Chapter 1 Silent eve
The snow fell quietly outside the window, blanketing the world in white. The only light in the house came from the Christmas tree, its ornaments glimmering faintly in the dark.
Twelve-year-old Annabelle pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders and pressed “play” on the TV remote. The movie Christmas Halloween started — a silly film she’d seen a hundred times before. Her parents were supposed to take her along to Grandma’s, but in the rush of packing and the chaos of the storm, they’d somehow left her behind.
At first, it felt like an adventure.
She made hot chocolate, turned the volume up, and let herself laugh at the movie.
Then — CRACK.
A sound came from the front door.
Annabelle paused the movie. The wind outside howled, shaking the windows. She listened closely.
CRACK… creak…
Her heart started pounding. Maybe it was the storm. Maybe the tree branches.
But then, something else — a whisper. Faint, but real.
> “Annabelle…”
She froze.
The voice was soft, almost motherly.
> “It’s Christmas, dear. Mrs. Claus is coming…”
The lights on the Christmas tree flickered — red, green, red — and then went out completely.
