Elsa Christmas

	You descended a set of creaky stairs into the dank basement below the little Grimwood Christmas get-together above. Muffled Christmas tunes sounded from the party behind you, and from the basement, only the sound of occasional mumbling. You touched down on the stone floor, though not to the notice of the only other person down here. She hunched over the table in front of her, a scalpel to her left, and a notebook to her right. She ran her fingers through her stiff, but soft hair as she muttered to herself. You smirked as you approached her, a mug of hot chocolate in hand. You placed it down in front of her. She glanced at it and spun around, then looked up at you surprised, must not have heard you come in. She wore safety goggles on her forehead, a few lazy stands of her hair hanging over them.
	“Oh, it’s you.” she said, running her thumb on the handle of the mug. “Thank you.” You looked at what seemed to be a dead severed arm in front of her.
	“Stitching on a new arm?” you asked.
	“No.” she said. “I am finding more efficient means of replacing limbs.” You nodded, attempting to block out the smell of formaldehyde. Elsa always tried to tell you all about her research into reanimating body parts and stuff, but this stuff just makes you nauseous.
	“Well...do you want come upstairs? Everybody wants to see you.” She stared at you for a moment and shook her head.
	“No.” she said. “I’m too busy.” She turned back to her hunk of meat and picked her scalpel up.
	“Too busy for holiday frivol?”
	“Yes.” she said, taking the scalpel to the arm. You crossed your arms and leaned against the table.
	“C’mon, Elsa. The other girls really want to see you.”
	“They see me everyday.” she said, looking up at you. You said nothing. “What?” she asked, getting defensive. “This is important work!”
	“Tanis was wondering where you were.” you said. Elsa sighed.
	“Don’t guilt me, Anon.” she said.
“I’m not guilting you...she’s just worried about you is all…” you said, pushing the hot chocolate closer to her. She rolled her eyes and pulled her goggles off and ran her hand, again, through her black hair, accented with the white hair that she hated, but you liked. She reluctantly stood up, holding the limp arm, dripping in formaldehyde. She opened the mini fridge against the wall and tossed the arm inside, among the jars of eyeballs and assorted organs.
	“Don’t forget your hot chocolate.” you said.

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	“Oh, look who crawled out of her cave!” Miss Grimwood bellowed, chuckling. Elsa forced a few chuckles as the two of us sat down among the other girls.
	“So, Anon talked you into putting the research aside for the night?” Sibella asked.
	“I suppose he did.” Elsa said. “Where’s Tanis?” The girls looked at each other.
	“Well, Tanis goes to sleep at 7:30, you know that.”  Sibella said. Elsa glared at you.
	“Yeah...I should have known.” she said.

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	It was now deep into Christmas Eve. Miss Grimwood had gone off to sleep, while Winnie fell asleep on a sofa in front of the fire and Phantasma fell asleep drifting in midair. Sibella sat idly, wide awake, and Elsa slumped against you as she grew closer to sleep. She yawned.
	“I’m sorry if I’ve been acting...cold lately, Anon.” she said.
	“Don’t apologize.” you said. “Your work is important.”
	“Yes, but…I have to make time for you and everybody else.” she said. You put your arm around her and kissed her cheek. She closed her eyes and nestled in closer to you, her somewhat spindly arms wrapping around you.
	“Aww…” Sibella said. “You two are cute.” Elsa’s eyes opened.
	“I forgot you were here.” she said. “You ruined our moment.”
	“Oh...sorry…” she said. Elsa shut her eyes again.
	“Merry Christmas, Sibella.” she said. A fanged smile crossed the vampires face.
	“Merry Christmas.” she said. Elsa opened one eye and peeked up at you.
	“Merry Christmas, Anon.” she said with a slight smile. You rubbed her arm.
	“Merry Christmas.”