The 12 Days of Deathmas

Book excerpt: Stories include: 1st Day, The Tree - Anders swore he'd cut down his own tree this year, even if it killed him. 2nd Day, The Doves - Kelly's abusive husband couldn't tolerate the birds crapping on his car. 3rd Day, The Hens - Eris's mother-in-law offers to make her and Jessup a Christmas Eve meal to remember. 4th Day, The Birds - Mackie assures Gennie that the dead birds the cat was bringing her were meant to be a present. 5th Day, The Rings - Ricky tells his parents a bad Santa came to visit him and demanded the boy give him five gold rings. 6th Day, The Geese - They say geese can be mean-spirited. Daisy discovers why. 7th Day, The Swans - Alice found an old Victrola in her grandparents' attic. It was the music it played that horrified her. 8th Day, The Milk - Dara and her sister wonder why everything has the same expiration date. 9th Day, The Ladies - Careen couldn't figure out why her daughter no longer wanted the "nine dancing ladies" dolls for Christmas. 10th Day, The Leapers - Vina's daughter asks for more salt to finish the ten circles she's pouring in her bedroom. 11th Day, The Pipers - Macy noticed that one of the pipers on display is missing...but not for long. 12th Day, The Drums - Jayne gets to the point where she can no longer stand the relentless pounding in her skull.