The month of December is a month to remember. And with this month of course comes an advent calendar. But most calendars of advent hold normal things. Chocolates or other such treats. Some hold toys while others give you make-up samples. Whatever the case may be, it is always a surprise what you’re going to get the next day as you count down towards the midwinter festival.
But in this empty living room lies an advent calendar that isn’t like any of the others. Of course not, for it was made by me. This calendar holds a special surprise for those that open one of its doors for this is the calendar of AdvenTF. What will happen? 24 people have gathered here to find out...
“I’ll go first!” says Corey as he bravely steps forwards. The man inspects the calendar to look for the number one door. There is nothing to really suggest anything odd about this calendar. There is just my word that it’ll be a Christmas to remember.
At last, the number one door is found. It looks to be a big door. Eagerly, Corey opens the door but is surprised and perhaps a little disappointed to find only what looks to be a rhyme:
What this celebration of winter needs to get started most of all
Is an evergreen tree to decorate this merry Christmas hall
“What could that mean?” asks Corey aloud. None of the other people really know what could be up. Well, none but me, that is. And I know that the calendar’s magic has already begun.
“Are you… getting greener?” asks Vin.
Corey raises an eyebrow in confusion. “Greener? What are you talking abo-” he asks but stops himself when he notices the colour of his hands. Sure enough, Vin wasn’t lying just now. He is turning rather green. Not only that but it is starting to look as if there are small green needles growing out of his fingers?
I step forward with a pot filled with dirt and put it in the middle of the room. “I think you might want to set foot in this,” I say with a wink.
Corey gulps as finally, the realization hits. The calendar, the rhyme… it was transforming him! Quickly, he complies as he takes off some clothes, not wanting it to rip apart as his body morphs itself thanks to the calendar he had opened. He then hops into the pot where the transformation quickly proceeds.
His feet, rather than staying on top of the dirt, quickly sink down as they transform into roots instead. His legs merge up to form the tree’s stem while turning brown and hard as wood. It is becoming increasingly difficult to move as the transformation quickly overtakes his body and everybody gathers around to watch the changes unfold.
“It feels… good…” Corey says as his feet, no, his roots begin sucking up the wonderful nutrients in the dirt. It is different from food he would eat as a human but not any less delicious. However, his ability to word his feelings will soon be leaving him completely as the transmutation from skin into bark spreads up rather quickly.
All throughout his body, little branches begin sprouting, each with their own green conifer leaves. His hands and arms, too, are simply vanishing, turning into nothing more than some extra branches, indistinguishable from the rest. And of course, Corey does not appear to be able to move any of it.
Eventually, all that is left to suggest that he was ever human is his head, which is quickly transforming as well. “Don’t forget… to decorate… me,” he manages to say with a meek voice as the transformation finally takes away the remaining vestiges of his humanity. His facial features make way for more bark and leaves as the process concludes.
And just like that, where there was a normal guy now stands a Christmas tree, unable to move on his own or even to communicate what he might be feeling. All the while, the other people in the room begin to clap excitedly. “He’s going to be a tree until after christmas,” I say to reassure everyone. “The changes are temporary and although Corey is now a tree, he is still in there, able to perceive everything.”
“When are we going to decorate him?” asks Eileen.
“Soon enough,” I respond with glee.