The day Gladys lost her parents, she embraced science, unconsciously believing that it would never leave her. So she became one of, if not the, smartest people in the country. But that didn't stop her from being one of the most miserable people in the country.

Enough of that, we must get back to the story. You know, the one you're reading this for? The one I'm supposed to be telling you? Yeah, that one! Let's get back to that.


After Gladys had finished up her late night work, she started walking home again. She didn't have to walk very far, no, the town itself was only a few miles wide. But she didn't notice that all of the blinds and curtains in the houses' windows were still closed, waiting for her to go by.

When she got to her house, she didn't even have to unlock the door because her door locks check the faces of the individuals, keys are for practical people. But you don't need to know what lock her door has, no that would make this story too long, you need to know what she did in the house.

Well, the first thing she did was walk upstairs into her bedroom and change into one of her new suits from her identical wardrobe. As she was walking to her bed, a spirit appeared.

"Hello." The spirit said to her, looking her directly into her eyes.

"Okay, whoever's pulling this prank, you can turn off the projector now." See, Gladys did not believe spirits existed, or souls for that matter, so she thought this was just an expensive practical joke. Even though it was not.

"Oh this is no prank, I assure you." To this, Gladys rolled her eyes and looked like she was going to say 'Like I'd believe a projection', but she did not. "I have come to tell you: You will be visited by four spirits tonigh-oh, that list includes me, hmm, not very helpful... Okay, forget I said that, I'll start again."

"Don't bother, I'm not going to listen to anything you have to say either way." She waved her hand at the wall and a chair folded out of it. Which she sat in.

"Oh! Your walls can do that? Can I have one two? No no, forget it, I'm getting sidetracked." Just to mess with him, she waved her hand again and another chair folded out of the wall for him.

"Oh, thank you." He said this as he sat in the chair. "Now, I've come here to tell you: Tonight, you will be visited by three ghosts of Christmas, and you must listen to them intently if you do not want to just become a footnote in the grand scheme of things." The spirit looked very pleased with himself. "There, I said it! Wait, almost forgot, goodbye!" At this, the spirit disappeared and she told the wall to fold back in.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Someone's getting fired tomorrow, I just need to figure out who." Is what she said as she got into her bed, looking very displeased.

She didn't sleep very soundly, tossing and turning all night, don't you hate it when that happens? You just get disturbed by something and even your subconscious is thinking about it as you sleep. So very uncomfortable. Well, the story must continue, no matter what interesting thing we must interrupt. Onwards!

When Gladys woke up, she did what she always does when she wakes up, she checked her Aperture Science Multipurpose Time Keeper hanging on her wall. What it said surprised her.

"Good morning Gladys, Johnson, you have slept for 28 Hours, 17 Minutes, 49 Seconds. We hope you enjoy your day."

"...That can't be right..." She said as she got up and faced the door.

"Fact: It is." Said the spirit everyone predicted that had just appeared behind her.

"Again? Okay, whoever you are, you are now going to test the new Adhesion Gel" She said as her face burned with intense fury and hatred, if any normal person saw the Ultimate Death Glare that she was making, they would have cowered and whimpered like a little dog who just disappointed their master. The spirit did not.

"Fact: This is not a prank. The Spirit you see before is known as the Ghost of Christmas Past." The spirit said, with a perfect calm on his face.

"Yeah, right. And my name is-" She was suddenly cut off by nine-year-old sounding squeals of joy coming from downstairs.

"Fact: The spirit you see before you is responsible for the happenings downstairs. Shall we go?" The spirit said, with an air of superiority.

"..." She was speechless for once in her life as they emerged from the stairway.

"Daddy, Mommy! Look what santa brought me!"

"Yup, you gonna test that bike outside, or what?"

"Not yet! I haven't finished unwrapping my gifts! And you haven't unwrapped the ones I gave you, either!"

"Okay, kiddo, me and Caroline will open our presents now." Then the sound of wrapping paper ripping filled the room.

"See Mom, see Dad? I got you guys pictures! I saved up my allowance to get them, do you like them?" The little nine-year-old asked her parents, holding pictures of them with 'Best Dad/Mom Ever' written on the bottom, with a happiness in her eyes that would more suit a puppy given a giant slab of bacon. That is the level of happiness we are talking about here.

"We love them, sweetie. Here is your present from us." Her mom said, as she handed the little girl a box that rattled when shanken.

She gasped as she tore the paper open. "A science kit? THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!" The girl screeched, as she pounced onto her parents, enveloping them in a gigantic hug.

Then all of the decorations, the people, and the presents faded away as an almost empty room was left almost empty.

"Why did you show me that?" Gladys asked the spirit, with sadness written all over her face.

"Fact: The Ghost of Christmas Past showed Gladys what she used to be like during Christmas." The spirit said with sadness in his voice, though that was the only clue as to how he was truly feeling.

And then the spirit faded away, leaving Gladys sitting on her couch trying not to cry.


A./N.

Hello anonymous reader!

DISCLAIMER: Is anyone still reading this? Hello?

I'm not exactly sure how long this story will be. But it probably won't be any more than ten thousand words.

Thanks for reading and please enjoy!