A/N:

OK, I know I said I would update by Friday or Saturday, but I forgot so, I'm very sorry you had to wait a little while longer!

Thank you for the kind reviews!!

Enjoy Chapter 2! :)

It was dark outside now. Snow feel from the grey clouds that hovered over London, as the snow gently settled on the already snow-covered ground. Simon was still at his desk, still busily working. Alvin was also at his desk, but he, unlike Simon, was getting tired of work. He looked at the grandfather clock in the corner of the cold room; it read 5:00p.m.

Alvin Crachit could now go home. But, he still had to ask Simon Scrooge something he desperately wanted; a day off Christmas day. He put the document he was working on into his desk draw, grabbed his scarf and coat and then put them on. The nervous chipmunk slowly walked over to the desk where Scrooge was working. Simon glanced at Alvin through his overall glasses he was wearing with no expression on his face.

"And would do you want, Crachit?" Simon asked as he looked back down at his work. "It's quitting time; you may now leave me in peace"

"I know, Mr. Scrooge" Alvin replied, quietly. "I was just wondering about tomorrow..." Alvin trailer off.

"Yes, you will be in tomorrow at normal time" Simon said in a strict tone.

"But, Mr. Scrooge tomorrow is Christmas day..." Alvin tried to explain.

"Very well. Be here on time at 12o'clock" Simon did not look up Alvin.

"If you may, Mr. Scrooge, I see no reason why the counting house should stay open"

Simon slowly looked up at Alvin, not believing what he was hearing. But he wanted to hear more...

"Go on" Simon pressed Alvin.

"Well, not many businesses will be open and, therefore, you will not have any business to deal with"

He had a fair point, Scrooge thought.

"And, not opening the counting house will save money on coal..."

"Humbug, Crachit!" Mr. Scrooge was standing now. "We do not use coal"

"Oh, yes, of course but, you do see what I mean, do you Mr. Scrooge?" Alvin asked his face hopeful.

The chipmunk sat back down in his seat and looked at Alvin.

"I do," Simon said. "Take the day off, be gone with you!"

Alvin Crachit was over the moon.

"Oh, thank you Mr. Scrooge! You are the most generous, most loving..."

"Leave before I change my mind!" Simon shouted angrily at the happy chipmunk.

Alvin jumped and hurriedly ran to the door.

"Be here early on time the day after Christmas day!" Simon shouted at Alvin as Alvin left and shut the door leaving Simon in the room, alone.

*

Simon closed the counting room door at 9:00p.m. The streets were empty, the air was cold, the moon was out. It was still snowing. Simon liked it when it was empty on the streets; no one but himself and himself, alone.

He arrived at his empty and dark house fifteen minutes later. He climbed up the stone steps and searched for his keys in his coat pocket. But just as Simon found his keys, the door handle on his front door started to transform. The gargoyle head that was once the door handle was now replaced by a very familiar and terrifying face that Scrooge remembers...

"Jacob...Jacob Marley?" Simon said, not believing what he was seeing.

"Scrooooooooge" The handle painlessly whispered.

Simon took off his overall glasses, whipped them and placed them back on. Marley's face was gone, the gargoyle's face was back. I must be seeing things, Scrooge thought tiredly.

"Humbug" Scrooge said as he entered his house.

When Scrooge entered his house, he lit a candle and climbed the stairs to his master bedroom. The house was quiet and dark. Scrooge was used to this by now and would have climbed the stairs with no candle in his hand but, still a little shaken but what he saw, the chipmunk thought it was a better idea to have a candle handy.

Scrooge was washed, brushed his teeth and dressed in his night gown in no less than twenty minutes. He was now sitting in his favourite armchair in his bedroom, eating his super (which was bread and water) enjoying the quiet. Just as Scrooge at his last bite, he heard a tap at his bedroom door. He got up and opened the door; nothing was there. He sat back down.

"Scrooge" he heard someone say.

"Go away!" The scared chipmunk shouted. "I warn you; you are breaking an entry!"

"Scroooge!" The voice was louder now.

"I said, go away!"

And at that moment, a man in chains stood before Simon. He was wearing a prisoners uniform, chains all over him. He had a faint glow around him and he looked very familiar to Simon...

"Marley?" Simon said, inspecting the man. "Jacob Marley? Is that you?"

"Yes, it is me; your old partner, Jacob Marley" Marley replied, his voice distant.

"Marley, it's great to see you, old friend-" Simon was happy to see his old partner. He was the happiest he had been in a long time. But Marley cut off his friends' happiness.

"Simon!" Marley said, angrily. "Do you remember how I swindled the poor and the homeless?"

"Yes, I do, friend" Scrooge replied, a little surprised by Marley's outburst. "Oh, you were so good at it, dear friend"

"No!" Marley shouted at the chipmunk before him. "I was wrong! And as punishment, I have to carry these chains for an eternity!" Marley gestured to the chains around him and on him. "And the same will happen to you, Simon Scrooge!" Marley was now pointing at Simon who was sitting, unmoving in his seat.

"No, it mustn't!" Simon said desperately, looking at Marley's chains that covered him and feel to the ground. "Help me, old friend!"

"Tonight you will be haunted by three spirits" Marley explained. "Listen to them, do as they say!"

"I will" Simon replied. Marley was disappearing.

"Expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one" Marley continued to say.

"Couldn't I take 'em all at once, and have it over, Jacob?" Simon asked his dear old friend, who he could hardly see. "I've had enough of this spirits nonsense." But Marley said only one sentence of no comfort what so ever:

"Expect the first ghost when the bell tolls one" Marley had completely disappeared, leaving Scrooge alone in his bedroom.

A/N:

This chapter is much longer than the first one! Yay! OK, so I watched the "Muppets Christmas Carol" today 9which was on TV) and I asked "When did Charles Dickens write this story" and my mom answered "Read the book. It's around this house someone" I was shocked because I did not know I had the book! LOL I read some of it and I got some ideas from the book.

I hope to have this story complete by Christmas Eve!

(How cool would that be to finish a day before Christmas Day!?)

Hope you enjoyed this chapter!

I will post Chapter 3 once I have some reviews so, please review!

Thank You!!!