With the Christmas tree now in place, the holiday preparations have begun! And there are still 23 more calendar doors to be opened.

    “I think I’ll take this one!” says Laura who seems quite eager ever since the tree transformation from the day before. Door two is quite a bit smaller. What sort of change could this one contain?

Treats and sweet delights are commonplace around this holiday

So one of gingerbread is needed to add to this display

“Gingerbread?” asks Laura, now a little less certain than before while the transformation is already working its magic. “You’re not going to eat me, are you?”

    I chuckle. “Don’t worry,” I say as I step forward. “Though you will be a lovely treat soon enough, you will not be consumed even if nibbled on, for it will simply grow back right away.”

    Laura tilts her head. Whatever is eaten grows back? That seems quite safe enough then. But that begs the question. How would it feel to have that happen? Well, she will find out soon enough.

    “Is the room getting bigger?” Laura asks as, indeed, everything seems to grow taller than before. No, of course, it is not the room that is getting bigger. It is she who is getting smaller! Already, she is at least a head shorter than before and the shrinking process is only speeding up.

    Naturally, that isn’t the only thing that is happening, as the transmutation into dough and sugar is happening at the same time. Her digits on her hands and feet are shrinking back, vanishing as her arms and legs are starting to lose their features.

    Coming up to half height of her former self now, just as Corey before her, Laura’s movements are beginning to stiffen as the transformation proceeds without any signs of slowing down. Her arms, her legs, her waist, and even her clothes are morphing more and more into gingerbread. All is being replaced by delicious sweetness.

    Shrinking, shrinking, becoming smaller now even than a foot’s length and only now does the dwindling in size finally stop. Her features, which were already a little round, are rounding out even more while her clothes begin to blend together into nothing but icing and gumdrops.

    Her whole body is beginning to flatten out as well, hardening into a very delicious looking cookie now. Even her face is transforming. The corners of her mouth begin to curl up automatically while turning into painted on icing.

    “Please… eat some of me…” Laura says. It is the last thing she will say for a while as the transformation finally concludes, leaving the former human as nothing but a gingerbread girl. Anyone who would walk into the room right now would have absolutely no clue that this delicious Christmas delight was a human mere moments ago.

    “Can we truly eat her?” Luke asks. Of course, it is understandable to be a little hesitant in this regard.

    “I can assure you that Laura here will enjoy it,” I say as I pick the former girl up and take a small bite out of what was once her arm. Just as I had said, the chewed off piece grows back right away as if nothing had happened. I delight in the lovely taste of gingerbread while, somewhere in there, I can feel the consciousness of Laura giggling with glee herself.

    Relieved, several of the others step forward as well now as they slowly break off small pieces for themselves. All of which grows back instantly.

    “This is very sweet! Makes me curious about other treats,” says Stargizar as he chomps down on a gumdrop.

    I chuckle. “I suppose we shall see,” I say with a wink. 22 people remain. 22 more transformations. Things are proceeding smoothly.