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Drip, drip.
The noise was annoying, but Tina had no way to shut it off and so she listened to the tap dripping all night while she tried to sleep. Throughout the last few days she had seen so many people come and go through her house that she was sure she didn't know who lived there any more. The family talked about 'Christmas' all the time, she didn't like the sound of it, not with all the people and the noise. She concentrated on blocking out the noise of the tap and felt her eyelids drop, perhaps tomorrow would be more calm.
It was the sound of more feet that woke her up the next morning. This time it was the postman. This was another thing she had been noticing of late, the pile of letters delivered each day seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. If every house was like this then she felt sorry for the postman.
Half an hour later, after breakfast, more people arrived, greeting everyone with cheery expressions and muddy feet. They hugged the whole family and ruffled the hair on Tina's head. She hated that, but put up with it all the same. Tina noticed that, just like the people who had arrived yesterday, they were all carrying boxes. Perhaps she would work out what was happening once she knew what was inside, but every time she got close to them someone would move the boxes away again. It was all very irritating.
Another thing she noticed changing was the amount of food lying around. Tina had always had enough to eat, but now it seemed that she was being given more and more as the day progressed. She noticed that everyone else was eating more as well. After her ample dinner, Tina wondered in to the lounge. This too had changed and now bright ribbons, sparkling strings of what looked like fur and amazingly shiny silver balls hung from every corner. The effect made the room look warmer somehow and far brighter than usual. She approved of the decorating until one of the little balls came loose and hit her on the head. Everyone else who had seen it happen just laughed, which wasn't very dignified, so she went back to the kitchen to find out what was happening there.
As the evening came it brought with it more people to the house and more of those strange boxes. Tina followed everyone in to the lounge again, being careful this time not to sit under anything hanging from the ceiling. She watched as they all handed around the pile of boxes and ripped each one apart to reveal gels, sweets socks and many other things. Just as she was about to wonder back out again, someone put a box in front of her.
"I'll open it for you, shall I?" said someone she didn't recognise. She felt everyone else's eyes on her as she watched them unwrap the coloured paper from the box and then open it.
Cries of joy went around the room as Tina finally saw what was in the box. It was a toy shaped like a bone. She grabbed it in her teeth and dropped it quickly as it made a squeeking noise. Everyone else around her was raising their glasses and saying "Merry Christmas."
'Christmas,' thought Tina 'is the best time of the year.'
The noise was annoying, but Tina had no way to shut it off and so she listened to the tap dripping all night while she tried to sleep. Throughout the last few days she had seen so many people come and go through her house that she was sure she didn't know who lived there any more. The family talked about 'Christmas' all the time, she didn't like the sound of it, not with all the people and the noise. She concentrated on blocking out the noise of the tap and felt her eyelids drop, perhaps tomorrow would be more calm.
It was the sound of more feet that woke her up the next morning. This time it was the postman. This was another thing she had been noticing of late, the pile of letters delivered each day seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. If every house was like this then she felt sorry for the postman.
Half an hour later, after breakfast, more people arrived, greeting everyone with cheery expressions and muddy feet. They hugged the whole family and ruffled the hair on Tina's head. She hated that, but put up with it all the same. Tina noticed that, just like the people who had arrived yesterday, they were all carrying boxes. Perhaps she would work out what was happening once she knew what was inside, but every time she got close to them someone would move the boxes away again. It was all very irritating.
Another thing she noticed changing was the amount of food lying around. Tina had always had enough to eat, but now it seemed that she was being given more and more as the day progressed. She noticed that everyone else was eating more as well. After her ample dinner, Tina wondered in to the lounge. This too had changed and now bright ribbons, sparkling strings of what looked like fur and amazingly shiny silver balls hung from every corner. The effect made the room look warmer somehow and far brighter than usual. She approved of the decorating until one of the little balls came loose and hit her on the head. Everyone else who had seen it happen just laughed, which wasn't very dignified, so she went back to the kitchen to find out what was happening there.
As the evening came it brought with it more people to the house and more of those strange boxes. Tina followed everyone in to the lounge again, being careful this time not to sit under anything hanging from the ceiling. She watched as they all handed around the pile of boxes and ripped each one apart to reveal gels, sweets socks and many other things. Just as she was about to wonder back out again, someone put a box in front of her.
"I'll open it for you, shall I?" said someone she didn't recognise. She felt everyone else's eyes on her as she watched them unwrap the coloured paper from the box and then open it.
Cries of joy went around the room as Tina finally saw what was in the box. It was a toy shaped like a bone. She grabbed it in her teeth and dropped it quickly as it made a squeeking noise. Everyone else around her was raising their glasses and saying "Merry Christmas."
'Christmas,' thought Tina 'is the best time of the year.'
Nice and festive. I did guess about half way through, but I kept on reading just to make sure.
I was once in a park and there was this old chap walking his dog - a Staffordshire Bull Terrior, I think - those biggish dogs (usually white) that look like pretty hyenas. It's name was 'Frank'... Frank!
I was once in a park and there was this old chap walking his dog - a Staffordshire Bull Terrior, I think - those biggish dogs (usually white) that look like pretty hyenas. It's name was 'Frank'... Frank!
Heh, very good.
Although, I spoiled it for myself by realising that it was a dog very early on (around about the postman line. I connected that with the 'no power over shutting off tap' line, and it seemed to make sense. Was confirmed even more with the ruffling of hair bit).
I can't really comment too much, as I ended up not reading it from the perspective of thinking it was a person.
Damnit.
It's Meka's fault. Ever since his "He Hit Me" story, I've been weary of the main character in people's stories.
Good all the same, though.
Although, I spoiled it for myself by realising that it was a dog very early on (around about the postman line. I connected that with the 'no power over shutting off tap' line, and it seemed to make sense. Was confirmed even more with the ruffling of hair bit).
I can't really comment too much, as I ended up not reading it from the perspective of thinking it was a person.
Damnit.
It's Meka's fault. Ever since his "He Hit Me" story, I've been weary of the main character in people's stories.
Good all the same, though.
Hey, I thought it was a toddler.
Drip, drip.
The noise was annoying, but Tina had no way to shut it off and so she listened to the tap dripping all night while she tried to sleep. Throughout the last few days she had seen so many people come and go through her house that she was sure she didn't know who lived there any more. The family talked about 'Christmas' all the time, she didn't like the sound of it, not with all the people and the noise. She concentrated on blocking out the noise of the tap and felt her eyelids drop, perhaps tomorrow would be more calm.
It was the sound of more feet that woke her up the next morning. This time it was the postman. This was another thing she had been noticing of late, the pile of letters delivered each day seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. If every house was like this then she felt sorry for the postman.
Half an hour later, after breakfast, more people arrived, greeting everyone with cheery expressions and muddy feet. They hugged the whole family and ruffled the hair on Tina's head. She hated that, but put up with it all the same. Tina noticed that, just like the people who had arrived yesterday, they were all carrying boxes. Perhaps she would work out what was happening once she knew what was inside, but every time she got close to them someone would move the boxes away again. It was all very irritating.
Another thing she noticed changing was the amount of food lying around. Tina had always had enough to eat, but now it seemed that she was being given more and more as the day progressed. She noticed that everyone else was eating more as well. After her ample dinner, Tina wondered in to the lounge. This too had changed and now bright ribbons, sparkling strings of what looked like fur and amazingly shiny silver balls hung from every corner. The effect made the room look warmer somehow and far brighter than usual. She approved of the decorating until one of the little balls came loose and hit her on the head. Everyone else who had seen it happen just laughed, which wasn't very dignified, so she went back to the kitchen to find out what was happening there.
As the evening came it brought with it more people to the house and more of those strange boxes. Tina followed everyone in to the lounge again, being careful this time not to sit under anything hanging from the ceiling. She watched as they all handed around the pile of boxes and ripped each one apart to reveal gels, sweets socks and many other things. Just as she was about to wonder back out again, someone put a box in front of her.
"I'll open it for you, shall I?" said someone she didn't recognise. She felt everyone else's eyes on her as she watched them unwrap the coloured paper from the box and then open it.
Cries of joy went around the room as Tina finally saw what was in the box. It was a toy shaped like a bone. She grabbed it in her teeth and dropped it quickly as it made a squeeking noise. Everyone else around her was raising their glasses and saying "Merry Christmas."
'Christmas,' thought Tina 'is the best time of the year.'
The noise was annoying, but Tina had no way to shut it off and so she listened to the tap dripping all night while she tried to sleep. Throughout the last few days she had seen so many people come and go through her house that she was sure she didn't know who lived there any more. The family talked about 'Christmas' all the time, she didn't like the sound of it, not with all the people and the noise. She concentrated on blocking out the noise of the tap and felt her eyelids drop, perhaps tomorrow would be more calm.
It was the sound of more feet that woke her up the next morning. This time it was the postman. This was another thing she had been noticing of late, the pile of letters delivered each day seemed to be getting bigger and bigger. If every house was like this then she felt sorry for the postman.
Half an hour later, after breakfast, more people arrived, greeting everyone with cheery expressions and muddy feet. They hugged the whole family and ruffled the hair on Tina's head. She hated that, but put up with it all the same. Tina noticed that, just like the people who had arrived yesterday, they were all carrying boxes. Perhaps she would work out what was happening once she knew what was inside, but every time she got close to them someone would move the boxes away again. It was all very irritating.
Another thing she noticed changing was the amount of food lying around. Tina had always had enough to eat, but now it seemed that she was being given more and more as the day progressed. She noticed that everyone else was eating more as well. After her ample dinner, Tina wondered in to the lounge. This too had changed and now bright ribbons, sparkling strings of what looked like fur and amazingly shiny silver balls hung from every corner. The effect made the room look warmer somehow and far brighter than usual. She approved of the decorating until one of the little balls came loose and hit her on the head. Everyone else who had seen it happen just laughed, which wasn't very dignified, so she went back to the kitchen to find out what was happening there.
As the evening came it brought with it more people to the house and more of those strange boxes. Tina followed everyone in to the lounge again, being careful this time not to sit under anything hanging from the ceiling. She watched as they all handed around the pile of boxes and ripped each one apart to reveal gels, sweets socks and many other things. Just as she was about to wonder back out again, someone put a box in front of her.
"I'll open it for you, shall I?" said someone she didn't recognise. She felt everyone else's eyes on her as she watched them unwrap the coloured paper from the box and then open it.
Cries of joy went around the room as Tina finally saw what was in the box. It was a toy shaped like a bone. She grabbed it in her teeth and dropped it quickly as it made a squeeking noise. Everyone else around her was raising their glasses and saying "Merry Christmas."
'Christmas,' thought Tina 'is the best time of the year.'