Once Upon A December Novels & Stories

For a while, my phone was nearly blown up. There were congratulations, flattery, and endless attempts to curry favor. They rushed to tell me all the "inside stories" I had never known. "Connor, you have no idea. That Ryan Wells was Manager Cross's college junior!" "Yeah, I heard they dated for a while back in school. Later Ryan latched onto a female professor and dumped Manager Cross." "Recently, that professor's husband brought people to beat him half to death. He had nowhere else to go, so he contacted Manager Cross again!"

I said. She drank her tea. I drank my coffee. The Monday morning. The December light. The arrested individuals. The reduced monitoring. The recovered waiting list. The northwest quadrant this afternoon. The Carver Academy Wednesday. December fourteenth twelve days away. The embroidered square on the bedside table. The pocket waiting. All of it. In December. The month of culmination. The correct amount. --- **That Afternoon** The northwest quadrant. Noah with the survey notebook. The extended range. Section three complete.

ANNELISE POV A month had passed so quickly now it was December, and Paris looked like Santa had thrown up on every single street in the most expensive way possible. Everywhere was red, green, gold, glitter, lights, fake snow, giant Christmas trees, wreaths, bows, and enough holiday music to make a person lose their mind. The city was beautiful though. Very beautiful. And somehow, I couldn’t enjoy any of it. I stood in front of my bathroom mirror, staring at my phone screen with my period tracker app opened.

Morgan copied the grown-ups and said with sarcasm, "She's finally figured it out and knows to buy what I like. It must be the limited-edition race car model I have wanted forever!" He ran and tore the present's wrappings open. However, there was no race car model. Instead, there was a massive photograph inside. It was the photo of Samuel, Rachel, and Morgan under the snowy peaks of Wintercrown, with a card sitting beside it with one line. "Congratulations on getting a new mom, Morgan."

The chilly December air enveloped Anna as she stood on the balcony, gazing up at the twinkling stars that adorned the night sky. It was 22nd December, just a few days away from Christmas day. Memories of past Christmases flooded her mind, and her heart ached with the absence of her beloved parents. This would be her first Christmas without them, and the void left behind was deeply felt.

The property turned inward fully in December, which was its natural December mode — the garden under its winter mulch, the trees bare, the quality of the days short and cold and clear in the way of December days that were doing what December days were supposed to do without apology. Anya found December clarifying in the same way she found October clarifying, though differently. October’s clarity was the clarity of things being shown as they were. December’s clarity was the clarity of things stripped to their essentials. The above-ground finished for the season. The roots doing their winter work in the dark.

Aurora December 24, 2024 “More,” I said as I tipped the empty glass toward the bartender in front of me. “I want to have more.” My words came out as if I were begging. While waiting, I looked around the club. It was just like a chaotic snow globe of December madness. The red and green lights were hung around every corner, shining across faces. Lovers were holding each other, dancing; some whispering over the music, while some singles were dancing alone and enjoying the Christmas songs blasting from the speakers.

The girl next to me sighed dramatically. Someone in the back sneezed. Three people were already packed up and ready to sprint out the door the second freedom was granted. I couldn't even blame them. Christmas break was twenty feet away and one professor stood between us and happiness. My eyes drifted toward the window. Snowflakes floated lazily past the glass. December. Somehow. How the hell was it already December? The thought hit harder than expected. Because the last two months had flown by. Not in a vague, cliché way.

I notice even the appliances were new as well. Heading towards my bedroom and opening the door. My breath was taken away. The small bed I once had was gone and in it's place was a king size sleigh bed that practically took up the whole room. On top was a white puffy comforter just beckoning me to jump on it and curl up. Which is exactly what I did. Dropping my bag on the floor I practically leaped across the room and onto the bed. I didn't want to think about today. I didn't want to think about how all this furniture got here. All I wanted to do was close my eyes and sleep.

I added. “Okay then it’s settled, but know you’ll have a thousand guards around you at all times,” he said “Now let’s prepare for the masked party of the season. My daughter’s 24th birthday.” Dad announced as Maya put her hand together in cheers. Tomorrow, they get to see Jessica Hart in the flesh.