The Christmas Eve it all changed

*This story is based off a Christmas story from under my folder “25 Christmas tale”. This story that I wrote, right here, is under my folder “Castiel and Absinthe”. Gacha Club character designs are under this forum: https://www.youngwriterssociety.com/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=116005&start=990. Enjoy and Scary Creepmas!*

Introduction

Christmas Eve. It’s the season of love, whether it be familial, friendship, or romantic. It can tie anyone into complete bliss.

But as much as there is love during the season, there is heartbreak. There is sorrow. Christmas can be a lonely, dismal time for many people, a time where it would feel like no one in the world cared.

And that was what happened to Castiel and Absinthe.

Chapter One

THE FOREST WALK

Castiel ran throughout the forest, clutching Absinthe’s note. Why did she want to meet there? It was so dark at night, and he could hardly see with the dim gas lamp.

Twigs snapped underneath his feet, the wind chilled around him. Only small flecks of snow were on the ground, the snow hadn’t yet overtaken its surroundings.

But what was it that she wanted to talk about?

Chapter Two

After much walking, Castiel made it a clearing in the forest. Absinthe sat on the grass, her eyes streaked with worry and…flecks of red?

“You know the part of the forest that everyone tells us to stay away from? The cursed part?” Absinthe asked.

Castiel nodded. He heard of the story. No one knew why there was a part of the forest that was cursed, there just was.

“I went there.” Absinthe said. Her voice sounded slightly haggard and worn, as though she were a skeleton withering away.

Castiel set the lamp down and sat in front of her. No matter what words came out of her mouth, nothing would cease his love for her.

Chapter Three

“I went there, and I saw something. I saw snow that was dotted with red. Red dots in the snow, red dots that looked like rubies.” Absinthe said, her voice slightly faltering in fright.

“Red dots? Abby, what is the meaning of this? Red dots? Surely, you don’t think that it’s blood…right?” Castiel asked.

For what else could it be but blood? She wouldn’t mistaken it for rubies, would she? No one left rubies in the snow.

Absinthe glided towards him as though she were a ghost, as though she defied the laws of gravity.

She was standing right next to him when she whispered in her ear:

“Something was telling me that it was rubies. I found out far too late.”

Chapter Four

And then, Castiel felt pointed, knife-sharp teeth on his neck. In his mind came a vision of blood, in his ears came the sound of his own vitality being drained away.

He heard legends of such creatures lurking in the forest, waiting to strike, waiting to take their fill of human life.

But he didn’t run, for it was only Absinthe. If she wanted him to be a monster, then so be it.

As long as he would get to be one with her.

Chapter Five

In a jolt, Absinthe let go of him. The pain had worn off, but he could still feel himself slowly change into a vampire.

“We should go.” Absinthe said, her red eyes full of fright.

She let go of Castiel before he could answer, her plume dress the only vibrance that he saw.

He picked up the gas lamp and made the trip back home, feeling the fangs grow inside of him.

He’d have to be careful to make sure that his family wouldn’t find out.

Chapter Six

Castiel stood on a ground covered in snow, watching as the snowflakes dripped from the early dawn sky, the moon still way up high.

While it was all a picturesque scene, there was just something…uncanny in the air. Castiel felt as though something terrible were going to happen, as though the beauty was a distraction from the impending destruction.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a teal light exploding, coupled with a child’s scream.

Castiel woke up, his heart pounding from the nightmare.

It was only a nightmare, but he was still a vampire. He still had to keep secrets.

He still had to be careful.

Chapter Seven

THE NEXT MORNING

Castiel ignored the headache that was screeching in his mind, the headache that was from the, in his opinion, overly bright sunlight.

He was standing out of his house, watching his younger siblings, Simon and Ottilie, play in the snow. Mother was cooking something in the kitchen, father had left to get firewood. It was his responsibility to watch over them both.

For a few minutes, it seemed that they all were doing was playing in the snow. Castiel felt as though he would have fallen asleep if it weren’t for the unbearable headache. Oh, the woes of being a vampire.

But then, Simon stood still, staring at something in the distance. Ottilie joined him, seemingly fascinated.

“What are you looking at?” Castiel called out, running up to the both of them.

His siblings took off as though something were begging them to run.

Castiel ran after them.

Chapter Eight

There was a winding path of snow that piled up higher as he got closer to his siblings, as he got closer to the light…

The teal light in question was emanating from a small, pale, gaunt figure. It stood like a hunchback and had one teal eye peering out of auburn hair.

Simon and Ottilie were pulled close to the figure, something using its pressure to trap them, to reel them in…

Castiel snatched them both up from the ground, before it could take them any further.

There was no way he’d let a figure in the woods steal his siblings.

Chapter Nine

“Let us go, that was a friend!” Ottilie protested, trying to break free of Castiel’s grip.

Castiel laughed humorlessly, for how could Ottilie spew such words? It was almost too ridiculous to be real.

“Friend? You don’t who or what the thing is. That’s not your friend.” Castiel said sharply.

They were getting closer to home. He’d tell them both to keep quiet so that their parents wouldn’t worry, and then he’d meet with Absinthe later.

“But it said that it was our friend!” Simon cried out, joining in.

“And you’re going to take the word of a creature in the woods?” Castiel asked.

Both of his siblings went quiet. He hadn’t meant to upset them, he just wanted them to be safe.

“I just want you both to be careful, that’s all.” Castiel said softly.

His siblings grumbled and murmured some unsavory things about him, but he didn’t comment on it. He had to get them home. He could feel his thirst for blood begin to screech within him, and he had to eat before any of them would suspect things.

He couldn’t eat his own family.

Chapter Ten

AT DINNER

“Castiel, you haven’t touched your plate at all. What’s wrong?” Mother asked.

It wasn’t quite late yet, for the sky was a lightly dusted purple. But it was getting late enough for them all to have dinner.

Castiel couldn’t eat the cooked steak, for the meat was not raw. His throat craved for a warm liquid that would deplete others when taken but invigorate him. It was what flowed in every life form, what would drive him to madness if he didn’t get one taste.

“I’m alright. I just don’t feel like eating right now.” Castiel said.

His siblings had forgotten about the forest incident, and were happily gorging away on their food. All of which he was grateful for, because he didn’t feel like talking about it. Ever.

“Say, son. You’re not one of those vampires, are you?” Father asked, raising an eyebrow inquisitively.

Castiel placed his hands underneath his legs, so that he wouldn’t pick at his skin with them.

In their town, some people believed in vampires. Some people believed that the mysterious animal deaths were that of a vampire’s doing, from the lack of blood that was found in them. Not everyone believed in the rumors, but Castiel hoped that his father didn’t believe them.

Father only grinned and chuckled lightly.

“I’m just messing with you! You’ll eat tomorrow.” He said, his eyes twinkling brightly.

Mother gave him a dirty look, to which father only laughed off.

Castiel let his hands go, the urge to pick at his skin subsiding.

He was safe for the time being.

Chapter Eleven

Everyone had finished eating dinner. His siblings were playing outside, his parents were watching them both.

They never seem to tire of playing, Castiel mused.

Castiel himself was currently stalking the halls, following a small baby mouse. He didn’t care that it was a baby, it was a pest and he was starving.

If only it didn’t run so fast, if only it just let him catch it-

He caught it! Right in his claws, he caught the squirming creature!

Castiel bit deep into it, relishing the blood that flowed into his mouth, as rich as mother’s chocolate cake.

He had the power, and everything was made all the more possible.

Chapter Twelve

OUT AT TOWN

He had left to go into town, for Absinthe was usually there. The tinsel for Christmas was up, and everyone was talking about the deaths that occurred.

They were lucky that no humans had died, or else an even bigger stir would brew across town, and everyone would be under more stress.

Castiel stopped in front of a store titled: “Myrtle’s doll emporium”. It was the place where he met Absinthe, where all of the dolls stared back with innocent eyes.

He felt a claw interlace with his own.

Chapter Thirteen

“I miss this place. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like if my younger self saw me now. Would she still love me?” Absinthe asked.

It was Absinthe who had locked claws with his, he knew from the lace sleeve that briefly brushed by his wrist.

“Do you know exactly what made you a vampire? Did you see anything in the forest?” Castiel asked, ever so curious as to what had happened.

“No. I don’t know what happened back there.” Absinthe said with a shrug.

“Want to go find out?” Castiel ventured.

They were both vampires, it wasn’t like the worst could happen to them.

“I guess it wouldn’t hurt.” Absinthe said, her voice having a slight note of uncertainty.

That was alright. He’d be sure to keep her from the horrors, they both had each other to keep one another safe.

Chapter Fourteen

AT THE FOREST

Castiel and Absinthe stayed close together, for the moon was getting far away from the trees. They were only in the woods, but the expanse of trees made it seem like a forest.

There it was. The teal glow that his siblings were following earlier, and the very thing that could be the reason they were vampires.

Castiel sped up, locking his claw with Absinthe’s, his heart racing within.

Could they find out the truth? The answer?

Chapter Fifteen

They were so close. All they had to do was take one more step to see the being and then-

A current of snow swirled around them both. Absinthe held onto Castiel for dear life, the cold air seemed to whip against their skin.

“FADE OFF WHILE YOU STILL CAN.” A ghoulish child’s voice snarled.

Fade off? What did the creature mean? Why did it sound like their voice was so husky?

Castiel didn’t let Absinthe slip out of his reach.

Chapter Sixteen

FLASHBACK

Castiel eyed the different porcelain dolls on the shelf. He liked collecting many different things. From lamps to dolls, anything interested him.

Myrtle’s doll emporium had one life-sized doll that could be mistaken for a real little girl if one didn’t notice the glass eyes. Her blue eyes shone demurely, her pale face was framed by auburn locks, and her purple lace dress was flounced with frills, as was her matching hat.

She needed a home, and Castiel would be the one to provide it for her.

He walked up to the doll and tried lifting it off the ground, but goodness, it was so heavy! It was like trying to pick one of his parents up, like it would protest his attempts at holding it in any second!

But then, he saw a girl around his age wrap her arms around the doll, lightening his loud.

He smiled gratefully to her, to which she said:

“It’s the least that I can do.”

They both carried the doll over to the register, never letting go until the time was right.

Castiel wasn’t going to let that moment be a one time thing. He had to know her name, he wouldn’t let a sweet person like herself go!

She could be his new friend.

Chapter Seventeen

For prolonged seconds, Castiel and Absinthe simply stared at each other, trying to comprehend what had happened.

Far off, angered voices began to rise. It was the nightly mob, hunting for vampires.

Absinthe swiftly took his hand, and off they both ran, the snow accumulating from the sky.

Chapter Eighteen

After much running, they had made it to Absinthe’s mansion, where no lights glowed. Her Mom and Dad were fast asleep.

Castiel lingered with Absinthe for a few minutes. He was never sure if the mob would find them one day, but he wanted to take in everything all the time. Her velvet hair. Her doll-like eyes. The curve of her lips.

But most importantly, the way she seemed to melt away his fears when she held his hand. The way the world stilled with her around.

He kissed her lips, taking in the sweet candy cane taste in her lips before departing to the night.

They weren’t any closer to finding out the truth.

Chapter Nineteen

Castiel crawled on the exterior walls of his house and into his room, careful not to make any noises.

His room that had dolls staring back at him with sorrow. They were dressed innocently enough, with their frills and bows, but sometimes, Castiel felt as though they had pieces of his soul within them. He collected them ever since he was six, and if anyone were to ever break one, then his heart would break.

It wasn’t mature of him, he knew. But still, Castiel couldn’t help it. The dolls kept him company. The dolls never judged. The dolls couldn’t leave.

Just like he couldn’t help the hunger that was lingering in the corners of his being. He’d never eat a person, though.

Chapter Twenty

“Why’d you leave me?” A little girl’s voice asked.

Castiel didn’t respond. He couldn’t sleep with his vampire curse. The candle in his room didn’t go out, he didn’t want to blow it away just yet.

“I asked you a question. Why did you leave me?”

Ottilie was asleep. Nobody was in his room. It was just his imagination from running so much.

“Answer me!”

Castiel shot up from bed. Nobody was in his room. There was an overwhelmingly empty spot where the life-sized doll used to stand, but that was about it.

Yet, his heart didn’t feel any less hollow.

Chapter Twenty-One

THE NEXT MORNING

Castiel walked down the stairs, trailing his claw against the wall. Mother was painting in the parlor, he could hear her paint brushes against the canvas. Father and Simon’s voices rose and fell, which told Castiel that they were both in the study, reading books of new findings.

But when he reached the bottom of the stairs, he saw Ottilie sitting on the dark wood polished ground, surrounded by bits and pieces of broken doll parts.

“Ottilie?”

She lifted her head up at his voice, grinning widely as she ran towards him, holding a doll arm in one hand.

“Look what I found outside this morning! Isn’t it so pretty? I think it will be prettier when it’s put together! Do you think I’ll find the other parts? Can you help me put them together?” Ottilie asked.

Her eyes were full of hope and curiosity. Mother didn’t look up once from her painting, completely focused on her art. Castiel bit his bottom lip to stop from yelling at her. Did she and father even care to watch over the younger siblings?

Of course they do. They’re just busy. Castiel thought.

“Why’d you take doll parts you found outside? You don’t know where it came from. You don’t-“

“But I do! It came from outside!” Ottilie cried out, her bottom lip turning into a pout.

“You don’t know who left it there and why. Give me the pieces and I’ll look at them.”

“You’re going to fix it, right?”

Ottilie’s optimism didn’t fade away, it began to creep faster on her face from her smile and eyes. Mother continued to paint her art.

“Yes, I’ll fix them.” Castiel said gently.

Ottilie stared at him for a bit, studying him, then she went to get the pieces and handed them to him.

He’d say whatever she’d want to hear if it’d help him take the pieces away.

Chapter Twenty-Two

FLASHBACK

Castiel and the girl stood outside in the snow, the doll set standing up on the ground. The voices of the carolers rose and fell with the ringing bells and horse hooves. If Castiel wasn’t paying attention, he would have thought that the doll was a younger child.

“Do you think that doll is alive?” The girl asked inquisitively, curling a strand of the doll’s hair.

Castiel swallowed hard. He didn’t believe that dolls could be alive, but every moment he glanced at the doll, he thought that he saw her eyes glisten with tears.

“I don’t think so.” He said.

After he had bought it for himself, it seemed more lifelike by the second. More lifelike, and how wasit so? How could such a doll look so frightened?

“Huh. Sorry about that. I just think these things sometimes.” The girl said, her eyes having a tinge of embarrassment.

Castiel stole another glance at the doll. He promised to give her a home, and a home he’d give. No matter how real she looked, she still deserved a place to stay just as much as the other dolls did.

“That’s okay! What’s your name? I’m Castiel.” He said brightly in an attempt to change the subject, to keep from living in a moment that may have been unsavory to her.

“Absinthe. It’s nice to meet you.” The girl said with a soft smile.

Castiel extended his hand for her to shake, to which she accepted.

He’d name the doll later, but at least he got to meet Absinthe.

At least he got to make a new friend.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Castiel stared out of his window, at the snow that drifted down into the ground. The woods used to be a place of calm, but all of a sudden, there was one odd place that was absolutely off-limits, a place that no one should go to.

The garlands hung from lamppost to lamppost, the candles it wrapped around glowing warmly. Families and couples held each other close, bonded by memories tinted with endless strings of love. Castiel and Absinthe would have joined them if they weren’t monsters.

He looked down at the doll parts in his hands, then back outside.

How long would the love last?

Chapter Twenty-Four

DURING THE NIGHT

Castiel held the lamp steadily in the hallways. Absinthe would be waiting for him outside, as she always did. It wasn’t that they were ashamed of each other, because they loved one another dearly, and their families knew of them both being together, it was just that they could only leave in the night.

There was a night a few Christmases ago. A night of which Castiel still held in his mind.

“She’s my friend! Don’t take her away!”

“She’s just a doll, and she’s taking up space. Make room for more interesting stuff.”

“But I like her!”

“She’s going away!”

Castiel bristled a bit from the memory, but continued on anyway. The crimson liquid that ran through the bodies of many bound in flesh coursed through his mind and what was left of his soul.

It was an old, worn childhood memory, like lace cotton that browned on the edges. Familiar but with a rotten smell.

He and Absinthe would be okay, so long as they drank all of their sorrow away.

Chapter Twenty-Five

IN THE OUTSIDE

“Do you think they’ll kill us if they knew? They think of vampires as ghastly, unsightly creatures. They wouldn’t think of vampires being young people like us. But do you think they’d still do it?” Absinthe asked.

He and Absinthe were walking in the woods that had snow powered all around them, interweaving together to be a tapestry. They were searching for small animals to eat and walking in calm, quiet silence until Absinthe brought it up.

“Without a doubt. They’re relentless. But why are you bringing that up?” Castiel asked, stopping his walk.

Absinthe’s eyes became clouded with worry, the tears completely still in her eyes, as though she were doing all that she could to keep them from tumbling down.

“I was just thinking that if the angels knew what we were, they’d despise us. They wouldn’t want us to celebrate Christmas. They wouldn’t even want us to be alive. They’d cheer as we burn, Castiel. There’s no place for us in Heaven. There’s-”

Absinthe couldn’t finish her sentence. She broke off in sobs, her whole body shaking underneath her shawl and dress. She looked so much younger than she was, all curled up in her fear.

Castiel placed the lamp on the ground, looped one arm around her legs and another around her back, carrying Absinthe until he found an oak tree that bloomed bigger than the other frail birches, and sat next to the trunk with Absinthe in his arms, kissing away her tears.

“Maybe that’s true, but we never asked to be this way. We have to do what we can to survive. It hurts, doesn’t it? To live off of only blood? To know that you are stealing the life of a living thing? It doesn’t make it any better that it’s an animal.” Castiel said.

Absinthe nodded in between tears. Never before had he ever seen her in such a state of dismay. He wasn’t sure if his words would help, but he hoped deep inside in his deteriorating soul that she’d feel better.

“But that’s the way it is. Animals will kill each other to survive. Sometimes, humans have to resort to such things in moments of desperation. It doesn’t make us horrible. It means that we survive. We all deserve to live, because life is full of so much joy and opportunities that we can’t let fade away just because of what others say. Abby, you’ll always have a place with me.” Castiel said.

He planted a kiss on her lips, then snuggled with her against the trees. They’d eat when she was ready.

She’d always be an angel in his eyes.

Chapter Twenty-Six

They had been sitting next to the tree branch for a good long while, both beginning to feel the hunger drag all around them. Absinthe got up from Castiel’s lap, Castiel brushed the stray bits of snow off his pants.

They still had time before the light of day to go hunting, so Castiel would take the lamp and lead the way. It wasn’t like they couldn’t see at night, but it was silently agreed upon them both that a lamp would help them feel more human.

Castiel ran over to the lamp that still faintly glowed and picked it up. Right when he did, he spotted the blue glow from the other night.

Absinthe huddled close to him, eyes intent on the glow in the woods.

Chapter Twenty-Seven

The both of them crept closer and closer to the light, but even as they walked carefully, they could both feel the light somehow pulling them in closer, closer…

“Castiel, I miss you so.” A voice rasped. It sounded so young, yet so grating, and so, so weary.

The blue light only got brighter as they walked on, and the air around their ankles somehow tightened, like there was a rope attached around them, pulling them along.

He saw Absinthe’s eyes cloud with horror before the blue light crackled all around them like a shooting star in the sky.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Right before Castiel’s eyes, he saw a little brown-haired girl screeching, screaming for help, her skin melting off to porcelain, her arms reaching out towards him, crying out:

“Look at what she did to me…look…LOOK…”

And right behind the little girl was a shadow that vaguely looked like the silhouette of a woman, her hands contorted and reaching out into claws.

But the most prominent thing of all was the set of teeth that jutted out of the woman’s mouth, pointed and ready to kill.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

“And you should drink blood to know my pain. To know that she took my life from me! She LEFT me like this!” The little girl cried out.

All at once, the blue light crackled away. Castiel and Absinthe were back in the clearing with the snow, the voices of the mob rising, getting closer and closer.

The desire to steal away blood was stronger and stronger. Castiel grabbed Absinthe’s hand, and the two of them ran off.

But how long would they run?

Chapter Thirty

How long did they run? All the way back to Castiel’s home, where the mob had chased them down and burned everyone inside, including Castiel’s family.

His heart was torn with dying blood and deepening despair. The doll he had left behind was not a doll, but a child. Myrtle’s doll emporium was holding a sinister secret, and in the splendor of Christmas Eve, all that he had ever loved was burned away.

Why, oh why, did they both go out to the woods?

Epilogue

Castiel and his family never left their house. Absinthe stayed too, but she was more likely to hide than the rest.

As time went on and the doll was still rotting in the snow, stewing in her curse, the house became forgotten, until sometime in the present, a steakhouse was built over the house, and they always hosted extravagant Christmas events.

Castiel’s heart was strung up with the pain of all that came. Maybe one day, they would all be free.

If only the terror had not happened that one Christmas Eve…