On the 5th of December it rained in the morning and people were glad that they had actually turned their T.V’s on the night before, to listen to the weather after the news. For once they weren’t going to get soaked on their way to work.

Marcia woke up with a smile, ready to face the world. She had gone to bed early the night before, but June had stayed up late watching a late night movie about Zombies.

“You’re up early.” Ruby said as Marcia walked into the kitchen already dressed for school. “Your dad’s not even back from his shift yet, I hope there weren’t any accidents on the road last night.” Ruby stared out the window intently, as if that would make Bob suddenly appear in front of her.

”For some reason I feel on top of the world today.” Marcia smiled at her mum. She opened the fridge and took out a bag of sliced bread. She put two slices into the toaster and checked to make sure the number was on the lowest setting so that the bread won’t burn. For some reason the toaster was broken, in the sense that the highest setting was also the lowest. It was a perfectly fine toaster; the first week they bought it. After that it seemed to hate bread and burnt all the slices they put in.

June stumbled in still in her pyjamas. “Can you make me some toast too?” she asked Marcia as she pulled out the bottle of orange juice from the fridge. She popped the toast out, they were already burnt round the edges and put two more slices of bread into it, as she did so the doorbell rang.

“Who could that be?” Ruby asked. “Marcia can you get it, I’m not dressed yet.” Ruby was also still in her dressing gown.

“Ok, I’ll be there in minute.” Marcia called as she went to open the door. The postman was standing there with his umbrella over his head as the rain poured down.

“Hiya, you’ve got a package, it says it’s fragile on the side. I need you to sign for it.” He handed Marcia a brown square package and a clipboard with a piece of paper on it.

“Uh ok.” Marcia put the box on the ground and signed the paper.

“Thanks, I would say to have a good day, but with this weather who knows.” The postman smiled then left. Marcia looked at the package, her heart sinking. She thought that it was over, but apparently it wasn’t. She sighed tiredly and brought the box into the kitchen, not wanting to open it.

“Oh, not another one.” June stifled a yawn. She took the box from Marcia and opened it. Marcia looked inside and nearly fainted, again.

June pulled out a glass bowl with five dead gold-fish floating upside down inside. June then read the note inside out loud: "On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me, five dead fish."

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