm home." He realized. He chuckled lightly and got out of bed, looking around and realizing with joy that nothing had changed yet. The bed posts were his own, the bed was his own, the room was his own. No spirits or anything was left of last night. The one thing that made Scrooge even happier was the he knew his life lay before him, and he could be changed.
"I will live my life in the past, present and the future!" Scrooge told no one in particular. "Oh Jacob Marley!" Scrooge knelt to the ground. "Oh Heavenly Christmas bless this day. Jacob Marley I hope you know I have changed! I say it on my knees!" He noticed his bed curtains. "They're not torn down. They're still here, everything's here! I'm here! Oh, it's a miracle!" Scrooge walked off and got a good look at himself in the mirror, but continued. "I don't know what to do. I'm as light as a feather! I'm as happy as an angel! I'm as merry as a school boy!" Scrooge hurried to his window and threw it open. It was snowing lightly, and he looked down to see the young rabbit boy he had thrown a wreath at the previous day. "You there, boy!" he called down.
The boy looked up. "Me? Uh, I mean, me sir?"
"What's today?" Scrooge asked.
"Pardon?" the boy asked.
"What's today my dear fellow?" Scrooge repeated.
"Today?" The boy smiled. "Why it's Christmas Day!"
"I haven't missed it." Scrooge cried. "The spirits did it in one night! They can do that you know." Scrooge laughed. "But of course they can! They can do anything they'd like!"
"Of course they can!" The boy agreed, smiling.
"Do you know the poultry shop in the next street?" Scrooge asked.
"Yes, sir, I do!" the boy said.
"A bright young lad." Scrooge said. "A remarkable boy." The boy seemed to blush. "You know the large turkey in the window?"
"The one larger than me?" the boy asked. "It's still there!"
"I very much enjoy talking to you." Scrooge said. "Go and buy it!"
"Be serious." The boy said.
"I am being serious." Scrooge said. "Buy it for me and I'll give you a shilling." Scrooge grabbed a small bag of money. "No, five shillings." He tossed the bag to the boy. Excited, he was off like a shot, determined to do Scrooge's task.
Scrooge closed his window. "I'll bring it to Bob Cratchit's house." He told himself. "What a surprise it'll be. It's twice the size of Tiny Tim!" And a few moments later, Scrooge was dressed in his good clothes and out the door, wishing everyone he passed a Merry Christmas. Everyone was out and about, and they were very surprised, but they started to like what they called the "New Scrooge".
Scrooge came across the otter and iguana that had come to him for donations.
"Oh, Mr. Scrooge!" the otter cried. The iguana hid behind his partner.
"Just the gentlemen I'd like to see!" Scrooge said. "About that donation, put me down for…" Scrooge leaned down and whispered something in the otter's ear, the iguana listening.
The otter's eyes widened. "That much?"
"Not a penny less." Scrooge insisted.
"Why, thank you!" The otter said. "I just wish we had something for you!" The iguana suddenly perked up and gave Scrooge his red scarf.
Scrooge seemed overwhelmed, but smiled as he took the scarf and put it on. "Thank you."
"Here's your turkey, Mr. Scrooge!" the bunny boy said, carrying an enormous turkey in his arms.
"Follow me, lad!" Scrooge ordered as they walked off. Suddenly, there was a shrill scream and a strange force knocked Scrooge to the ground.
"Oh!" came a small voice. "Please forgive me Mr. Scrooge!"
Scrooge laughed as he stood up. He was now covered in snow. "Not at all! Let me help you." But he looked at the girl that had fallen on him and he noticed something. For one thing, she was a snake. She had a candle extinguisher in her tail and a small brown hat on her head. But her eyes were familiar.
"I'm so sorry." The lamp girl (Viper/Ghost of Christmas Past) said again. "I was just putting out a lamp and I slipped.
"It's alright." Scrooge said. "Have we met?"
"I don't believe so." The lamp girl said.
"Well, anyhow, Merry Christmas!" Scrooge said. "Enjoy yourself!" Scrooge walked off, the boy following. The lamp girl smiled broadly and watched as Scrooge accidently tripped over a beggar's foot.
"My bad, Mr. Scrooge." The beggar said. Scrooge recognized the beggar as well. He was a snow leopard dressed in tattered and torn up gray clothing.
"Don't I know you?" Scrooge asked.
"I can't say." The beggar (Tai Lung/ Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come) said. "But everyone knows you."
"Well, I'm sorry for the kick." Scrooge gave the beggar a small bag of money and walked off. The lamp girl slithered up to the beggar.
"He's learned." The lamp girl said.
"Indeed he has." The beggar agreed. They disappeared in twin puffs of smoke.
Scrooge continued on until he was at a market. He didn't notice a young man come out with a large crate of apples until the two collided.
"Sorry, Mr. Scrooge!" the man said.
This time, Scrooge was beside himself with laughter. The man was a panda!
"Now I know we've met!" Scrooge cried.
"I'm simply a market clerk." The clerk (Po/Ghost of Christmas Present) said. "How can I help you?"
"I need some presents for friends and food for a feast." Scrooge said. "Care to help me?" The clerk seemed confused, but happily helped Scrooge out. He even helped Scrooge carry his things around.
Then, Scrooge walked about the town, giving some food to a poor family and much more. He went to see Fred and Clara, giving them each a gift and telling his nephew he'd be at the dinner that night after visiting with some friends. Fred was a bit dumbfounded at first, but he played along. Scrooge then visited Fezziwig and Headmaster Victor, both of whom were old men in a retirement home. They received their gifts as well, quite confused by Scrooge's sudden happiness. Scrooge even went back to his bank and set out small buckets of coal for his bookkeepers the next morning.
Soon, he was at Bob Cratchit's door. The clerk had left, but Scrooge never noticed the spirit in disguise as he disappeared like his kin. The boy who had the turkey, and a few other folks from town that had the rest of the feast, were with him. Scrooge shushed them and shooed them away, a clear sign that told them to hide so Scrooge could surprise Bob. Everyone hid as Scrooge knocked on the door. He composed himself and put on a scowl.
"Bob Cratchit!" he yelled.
Bob Cratchit opened his door slowly and looked out, looking quite intimidated by seeing his boss on his doorstep. "Uh…..Mr. Scrooge!" Bob stuttered nervously.
"So here you are." Scrooge growled. "You, sir, were not at work this morning as we had discussed."
"But, sir, we did discuss it." Bob insisted, coming out to the doorstep. "It's Christmas Day; you gave me and the bookkeepers the day off."
"I?" Scrooge snarled. "I, Ebenezer Scrooge? Would I do such a thing?"
"Uh…no!" Bob stuttered. "I mean…yes…but….uh….sir….you…"
"Bob Cratchit I have had my fill of this." Scrooge said.
Emily suddenly marched out, flinging the door open in the process. "And I have had my fill of you, Mr. Ebenezer Scrooge!" she shouted.
"Emily!" Bob hissed.
"And therefore, Bob Cratchit…." Scrooge started.
"And therefore you can leave this house at once!" Emily ordered. "We don't need your wicked old self at our house on Christmas!"
"And therefore I'm about to raise your salary!" Scrooge shouted.
"And I'm going to raise you right off this doorstep if you-" Emily suddenly stopped. "Pardon?"
"Pardon?" Bob asked.
"Yes, Bob." Scrooge assured. "Raise your salary, and pay the mortgage off this house."
Bob was stunned. "Uh, won't you come in, Mr. Scrooge." Scrooge walked in and saw Peter, Belinda, and Tiny Tim, all who crowded around.
"Bob Cratchit would you and your family do me the honor in joining me for a turkey dinner this fine Christmas morning?" Scrooge offered. "Merry Christmas, Bob." Scrooge stood aside as the folks and the boy came in with the food. The Cratchit's were ecstatic. Scrooge then remembered his nephew Fred and sent the rabbit boy to fetch him and Clara. The dinner was fantastic. Tiny Tim, who did not die, looked at Scrooge as a second father.
After the dinner and everyone going home, Scrooge announced that he had something else for Bob.
"Please, sir, you've done plenty." Bob said gratefully.
"This is for your family." Scrooge insisted. So they gathered around the fireplace as Scrooge rummaged thru a small bag. "For Mrs. Emily Cratchit." Emily took the package and found a beautiful pearl necklace inside. Scrooge had gifts for everyone. Peter received a book, Moby Dick. Belinda got a pretty little doll. Tiny Tim was given a small, chocolate brown teddy bear.
"And, Bob, your present, apart from the raise, is a promotion." Scrooge said. "Starting tomorrow, you will be my partner."
"Partner?" Bob asked, almost fainting from shock.
"I've needed one for quite some time." Scrooge insisted. Everyone laughed. Then, there was a knock at the door. Bob answered it.
"Why come in Ms. Mary!" he cried.
Peter's face seemed to pale as a pretty young red panda walked in. She carried a colorfully wrapped present in her hands.
"Good evening, Peter." Mary said.
"Hi, Mary." Peter swooned. Mary gave Peter the present, and he opened it to find another book, this one by one of his favorite authors. "Thanks." Peter said. When Mary turned to greet the rest of the girls, Scrooge pushed an extra present he had in the bag into Peter's hands. Peter nodded and gave the gift to Mary. It was a beautiful lavender flower charm on a pretty gold chain. Mary hugged Peter, who looked like he was going to melt.
And, as Tiny Tim observed, "God bless us, every one."
THE END!
