A Christmas Nightmare

By Aaron Abilene

A man goes through an absolute living nightmare as things take a horrible turn in his life during the holidays leading to him slowly going completely insane.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Aaron Abilene
• Release date: Dec 25, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201628949

Book preview

A Christmas Nightmare

Aaron Abilene

Published by Aaron Abilene, 2021.

This is a work of fiction. Similarities to real people, places, or events are entirely coincidental.

A CHRISTMAS NIGHTMARE

First edition. December 25, 2021.

Copyright © 2021 Aaron Abilene.

ISBN: 979-8201628949

Written by Aaron Abilene.

Table of Contents

Title Page

Copyright Page

Dedication

A Christmas Nightmare

Sign up for Aaron Abilene's Mailing List

Also By Aaron Abilene

To everyone who ever said I'd never be able to become an author.

A Christmas Nightmare

Written By Aaron Abilene

It's exactly 7 days before Christmas. My name is Marty.  A week ago, two weeks before Christmas,  my entire life fell apart. A week ago I caught my wife cheating on me with my fucking  brother.  I always thought something was weird, that bitch always walks around in her housecoat when my brother is around.

I can't believe I was so oblivious to the signs of their affair. It's been a week since I kicked her out of our house, and it still hurts like hell. Every morning I wake up with an empty feeling in my stomach, wishing this was all just a bad dream.

But today is different. It's the first day I've woken up without feeling that pang of emptiness. Instead, I feel a sense of determination. I refuse to let this ruin my holiday spirit.

I'm determined to make this Christmas a good one, even if it means spending it alone. As I walk through the streets lined with twinkling lights and festive decorations, memories of happier times flood my mind.

But then I catch sight of a group of carolers on the corner, singing Silent Night in perfect harmony. Their voices bring me back to reality and remind me of the true meaning of Christmas: love, joy, and peace.

Determined to let go of the hurt and anger that has consumed me for the past week, I decide to join in on the caroling. As I sing along with the group, my heart feels lighter than it has in days.

Maybe this is what the holidays are really all about - finding joy in unexpected places and opening your heart to those around you. And as we finish our song and the group disperses, I realize that this might just be the start of a new beginning for me.

I'm not exactly sure where this newfound determination will take me, but for now, I'm grateful for the hope that Christmas has brought back into my life.

I was devastated. Christmas was always a special time for me and my family, but now it was all ruined. I couldn't bear the thought of spending time with either of them during the holidays.

I decided to take a solo trip to the mountains to clear my mind. As I drove up the winding roads, I couldn't help but feel a sense of peace wash over me. The snow-capped trees and fresh air were a welcome change from the chaos of my life.

After checking into my cabin, I lit a fire in the fireplace and settled into the couch with a bottle of whiskey. I didn't plan on leaving that spot until I felt better.

But as the night went on, strange things started to happen. The fire flickered and changed colors, shadows danced across the walls, and the creaking sounds of footsteps echoed through the cabin.

I tried to shake it off as just my imagination or maybe too much whiskey, but then I heard a voice whisper my name.

Marty.

I froze. My heart was pounding in my chest. I slowly turned around and what I saw made me want to scream.

There, standing in front of me, was an apparition of my wife and brother. They were holding hands and staring at me with blank expressions on their faces.

What do you want? Why are you here? My words barely escaped my mouth.

We just wanted to remind you of what you lost, my wife said with a sneer.

You were always so focused on your work and never paid attention to us, chimed in my brother.

I couldn't take it anymore. I stood up and tried to run out of the house, but how far do you really think a fat fuck like me is really going to run before I'm panting and hunched over out of breath?

I was devastated, heartbroken, and angry. I couldn't believe the two people I trusted the most would betray me like this. I kicked them both out of my house and haven't spoken to them since.

Now, here I am, alone in my house, with nothing but my thoughts and a bottle of whiskey. The Christmas lights outside mock me as I sit in the dark, drowning in self-pity.

I didn't have any plans for Christmas this year. My wife usually takes care of all that stuff, and now she's gone. Part of me wants to crawl into bed and never come out; the other part of me wants to burn down the Christmas tree and everything else in this godforsaken house.

But as I sit here, wallowing in my misery, a strange feeling washes over me. The feeling that maybe, just maybe, this could be an opportunity. An opportunity to start fresh, to reinvent myself.

With that thought in mind, I grab my phone and start scrolling through my contacts. I call up some old friends I haven't seen in ages and invite them over for a small Christmas party.

As the night goes on and my friends start to arrive, I realize something. Even though my life fell apart a week ago, it doesn't mean it has to stay that way. I'm surrounded by people who care about me, who want to see me happy.

Maybe this is what Christmas is all about. It's not about the presents or the decorations or even the family you're born into. It's about being with the people who love you and making the most of what you have.

––––––––

I'm not going to lie. Every night I've been having nightmares about what happened. Every night I dream about killing them.

But tonight, as I sit here surrounded by my friends, I realize something else. It's not worth it. Letting go of that anger and bitterness is the best thing I can do for myself.

I raise my glass in a toast to the people around me, to the new memories we'll make this holiday season. And as we all laugh and talk late into the night, I know deep down that this might just be the best Christmas yet.

But tonight, something is different. As I drift off to sleep, I find myself in a dream-like state, surrounded by the familiar twinkling lights of Christmas.

In the distance, I hear the sound of carolers singing Silent Night, and without thinking, I start to hum along. Suddenly, the carolers turn to face me, their faces glowing with joy and warmth.

Marty, they sing in unison. We are here to help you heal.

I'm stunned. Could this really be happening? Could my dreams be trying to tell me something?

As they continue to sing, a feeling of peace washes over me. It's like all my anger and pain are being lifted away.

When I wake up the next morning, I feel like a new person. The weight of what happened is no longer dragging me down. Instead, I feel like I can move forward, one step at a time.

And as Christmas rolls around once again, I find myself surrounded by love and happiness. It's not the same as it used to be, but that's okay. Life is full of surprises, and sometimes those surprises can lead you to unexpected places.

All I know is that I'm grateful for this second chance at happiness. And as I look around at my friends and family gathered together around the tree, I know that everything is going to be okay.

But as I sit here, surrounded by my friends who are laughing and enjoying themselves, I realize that maybe the nightmares are a sign that I need to let go of the anger and pain. They can't hurt me anymore; they're nothing but ghosts from my past.

As the night wears on and the wine flows freely, I make a decision. I'm not going to let my ex-wife and brother ruin my life anymore. I'm going to move on and start over.

And who knows? Maybe next Christmas, I'll be singing carols with someone new, someone who will love me for who I am.

––––––––

Suddenly it's the middle of the night. Marty is alone in a hotel room. He's violently shaking as he sleeps having a nightmare that he's killing his wife and brother.

As he jolts awake, covered in sweat, Marty realizes that he can't keep living like this. The nightmares have been consuming him, and he's been unable to shake the feeling of anger and betrayal.

With a deep breath, Marty decides that it's time to face his demons head-on. He picks up the phone and dials a number he never thought he would again - his ex-wife's.

It rings once, twice, three times before she finally picks up.

Marty? What do you want? she says, her voice cold and distant.

I need to talk to you, he says, his voice shaking slightly.

I don't want to talk to you, she says firmly.

It's important, Marty insists. Please.

There's a long pause on the other end of the line before his wife finally sighs heavily.

Fine, she says. Meet me at the park in an hour.

Marty hangs up the phone and quickly gets dressed. He knows this won't be easy, but it's something that needs to be done.

As he arrives at the park, Marty sees his wife sitting on a bench. She looks tired and worn, but he can't help noticing how beautiful she still looks.

Okay, what is it? she asks, not looking up as he approaches.

I need to apologize, Marty begins. For everything. For not being there for you enough when we were together, for not appreciating you like I should have.

His wife looks up at him then, and he can see the pain and hurt in her eyes.

And for what happened... he continues hesitantly.

As Marty wakes up from his nightmare, he's gasping for air. He takes a deep breath and tries to calm himself down. It was just a dream, he tells himself.

But even though it was just a dream, the anger and pain are still there, simmering just below the surface. Marty knows he needs to let it go, but he doesn't know how.

He gets up from the bed and walks over to the window, staring out at the city below. The streets are empty, and the darkness seems to stretch on forever.

Marty feels like that darkness is inside of him too, consuming him. He doesn't know what to do or where to turn.

Suddenly, his phone rings. It's his best friend from college, Mark.

Hey man, how's it going? Mark asks cheerfully.

Marty takes a deep breath and tries to sound as normal as possible. It's going okay, he says with a forced smile.

Mark can hear something in Marty's voice though. What's wrong? he asks.

Marty hesitates for a moment before finally letting it out. He tells Mark everything that happened with his wife and brother, how he's been having nightmares ever since, and how he feels like he's drowning in his own anger and pain.

Mark listens patiently, never interrupting or judging. When Marty is finished, there's a long pause before Mark speaks.

You don't have to go through this alone, he says softly. I'm here for you.

Marty feels like a weight has been lifted off his shoulders just hearing those words. He realizes that he doesn't have to go through whatever he is going through mentally.

He wakes up gasping for air, his heart racing. This nightmare is new, and it's worse than the others. He can feel his sanity slipping away, and he knows he needs to do something about it.

He's tried everything to forget about what happened, but the nightmares keep coming back. The alcohol doesn't work anymore, and he's starting to lose hope.

But then a thought occurs to him. Maybe he needs to face his demons head-on. He