Page 34 of Our Dark Winter Wish

Now, I understand his need to be in his larger form. He makes the tree look like a walking cane resting on his shoulder.

When we reach the cottage, it smells incredible and all our mouths water. Inside, I help Archie get the tree in position. We place it in the corner of the lounge and decorate it together.

This is by far one of the strangest customs I have been a part of.

But yet, the most enjoyable.

We place candles on the branches and sprigs of holly and berries around it in garlands. There’s a rustle and a squeal. Tentatively, I look inside the branches and grimace.

‘What is it?’ Pix asks me.

‘Poppy found her dinner,’ I tell her. ‘A squirrel.’

She scrunches up her face and steps back.

And then we see what Archie wanted the coloured caterpillars for. He returns from outside with a macabre piece of twine. Attached to it are chunks of chopped-up caterpillar. He places it around the tree and steps back, looking proud of himself.

Dorian and I share a look.

Dorian shrugs, clearly no deeper in the know than I am.

Then, slowly, those little chunks of coloured caterpillars start to fucking glow.

‘When they’re warm, they shine,’ Archie says, watching them with a sad smile. ‘My sister and I would hunt them for days before Christmas and make meters and metres of these. Our house was smothered. The walls. The door frames. The tree.’

Tears glisten in his eyes as he remembers celebrating this day with the family he lost.

‘What do you think, Pix?’ he asks, his voice dry and unsteady.

She takes his hand in hers and grips it tightly.

‘I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever seen.’ Her arms wrap around his middle, and we all take a moment to enjoy the beauty of our hard work.

‘Let’s do gifts before food,’ Archie says, clearing his throat and swiftly wiping his eyes. He looks down at Pixie, cupping her face in his hands and beaming ear to ear. ‘I can’t wait to see your face when I give you mine.’

‘If it’s any bigger than what you got her for her birthday, I think she may pass out,’ I scoff.

‘Ahh,’ he dismisses, waving his hand through the air as he starts towards the stairs. ‘She’s had Dorian’s trouser snake in its entirety. She can handle anything.’

Pixie slowly turns to look at me, a pleading look on her face.

‘It’s a spiked dildo or something, isn’t it…’

Laughing, I shrug.

‘I’m going to get my gifts.’ She heads to the front door.

‘Where are you going?’ Dorian starts.

‘I had to hide them outside. Archie kept trying to find them.’

She leaves, and Dorian looks ready to crash through the wall after her.

‘Get your gifts, Dorian. She’ll be fine.’ I head to the kitchen, where I stashed my rather shitty present up on the highest shelf. We never use those shelves because Pixie can’t reach them, so they’re always empty.

I swallow my nerves as I return to the lounge.

Archie is placing his gifts beneath the tree, so I follow suit, placing mine beside his.

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