The Christmas Grouch wanted to poison every happy Christmas memory in Storyland, but he had nowhere to hide while he did it. His green Santa suit stood out against the snow. Anyone could spot him plotting in the open. Carolers passed. Children waved. He hated it. To ruin joy, he needed a secret place, and he had none. He stomped through the drifts and searched for cover. Every door glowed with warm light. Every window sang. He gritted his teeth and pulled his green hat low. A grouch cannot work where everyone can see his face. Then he saw it. A gingerbread house leaned at the edge of the snow, alone and forgotten. Its icing sagged. Its candy walls had cracked. A board hung loose across the door. No lights burned inside. No song came out. The sight made him smile for the first time all day. "Broken," he whispered. "Perfect." He waded closer and pressed a green hand to the wall. The gingerbread felt cold and stale. Holes gaped where candy had fallen away. He peered through one and saw a dim, empty room. No one had lived here in a long time. He yanked the loose board off the door. It snapped in his grip. He pushed inside. The floor groaned under his boots. Dust coated a crooked table. A cracked window let in gray light. It was ugly. It was hidden. It was exactly what he wanted. "Nobody sings here," he said. "Nobody smiles here. From this house, I will steal every good Christmas memory in Storyland." He dragged the table to the center of the room and set his hat upon it like a throne. He wiped a clear circle in the grimy window. From it he could watch the bright, happy town without being seen. He rubbed his hands together and planned. But as he leaned close to the glass, he noticed something outside. Far across the snow, a soft light drifted through the dark. It moved toward the town's edge. Toward him. He squinted. A woman walked the snow in a long blue dress. Golden hair fell past her shoulders. Wings rose behind her, and a halo glowed above her head. In her hands she carried a glass snow globe, and the globe was shining. Its light pointed straight at the gingerbread house. The Christmas Grouch knew what that meant. He had heard the stories. The Christmas Angel's globe found the place of greatest need in Storyland. Now it shone on his new lair. He ducked below the window and cursed. He had finally found a place to hide. And the one person who could ruin his plans had just found it too.