Wendy was dead, to begin with...

Riley closed the door to his study, throwing himself backwards in his chair. His phone buzzed on the desk beside him. He picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey Riley." A voice said on the other end. "It's me, Dave!"

"I can tell its you David." Riley sighed, "What do you want?"

"Well, I know we haven't spoken for a while, but I'm coming back from college over Christmas, and I was thinking we could get the whole gang back together again. You know, the four, well really the six, of us? Dinner, tomorrow night. You interested?

"I'm working." Riley drawled.

"Working?" His friend asked. "On Christmas?"

"Yes."

"Aren't you a journalist? You don't work half the year. Surely you can miss-"

"Sorry, but I'm busy." Riley snapped. "Okay? Goodbye."

David was silent on the other end. "Okay." He said finally. "Bye. Merry Christ-" Riley hung up the phone, and opened his computer.

* * *

Riley wandered though his small apartment, throwing together a dinner of leftover takeaway food. He lay down across the shabby couch, and tucked into his dinner. For a while, the place was quiet, save for the Christmas carols blaring at him from the apartment a few floors above him. Then, there was a knock on the door.

Riley jumped, almost spilling his fried rice over the floor. He placed the plate on the floor, and, grumbling under his breath, opened the door.

The young man stared out into the hallway. There was no one there. He looked down either side to make sure there wasn't some idiot doing a 'knock-n-run' and then closed the door again, locking it. He moved back to the lounge, and began eating his meal again.

The first thing he noticed, was a faint, unearthly blue light behind him, casting his shadow across the ugly orange carpet.  Then, fearsome wind blew open his his shutters, sending them crashing into the wall. Grumbling, Riley placed his empty plate on the floor once again, and turned around. He nearly screamed.

A shimmering blue figure sat on his windowsill, twisting a curl of blonde hair around her finger. "Hello, Riley." Wendy smiled. "Did you miss me."

Riley tried to speak, but the words were trapped in his throat. Eventually, he managed. "B-But-You-How-Dead..."

"Oh, so you noticed?" The young woman asked. "Surprised. You've been hauled up in here since you graduated. Didn't even come to my funeral. Now that is a way to tick off a spirit isn't it."

"You're not real." Riley said flatly, crossing his arms and spinning around on his heel. "Nope, you're not. Can't be. Just uh... That Chinese food, was obviously in the fridge too long, and-"

"Turn around." Wendy sighed. Riley didn't. "Turn around." She demanded. "Turn around!" When the man in front of her still didn't move, she appeared directly in front of him, her transparent face inches from his. "You are going to listen to me, Riley Dú Vangr."

Riley yelped, stumbling backwards and tripping over the couch. He looked up over the back of it and stared at her. "D-Did you have anything important to say?"

"You've isolated yourself." Wendy crossed her arms, leaning back on a non-existent wall. "Cut off all connections. You're family, you're friends, Genieve thinks you've actually died you know."

Riley swallowed. "It's my choice what I-"

"Not anymore it's not." She interrupted. "I'm not letting you ruin your life."

"Why not?"

"Because you at least have one!" Wendy yelled, her hair standing up on end, before floating slowly back around her shoulders. "Why should all my friends suffer, because you're a bitter little sod?"

Riley trembled slightly. "W-What do you want me to do?"

Wendy didn't answer. Instead, she stared distractedly out the window, as if listening to some inaudible sound. "I don't have much time here. In this realm..." He chewed her lip, before turning to Riley. "Tonight, you will be visited by three spirits."

"Do you count?"

"No. Expect the first ghost, when the clock strikes one." Wendy walked over to the window, and climbed onto the sill.

"Are you sure I can't meet them all at once? Get all over with quickly?"

Wendy stood up on the windowsill, turning to face him. She leant backwards, gripping the side frames with her ghostly hands. "When the clock strikes one." She winked, before letting go of the walls. The woman fell back, plummeting from the fourth story apartment. Riley raced over, and hung his head over the alleyway beside his apartment complex. There was nothing. It was as if she had never been there.

Shakily, Riley closed the window, and made his way back to bed, leaving his dishes on the floor beside the couch. After a long time of staring, terrified at the ceiling, Riley fell into an uneasy sleep...

* * * * *

Riley's alarm clock beeped on the table beside his bed. His eyes still closed, Riley fumbled around, and eventually turned it off, before rolling over and trying to go back to sleep. The alarm started again.

Riley opened his eyes, staring at the clock. 1:00 am. He reached over and picked it up, fiddled with the buttons, and turned it off.  It wasn't until after he'd put the clock back down, that he noticed the orange glow emanating from the corner of his room. Riley looked across, to see David leaning against the wall.

But it wasn't the David he'd spoken too on the phone. This David looked several years younger, sixteen at the oldest. He wore their old high uniform, and his curly ginger hair seemed to flicker and sway like the light of a candle. "Hello Riley."

Riley sat up in his bed, pulling he sheets up to his neck. "Y-You're the first spirit?" David nodded. "But you're... You're... David."

The ghost looked down at himself. "Indeed I am. I appear based upon your perceptions."

"So... Then what do I call you?"

David stood up off the wall, putting his hands in his pockets, and shrugging. "David is fine, if it makes you more comfortable."

Riley stared at the spirit for a long time. "W-What do you want with me?"

David grinned. "Well, I'm here to show you, aren't I? Come on." He walked towards the window, and gestured for Riley to follow. The man stepped out of bed, still in the unwashed clothes he'd worn the day before, and approached David.

"You want to show me the street?" He asked.

David laughed. "No, of course not. I want to show you your past." He grabbed the cuff of Riley's shirt and leapt out of the window, dragging the young man out with him. Riley screamed, his feet dangling over the streets of London. A blinding white light flooded his vision... And everything went black.

* * *

Riley pushed himself up off the carpet. But it wasn't his carpet, or at least not the one in his apartment. He looked up to see the young David standing above him. "Morning sunshine."

But it wasn't Davids voice that spoke. It was Genieves. Riley turned around to see a young Genieve, no older then twelve, throw herself onto a bed. Another teenaged David lifted his head from a pillow and glanced around feebly, grumbling incoherently. Riley looked around too. Nick, Jenny, Kath and Wendy were all already sitting sitting up in their beds, along with... Him.

Riley stared at the younger version of himself, sitting upright in his dorm room bed. "I-I remember this place." Riley smiled, looking around as the seven friends began to hand presents around to each other. In a matter of seconds, the image faded, showing them all a year later, doing the same thing. It happened again. And again. In less then a minute, the group was fourteen, then fifteen. At age sixteen, another person joined them.

Riley reached out a hand to touch his old girlfriend, Charlotte, only to find his hand disintegrated into floating gold dust upon contact. The image faded again into a group of eighteen year olds, and eventually, to an empty room.

"What..." Riley turned to face the young ghost David, who sat cross legged on a bed. "What is this?"

"Look at all the fun you used to have." David smiled. "Together, with your friends. What happened?" Riley didn't respond. "Oh, that's right. I know what."

The scene around them shifted, and Riley found himself standing in a graveyard, watching as two figures stood before a large, granite headstone. Riley watched as his younger self put a bouquet of flowers on his parents grave. Charlotte squeezed his hand, and the pair walked away. "Take me out of here, David." Riley said through gritted teeth, turning to see David sitting on a headstone.

"Perhaps, a happier time?" The boy suggested, and the world around them seemed to warp, until Riley stood in the middle of an ice rink, as people skated around him.

"I remember this place." Riley smiled. "It was... It was one of the best nights of my life." A tear slid down the side of his cheek. Out of nowhere, a figure stumbled on the ice, and crashed right before him. Riley watched as the slightly younger, much happier version of himself slid along the ground and between his legs. Charlotte skated after him, giggling. Riley reached out again, but his hand turned to swirling dust, reforming after a moment into his hand.

The scene changed again, and Riley looked at a figure in the distance, kneeling before a small, white marble headstone as rain bucket end down around him. "This was it, wasn't it?" David asked, standing up from where he was sitting, and approaching Riley. "This was the Christmas after she passed. The one you were alone for."

"I didn't want to be alone." Riley snapped, tears beginning to slide down his cheeks. "The others didn't come to her funeral—"

"They weren't invited to her funeral." David interrupted, staring at the Riley from the past, who picked himself up and stumbled through the mud towards a car.

"That wasn't my—

"It was." David turned to him. "And you know it. You pushed them away, Riley."

Riley threw his fist out to punch David, but the boys head simply turned into floating golden dust the moment Riley's fist connected with it. Riley pulled his hand back, only to see Davids head reform. "What are you... Send me back! I demand you to send me back home!"

"As you wish." David bowed. "And remember, expect the second ghost, when the clock strikes two." He reached up, and shoved Riley in the chest, sending the man flying backwards. Riley was about to slam into a tree, and his entire body turned to dust. He blacked out...

* * * * *

Riley jerked awake as his alarm clock went off for the second time. He looked at it. 2:00 am. He groaned, searching around the room for David. Thankfully, the boy wasn't there, so Riley simply rolled back over, and tried to go back to sleep. After a moment, he became aware of a light coming from his living room, and the faint sound of a laughter.

He threw the covers off angrily. "I swear if it's that ginger again, I'll—"

"What was that about gingers?" A young woman asked. Riley wheeled around, almost tripping over his own feet. The silhouette of a young woman leant against his doorframe, the warm yellow light reflecting playfully against her vibrant orange hair. She stepped forward, bowing low. "Evenin'." She grinned as she came back up.

Riley could tell it was Genieve, even if he hadn't seen her in years. Unlike David had been, she was his age, or at least roughly so. She'd grown a little, and her face was slightly more worn, and tired. "Y-You?" Riley asked.

Genieve waved at him. "Me."

"B-But you're he second spirit?"

She shrugged. "So I am." She clicked her fingers, and Riley's bedroom doorway lit up, the blinding light flooding the room. "Come on, I've only got an hour."

Riley grabbed the end of his bed. "No. No, I'm not going with you. I won't get back and—"

"You're not going back anywhere." Genieve rolled her eyes, walking forward and grabbing Riley's wrist. "You're going to visit someone!" She pulled him away from the bed, and through the door.

Riley was temporarily blinded. By the time the light subsided, he looked around to find himself somewhere completely different somewhere he didn't recognise at all. That was, until he turned around to see David making his way down a garden path, the lush green hedges of Bronzcert Manor behind him.

He hadn't been to Davids family home for years, and in truth, he didn't expect David had been either. After the death of Davids parents, the young man had tried to avoid his ancestral manor like the plague. Apparently, that was no longer the case.

David stumbled along the dirt pathway, a combination of suitcases and shopping bags balanced in his arms, and a phone pinned under his ear. David stopped outside the large, wooden front door, put his luggage down, and searched for his keys. As he did so, Riley caught part of his conversation.

"Oh.. No, it's fine, really." David muttered, switching the phone to his over ear. "Really Nick don't worry about it, Gen couldn't come either." There was a long pause. "No... I couldn't get in touch with him..." He unlocked the door, and stepped inside the dark, gloomy entranceway. A letter crumpled under his foot, and reached down, opening it. Davids expression grew more pained the further down the letter he read.

"Huh?" He said, turning his attention back to the phone call. "No, it's fine, I swear. So what, it's been... A year? Really? Time flies. But you know, you've got a job and a relationship and stuff... Me? Oh, it's good, yeah. No, she's going to Paris this year to visit family. They uh, they don't like me much." David dropped the letter on the ground, and returned for his luggage. "We'll have to organise something next year sometime."

He opened his mouth to respond to something, before swallowing, and changing his tone. "I'll be fine, I promise. Back from uni for a few weeks, I've got plenty of stuff to do. Places to go, people to see. Thanks for letting me know, even if it was a little late." He glanced at what appeared to a large ham in a shopping bag. "Merry Christmas Nick, give my wishes to Jenny too. Bye."

There was a faint beep, as the phone hung up, and David made his way inside. Riley turned to Genieve. "This is what you needed to show me? Just let me go home! The last one was bad enough..."

He began to walk down the garden path, before Genieves hand shot out and grabbed his sleeve. "Where do you think you're going?" She asked, pulling up towards the still open door. Riley groaned, before following. He paused to look at the letter on the floor as he passed. It was a notification from an electricity company. They had shut off the houses power. Riley ignored this, and followed David through into the houses large living room.

David dumped all of his luggage in the entrance way, seeming to have just given up on carrying it. He grabbed a sheet covering a large leather chair, and threw it aside, sending clouds of dust billowing in all directions, illuminated by the beams of moonlight streaming in a large window overhead. David crashed onto the chair, sprawling out across it, staring up at the ceiling.

Genieve nudged Riley. "Go on... Look at him." Slightly confused, Riley approached David, which didn't see him, and who barely flinched when the front door slammed shut in the howling ice wind outside. David was only Riley's age, but he looked much older. He had dark bags under his bloodshot eyes, which seemed glassy and unfocused. His hair was uncut and unwashed, much like his shabby, ripped clothing. David ran his hands over his face, and Riley even noticed dozens of small scratches and scars over the back of them.

David shuddered, and he gave a small, choked out sob, which echoed through the empty house. He seemed to be desperately trying to hold back tears as he stood up, his face inches from Riley's own. David broke down, tears dripping down his cheeks as he walked straight through Riley and towards the large fireplace. He stood for awhile, leaning on the mantle and looking up at the large portrait of his mother and father. Eventually, he shivered, and threw several logs into the hearth. Then, David made his way over to the luggage, and pulled out a large folder.

He tall young man dropped to his knees in front of the fireplace, emptying the folder onto the ground, scratching up the pages inside and throwing them onto the fire as kindling. Riley approached, noticing they were exams and project reports, many of which were marked as 'F'. David struck a match, and tossed it into the fireplace, setting the papers alight, and watching intently as the wood caught. Riley went to lay a hand on Davids shoulder, but his hand turned to golden dust the moment he made contact.

"We need to leave." Genieve said from behind him.

Riley turned to face her. "David was... David was telling Nick the truth, right? Surely he has things to do. He must have some let friends, or-or relatives or—"

"Even as you say it yourself, you know that's not true." Genieve shook her head, leaning over one of the covered chairs.

"But surely this isn't..." Riley paused, looking his shoulder at David, who still sat in front of the fire. "This isn't my fault."

"Are you sure about that?" Genieve asked. "Cause I'm pretty sure it is."

Riley glared at her. "The others screwed him over too!"

"The others couldn't make it." Genieve corrected him. "You wouldn't. You chose not to—"

"Oh shut up." Riley snapped. "Stop trying to guilt trip me into doing... Into doing whatever. Just take me home!"

Genieve shrugged, blowing a strand of red hair out of her face. "As you wish." She ran forward and shoved him in the chest. Riley stumbled back, tripping over David, and plunging directly into the fireplace. Everything went black...

* * * * *

Riley opened his eyes, staring up at the dark, starry night sky. The wind howled around him, and somewhere in the distance, a church bell chimed three. He sat up, looking around. Riley sat under a large, knurled tree, staring out across an all too familiar graveyard. "H-Hello?" He called out. The place was really creeping him out.

There was no response. He looked out towards the church, it's steeple rising above a hill not too far away. Something moved on top of the hill. A person perhaps? Riley stood up, preparing to step forward, when the shape vanished. Perhaps it was just a trick of the light, of some kind of animal like a fox or rabbit. Then, a large dark shape shimmered into existence in the corner of his eye.

Slowly, Riley turned around. A tall, cloaked figure loomed over him, the moonlight reflecting off their dark eyes, the only things visible under the figures hood. "A-are you the third spirit?" The hooded figure nodded slowly. Riley nodded back, stepping away from the spirit and backing up against the tree. "I just... wasn't sure... The others were all..." Riley stopped when the spirit just stared blankly at him from out of the shadows. "What must you show me? Haven't the others done enough?"

The spirit shook their head, and pointed a withered old hand around the tree, over Riley's shoulder. The young man turned to see two figures silhouetted against the moonlight, standing before a grave. Riley looked from the people, to the spirit, before approaching them.

It was easy to tell who they were from behind. Nick stood there, his hands behind his back, and his head bowed. Genieve stood beside him, dwarfed by his hight, her red hair whipping around her. It wasn't until Riley walked around them, looking at his friends front on, that he realised something was different.

They were older, possibly in their mid-thirties. Genieve looked worn out, and overall less joyful. Nick was gaunt, and as if he hadn't slept in ages. "We should get going." Genieve muttered, starting to walk away. "I'm sure Jenny isn't a fan of sitting in a car at three am."

"I was my fault." Nick said quietly.

Genieve stopped in her tracks, turning to face him. "It wasn't—"

"Just like David." Nick grunted. "I shut them out, and then this—"

"This was nothing like David." Genieve snapped. "We didn't shut Riley out, he did. He pulled away from all of us. And besides, Riley didn't... Didn't..."

Riley watched as the tears gathered in the corner of his friends eyes. Genieve shook her head, and turned around, leaving Nick in front of the small black tombstone on which Riley was leaning. "Nick..." Riley muttered, reaching out towards the man, but Nick couldn't see him. He simply shook his head, and walked away, following Genieve back to a car in the distance.

Riley stood there frozen, staring after them. Slowly, he moved around the headstone, and peered down at the words engraved on it.

Riley J. Dú Vagnr
1989 - 2017

It felt as if the air had been knocked from his lungs. Finally, he let out a choked sob. Riley looked up to see the hooded spirit leaning over the grave, staring down at him. "Is this it?" Riley yelled, staggering backwards as he got to his feet. "You showed me that I died? Everybody... everybody dies, David died—" He stopped, wiping the tears from his eyes. "Spirit, what happened to David?"

The figure simply shook its head. Riley threw himself forwards, grabbing the black robes draped over the ghost. "Tell me what happened to my friend! Was it my fault? How did he die? How did I die? Speak comfort to me spirit!"

The figure reached up, and pulled back its hood revealing... Nick. Now withered, weary lookin old man, with glassy eyes, though still maintaining his shining silver hair, which looked shorter and whisper. "There is no comfort I can give..." Nick rasped. There was a terrible rumbling sound, and Riley looked over his shoulder to see the splitting apart, revealing a hellish glow from below.

"No, no please—" Nick pushed Riley, and he toppled backwards into the grave, plummeting, plummeting, plummeting...

* * * * *

Riley jerked awake, slamming into his mattress. He ran his hands over his chest and hear, before looking around his bedroom. Everything seemed the same as it had the day before. Everything seemed... Normal.

He leapt from his bed, pulling on a coat and racing to the window. Riley threw open the shutters and looked down onto the street below. Snow had fallen, giving the streets a brilliant white glow in the early morning light.

"You there!" He called down to a young teenage boy, who was wandering down the street. "Merry Christmas!"

The boy stopped, looking up at him. "You wha' mate?"

"I said, Merry Christmas!" Riley repeated, giving a friendly wave. "Hey, what's your name?"

"Who's askin'?"

Riley smirked. "A friend."

"Kyle." The boy shouted up. "Now wadda ya want?"

Riley rummaged around in his pocket, and pulled out a twenty pound note. He folded it up and tossed it down to the boy. "Hey, can you go and buy me one of those chicken pies from the shop down the road?"

Kyle caught the money and blinked at him. "Yeah right! This is going to a CS-Go case mate!" The teenager took off down the street, leaving Riley leaning out his bedroom window.

Riley considered what had just happened for a moment. "That was a the stupidest thing I've ever done." He muttered, stepping back inside and closing the window. "And what the heck is a CS-Go case?" Riley shrugged it off, and got ready, before racing out into the street, and ordering a taxi.

In a little over two hours, Riley had caught a train, and arrived at a small town in the middle of rural England. From there, he took off down the Main Street, sprinting through the countryside and across farmland, towards the large manor house in the distance.

Riley banged his fist on the door. There was a loud thump, followed by a stream of profanity from inside. Riley turned the door handle and threw open the door, looking down the hall to see David picking himself up off the floor. "R-Riley?" The redhead stammered.

"The one and only!" Riley grinned. He ran forward and threw his arms around David. "Merry Christmas!"

David stood there rigid until Riley released him. "You uh... You said you couldn't come."

Riley stared at him for a minute. "Yes." He said eventually. "Yes I did. I... Just wanted to surprise you!" He patted David on the shoulder.

David rolled his eyes. "You decided you were a jerk and came to make up for it, didn't you."

"What?" Riley chuckled nervously. "D-do you really think I would... Yes."

The redhead laughed. "I see you haven't changed since the last time I saw you."

Riley's lip twitched. "No... Of course I haven't."

David patted him on the shoulder, before turning around and picking up a bag of groceries. "I uh... I didn't really prepare for anyone... Everyone cancelled. You don't mind helping make lunch do you?" He glanced at the bag. "There's half a roast chicken in it for you?"

Riley smirked, grabbing one of the other bags. "No problem. Although I will take half the chicken." The pair laughed as Favid lead the way into the large, empty kitchen. Once in the room, David stopped, staring around at the electronic devices that wouldn't work.

"Ah..." He sighed. "I have no power... You wouldn't know how to use a open fire oven would you?"

Riley swallowed. "Do um... Do you?"

David was quiet for a moment, before a grin slit across his face. "I'll make do. I'm sure it can't be that hard. I mean, you just put the thing over the fire, right?" Riley shrugged in agreement, and the two set to work.

* * *

After about an hour, the two young men finally started to get a hang of it. David pushed open a window, letting some fresh air in, the scent of pine trees and freshly fallen snow mixing with the smell of roasting meats and vegetables. He leant against the kitchen counter, his back to the window. "Listen man, I-I'm glad you came. I'm just really stressed out with school an stuff, and I—"

A snowball hit him in thee back of the head. Both David and Riley spun around, looking out the window to see a short redheaded woman in a uniform marching up through the garden. "Merry Christmas!" Genieve called out, waving with her free hand, the other of which seemed to contain a bag of food.

"Gen?" David asked. Riley raced out and pushed open the closest door into the back garden, welcoming Genieve in, and leading her into the kitchen. She then proceeded to greet them both, and present a large Christmas pie she'd bought on the way. She even refrained from throwing it at David.

"The shop was closed down due to snow, so the boss gave me the day off!" The young woman said cheerfully. "So, I thought I'd come and visit. God knows Christmas at my families place can be rough." She chuckled, before glancing at the open fireplace with a chicken roasting on a spit. "You're uh... Going back to your roots this year, huh?"

David and Riley explained the situation, and eventually Genieve started to lend a hand, which in her definition included throwing flour at them every time they walked past. It wasn't long, before there was a knock on the front door. David went to answer it.

"Surprise!" Nick grinned, shaking a flour covered Davids hand. He and Jennifer let themselves in.

Riley ducked out into the hall. "You made it!" He grinned.

David looked from Riley, to Nick, then back again. "Y-You did got them to come?"

Nick patted Davids shoulder. "The way he made it sound, you were alone or Christmas. And Jenny wasn't having any of tha—"

"Please." Jennifer interrupted. "You weren't having any of that. I had no part in this. No offence David."

David had a huge grin across his face. "None taken, it's good to see you both. Come on in, we're—" There was a loud crashing of pots and pans from the kitchen, followed by fits of laughter from Genieve. "We're experiencing some difficulties in the kitchen, I'll be right back." He jogged off to go and find out what happened.

Nick walked over and shook Riley's hand. "Nice to see you. So... What happened? From what David was saying, he couldn't get a hold of you."

Riley smiled. "Well I uh... I met some old friends, again. They were more ruthless then I remembered, but, I guess it changed by perspective of things." He lead them into the living area, where David and Genieve soon appeared, David looking slightly disgruntled and covered in more flower.

The tall redhead handed out a few cans of coke. "Sorry, but this is all I really had." He muttered, before opening his, and holding it up in their air. "To old friends." He said happily. "Merry Christmas."

"Merry Christmas." The others agreed, before sitting down, glad to be in the company of their closest friends once again...

A/N
So, hello everyone! I just wanted to say thanks for reading this, and all of the other chapters throughout the year. Of course, Merry Christmas, and a Happy New Year! For the last time in 2017,
Goodbye,
- TheSilentChatterBox (Connor)