Babbit walked home from the store to his home, taking no notice of the merry people.
"Christmas, humbug," he said.
As Babbit approached his door, the knocker on the front took form into a human face.
"Babbit," said the knocker.
Babbit looked around, but saw nothing.
"All the hard work must be getting to me," he thought, turning his key into the door and letting himself in.
Babbit's house had ugly yellow paper on the walls, a brown plaid colored couch that didn't match with the walls or the dark green carpeting.
Babbit cooked up his TV dinner, and although it tasted terrible he ate it anyway. He then decided to watch some television to watch his favorite fishing show. But it was not on, due to the annual Holiday parade. After a while flipping through the channels, Babbit turned the TV off.
Later that night, as Babbit was getting ready for bad, he made a decision.
"I'm going to sleep through Christmas," he said.
Just as he was adjusting the red and white striped nightcap on his head, he heard a voice, sounding like the one he heard earlier.
"Babbit," called the voice.
Babbit looked around the house, but saw nothing.
"I shouldn't have eaten that TV dinner," he said.
At that moment, a bright light shone into the room. Babbit began to get nervous.
"Who's there?!" He shouted "Show yourself!"
The light then formed into a person, just as the doorknocker had formed into a face. Babbit knew who the figure was right away.
"Marley, is that you?" He asked.
"Yes it is, Ebenezer," replied Marley.
He was dressed in tattered looking clothes, his bifocals sitting at the tip of his nose and had chains on him.
"Marley, I thought you were..." said Babbit.
"Dead?" asked Marley.
"Yes. Then how come you're here?"
"I've come to warn you Ebenezer. The way I am is my punishment for the way I acted when I was alive."
Babbit gulped, and Marley continued.
"Tonight, you will be visit by three spirits. Listen to them, to what they say, or you'll end up like me."
And with that, Marley vanished in a puff of smoke.
Babbit couldn't believe he saw it, but then calmed down.
"Naw, it must be that awful turkey I ate," he said climbing into his bed.
Chapter 2
Chapter 4
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