The Ghost of Christmas Future's Arc

Chapter 1 of 9

The Ghost of Christmas Future drifted through the fog-thick streets, his skeletal fingers clutching a worn leather book. Names filled the pages—names of souls who would not see another Christmas. This was his purpose, his eternal task. Each year he collected them, wrote them down in fading ink. The town square loomed ahead through the mist. A memorial stone block stood at its center, carved with one hundred names from years past. The Ghost ran his bone-white fingers across the engravings. Each name represented a life ended, a collection completed. His own book would soon hold this year's names. He needed a place to store them all, to keep them safe and ordered. Beyond the square, the Great Mausoleum rose against the gray sky. Its stone walls bore carvings that seemed to move in the dim light. This would be his archive, his collection place. Here he would record every name he gathered throughout the year. The Ghost pushed open the heavy doors and stepped inside. Rows of empty shelves waited. By next Christmas, they would be full. His work had begun.