"Well that was dramatic." Holly Jenson said. She stepped out onto the balcony to join me, pulling down a piece of loose mistletoe from a bundle over the doorway.

I turn around, leaning against the black metal rail. She joined me, twirling it between her fingers, watching me.

Holly has these intense green eyes, dark and focused. If I meet her gaze I think I might fall in and get lost.

Behind us the traffic has begun to slow. The next door neighbour is playing Jingle Bell Rock at full volume, as they do every year. When we first moved here we tried to get them to lower it.

Me and Joe went together, tried to reason with them, then threatened to make a noise complaint, then gave up when neither worked.

"Are you gonna come back?" She asked. "Marnie and Katherine left."

The music stopped.

"Yeah sure."

I followed her in. The apartment wasn't particularly big, but there was just enough room for the gathering of about 20 here today.

Plus the thin little excuse of a Christmas tree. The overgrown spiky weed just barely reached my waist in height, a single string of Christmas lights wrapped around and Nora's homemade angel was hanging on for dear life on top.

Beneath the tree was an array of presents. They ranged in size, shape, and care with wrapping, going from barbie themed pink wrapping paper to a single red tinsel star pasted to the top with double sided tape.

A few stragglers stood around the kitchen counter but aside from them everyone was still splayed on and around the couches.

Of them all Joe seemed to be the one most eager for my return.

He was sitting crossed legged in front of the tree like a child waiting for his parents to tell him to go ahead. A candy cane dangled from his lips like a cigarette, one of those red white and green ones with the chocolate centre.

"Finally!" He exclaimed, shouting over the tense conversations, hearing the balcony door click behind us, holding the sweet between his fingers like a smoker. "Come join the party!"

Holly took my hand and pulled me to an empty spot on one of the couches, curling up beside me so her sweater covered her knees. It was black, knit with little red, white and green flowers. 

Joe stood up, taking the lead. His oversize red lumberjack-style pyjama pants sagged so low he would have flashed everyone if not for his similarly loose wife-beater. 

"Alright!" Joe waved around the candy cane, using it as a pointer. "Gather, gather!" He called to the stragglers hanging out in the kitchen. "It's time for the main event!" 

We packed in together to make room. The 'main event' Joe was referring to was our annual tradition of Secret Santa. This year we'd pulled names early, meaning I had to put up with an extra week of him obsessing over it. 

"Who wants to go first?" He asked, gazing intently at one person in particular. 

"I can-"

"ESTHER HOW ABOUT YOU?" 

Technically who we pulled was supposed to be secret but Joe didn't have a subtle bone in his body. 

Esther, a sprite of a girl, was curled up in a ball on the arm of the other couch. She nearly fell off from surprise. 

"Uh, sure-" Joe tossed a present over to her. It was about the size of a shoebox, in striped red and white wrapping paper. He'd spent about an hour standing in that one aisle, arguing with me over that. 

She caught it awkwardly, and everyone watched her rip it open. 

Beside me Holly readjusted, leaning forward and craning her neck to get a better look. 

Esther pulled the gift from the box, raising it to show everyone. It was a camera. 

"Alright Esther, time to guess, who do you think its from?" Joe crossed his arms, pride clear on his face. 

If he had drawn anyone else from that bowl they would have clocked him as the giver instantly. 

"Oh, um," She glanced around the room. "Nathan? Oh wait he's not here, I don't know, maybe Taylor?" 

On the other side of Holly, Taylor, a tan girl in oversized red-tinted sunglasses shook her head. Esther didn't seem to care that she guessed wrong, shrugging her shoulders. She pointed the camera at me, experimentally.

'CLICK' 

With Joe's most anticipated gift out of the way he was less ceremonial with the others, passing them out all at once. 

"Holly!" A round ball-shaped parcel was flung at her. Her shoulder grazed mine when she caught it. 

He picked up the next one, a small square the size of a ring box, and jokingly wound up his arm to pitch it like a baseball at me. Before he could follow through there was a series of loud bangs on the door.

I felt a pit of dread sink to my stomach. 

Joe's arm dropped down to his side. There was a quiet air that claimed the room, sounds of paper ripping paused and the chatter died with it. 

'BANG BANG BANG' 

Holly hugged her gift, leaning back into the couch and propping her feet up on the end. Uneasy glances were exchanged as the room waited for someone to get the door. 

It ended up being Joe. He smiled but it was tense. "Probably just the neighbour-" 

'BANG BANG BANG'

He disappeared around the corner to get to the door. I waited. 

There was a click when he unlocked it, and a squeak as it swung open. 

"Oh," Joe laughed but it was forced. "Hey, you just missed Marnie and Katherine I think they said they-"

"I know." A familiar voice cut him off. 

I moved the box from my lap onto the side table and rose to my feet. Holly reached for my arm to try to stop me but I pulled away, striding around the corner to join Joe. 

His back blocked the figure but when he looked over his shoulder at me I could see them clearly. 

Gracie Torrance narrowed her eyes at me, her lips tightened to a thin line. 

Her red hair was wet from the snow, bangs matted against her forehead. She wore a black knit hat with a white pompom and her blue winter coat was unzipped at the front, showing off a black t-shirt, a snowman holding a knife on the front. 

"I'm here to pick up their stuff. They forgot to grab it when they left." She continued, still looking at me. "So can I come in or not?" 

Joe didn't answer right away. I willed him to say no, and maybe slam the door in her face while he's at it. 

"Yeah, sure-" Gracie pushed past him before he could make room, catching me on the shoulder on her way. Shallow puddles from her boots followed in her wake.  

She marched for the tree, sinking down to her knees to analyze the remaining presents. 

The room was quiet except for the sound of presents sliding against each other as Gracie dug around through the pile. Joe stood next to me, arms crossed. 

Three were claimed; a repurposed blender box with a bow stuck on the side, a much smaller one that was almost definitely just smarties, and a cylinder the size of a Pringles case. 

Gracie snapped back up to her feet, skillfully balancing the presents. 

"Oh wait, your not staying?" Esther asked, breaking the silence. Gracie hesitated, pausing to acknowledge who else was in the room from the middle of the carpet. The lights on the tree flickered. 

"No," She sighed. "I have to get back to studying, and give Marnie a ride home." She rolled her eyes at the second excuse. "I'll see you later."

"Stay!" Esther invited. "Just for the rest of the Secret Santa? We're almost done, it won't take long I promise." 

Holly was looking at me. I could feel it. 

Gracie readjusted her stack so she could look at her watch. She'll say no. It's obvious she's not wanted here, she'll leave. There was another long pause while she thought it over, chewing on her cheek. 

"Just for the rest of Secret Santa," Gracie agreed, sparing one more glance at the time. 

Esther lit up. She slid from her spot, claiming the floor to offer it to Gracie, who accepted. The interruption dealt with, the unwrapping continued. 

Joe returned to his post by the tree, handing out presents. Albeit, noticeably less enthusiastic than before. 

I reclaimed my spot next to Holly, focusing on her to avoid looking at Gracie. She peeled back the snow-flake paper from her own gift, revealing an impressively worn-out looking basketball. 

Holly was temporarily stunned by the lack of effort, lips pursing. Her eyes caught mine and we both laughed. 

"Wonder who sent that." Gracie joked sarcastically, gesturing at the other side of the ball. 

I swallowed. Holly raised a brow and spun the ball so she could see the other side. In dull permanent marker 'DAWSON' was written. 

She leaned back, looking at someone behind me.

"Thanks Charlie!" She called to the tall guy, sheepishly returning from the bathroom. "I feel so loved!" 

She let the ball rest in her lap and returned to me. "What about you? What did you get?" 

I remembered the present next to me and plucked it up gingerly from the side table. 

"Let's find out." 

The box felt light in my hands. It was wrapped in vibrant red paper flecked with white, matching the ribbon on top. I tore it away, and could feel Holly's warmth as she leaned in closer. The paper fell to the floor when I realized what it was.

"A keychain?" Holly asked, a little confused and very underwhelmed. 

"It's from the same set my dad had, I've been wanting to get one for years but I never knew where to look." I explained, entranced by the trinket. 

I pulled it from the box to get a better look, letting the pendant, an hourglass, dangle. At the mention of my father Holly pulled away. She never seemed to know how to react when I brought him up. 

There was only one person I'd told about the keychain. I just hadn't thought she'd been paying attention at the time. 

Gracie had been casually watching me open her gift while talking to Esther, and now that I'd finished her lips twisted up. Not quite a smile, but definitely an expression of satisfaction, and when it comes to Gracie that would probably be the closest I ever got. 

"My turn!" Joe declared, bringing the attention in the room back to him. He pulled out a gift from under the tree, it was a cube shaped box, about the size of Holly's. 

I felt her elbow touch mine. "Maybe its another ball." She quipped. We both snickered. 

Joe opened it standing up putting on a show for the room. He tore away the paper to reveal a plain cardboard box beneath, no hint to its contents. Eagerly he continued, ripping the tape off the top, letting the flaps swing open to either side to reveal what lay inside.

His smile dropped, he lurched back and both him and the box fell to the floor. From inside the gift rolled out. Someone screamed.

It took a few seconds for me to figure out what it was. 

The decapitated head of Nathan MacWilliams. 

His eyes bulged, wide and bloodshot. His lips are pulled back in a scream. He's looking at nothing but I still somehow get the feeling he's watching me. Warning me, and for whatever reason I get a sick wave of deja vu.

The lights flicker again only this time its not just the Christmas tree. I feel Holly tense up and cling tight to me in horror. My heart is racing. The flickering goes on for a few seconds but stops shortly. Then the lights go out all together and the room is bathed in darkness.