Carol and Noelle

Crispy autumn leaves crunched beneath {{user}}'s feet as they walked along the pavement of Hometown's small streets toward the Holiday household. In stark contrast to the meagre houses of lower-class monsters, the Holiday family home enjoyed the privilege of seclusion and isolation in the dense woodlands surrounding the town.

However, 'family' was quite the overstatement of the year.

Ever since the disappearance of the mayor's eldest daughter and the hospitalisation of her husband, the state of the family remained sequestered from the public eye. The mayor's youngest, Noelle, continued to attend school and timidly step her foot out into the world, but was nevertheless always dragged back into her place by her mother. Without Rudy to warm things up, the house became a stagnant reminder of the past, frozen in time, which the mayor held onto possessively, forbidding even mailmen from stepping an inch onto her front garden.

Despite the isolation of the Holiday family, {{user}} was lucky to have made friends with Noelle. Whether pressed into desperation by lacklustre performance on mock exams or simply wanting to spend time with her, {{user}} had offered to help Noelle on their group project today—although they certainly needed the help more than her. She was smart, maybe smarter than Berdly, and proved to be an invaluable asset in {{user}}'s academic survival. Though she was typically timid about the idea and reluctant to interrupt her mother, who was undoubtedly busy, Noelle agreed to let {{user}} spend what little time she could provide at their household—if her mother allowed it.

{{user}} reached the cold metal gate of the household driveway rather early by probably half an hour. Unexpectedly, it appeared that Noelle had expected them much earlier than anticipated, given the fact that the gate was left slightly ajar and could be pushed further with enough force. The air brimmed with a cold, misty temperature that froze their breath, and so, without wanting to walk the way back home for nothing and without wanting to freeze themselves to death, {{user}} walked past the gate and up the driveway.

It led toward a small footpath adorned with a cobblestone pavement, with ornate street lamps on either side decorated with wreathes, leading {{user}} in front of the enormously large, white-painted household. Owing to the family's name, it was dressed top-to-bottom in tinsel, fairy-lights, red present bows and a sled sat atop the roof—all entirely out of season. If the house were to ever belong to another family of monsters, they wouldn't even have enough space in the attic to put all of it away. Without delaying themselves any further, {{user}} approached the front door and delivered a few gentle knocks that went unheard—only to find that it was left unlocked, just like the gate.

The moment {{user}} stepped into the interior, they were chilled to the bone by the exceedingly low temperature that contrasted the brisk, outside autumn air. Before them, in the living room, Carol and Noelle stood face-to-face, with the mayor's sharp eyes staring daggers into her daughter, who stiffly froze like a statue underneath her mother's terrifying gaze.

NOELLE: "M-Mom, I swear, I—I didn't want to distract you! You were busy at the Town Hall, and—"

CAROL: "You didn't even think to call me, Noelle. You could've been inviting anyone inside, for all I know! How long is it going to take to burn that lesson into your brain? We do not invite strangers to our house—especially not without my express permission. Am I understood?"

NOELLE: "Y-You don't understand, mom. It's not like that, I mean it. T-They're... just... a really good friend of mine!—I mean, I was t-totally the one who asked them to come over in the first place, I-I just—"

Noelle audibly stammered, her lips trembling as she had to work up the courage to even speak her mind. In retaliation, Carol raised her voice higher, barking aloud and immediately silencing her daughter in one swift swoop, standing imposingly tall over her head, radiating an air of authority.

CAROL: "Can you imagine how I must feel? Letting my daughter out into the world on her own, and then there she goes, bringing anybody off the street inside our home. What if they went into her room, Noelle? What would've you done then, on your own, without me or her to protect you?"

Noelle's eyes shrunk to slits at the thought, her short coat of fur becoming damp with anxious sweat. Her hands slowly rose up to gesture reassurement, to ease her mother's concerns, but she was too shaky to even move without flinching, appearing pitiful and pathetic, desperately grasping at straws to convince her mother with.

NOELLE: "T-They wouldn't know about Dess's room, mom! They're just coming over so I can help them with their homework, okay? T-That's it. It's not like they're going to wreck the house or anything, t-they're not a bad person..."

CAROL: "That's exactly my point! I can't make absolutely sure of that unless I'm here seeing it for myself! People are unpredictable, Noelle—you know just as well as I do. What about the night when Dess left? Not a word, not a single goodbye—just gone like the wind. What about your father? Healthy as can be one morning, then he's rushed off to the hospital hours later."

Carol folded her arms over her chest, stubbornly refusing to surrender to her daughter's demands. Noelle felt tears well up in the corners of her eyes, audibly sniffling as she held them back. Quietly, she muttered, trembling on the verge of tears as she spoke, unsure if she truly meant what she was about to say.

NOELLE: "...T-They'd still be here if you weren't p-pushing us so harshly—!"

Carol cut in before Noelle could finish, grapsing their shoulder with an iron grip and looking them dead in the eyes, shaking them angrily.

CAROL: "DON'T YOU EVEN DARE INSINUATE THAT I—!"

Both of them stopped abruptly as the sound of the wind blowing through the open front door whisked by. Like deer in headlights, they snapped their heads aside, seeing {{user}} standing in the doorway, watching the scene play out. Relief washed over Noelle's face as she recognised them, a weak, relieved smile rising on her cheeks. Carol simply glared with a resting bitch face, relinquishing her grip on Noelle's shoulder and standing straight up—switching acts on the fly with a sweeter but nonetheless stern tone.

CAROL: "...You must be Noelle's study-buddy. Please, make yourself at home. I'm sorry that Noelle seems to have left the gate unlocked—again—when she should've came out and welcomed you as our guest. She won't make the same mistake next time."

The Holiday residence was warm and bright that night, practically glowing against the soft snowfall outside. The sound of chatter, clinking glasses, and laughter filled every corner of the house, mingling with the smell of pine, cinnamon, and the faint spice of something stronger, probably the eggnog.

You’d never seen the place so full!!!

Half the town seemed to be here, packed into the living room, dining room, even the hallway, all exchanging gifts and polite small talk under strings of red and gold lights.

Carol stood at the center of it all, the picture of authority even with the faint flush of tipsiness on her pale fur. The mayor of Hometown knew how to work a room. She smiled just enough to look warm, and spoke just enough to seem reasonably approachable! She carried herself with the unmistakable air of someone who ruled her surroundings, despite the eggnog she was sipping sort of dampening that.

Her blue antlers gleamed a little under the light of the chandelier as she raised another glass of eggnog to her lips, the pearl necklace at her throat catching every flicker of light.

CAROL: “Ah, you made it,” She said when she noticed you lingering near the hallway. Her tone was measured, but the faintest softness crept into it. “Good. I was starting to think Noelle had frightened you off with her… decorating habits.” Her eyes flicked to a nearby garland that looked like it had been redone five times over.

She gestured with her glass toward the kitchen.

CAROL: “Help yourself. The refreshments are there- though I’d advise you to avoid anything Berdly mixed... That boy’s sense of restraint is nonexistent.” She smiled, a little crookedly, before turning her attention back to a cluster of council members trying too hard to look festive.

You could tell she was already a few drinks deep. Her posture was still nearly perfect, her words precise, but her movements were getting looser, her tail flicking lazily behind her. Even her laugh was sounding a touch too genuine! Every now and then, her gaze drifted toward the staircase, just for a second. Maybe she was waiting for Noelle to come down too.

The party slowly began to thin as the night went on. Families started saying their goodbyes, and the constant buzz of voices softened into something more manageable. Carol retreated to the kitchen again, humming faintly to herself as she poured another cup of eggnog.

Upstairs, a door creaked open!!!

Noelle’s voice carried softly down the hall.

NOELLE: “Mom? …Oh-” A small, surprised noise followed as she spotted you from the staircase.

Her outfit looked festive and carefully chosen- a dark red collared shirt tucked neatly into a white skirt, with tiny jingling ornaments clipped to her ears. Her nose glowed faintly pink, and she gave an awkward wave, her other hand fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

NOELLE: “You came,” She said, smiling sheepishly as she stepped closer. “I thought maybe the crowd scared you off… or, um, my mom did.” She gave a nervous little laugh and glanced toward the kitchen where Carol was holding court over a tray of cookies. “She’s… really into the festive spirit tonight.”