It should have been a nice day. The kids were up at
seven, which is usual, on Christmas Day. They started the coffee for Gordon and
myself, which is traditional. They unwrapped their stockings, first, while I
made breakfast. Then we all sat down and began to exchange gifts.
Gordon loves to be the one to distribute them. He sits in front of the tree, hands one out to Sarah and Brendan each, sometimes one for me as well, sometimes one for him. The focus is on the kids, of course.
He handed me one, from him. I only ever have the one gift. He buys me something I mention two weeks before - it’s what he’s done every year. I’m never surprised.
He looked confused. A little cautious. He handed me another present, while the twins were tearing apart wrapping paper.
I don’t need to tell you who it was from.
I was scared to open it, in front of him. Not knowing what to expect. Feeling almost queasy, wondering if this was going to be something I wouldn’t be able to explain away.
Instead, it was a mug, wrapped in paper. Just an ordinary coffee mug, for the most part - but Christmas themed, so I knew it was no mistake. A little border around the rim, of mistletoe.
Gordon asked who it was from, and I just said it was probably from a woman I’d met at the grocery store. We’d almost become friends, we run into each other so often - it was weak, but it was all I could think of at the time. He still seemed confused, but, went back to giving out gifts.
Then I took a closer look at the paper the mug had been wrapped in. It was a map.
‘X marks the spot’.
I’m terrified.
Gordon loves to be the one to distribute them. He sits in front of the tree, hands one out to Sarah and Brendan each, sometimes one for me as well, sometimes one for him. The focus is on the kids, of course.
He handed me one, from him. I only ever have the one gift. He buys me something I mention two weeks before - it’s what he’s done every year. I’m never surprised.
He looked confused. A little cautious. He handed me another present, while the twins were tearing apart wrapping paper.
I don’t need to tell you who it was from.
I was scared to open it, in front of him. Not knowing what to expect. Feeling almost queasy, wondering if this was going to be something I wouldn’t be able to explain away.
Instead, it was a mug, wrapped in paper. Just an ordinary coffee mug, for the most part - but Christmas themed, so I knew it was no mistake. A little border around the rim, of mistletoe.
Gordon asked who it was from, and I just said it was probably from a woman I’d met at the grocery store. We’d almost become friends, we run into each other so often - it was weak, but it was all I could think of at the time. He still seemed confused, but, went back to giving out gifts.
Then I took a closer look at the paper the mug had been wrapped in. It was a map.
‘X marks the spot’.
I’m terrified.
I’m glad you liked
it!
Just wait until you
unwrap it a second time.
Just tell me what you’ve done. Is it Jill? Is this where you buried her?
No, that can’t be right. What did you do?
You’re being very
rude right now.
Asking me your
Christmas present before you open it.
But I’ll give you a
hint.
It’s not a corpse.
Not for
another...oh...two and a half hours, probably, at least.
Depending on how much
she’s been hyperventilating in there.
Or if she bit her
tongue off or something.
Really, any number of
things could have happened.
But she should
still be alive.
And if you hurry, she
might even stay that way!
you’re insane
I’m going
How am I supposed to get there? I can’t take the car. I can’t drive.
You know how to steal
a car.
Driving’s not hard.
I’ll walk you through it.
Tick tock.
Time and air are running out.
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