A Petraitis Christmas Carol Part 5

Ever the night wore closer to the skin. The darkness hung upon Petraitis like a burlap shroud and he could feel it getting ever tighter as the hour drew nearer for the meeting with the second ghost.

As two approached the wind outside rose higher for a moment and then receded. It was as if the night had taken one deep breath and become still. Petraitis looked at the clock. It was 2 and still there was no ghost.

And yet the night remained too still and the crickets did not even touch bow to their nocturnal violins. Petraitis stood and walked out of his bedroom and noticed there was a light coming from under the door of the next room. He did not leave a light on, for surely he lived in darkness to match his winter spirits. He put hand on the doorknob and slowly he pushed the door open. He was in his bathroom, and the walls were draped with boughs of green palm fronds and hung so heavily with coconuts they looked unworldly. There, sitting upon a throne was a ghost but a ghost in man form, tall and bearded and with joy and sadness both in his eyes.

"You there! Close the door! I'll be out of the bathroom in a minute! It's only one fifty-eight! The other spirit said two! Give me some privacy!"

Petraitis hurriedly backed out and in a few minutes a large and cheerful ghost exited the bathroom and lightly tied his robe. "Hi." he said to Petraitis. "I'm the Ghost of Winter Break Present". I think your toilet might be broken.

Petraitis merely stared for a moment and then said "So you visit. Is it not already winter break? Is it not the present? Do you have something to show me or can I bid you good evening and show you the way out?"

The ghost remained silent and simply reached out and pulled Petraitis with him. In an instant they were standing outside a gate in a suburb of Weston. It was mid day, and a bored looking guard approached them and asked for ID." The ghost patted down his robe hopelessly. There were no pockets. "I'm sorry this is awkward. I'm a ghost here to teach Petraitis a tale of redemption and reclamation of his soul. I'm afraid I don't carry any ID." The guard sighed. I need a copy of your license or you can't go in. Petraitis asked the ghost "what are we doing here? Who have we come to see?" The ghost simply said "Marley. I'm supposed to show you how all of your homework and no extra credit has ruined winter break for him."

Petraitis knew he definitely wanted to see that, so he asked the guard "can you just give them a call? I'm not sure of the last name, I never learn my students names. But I believe he is called Marley."

"Sir, I'm not going to start ringing random people and start asking for Marley. Either come back with ID or go find someone else to haunt." And with that she went back into the guardhouse and played on her phone.

"I'm really sorry." The ghost said. I forgot about all the gates and if you want to try and just go over the fence we could maybe see Marley and the way you ruined his winter break."

"Why don't you just describe it to me." Petraitis said.

So the ghost peered thoughtfully into the darkness and said "They are all sitting around a large salad. The whole family is there except for Marley. He's in his room trying to finish your packet. His family looks really sad, and they all think it's your fault. Marley has a dog that looks like some sort of mutt but is probably a "designer" dog like a Morkie or something. It walks with a limp. I don't know it's pretty unhealthy looking. I don't know. I'm sorry, I really wanted to show you how miserable the whole family is, and hopefully the dog would have given you some feels..."

At that moment the air filled with the ringing of bells and the ghost said "I've been here too long. I need to return you home. Have no doubt that another spirit will come, one more and the last. He will visit in the early hours and he may not be as pleasant as I have been."

And with that utterance the ghost had disappeared and Petraitis was back in his bed and he was left to ponder the lonely break of Marley and his sickly dog, and he dismissed any thought that this was his own fault. Then he slipped quietly back to sleep and for an hour he slept deeply.

END OF PART 5