Page 1 of Ghosts From Christmas Past

Prologue

No, no, no! It wasn’t supposed to be like this. Nothing in the scenarios he’d created in his mind had this outcome. She was supposed to fall into his arms and tell him she loved him too. Instead, she’d said she was in love with someone else.

His hand shook as he reached for the knife. Rage filled his body to the brim, and he could feel himself losing control.

Her happiness had turned to horror when she spotted what was in his hand. She turned toward her father. When the truth dawned, the man told her to run.

The fear on her face was all for him. This was not what he wanted at all. She was supposed to profess her love tohim.

“What are you doing?” Her father asked. “Put the knife down.”

But he was no longer in command. The monster that waited beneath the surface had taken control, and it was as if he hovered over his own body watching what happened next.

The knife was raised in his hand. It slashed across the man’s body over and over again.

When it was finished, he stared in horror at the dead man lying on the floor.

The tiniest of sounds pulled his attention away. Her mother stood in the entrance of the living room, her eyes filled with horror. “You killed him,” she said as if she couldn’t believe what had happened.

It wasn’t supposed to be this way.

He grabbed for her, but she slipped from his grasp. Anger flared. She was trying to escapehim?

“Run, Charlie. Get help.”

The woman who should belong to him turned on her heel. Started for the sliding glass doors.

He couldn’t let her get away. But he had to get rid of her mother first.

“No,” the woman screamed as he raised the knife. Her hands shielded her face, but they were no match.

The knife ripped open skin. Crimson ribbons of blood steamed down her arms. The point of no return had passed. There would be no stopping what must be done.

He stabbed and stabbed until she dropped to the floor. The one he wanted watched in horror near the glass doors.

The knife slipped from his hand, but he snatched it up. There was still time to change her mind.

He charged for Charlie before she could open the latch on the door. Grabbing strands of her hair, he forced her back against him. “You’re supposed to be mine.” If he couldn’t have her, he’d make sure no one else did. “You belong to me,” he yelled while the rage mushroomed in his body.

Charlie screamed at the top of her lungs. To stop her, he plunged the knife across the throat. Into her body. She fought for a while before her body betrayed her. She slumped against him. He lowered her to the floor.

“I love you,” he whispered and brushed back her hair from her face.

She stared back at him—eyes full of terror. Shallow breaths gurgled from her slit throat.

He sprang to his feet and stared down at her. The monster returned to his hiding place and he was left with the nightmare of his actions.

The metal scent of blood filled the room. The cloying odor touched everywhere. All around. On him.

He couldn’t stay here. Someone would come looking for this family eventually.

With a final glance at his beloved Charlie, he stuffed the knife in his pocket. He’d walked here. No one knew he’d planned to come to the house. If he headed out through the woods behind the property, it would be okay.

He slowly opened the back door and peeked outside.

Nothing but the stillness of the Christmas morning surrounded him. He stepped outside. Waited. Listened. Only silence.

With his gloved hands tucked in his pocket, he kicked the door closed with his foot and headed for the woods. Blood coursed through his body. His heart pounded with each step. When he reached the trees, he stopped and turned back toward the house. All of this could have been prevented if she hadn’t mentionedhim.

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