Dec. 16, 2025

Black Christmas: A Cursed Snow Globe Christmas Horror Story

Black Christmas: A Cursed Snow Globe Christmas Horror Story
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Weekly Spooky brings you a Christmas horror story about a broke newsboy, a hidden antiques shop, and a cursed snow globe that can tilt luck itself—if you’re willing to pay. Inside the glass sits a miniature winter town… and with each whispered wish, the flakes swirl… and a few turn black.

At first, it feels like a miracle: debts vanish, odds bend, and the world finally stops kicking you in the teeth. But the snow globe keeps count. The town inside begins to glow with holiday lights, the season creeps closer, and the promise of “Black Christmas” stops sounding like a joke.

Because when the last wish is spent, the bargain doesn’t end. It collects.

Bundle up and hit play for a bleak, gritty, supernatural holiday nightmare packed with bad luck, blood money, and the kind of Christmas magic you don’t survive twice.

Black Christmas by Rodri Go
Instagram: @unhappy_stories
www.unhappystories.net

🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!

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🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
WEBVTT

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Snow falls inside the globe, quiet, peaceful. Then you whisper

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the words and the town lights up. A few flakes

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turn black. Your luck changes overnight. But Christmas is coming

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and the snow globe isn't granting wishes anymore. How did

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you get in here? Oh? Ho ho? What's that You

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want to be scared? Come with me? This is Weekly Spooky. Hello,

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my spookys, you're not confused. It's Tuesday, and don't worry.

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If you're a fan of this week in Horror History,

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that'll be airing in just a few hours here on

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the Weekly Spooky Feed. But as is tradition on our podcast,

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we brought you a little something extra to unwrap, because

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would it even be Christmas without surprises? And tonight's story

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is full of them. And it's courtesy of a new

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author to our program, rodri Go, And trust me, I

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know you'll enjoy it. I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto,

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and before we get to the story, I just want

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to thank you from the bottom of my heart. This

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has been one of the most successful holiday seasons on

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Weekly Spooky ever and we're not even all the way through.

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So if you love what we're doing. Make sure you're subscribed,

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and if you'd like to show us a little bit

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more support, I would consider that a gift under my tree.

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Just head to Weeklyspooky dot Com slash join and for

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as little as one dollar a month, you get two

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bonus stories every single month, and my undying gratitude. It's

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what helps keep the show going and going and growing.

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As we wrap up our seventh year of bringing you spooky,

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and if you've just joined us in the last few months,

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I want to remind you we do not stop. All

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year long. Weekly Spooky brings you something scary to listen to.

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On Mondays you have Terrifying and true for your folklore

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and true crime, and then of course on Wednesdays you

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have our weekly spooky story just for you to enjoy.

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So if you want to show us some support and

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join over ninety other spookies, I really would appreciate it,

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head to Weeklyspooky dot Com slash join. But now, as

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for tonight, imagine it's a cold night, the streets are

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slick with slush, and you duck into a dusty little

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shop because you're desperate. Inside, you discover a snow globe,

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tiny houses, warm lights, perfect snowfall and a price tag

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that feels like a joke. But when you shake it,

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the snow doesn't stay war Because this globe doesn't just

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show you Christmas. It changes it. It bends luck, It

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grants wishes, and it starts turning the season into something darker,

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demanding payment you can't afford. Black Christmas by Roder Gough.

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It was cold and dark that one wretched morning in

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the city of dead dreams. Dilapidated buildings, decadent centuries of

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another time towered on either side of me. As I

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sped by on my way to the warehouse downtown, an

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ill disposed wind howled in every direction. Beggars huddled together,

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and brown slow clung to the rims of my bicycle tires.

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Down the road, a neon papst blue ribbon sign buzzed

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over silent garbage cans in disarray. The entire grim metropolis

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shivered under a silver sky, while an icy drizzle lacerated

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pavement and poltergeist alike dim holiday lights hung miserably on

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the iron gate of a Catholic church. It was that

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time of year again. I shuddered at the thought, and

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kept my eyes on the path ahead. Unwilling to dwell

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in bad memories and worse nights, I arrived at the

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warehouse freezing, wet and tired. The depots, weathered brick walls

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and cement pillars, stood indifferent. There is no rest for

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the poor. An old gray delivery truck backed up next

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to a concrete platform while a stocky, middle aged man

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opened the vehicle's rear door. Myself and other kids roughly

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my same age began to gather around him. A large, empty,

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brown leather satchel hung loosely across my chest. The other

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boys had similar knapsacks of their own. Soon they'd all

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be filled with copies of the day's journal, ready to

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be delivered. At fifteen cents apiece. We got to keep

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two cents per unit sold. Not bad. It was enough

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to keep food on the table most of the time.

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Every now and again, though, a salacious incident would send

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the general public into a frenzy, resulting in a higher

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profit for us. Political scandals were usually the most lucrative.

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What we got, boss, I asked one of the older kids,

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hoping for a shocking headline. His tattered clothes and grimy

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disposition told the same worn down story. We were all

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accustomed to see for yourself, replied the man as he

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hurled a stack of newspapers onto the floor right by

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our feet. The smell of fresh ink filled our nostrils

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in anticipation. Mismatched Patterson lasts to twelve clay by Tko.

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Myself and a few of the boys made affirmative sounds

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and gestures in unison boxing championship bouts meant plenty of sales.

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Everyone knows that despite modern society's pretense for civility, the

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age old spectacle between desperate, violent men striking years off

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each other's lives under the bright lights remained unmatched. Works

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for me. What's TKO mean, boss, asked one of the

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youngest kids in the bunch. Snot nosed and dirty means

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get to work, all you. If you can say it,

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you can sell it. Don't need to know what it means.

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The stout man grumbled back in a bad mood, without

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making eye contact with any of us. He began handing

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out bundles of newspapers to the skinny hands reaching out

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for them, until the truck was left empty. While the

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city still slept a ragtag of raggedy kids in weary

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clothes ventured out into the cold, thirsty for love and money.

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Most would never find either. After finishing my scheduled deliveries,

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I hurried over to the corner of Fifth and Wilson

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Avenue just in time for the morning rush. Though the

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sleet had subsided in exchange for a meek daylight, an

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insidious chill still remained. Tall men in long coats, ruthless suits,

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and fedora hats brisked by me on their way to work.

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Most would fling a coin and take the paper without

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missing a step, while others lingered, volunteering their opinion on

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whatever was on print that day. One such man approached

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me with his hands in his pockets and a scowl

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across his face. An unkempt gray beard betrayed his age

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clay by TKO, sir, get the details here for less

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than a quarter, I said to him in my most

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polished salesman tone, raising the paper so he would see

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the headline on display. The guy replied with a scoff

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and grabbed the newspaper, abruptly unfolding it and scanning the

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front page. Big whoop, Kid's a loud mouth. Doesn't know

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his place. They ought to send his ass to nam

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and see how he does over there. The man growled

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back as he shoved the paper into my chest and

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walked away, leaving behind the distinct aroma of cheap liquor

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and old regret. Asshole. I thought, though without actually saying

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anything back to him, not worth the fuss. Less than

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an hour later, my satchel was finally empty and my

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pockets were full of It was time to head back

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to the depot to cash in and collect my earnings.

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The day was still young, and though no one would

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ever hear, sullen wraiths cried out in agony on every corner,

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aware of their eternal penance. I walked alongside my bike

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through the city's business district. Colorful advertisements for all sorts

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of products and services beamed on either side of me.

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As I strolled by on my way back to the warehouse. Downtown,

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the dead moaned, the cold persisted. Halfway down Truman Boulevard,

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between a tailor and a record store, I spotted a

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small shop, old and unassuming. A dim yellow light emanated

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from inside, and a strange, bold lettered word decorated the

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entrance Antiques. I was perplexed for a second wondering how

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I'd never seen this business before, despite my many trips

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through the district. There was a certain appeal to the place,

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an irresistible warning. Curious, I leaned my bike on the wall,

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opened the front door, and walked in. A prolonged, low

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pitched chime announced my entry as the door closed softly.

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Behind unending rows of dusty furniture and all matter of

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peculiar items, many of them unknown to me, lay on

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display ahead. A deep red wallpaper clung to the walls,

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and candles hung on silver sconces at even intervals. Inside,

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the space was much bigger than it looked. A deafening silence,

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only barely interrupted by flickering lights and my own hesitant

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footsteps reigned unopposed. The rich, bitter sweet smell of moth

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balls invaded every pore in my skin, loosening the senses. Hello,

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I called out into the mild darkness nothing. An aged

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upright piano stood to my left. It was missing a pedal,

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and there were numbers carved on specific keys up Ahead

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to my right, a robust wardrobe loomed quietly over an

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iron typewriter sitting on a charred desk. The dresser was

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seven feet tall and smoothed to the touch. A gilded

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bronze lock kept its secret safe from wandering hands. Hello, anyone,

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I called out again, this time a little louder. Still nothing.

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The hardwood floor creaked under my weight as I slowly

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made my way from one corridor to the next, intrigued

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by the untold stories hidden behind every dated artifact. Tomes

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of books on ornate shelves, marble busts of ancient men,

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and empty rocking chairs languished in the shadows begging for attention.

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The room began to feel warm. Deep in the labyrinth,

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touched by the soft glow of candle light and leaning

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on a scarred phonograph cabinet, there was a large painting

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lying up the st side down on the floor, A

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man and a woman preying in the middle of a

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field shadows in all the right places. I tilted my

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head and read the inscription engraved on the bottom length

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of the frame, The Angelus by Jean Francois milet my apologies.

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A soft voice spoke close behind me. For a second,

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my body tensed up. I was just about to hang

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that piece, If you'll excuse me, I turned around to

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face a stern silhouette in a taut black on black

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collared dress. A tall woman with blunt, dark features and

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ominous amber eyes stood before me. Hair done in the

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beehive style. Nylon leggings concealed her in the dim light.

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A pair of golden serpents decorated her ears. Yes, ma'am.

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I managed to stammer back and move out of the way.

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The striking figure swiftly walked past me and picked up

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the painting effortlessly follow me. She commanded without looking back

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or missing a step, though there was rhythm to her gait.

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She moved fast and mostly seemed to glide over the

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old floorboards beneath her feet, invisible in the scarce light.

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I obeyed without question, lost already under the influence of

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aberrant things unknown to most, a legion of mute artifacts,

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cursed and otherwise witnessed our destined procession, no matter how

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fast I wore, though the distance between me and the

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woman seemed to widen with every step we took through

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the ample gallery. I sped up my stride from one

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aisle to the next, past inaccurate clocks and particular metals,

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until she was barely visible, and then she wasn't. Instead,

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a warm, subtle light appeared at the end of the corridor. Come, child,

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I can help you find what you're looking for. The

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shopkeeper's ethereal voice touched my senses. A drop of sweat

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ran down my neck. I approached and found her standing

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behind a long wooden counter. An ornate brass candelabra holding

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three tall candles stood on the edge. Behind the aforementioned

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painting hung on the wall, and next to it, the

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regal head of a lion remained stoic in death, a

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glimmer of ferocity still in his eyes. Curator, she said smoothly,

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I am the curator and owner of this establishment. How

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may I assist you? Despite her calm demeanor, there was

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a palpable intensity to being in her presence. I was

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afraid and intrigued at the same time, unsure whether to

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run for my life or drop to my knees and worship.

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Words escaped me knowingly, she smiled. Not many people find

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this place, you know, the ones who do leave satisfied

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but never come back. What brings you here? She spoke,

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in a beautiful accent, one fit only for gods and monsters.

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A brand new cash register sat on the counter, cold

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and unyielding, except for a pristine purple sticker in the

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shape of a fish, candidly stuck to it. Nothing. I

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was just passing by. What is this place? My voice

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came out in reverence, barely louder than a whisper relaxed child.

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This is not wholly ground. What you see here is

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a collection of relics, morose, powerful artifacts from years past,

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each one carefully selected by me from across the globe.

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Each one meant for someone somewhere some time. The important

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question now is which one is meant for you. A

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look of surprise found my face. Her luminous eyes savored

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the moment. Thank you, ma'am. But I could never pay

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for any of this. I wouldn't even know where to

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00:20:21.359 --> 00:20:26.000
begin as far as picking goes. To be honest, the

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00:20:26.079 --> 00:20:30.400
room felt hot now. I thought about taking my coat off,

223
00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:35.720
but decided not to. A tie is all I ask

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00:20:35.839 --> 00:20:41.079
for in return? Ten percent of whatever is in your pockets,

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00:20:41.599 --> 00:20:49.160
she said, enticingly, leave the rest to me. Sold I

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00:20:49.240 --> 00:20:54.640
took out the exact amount and set it on the counter, foolish,

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00:20:55.440 --> 00:21:01.839
eager to join the damned, What is your name? I asked,

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00:21:02.319 --> 00:21:10.400
helpless you can call me Nina. Multiple heavenly voices spoke

229
00:21:10.480 --> 00:21:16.039
the name in unison. A blue hue tinted the candlelight

230
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for a brief second. Now close your eyes and breathe deep, child,

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00:21:24.000 --> 00:21:29.839
listen to the flame. Let it clear your thoughts. I'm

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going to ask a question. Your answer will guide me

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in choosing the right antique for you. Only the truth

234
00:21:41.240 --> 00:21:50.200
will do Silence. I nodded in response. Standing there in

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the vicinity of Godhood, my mind felt quiet, infinite, pure,

236
00:21:56.759 --> 00:22:04.599
and despicable. Her poised inflection descended on me, gently, nurturing

237
00:22:05.240 --> 00:22:11.960
and astute. What do you hate the most? I grimaced.

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The answer to her question was easy to find. The

239
00:22:18.359 --> 00:22:23.440
sting of a fresh cigarette burn, the bitter taste of

240
00:22:23.480 --> 00:22:30.359
an undelivered promise, a raw, vivid picture of violence and abandonment,

241
00:22:30.960 --> 00:22:39.720
permanently linked through trauma to a particular day Christmas, I replied,

242
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opening my eyes and repressing the past, once again, burying

243
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the pain so deep it could never hurt me. The

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00:22:51.440 --> 00:22:58.559
curator let out a delighted laugh, sinister and elegant, Of

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course you do. I have seen your nightmare, and I

246
00:23:04.920 --> 00:23:12.400
have just the thing. Wait here. The woman disappeared back

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00:23:12.720 --> 00:23:19.200
into the labyrinth, her movements quick and fearless. I leaned

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00:23:19.240 --> 00:23:24.839
on the counter facing the haunted collection. A dozen dark

249
00:23:24.920 --> 00:23:32.000
corridors lined in mystery and madness sprawled before me. I

250
00:23:32.079 --> 00:23:38.240
wondered what sort of arcane magic laid there. Restless, eager

251
00:23:38.720 --> 00:23:43.519
to live again, stare into the abyss long enough, though,

252
00:23:44.480 --> 00:23:48.599
and it will find you. First. Coming from one of

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the hallways, a whisper, then someone writing hurriedly in the dark.

254
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The turn of a key, followed by a click and

255
00:24:01.000 --> 00:24:07.240
deranged laughter soon followed. In the background, a faint weep

256
00:24:07.559 --> 00:24:16.880
held still, sad and inconsolable. Death trembled, prayers turned to curses,

257
00:24:17.279 --> 00:24:24.319
and screams of terror faded into miserable whimpers. I could

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00:24:24.400 --> 00:24:32.680
only smile. Here, child, your antique. Once again, the soft

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00:24:32.799 --> 00:24:38.000
voice spoke close behind me. I turned around and found

260
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the woman back behind the counter, her divine aura resonant

261
00:24:44.119 --> 00:24:49.160
and rich. She was holding a crystal sphere, sitting on

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a heavy set wooden base inside a colonial village in

263
00:24:55.400 --> 00:24:59.799
the middle of a forest. Covered in white. It was

264
00:25:01.079 --> 00:25:06.759
a snow globe. I looked back at her, perplexed. To

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cheer you up during the holidays, she said, placing it

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00:25:13.000 --> 00:25:18.079
on my hand. A tiny church, complete with a bell

267
00:25:18.200 --> 00:25:23.359
tower and a cross, loomed over a few traditional homes.

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The town square was empty except for a stone well

269
00:25:35.079 --> 00:25:39.799
on the base, a silver plaque or an inscription in

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a language unknown to me. Peter Noster up to terra,

271
00:25:47.319 --> 00:25:53.799
a malicious play on words, particularly on sacred texts tied

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00:25:53.839 --> 00:26:02.279
to terrible sacrifice can sometimes unlock derivative power and with consequence.

273
00:26:02.359 --> 00:26:11.680
But power nonetheless, explained the woman. Sweat accumulated on my forehead.

274
00:26:12.319 --> 00:26:17.480
I remained still one of the latest additions to my collection,

275
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This one callous and fickle. Used properly, it can grant

276
00:26:24.480 --> 00:26:30.759
certain wishes, frivolous whims, as long as the request doesn't

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break human will or the laws of physics, she said,

278
00:26:36.319 --> 00:26:43.240
looking at the artifact pleased behind me. Solemn murmurs and

279
00:26:43.359 --> 00:26:49.759
barren moans wandered the darkened corridors. The laws of what,

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00:26:50.839 --> 00:26:55.440
I replied with a gulp. My throat felt dry. The

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00:26:55.480 --> 00:27:02.920
woman smiled. Keep it simple, child, Think of kismet, coincidence, odds,

282
00:27:02.960 --> 00:27:07.400
and chants. The ritual will tilt these in your favor.

283
00:27:08.680 --> 00:27:12.039
Every year, at any time from the beginning of the

284
00:27:12.119 --> 00:27:16.960
autumnal equinox to the end of the winter solstice. Shake

285
00:27:17.079 --> 00:27:20.839
the artifact, make the snow fall with your wish in

286
00:27:21.039 --> 00:27:26.119
mind and the hex on your lips. Pay her noster

287
00:27:26.640 --> 00:27:31.599
up to terra. If your wish is granted, you will

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00:27:31.640 --> 00:27:36.519
notice some of the flakes will permanently turn black in color,

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00:27:37.440 --> 00:27:41.039
she said. Pressing a few keys on the cash register,

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00:27:42.319 --> 00:27:46.319
a tray slid open with a ding. The woman placed

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00:27:46.359 --> 00:27:50.640
the coins inside and closed it in a swift motion.

292
00:27:51.839 --> 00:27:58.240
She then looked at me severely and continued, Now listen,

293
00:27:58.920 --> 00:28:04.119
there must always be white snow inside the globe. You understand,

294
00:28:05.160 --> 00:28:10.759
Once only a few regular flakes remain, you must stop

295
00:28:10.960 --> 00:28:15.960
using the incantation at your own peril. In other words,

296
00:28:16.799 --> 00:28:22.319
the amount of wishes you have is limited. Use them wisely.

297
00:28:23.559 --> 00:28:29.759
Looking down, I examined the artifact in disbelief, wondering how

298
00:28:29.839 --> 00:28:33.279
an old snow globe was going to do any of that.

299
00:28:34.759 --> 00:28:41.319
The level of detail inside, though, was mesmerizing, every window,

300
00:28:42.000 --> 00:28:49.960
rock and tree masterfully crafted to perfection by someone driven obsessed.

301
00:28:51.480 --> 00:28:56.240
Hidden in the middle of the forest, a lone cross

302
00:28:56.279 --> 00:29:03.440
marked the location of a shallow grave. What happens, you know,

303
00:29:04.480 --> 00:29:10.160
when they all change color? I asked, looking up. The

304
00:29:10.200 --> 00:29:14.200
woman took the souvenir from my hand and shook it.

305
00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:20.440
A great number of white snowflakes swirled inside before gently

306
00:29:20.559 --> 00:29:28.799
descending onto the somber landscape. Black Christmas, she replied, casually,

307
00:29:29.720 --> 00:29:34.440
setting the snow globe back on the counter like a

308
00:29:34.480 --> 00:29:39.440
bad holiday piece of cake, I muttered, picking it up

309
00:29:39.960 --> 00:29:44.759
and wiping my brow, still intrigued by the curious object.

310
00:29:45.880 --> 00:29:50.880
Magic or not, this thing was valuable, I could tell

311
00:29:51.000 --> 00:29:55.400
from how heavy it was. It was nice doing business

312
00:29:55.400 --> 00:30:01.440
with you. Then please come again, the curate spoke definitively.

313
00:30:02.279 --> 00:30:08.559
As the room's intense pressure slowly subsided, I turned back

314
00:30:08.880 --> 00:30:12.400
to find no more than a couple of aials and

315
00:30:12.480 --> 00:30:19.359
the shop's entrance. The dim candlelit facade remained untouched. My

316
00:30:19.519 --> 00:30:26.160
shirt felt damp. It was time to go. Yeah you too,

317
00:30:26.480 --> 00:30:32.279
I replied, like an idiot. Walking towards the exit. At

318
00:30:32.319 --> 00:30:35.680
the door's threshold, I turned around to look at the

319
00:30:35.680 --> 00:30:41.880
woman one last time. Her statuesque figure faced me from

320
00:30:41.920 --> 00:30:49.839
behind the counter, Vibrant and appealing, solemn enshrined in priceless

321
00:30:50.000 --> 00:30:58.839
art and loyal subjects, powerful, her incandescent eyes majestic and serene.

322
00:30:59.240 --> 00:31:04.920
Something told me we'd never meet again. I opened the

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00:31:04.960 --> 00:31:09.720
door and walked out into the cold street. For a

324
00:31:09.759 --> 00:31:14.559
brief second, it was a welcome change. Not one step

325
00:31:14.680 --> 00:31:21.519
out of the gallery, though I realized something everything was wrong.

326
00:31:22.920 --> 00:31:28.680
It was dark outside night time, pretty late too, judging

327
00:31:28.720 --> 00:31:33.000
from the complete lack of cars or people strolling about.

328
00:31:34.240 --> 00:31:38.920
Though temperatures were surely below freezing, there was no wind,

329
00:31:39.880 --> 00:31:45.400
sleet or snow. A glum silence held the entire town.

330
00:31:46.839 --> 00:31:52.240
On the sidewalk, tall slender street lights offered solace from

331
00:31:52.279 --> 00:31:58.000
the stark darkness. Every few feet I turned around to

332
00:31:58.079 --> 00:32:02.880
find the antique shops lights we're out, a closed sign

333
00:32:03.519 --> 00:32:11.000
firmly on display. Somehow, I'd spent over twelve hours inside

334
00:32:11.079 --> 00:32:15.319
the hallowed gallery, though to me it felt like no

335
00:32:15.519 --> 00:32:21.000
more than one. Also, my bike was gone, though no

336
00:32:21.160 --> 00:32:32.000
surprise there. Either way, I was screwed. There is a

337
00:32:32.039 --> 00:32:35.880
specific window during the day in which we are supposed

338
00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:39.240
to get back to the warehouse and cash in. It's

339
00:32:39.279 --> 00:32:42.559
important to make it because they get their money and

340
00:32:42.640 --> 00:32:46.119
so do we. Not showing up usually means one of

341
00:32:46.160 --> 00:32:49.680
the boys is trying to keep the whole stash and

342
00:32:49.799 --> 00:32:55.240
never come back, mostly over drugs, sometimes a medical emergency.

343
00:32:56.440 --> 00:33:00.240
In any case, the foreman make sure to notify the police,

344
00:33:00.519 --> 00:33:05.759
and well, it never ends well for the runaway. As

345
00:33:05.799 --> 00:33:09.559
for me, a story about getting lost in a mysterious

346
00:33:09.599 --> 00:33:14.240
shop wasn't going to cut it. Even a reasonable explanation

347
00:33:14.359 --> 00:33:19.279
wouldn't do it. You were either there on time or

348
00:33:19.319 --> 00:33:24.200
you were a criminal. No questions asked, no mercy given.

349
00:33:25.440 --> 00:33:28.480
Standing under one of the street lamps, a sense of

350
00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:33.359
dread gripped my guts. I reached inside the satchel and

351
00:33:33.480 --> 00:33:38.559
pulled out the snow globe. Light from above refracted through

352
00:33:38.599 --> 00:33:45.839
the curved shimmering crystal, projecting color and grief. I shook

353
00:33:45.880 --> 00:33:50.039
it and said the words out loud, trying my best

354
00:33:50.160 --> 00:33:57.960
to emulate the curator Peter Noster up to Terra. At

355
00:33:58.000 --> 00:34:02.559
the same time, in my mind, a single statement was

356
00:34:02.640 --> 00:34:06.799
on repeat. Don't let me be in trouble with the foreman.

357
00:34:07.640 --> 00:34:11.519
Don't let me be in trouble with the foreman. After

358
00:34:11.599 --> 00:34:14.880
a few shakes, I held it up at eye level

359
00:34:15.519 --> 00:34:21.880
and looked closely inside. Thousands of snowflakes filled the miniature

360
00:34:21.960 --> 00:34:27.760
atmosphere in a whirl, gently slowing down into a state

361
00:34:28.199 --> 00:34:36.519
of eerie suspension. The town was only partially visible, now

362
00:34:37.239 --> 00:34:42.280
shrouded in white, as was everything else. I looked at

363
00:34:42.320 --> 00:34:47.119
the globe from different angles, carefully maneuvering the artifact with

364
00:34:47.239 --> 00:34:52.239
both hands, looking for them. It only took a minute.

365
00:34:53.599 --> 00:34:58.039
Fleeting at first, easy to lose in the crowded procession,

366
00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:06.079
but they were there. Black snowflakes scattered less than a pinch,

367
00:35:06.199 --> 00:35:13.880
but undeniably there. I felt fear and excitement, instinctively bracing

368
00:35:13.920 --> 00:35:21.920
myself for something to happen, but the night remained calm. Disappointed,

369
00:35:22.559 --> 00:35:26.159
I put the relic back in the satchel and walked

370
00:35:26.159 --> 00:35:30.320
home in a hurry, thinking of other ways to get

371
00:35:30.360 --> 00:35:36.679
out of my troubled situation. Elsewhere in the city, a stocky,

372
00:35:36.840 --> 00:35:42.880
middle aged man slept comfortably, unaware he would be dead

373
00:35:43.679 --> 00:35:49.719
before sunrise. I arrived at the warehouse the next morning,

374
00:35:50.400 --> 00:35:57.480
wide eyed and anxious, expecting loud accusations, handcuffs or worse,

375
00:35:58.480 --> 00:36:03.639
but at the same time hoping a clever excuse, plus

376
00:36:03.679 --> 00:36:07.599
the old wages would spare me a meeting with the fuzz,

377
00:36:08.400 --> 00:36:14.199
not to mention keeping the actual job. Surprisingly, everything seemed

378
00:36:14.320 --> 00:36:19.159
business as usual. A different guy handed out the newspaper bundles,

379
00:36:19.679 --> 00:36:22.719
and things seemed to be running a little late, but

380
00:36:23.480 --> 00:36:29.320
other than that nothing. It was certainly quiet, but that

381
00:36:29.559 --> 00:36:34.199
wasn't unusual either. I kept my head down, got my batch,

382
00:36:34.280 --> 00:36:38.519
and got out of there, pockets still full of coins

383
00:36:38.960 --> 00:36:42.719
from the previous day. No one even looked at me.

384
00:36:42.840 --> 00:36:50.880
Twice the artifact worked. My wish had been granted. Maybe

385
00:36:50.920 --> 00:36:56.119
this would be a good holiday after all. Later on

386
00:36:56.159 --> 00:36:58.880
that shift I heard from one of the other boys

387
00:36:59.480 --> 00:37:02.880
that are us. Usual guy at the warehouse, the foreman

388
00:37:02.920 --> 00:37:05.960
who gave us the merch and kept track of things,

389
00:37:06.719 --> 00:37:10.960
was moving stacks of newspapers early that morning when he

390
00:37:11.039 --> 00:37:13.960
stepped on a patch of ice and hit the back

391
00:37:14.000 --> 00:37:19.840
of his head hard on the concrete floor. Lights out

392
00:37:21.159 --> 00:37:26.960
right then and there on company property. Things moved fast.

393
00:37:27.920 --> 00:37:33.679
The deceased's accounting records were verified, his family modestly compensated,

394
00:37:34.199 --> 00:37:37.760
and the suits moved on without as much as a

395
00:37:37.800 --> 00:37:47.079
second thought. Kismet, coincidence, odds and chance. I smiled. Dude

396
00:37:47.159 --> 00:37:51.880
was an asshole anyway, probably did him a favor. Rerent

397
00:37:52.119 --> 00:37:56.679
was coming up. Gas and light were overdue. It was

398
00:37:56.840 --> 00:37:59.840
time for the world to give back what it had

399
00:38:00.119 --> 00:38:05.440
taken from me, my entire life. After all, Why should

400
00:38:05.480 --> 00:38:09.440
I care about others when no one ever cared for me.

401
00:38:10.840 --> 00:38:15.679
I spent every five minutes thereafter thinking of different ways

402
00:38:15.719 --> 00:38:21.000
to use my magic snow globe for profit. Options were

403
00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:26.119
limited at first, but as I grew older, a wide

404
00:38:26.320 --> 00:38:30.760
range of opportunities were unlocked in the form of gambling.

405
00:38:31.960 --> 00:38:40.679
Sporting events specifically were there for the taking basketball, baseball, football, boxing,

406
00:38:41.559 --> 00:38:46.880
even the races. A wish, a shake, and a spell

407
00:38:47.559 --> 00:38:52.679
is all it took to pull the upset easy money.

408
00:38:53.920 --> 00:38:58.440
The time constraints on the ritual were inconvenient, but I

409
00:38:58.599 --> 00:39:04.440
managed by planning ahead head and saving diligently. Still, it

410
00:39:04.480 --> 00:39:09.360
took time to build enough capital to place significant wagers,

411
00:39:09.719 --> 00:39:13.840
but once I was there, making rent was not an

412
00:39:13.880 --> 00:39:19.559
issue anymore. The bills were paid and my stomach was

413
00:39:19.639 --> 00:39:24.320
full year round. By that point, about a quarter of

414
00:39:24.400 --> 00:39:29.440
the flakes inside the globe had turned color, and there

415
00:39:29.599 --> 00:39:35.599
was something else. With every wish granted. Red and green

416
00:39:35.719 --> 00:39:41.039
lights began to appear in the miniature town, decorating rooftops

417
00:39:41.119 --> 00:39:46.280
and trees alike. Some of the houses lit up inside,

418
00:39:46.639 --> 00:39:52.519
giving off a warm yellow hue. It was beginning to

419
00:39:52.639 --> 00:39:59.800
look like Christmas. The Curator's ominous warning foreboding misfortune and

420
00:40:00.039 --> 00:40:11.679
despair echoed distant in my thoughts. I used the haunted

421
00:40:11.800 --> 00:40:17.320
artifact to my advantage over the years, addicted to money, booze,

422
00:40:17.360 --> 00:40:22.440
and winning, never once thinking of the price paid in

423
00:40:22.559 --> 00:40:28.119
blood for every one of my wishes, never once feeling remorse,

424
00:40:29.800 --> 00:40:37.440
never once nothing. They say, selfish lives lead to lonely deaths.

425
00:40:38.079 --> 00:40:44.239
It's true. The gloom brick lined alleyway was like any

426
00:40:44.320 --> 00:40:50.360
other in the city, disillusioned and dirty. Empty beer cans

427
00:40:50.400 --> 00:40:54.920
and broken glass rattled on the weathered ground amidst cigarette

428
00:40:54.960 --> 00:41:00.679
butts and dog piss. A halfway ripped poster ad advertising

429
00:41:00.679 --> 00:41:06.559
and upcoming fight fluttered in the cunning fall wind. Dusk

430
00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:10.280
was beginning to set in, and with it came the

431
00:41:10.360 --> 00:41:16.960
prostitutes and debt collectors. Rats big as cats scurried away,

432
00:41:17.840 --> 00:41:23.719
spooked by the sound of polished shoes cracking hard against

433
00:41:23.760 --> 00:41:29.960
my ribs. Unfortunately for me today there would be no hookers.

434
00:41:31.119 --> 00:41:34.800
With my back against the wall, two men in swanky

435
00:41:34.920 --> 00:41:40.400
clothes and a smug demeanor stood over me, clearly enjoying

436
00:41:40.440 --> 00:41:44.679
their respective roles. The smaller one did all the talking

437
00:41:45.440 --> 00:41:50.679
while the other used his fists. Both wore heavy jewelry

438
00:41:51.559 --> 00:41:55.519
This is the last time we play nice, you understand,

439
00:41:56.320 --> 00:42:00.519
he said in a slimy accent, pointing his face at

440
00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:04.400
me as blood poured down from a fresh gash on

441
00:42:04.519 --> 00:42:09.039
my lips. Brass knuckles will do that. The brute laid

442
00:42:09.079 --> 00:42:14.000
one last right cross straight on my left cheekbone, opening

443
00:42:14.039 --> 00:42:18.400
another wound, then finished it with a heel kick to

444
00:42:18.480 --> 00:42:23.519
the chest. Fucking wops, I thought, curled up on the

445
00:42:23.599 --> 00:42:28.960
concrete ground in pain, unable to breathe. You think this

446
00:42:29.159 --> 00:42:34.480
is bad, the mobster continued, pursing his lips. If you

447
00:42:34.559 --> 00:42:37.920
don't pay what you owe in two days, I'm gonna

448
00:42:37.960 --> 00:42:40.000
have my friend here go to work on you with

449
00:42:40.079 --> 00:42:46.880
a crowbar. You hear me? Two days? That's it? He

450
00:42:46.920 --> 00:42:51.119
took one step closer and looked me directly in the eyes.

451
00:42:52.239 --> 00:42:55.239
We'll make a fucking cripple out of you. Then you

452
00:42:55.320 --> 00:42:58.000
can beg on the streets until your debt is paid.

453
00:42:58.800 --> 00:43:04.159
Two days, I nodded in return. Can't hear you, boy,

454
00:43:05.079 --> 00:43:10.639
he said, leaning in and raising his backhand. I heard you, man,

455
00:43:11.400 --> 00:43:17.880
two days, I got you. I'll get the money, I replied, flinching.

456
00:43:19.039 --> 00:43:24.400
The thugs chuckled and took off, leaving me bruised, broken,

457
00:43:25.239 --> 00:43:31.599
in the company of trash and misery. Didn't matter either way.

458
00:43:32.320 --> 00:43:36.599
I was fucked. Little over a year ago, I was

459
00:43:36.679 --> 00:43:40.400
about to use the snow globe, intent on fixing an

460
00:43:40.440 --> 00:43:47.000
important ballgame, when I noticed every snowflake in view had

461
00:43:47.039 --> 00:43:53.199
turned black, while the entire town dressed in holiday cheer.

462
00:43:54.679 --> 00:43:58.639
Fear settled in the pit of my stomach. After years

463
00:43:58.679 --> 00:44:04.239
of witnessing first hand and the artifacts sinister power, I

464
00:44:04.360 --> 00:44:07.119
was less than keen to find out what happened when

465
00:44:08.639 --> 00:44:10.719
if only I'd ask the woman to be a bit

466
00:44:10.840 --> 00:44:18.320
more specific back then, fuck. I began inspecting the globe

467
00:44:18.400 --> 00:44:23.639
from all angles, using both hands, until finally the sight

468
00:44:23.840 --> 00:44:27.639
of a few white flakes sent a wave of relief

469
00:44:27.800 --> 00:44:32.840
down my spine. Still, it was clear my days of

470
00:44:33.360 --> 00:44:39.079
easy money at the bookies were done. I wasn't too worried, though.

471
00:44:39.840 --> 00:44:42.599
By then I'd made enough cash to keep me going

472
00:44:42.679 --> 00:44:45.960
for a bit. So I put the snow globe away

473
00:44:46.039 --> 00:44:50.320
in a drawer and forgot about it. Figured i'd beat

474
00:44:50.360 --> 00:44:55.559
the system, and honestly, it would have worked, except I

475
00:44:55.639 --> 00:45:02.400
didn't stop gambling. I couldn't. Addiction is a greedy bitch.

476
00:45:03.159 --> 00:45:07.440
It only knows how to take until there's nothing left

477
00:45:08.800 --> 00:45:12.800
without the odds in my favor. Within months, I'd lost

478
00:45:12.920 --> 00:45:18.679
most of my savings to different betters. The constant partying

479
00:45:19.079 --> 00:45:24.519
didn't help either, After all, loose women and fine spirits

480
00:45:24.599 --> 00:45:30.639
are expensive commodities. Even worse, I got in the hole

481
00:45:30.760 --> 00:45:35.760
with the local mob. Now my face was swollen, blood

482
00:45:35.800 --> 00:45:40.199
pulled in my eye socket, and it was time to

483
00:45:40.320 --> 00:45:43.960
pay the piper. I needed a big score in the

484
00:45:44.000 --> 00:45:48.960
next forty eight hours, and I knew just the one.

485
00:45:49.159 --> 00:45:52.960
Hard to miss. Actually, though, I'd have to use the

486
00:45:53.199 --> 00:45:59.000
entirety of my remaining capital with the right wager. The

487
00:45:59.119 --> 00:46:01.760
stakes were steel deep enough to pay off my debt

488
00:46:02.440 --> 00:46:07.840
and then some How bad could a black Christmas be? Anyway,

489
00:46:09.039 --> 00:46:12.559
Whatever it was, it couldn't be worse than what those

490
00:46:12.719 --> 00:46:16.119
fucking scumbags would do to me if I didn't come

491
00:46:16.199 --> 00:46:20.360
up with the money on time. This was the only way.

492
00:46:24.800 --> 00:46:30.480
I slowly picked myself up and began walking home, determined

493
00:46:30.559 --> 00:46:34.000
to throw the dice on my life and perform the

494
00:46:34.119 --> 00:46:40.760
curse ritual one last time. Ignoring my presence, a stray

495
00:46:40.880 --> 00:46:46.079
cat scavenged for dinner in the dumpster, another victim of

496
00:46:46.199 --> 00:46:51.079
existence in this cutthroat town. It was early in the

497
00:46:51.159 --> 00:46:56.119
morning two days later. When I walked down Cleveland Street

498
00:46:56.639 --> 00:47:01.039
on my way to the nearest newsstand, the man working

499
00:47:01.079 --> 00:47:05.440
it was just getting ready to open. Stacks of fresh

500
00:47:05.519 --> 00:47:10.960
newspapers lay on the floor beside him, waiting to be shelved.

501
00:47:12.199 --> 00:47:15.920
Although I knew from experience the result from last night's

502
00:47:16.000 --> 00:47:20.159
bout would be in my favor, it still felt good

503
00:47:20.199 --> 00:47:24.920
to see it on print, this one in particular, even

504
00:47:25.000 --> 00:47:30.400
more so than the rest. I approached the booth and

505
00:47:30.559 --> 00:47:36.360
read the headline Ali wins by Ko and eight Floor's

506
00:47:36.400 --> 00:47:43.599
foreman to regain crown. Can you believe it, the merchant asked, rhetorically,

507
00:47:44.239 --> 00:47:48.039
picking up the stack of papers with difficulty and setting

508
00:47:48.119 --> 00:47:51.559
it on the counter. Son of a bitch actually did it.

509
00:47:52.559 --> 00:47:56.519
His rotund waste was barely reined in by a worn

510
00:47:56.639 --> 00:48:01.119
leather belt and a pair of navy blue suspended. The

511
00:48:01.119 --> 00:48:05.320
button on his denim pants was missing. I would have

512
00:48:05.360 --> 00:48:08.760
bet everything I got he even the misses, that Big

513
00:48:08.800 --> 00:48:12.119
George was going to end that man's career, he said,

514
00:48:12.800 --> 00:48:16.519
taking off his flat cap and wiping sweat off his

515
00:48:16.599 --> 00:48:21.559
wrinkles before putting it back on. Considering everything he's been

516
00:48:21.599 --> 00:48:25.039
through and all that I guess you never know, you know,

517
00:48:25.960 --> 00:48:31.599
the merchant mused, comically aware he would never achieve greatness himself.

518
00:48:32.800 --> 00:48:37.719
A crisp morning dew settled on the newsstand. Tabloids and

519
00:48:37.840 --> 00:48:43.639
magazines were neatly lined up under a plastic cover displaying

520
00:48:43.719 --> 00:48:50.239
pictures of parties and dead celebrities. Guess not, I replied,

521
00:48:50.920 --> 00:48:56.000
and walked away without making a purchase, already thinking of

522
00:48:56.079 --> 00:49:01.400
my next move. After collecting at the bookies, I'd head

523
00:49:01.519 --> 00:49:05.400
straight to the grease balls and pay my debt, then

524
00:49:05.559 --> 00:49:10.360
go home and figure out what to do with the globe.

525
00:49:10.480 --> 00:49:14.760
The antique shop was long gone. Pawning the thing had

526
00:49:14.840 --> 00:49:18.480
crossed my mind, but mostly I wanted to keep it

527
00:49:19.320 --> 00:49:23.320
just in case. Ever since using it this last time,

528
00:49:23.960 --> 00:49:27.719
the legion of black snowflakes inside the globe remained in

529
00:49:27.760 --> 00:49:33.119
a state of constant motion, slowly orbiting the lid up

530
00:49:33.440 --> 00:49:39.719
empty town in a funereal procession. It was an unnerving sight,

531
00:49:40.840 --> 00:49:46.360
a sobering reminder of the horror to come. Christmas was

532
00:49:46.440 --> 00:49:51.239
only a few weeks away. I spent those short days

533
00:49:51.440 --> 00:49:59.360
laying low, mostly afraid, though sometimes hopeful, woefully ignorant of

534
00:49:59.440 --> 00:50:05.000
the cruel fate ahead. On the evening of December twenty fourth,

535
00:50:05.519 --> 00:50:08.679
I sat alone in my room, with a bottle of

536
00:50:08.760 --> 00:50:12.000
jim Beam on my left hand and a Smith and

537
00:50:12.079 --> 00:50:16.599
Wesson thirty eight magnum revolver laying next to me on

538
00:50:16.679 --> 00:50:25.599
the bed. Tired, anxious, wary, depressed. It's not easy living

539
00:50:25.679 --> 00:50:31.000
with a deadline. Reruns of The Twilight Zone, Our Long

540
00:50:31.119 --> 00:50:35.400
Nightmares in black and white played on the television across

541
00:50:35.440 --> 00:50:40.679
from me. Funkadelic's album cover art for Maggot Brain hung

542
00:50:40.719 --> 00:50:44.679
above it. The Magic Artifact sat on the night stand

543
00:50:44.800 --> 00:50:50.599
beside me, festive and mute. Eventually I passed out in

544
00:50:50.679 --> 00:50:56.920
the cheap stupor, sweating fear and regret. Fuck. This was

545
00:50:57.000 --> 00:51:04.559
my last thought that night, already dead anyway. But unfortunately

546
00:51:04.679 --> 00:51:09.719
for me, that would not be the case. I should

547
00:51:09.760 --> 00:51:16.039
have pulled the trigger when I had the chance. I

548
00:51:16.159 --> 00:51:20.679
woke up to complete darkness. It was difficult to breathe

549
00:51:20.719 --> 00:51:26.880
and almost impossible to move, and unyielding shifting force restrained

550
00:51:26.920 --> 00:51:32.599
me in every direction. The smell of soil pervaded my surroundings,

551
00:51:33.000 --> 00:51:37.840
and I could taste dirt. A sepulchral silence govern the

552
00:51:37.920 --> 00:51:42.519
tight space, Unable to lift my head or move any

553
00:51:42.639 --> 00:51:45.840
part of my body more than a fraction of an inch.

554
00:51:46.880 --> 00:51:52.280
I began to cry for help, Trapped, powerless, and soon

555
00:51:52.360 --> 00:51:58.000
to become desperate. Within minutes, as the horror of my

556
00:51:58.159 --> 00:52:02.880
predicament began to dawn on me, pleading words turned to

557
00:52:03.079 --> 00:52:08.920
frenzied screams, a stream of tears salted in anguish and denial.

558
00:52:09.559 --> 00:52:14.599
What the earth around me? I conjured praise and profanities

559
00:52:15.039 --> 00:52:19.760
aimed at any entity out there willing to listen, divine

560
00:52:20.159 --> 00:52:25.239
or otherwise. I even called for Nina at the top

561
00:52:25.280 --> 00:52:32.079
of my lungs, but like the rest, she never answered. Defeated,

562
00:52:32.639 --> 00:52:36.760
I sobbed quietly, wishing all of this was just a

563
00:52:36.920 --> 00:52:41.119
fucked up fever dream. Soon I'm going to wake up,

564
00:52:41.760 --> 00:52:46.440
I told myself, repeatedly, looking for even the slightest sense

565
00:52:46.599 --> 00:52:53.679
of solace. Then I heard it, another voice, muffled but

566
00:52:53.880 --> 00:53:02.079
close by, wailing, unhinged, manic to make contact. But the

567
00:53:02.199 --> 00:53:07.400
voice never spoke back a single word, only pain and lunacy,

568
00:53:08.079 --> 00:53:13.199
in the form of shrieks, moans, whimpers, laughter, and any

569
00:53:13.239 --> 00:53:18.000
other primal sound a human can muster. It was someone

570
00:53:18.079 --> 00:53:24.760
nearby suffering my same fate, and equally helpless. His fractured

571
00:53:24.800 --> 00:53:28.960
state of mind made it clear he'd been here far

572
00:53:29.119 --> 00:53:37.119
too long, abandoned, forgotten. Sometimes he keeps quiet, but to

573
00:53:37.159 --> 00:53:45.159
be honest, I prefer the company of his screams. And

574
00:53:45.280 --> 00:53:52.239
so it's been months, years, decades, It's hard to tell

575
00:53:52.559 --> 00:53:57.599
in this place. I've recounted this and other stories to

576
00:53:57.719 --> 00:54:03.639
myself a thousand times over, although mostly I cry in

577
00:54:03.679 --> 00:54:11.199
the dark, entombed with my sins. One day, like my neighbor,

578
00:54:12.079 --> 00:54:16.400
I hope to go insane. Every muscle in my body

579
00:54:16.960 --> 00:54:21.400
is in constant, excruciating pain from not being able to

580
00:54:21.519 --> 00:54:27.400
move for so long. Persistent sores cover my skin, and

581
00:54:27.480 --> 00:54:32.800
my throat remain scarred, bloodied by an age of wails

582
00:54:33.079 --> 00:54:40.719
and agony. Festering questions and stale remorse still resurface every

583
00:54:40.760 --> 00:54:44.960
once in a while, sending me into fits of rage

584
00:54:45.280 --> 00:54:52.840
and meaningless struggle. No one ever comes, nothing ever changes.

585
00:54:53.880 --> 00:54:58.639
After a while, Monotony becomes its own shade of torture.

586
00:55:00.039 --> 00:55:04.239
I bid off my own tongue long ago, just to

587
00:55:04.320 --> 00:55:11.199
feel something different, if only for a few hours. I

588
00:55:11.239 --> 00:55:19.079
am constantly starved, parched, unable to sleep or die, cursed,

589
00:55:19.960 --> 00:55:26.639
condemned alone with my poultry thoughts for eternity. Imprisoned by

590
00:55:26.679 --> 00:55:30.800
my own will, all I can do now is wait

591
00:55:31.480 --> 00:55:37.800
for my mind to let go. Certainly, only severe madness

592
00:55:38.079 --> 00:55:43.519
can deliver me now from the infinite wrath of one

593
00:55:43.840 --> 00:55:57.239
black Christmas sold exclaimed the well dressed man, striking his

594
00:55:57.400 --> 00:56:02.679
smooth gavel on the hardwood lot seven thirteen to the

595
00:56:02.719 --> 00:56:08.800
woman in black. He finished, exhausted, officially closing the sail.

596
00:56:09.719 --> 00:56:15.239
Immediately after, a uniformed attendant scanned the item's QR code

597
00:56:15.679 --> 00:56:19.960
and took it away to get ready for packaging at

598
00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:24.719
the service room. Before wrapping it up, the young employee

599
00:56:25.159 --> 00:56:30.800
inspected the relic. A crystal sphere sat on a heavy

600
00:56:30.880 --> 00:56:37.559
wooden base inside a tiny colonial village surrounded by pine

601
00:56:37.599 --> 00:56:44.280
trees covered in white snow. The town's church, complete with

602
00:56:44.400 --> 00:56:49.639
a bell tower, stood over a few traditional homes and

603
00:56:49.760 --> 00:56:55.400
alone stone well hidden in the middle of the forest.

604
00:56:56.199 --> 00:57:04.280
Two crosses marked the locations of two shallow graves. On

605
00:57:04.440 --> 00:57:11.199
the base. A rusted metal plate bore an inscription in Latin,

606
00:57:12.280 --> 00:57:19.880
a festive quote no doubt. Despite feeling tempted, the attendant

607
00:57:20.000 --> 00:57:25.159
didn't dare shake the old thing, not after witnessing the

608
00:57:25.360 --> 00:57:30.960
spirited bidding war for it and the resulting price. Surely

609
00:57:31.719 --> 00:57:44.320
this was no ordinary snow globe. Well, my spookies, hope

610
00:57:44.320 --> 00:57:48.320
you enjoyed that black Christmas courtesy of our new friend

611
00:57:48.880 --> 00:57:52.280
roder Gough. Make sure to check out his other work.

612
00:57:52.880 --> 00:57:56.599
There are links in the show notes. And I want

613
00:57:56.599 --> 00:58:00.480
to remind you if you've ever felt the tightening grip

614
00:58:00.960 --> 00:58:04.320
of that snow globe, if you've caught yourself thinking maybe

615
00:58:04.639 --> 00:58:11.000
one more wish, well remember Christmas. Magic is never free.

616
00:58:11.400 --> 00:58:14.679
It just waits until the lights are low and the

617
00:58:14.800 --> 00:58:20.280
streets are slick with ice, and then it collects. And

618
00:58:20.360 --> 00:58:23.679
if you're still in the mood for dark wintry trouble,

619
00:58:24.119 --> 00:58:28.960
tomorrow's episode features a century's old curse, a witch's revenge,

620
00:58:29.440 --> 00:58:33.719
and a strickfield winter where love does not warm you up.

621
00:58:34.639 --> 00:58:39.400
Expect snowy streets, buried secrets, and a holiday romance that

622
00:58:39.519 --> 00:58:43.280
turns sharp as broken glass when we bring you a

623
00:58:43.400 --> 00:58:48.159
Christmas Romance by Rob Fields, but don't let that name

624
00:58:48.280 --> 00:58:50.400
fool you. And I want to take a moment to

625
00:58:50.440 --> 00:58:54.400
say an extra special thank you to our Patreon podcast boosters.

626
00:58:54.639 --> 00:58:57.360
Folks who pay just a little bit more at weeklyspooky

627
00:58:57.400 --> 00:59:01.000
dot com slash join to hear theirs at the end

628
00:59:01.079 --> 00:59:04.480
of the show, and they are Johnny Nicks, Kate and Lulu,

629
00:59:05.000 --> 00:59:09.360
Jessica Fuller, Mike is Skewey, Jenny Green, Amber Hansford, Karen

630
00:59:09.440 --> 00:59:12.679
we Met, Jack Kerr and Craig Cohen. Thank you all

631
00:59:12.760 --> 00:59:14.639
so much for your support, and if you want to

632
00:59:14.679 --> 00:59:17.159
hear your name at the end of every episode of

633
00:59:17.159 --> 00:59:22.079
Weekly Spooky, just head Toweeklyspooky dot com slash join and

634
00:59:22.159 --> 00:59:24.800
sign up at the fifteen dollars a month or higher tier.

635
00:59:25.360 --> 00:59:29.400
That support really makes a huge difference and I appreciate it.

636
00:59:29.440 --> 00:59:31.559
But now it's time for me to get back to it,

637
00:59:31.599 --> 00:59:33.760
because not only do we have a show on Wednesday,

638
00:59:34.280 --> 00:59:37.559
but on Thursday we have a novella and on Friday,

639
00:59:37.599 --> 00:59:40.679
Cutting Deep into Horror returns to tell you all about

640
00:59:40.719 --> 00:59:43.679
the terrors of dead End. So for myself, for my

641
00:59:43.760 --> 00:59:47.280
executive producers Rob Fields and Bubbletopia dot Com, my producer

642
00:59:47.360 --> 00:59:50.239
Dan Wilder, and my composer Ray Mattis, I'll talk at

643
00:59:50.280 --> 00:59:54.159
you tomorrow. Thank you for listenings, das, make sure to

644
00:59:54.199 --> 00:59:58.599
find your way back next week week. But for now

645
00:59:59.039 --> 01:00:02.320
you are safe. Trust me.