It seems like every day of the last 12 months, Mable has desperately struggled to restore some type of order to her house and her eccentric family. As the pack of wolves grow hungry and move ever closer to her home, Mable is keenly aware that she, her family and her mysterious powers that have kept them safe thus far are in serious danger.
Having smelled the foul stench of wolves up close and personal before, Mable suspects that one or two wolves managed to enter her domain, but how? Have the wolves discovered that the cellar stairs lead to the hallway inside or perhaps they snuck in through the back door not far from the family graveyard? Are they still inside and if so, where in the world could they be hiding?
With fear being such an intimate part of daily life, Mable is determined to comfort herself and her family by decorating her home for the holidays early this year and bringing happier times back to Creekside Manor. Ahhhh, Mable always did love the holidays…the decorations…glowing lights…and all that food. The festivities will give her an excuse to cook up an extra big batch of her delicious BBQ to serve to her neighbors and customers staying at the Inn. If you stop by, be sure to ask for some!
Of course, the holidays don’t bring comfort and joy to everyone. Frederick, the inn-keep, is grumpier than ever. Holidays and anyone or anything that is happy makes him miserable. So, for goodness sake – don’t wish him “Happy Holidays” because you’ll only make him mad.
And wouldn’t you know it, Precious had disappeared for days – after promising Mable she’d help with the decorations. Mable had specifically asked her to help put up the boxes of colored lights and decorations from the twins playroom down in the cellar. Would Precious be foolish enough to venture down to the wolves domain by herself in search of these boxes? Did she leave on her own accord, or was she taken by someone – or something? Is it possible that Mable set a trap for Precious as punishment for marrying a werewolf and bringing these new horrors to their home?
On a positive note, the library is beautiful the way Mable decorated it…though there is so much more to do! At least other people are helpful.
Butcher is busy doing what he does best, chopping up who knows what (or who!) for the holiday feasts about to begin.
Sir Stephen was kind enough to get out and polish Mable’s fine china for the upcoming events. Although…if you look closely, there’s a scratch on his neck – or is that a wolf’s claw mark? Oh boy, if it’s a claw mark then you’d better stay away from him or beware!
What’s this? A hearse has pulled up to a freshly dug grave in the Mockenburry family graveyard. Who’s it waiting to take back and feed to the earthworms? Mable doesn’t dare explore because the cries of wolves can be heard all around the graveyard, almost as if there were one behind each tombstone.
It’s so confusing to Mable because this is all happening at the same time she hears the laughter of children from the play room in the cellar. Have her twins returned for the holidays? Or…wait, yes this is confusing still – the laughter sounds something other than human…maybe wolf like?
Ug. Can Mable hold things together as she has in the past, or are these forces too big for her to deflect? Will her attempt to bring holiday cheer soothe or exacerbate the situation? Could there be something in the cellar to help or hurt her guests? It’s hard to say, suppose you’ll have to visit Creekside Manor and see, smell, taste for yourself…