In the Winter's Pale by Tim Story
A chilling wind blows, as if blowing through Scrooge’s very soul. He shivers, gnashing his teeth as he hunches forward in the cold. But then, without a sound, he feels a presence before him. Scrooge shivers now for a different reason, and he looks up to view the final ghost’s haunting form.
MIOKO
Lifting up his eyes, Scrooge beheld a solemn Phantom, draped and hooded, coming, like a mist along the ground, towards him. The very air through which this Spirit moved seemed to scatter gloom and mystery.
Mioko now backs away, almost fearfully, and disappears in the thick fog that rolls in behind the spirit. A black cloak covers his face in a dark shadow, save only for an expressionless mouth and a few strands of dark blue hair. The cloak seems to fade into a black mist on the ground, and similar to the light-hearted Ghost of Christmas Past, the specter’s garment ebbed and flowed in the wind as if in slow motion. It was a great deal more disconcerting for this dark spirit, however.
Mustering his courage, Scrooge stands up and bows courteously.
SCROOGE
...Am I in the presence of the Ghost of Christmas Yet to Come?
DORIAN / GHOST OF CHRISTMAS FUTURE
...
SCROOGE
You are about to show me things that have not yet happened?
DORIAN
...
SCROOGE
...Can you not speak to me?
The ghost lays a motionless hand upon Scrooge’s shoulder.
SCROOGE
Okay, yes. Lead on; I know your time is valuable—I know. I am prepared to learn all I must from you in hopes I may be a changed man. I already know so much I have been doing... so very wrong.
The ghost turns and points forward. Scrooge nods hesitantly and begins to step in the direction. The ghost follows him silently, and the fog grows thick. Scrooge is blinded in the pale darkness of the mist for just long enough for the entire scene to change around him.
The fog lifts, though it remained in the distance, blocking out much of the town in an eerie darkness. They stand in Fortanya’s town square—where not long before Scrooge had seen it on a joyful Christmas morning. It is another Christmas here, but it is severely lacking in joy. The streets are practically empty and the gray sky threatens to rain with each rumble of thunder.
Scrooge glances around, seeing three men talking at the street corner beneath a struggling street lamp. The ghost faces their direction, watching with a motionless expression. Scrooge takes the hint and wanders closer to overhear their conversation.
REI
No, I don’t know much about it—just that he’s dead.
KALE
Wow... When did he die?
REI
Last night, I believe.
HYLAS
What finally did him in? I thought he’d never die!
REI
God knows...
KALE
So... what’ll happen to all his money?
REI
I’m not sure... The old man wouldn’t have left it to anybody.
KALE
Doesn’t he have any family?
REI
Some say he’s got a cousin, or nephew, or something, but he was never acknowledged.
HYLAS
That will be one cheap funeral. Course, who’d want to go to it anyway?
KALE
I wouldn’t... unless they paid me!
HYLAS
I’d go if they fed me.
KALE
Hey, good point.
REI
If you two want to go, be my guest. I wouldn’t go even if I were given his entire fortune...
The three men chuckle under their breaths as they turn down the next street, walking away into the fog. Scrooge turns back to the spirit, hoping for an explanation.
SCROOGE
What poor soul were those men just speaking of?
The spirit only points down another street, remaining silent. With a disconcerted sigh, Scrooge follows the spirit’s lead.
To his surprise, he and the spirit quickly came upon his counting house. He is confused to see that the nameplate that once announced his surname was missing. He looks curiously through the window, knowing well it was the time for him to be within, but he is stunned to see no one at all. Panicking slightly, he pulls hard on the doorknob, but it is locked up tight.
The spirit grabs his shoulder before Scrooge threatens to kick the door in, and he lead him away. Muttering to himself, Scrooge shakes his head as they walk down the street.
SCROOGE
Per-perhaps I have retired—I was considering doing so in some years’ time... This could be at that time, couldn’t it?
When Scrooge snaps out of it, he finds himself walking through a part of town he had never passed through before. It is a poor, dirty street cluttered with garbage—much of which was covered in a light dusting of snow. Scrooge draws closer to the spirit as they walked, taking some comfort from his silent presence.
They come upon a tattered storefront just as an older woman with a large pack thrown over her shoulder steps inside. Scrooge listens in from the doorway, fearing to take another step.
WAYLAND
Well, well, woman! What have you got for Old Wayland?
HELENA
I’ve a parcel of belongings once used by a rich man—now deceased!
WAYLAND
Deceased??
HELENA
Well, he won’t be needing them anymore, right?
The old woman tosses her pack in front of her, drawing open the bag to reveal a great deal of fabric, towels, and other odds and ends.
HELENA
Here: some wax seals... sleeve buttons... a lady’s brooch—
WAYLAND
A lady’s brooch! Was our deceased friend married?
HELENA
Oh, no—never! This may be left over from his days of courting—
The old man tosses the brooch aside suddenly.
WAYLAND
Not even worth a silver piece.
HELENA
Bah! Then at least let me have it—
WAYLAND
Later, darling. What else do you have there?
HELENA
Towels; and a curtain from his bed!
WAYLAND
Cheap, and cheap... what kind of man was this?
HELENA
A cheap one!
WAYLAND
I think I have an idea...
HELENA
Here—my best offer: the blanket from his bed!
Wayland sets the towels and the curtain beside him and accepts the blanket in his weathered hands. He stops short, looking up with an odd expression.
WAYLAND
Could it be—these blankets are still warm!
HELENA
I’m surprised. Must have been the only warmth he ever had.
As Wayland and the woman let out a hearty laugh, Scrooge can take no more. He shrinks away in horror, cringing from the dialogue he had just witnessed. He looks at the ghost fearfully.
SCROOGE
I understand, Spirit; the case of this unfortunate man could be my own the way my life is headed. Please, is there anyone who would feel remorse for this man?
The fog rolls in and envelops Scrooge and the spirit in an eerie silence. It drops as suddenly as it had risen, and Scrooge now stands inside a dimly lit kitchen. A woman sits with her hands, and hair, covering her face as her elbows rest on the table. Scrooge immediately recognizes her as Elise Harley.
ELISE
He walks much slower these days... the silence is so much quieter... the home, so empty without them...
A light knock on the door causes her to look up, and at once Elise hurries to the door to meet her husband. She embraces him as if to never let him go.
JAMES
M-my love, I’m s—sorry I’m late.
ELISE
Was church that long?
JAMES
No, I... I stopped by the graveyard afterward. I think you should come back with me. You would love to see how green the place is, even in the snow. It’s up on a hill, facing the river.
ELISE
Ava loved to watch the river. It could flow so freely...
James nods, unable to find any further words. He suddenly breaks down, closing his eyes tightly as if to keep the tears from escaping. His wife holds him tightly as he quietly sobs.
It is only then that Scrooge discovers an empty chair in the corner of the room with a tiny wooden crutched propped beside it.
JAMES
We sh-shall never f-f-forget our Ava. We must—we will stay strong together, as we always have been...
Tears fall from Scrooge’s eyes. His lip quivers. He feels a great remorse, and turns away from the scene.
SCROOGE
Take me away... I can’t bear to see such sorrow...
The spirit waves the sleeve of his cloak, and they now stand within the gates of the graveyard in which they had started. The fog rolls in slowly, and a raven caws in the distance, echoing in the stillness of the air. Scrooge looks to the spirit somberly.
SCROOGE
Spirit... if I may ask... please tell me who that poor man was? Tell me whose funeral would not be well attended... whose possessions are bought and sold for their value?
Scrooge cowers as the ghost raises is hand and begins to point at him—only to swing his arm behind him at a new gravestone, half hidden in the fog. Snow covers the name written upon it, hiding it from Scrooge’s eyes.
SCROOGE
His gravestone, then... I see. Spirit, before I see whose it is, answer me one question... Are these the shadows of the things that will be, or are they shadows of things that may be, only?
DORIAN
...
SCROOGE
Your fellow spirits—they said that I could learn something—that I could change... A man’s actions can foreshadow certain events, but they can be changed, right? After all that’s why you have come to me—to—to help me...
The spirit remains unmoved, continuing to point at the gravestone. With a heavy heart Scrooge can do nothing more but creep slowly up to the stone pillar. He raises a hand to brush away the snow, but he hesitates as his body begins to tremble. He closes his eyes and swallows, and, in one swift action, he clears away the snow.
MIOKO
...Steven “Scrooge” Edwards.
Scrooge lets out a cry, stumbling backwards until he falls against a neighboring stone. His name stares back at him like a thousand peering eyes; his heart burns as if engulfed with a thousand fires. He cries out again, shielding his eyes as he collapses into the snow.
SCROOGE
NO!!
His weary eyes gaze up at the spirit, and he crawls across the ground to grab tightly at the ghost’s black robes.
SCROOGE
Please, Spirit!! I am a changed man—I am not the man I was to cause such a bleak future! Surely, you would not have shown me such a thing if I were beyond all hope!!
DORIAN
...
SCROOGE
I will honor the spirit of Christmas and keep it year ‘round! After all, Christmas doesn’t have to be one time or one place—it can be a spirit that lasts all the time! My dear nephew spoke those words, you know. My dear nephew Amadeus—my brother’s son.
With no obvious response from the cloaked spirit, Scrooge gnashes his teeth and shakes his head with panic and fear.
SCROOGE
I will not shut out the lessons you and your fellow spirits have taught me! This I promise with all my heart! Please, just tell me I can take away that name upon the stone!!
The spirit says nothing. He does not move. His face is expressionless. Scrooge winces, tugging harder on the cloak as he cries out at the top of his lungs.
SCROOGE
I WILL CHANGE!!
The cloak suddenly drops, leaving Scrooge to collapse on the ground alone.