The Monster Museum by J. L. Bryan

Author:J. L. Bryan [Bryan, J. L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Horror, Fantasy, Mystery
ISBN: 9781723568947
Google: tCP1ugEACAAJ
Goodreads: 37880825
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
Published: 2018-07-22T13:48:37+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Three

Christmas morning, I awoke to the sight of a stained wood-panel ceiling I didn't recognize at all. It took a very confused, disoriented few seconds for me to remember where I was and why.

Outside the narrow window, snow was swirling down.

Somewhere above me, “The Little Drummer Boy” was pah-rum-pum-pum-pumming, trying his best to impress a newborn messiah on a budget.

I was used to waking up alone on Christmas, to being alone save for a phone call to my nearly forgotten relatives in Virginia, and maybe a lunch visit with Calvin. He'd been as alone as me in previous years, but now he was down in Florida, near his daughter and newborn grandson.

I wasn't totally alone, though, I reminded myself.

Upstairs, I heard thumping footsteps. The family was up and moving around, the kids probably eager to open their presents.

I stretched, wishing for coffee, but I had no plans to go upstairs this morning. I headed downstairs to the museum instead, then out to the van.

More snow was falling, but slowly and softly, the flakes as fluffy and white as tiny dove feathers, joining the blankets of white that covered everything. It was a solidly white Christmas. Snow was not a thing I'd experienced much since those couple of years I lived in Virginia.

I made my way down to the town, through the idyllic mountain scene, slowing at the usual spot in case a bloody dead person crossed my path. None did. Christmas can't be an easy time for the bad ghosts, what with all the lights and sacred music and people coming together, positive emotions breaking out everywhere.

The predatory, parasitic ghosts were probably biding their time, waiting for the long, cold winter that would settle in when the holiday lights were extinguished and we were all alone in the dark again.

The lights of Foxboro glowed as bright as ever, a galaxy of blinking colors. Most of the shops were closed, except a few restaurants, but the churches were brightly lit and quite busy. I was half-tempted to drop in on a holiday service, but I knew that would stir up memories of past Christmases and lost family and everything I try to keep repressed so I can go about my day.

El Grande Chalet was equally lit up, lights blinking in wreaths all over the alpine-adobe building.

I felt nervous as I went up to the hotel room, bearing my hastily wrapped last-minute gifts like a deadbeat dad who'd barely made it to the grocery store toy aisle before closing time.

I almost knocked before remembering I was entering my own hotel room. Michael and Melissa were already awake, and I could hear them up and moving on the other side of the connecting door, Melissa jabbering about something. They were morning people. Weirdos. Mornings are for sleeping.

Not this morning, though.

My present to myself was a long, hot shower. The hotel soap smelled vaguely like jalapenos. The shampoo was better.

Then I got dressed, going for the slacks and button-up shirt to make myself a bit more formal for the holiday, like I was meeting a client.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.