The Eerie Christmas Grin

A man notices that everyone in his neighborhood is exhibiting eerie grins during Christmas and begins to wonder if it's related to some kind of holiday season evil.

Thomas Shelby was a happy-go-lucky family man living in a peaceful and quiet suburban neighborhood in Virginia (USA) and was preparing to celebrate Christmas with his friends and neighbors in 2020. He decorated his house, put up the annual Christmas tree, and he put up lights and lawn decorations to mark the holiday season with great festivity. He tried to compete with his neighbors to see who'd have the best decorations and lighting that year. He had his two sons take photos of the decorated houses on his street so they could compare them with the quality of decorations and lighting of their own house that Christmas. His wife purchased extra packets of Christmas cards so she could join in his festivity and send cards to neighbors and friends and co-workers. It was a typically bright Christmas for the Shelby residence in suburbia New Jersey.

On the 10th of December (2020), Thomas noted a news-story about a strange salesman who was trying to sell flood insurance door-to-door in his neighborhood. This strange salesman apparently walked into a shopping-mall near their suburban neighborhood and used a gun to kill 10 people before committing suicide. Thomas realized this terrible Christmas tragedy would demoralize his entire community, so he decided to put up extra lights on the fence outside his house and began to play Christmas Christian choir-music outside his window with a newly-purchased stereo. His neighbors began complimenting him on his seasonal festivity and bringing needed cheer to the neighborhood. However, one week later, Thomas began to notice something very very strange among his neighbors. He noticed that they began to exhibit a rather odd and even eerie and pronounced facial grin!

Thomas didn't know what to make of this strange 'eerie grin' everyone in his neighborhood was exhibiting that Christmas. He wondered if it was somehow related to the odd news of the strange salesman who killed people at the shopping-mall near his neighborhood. Thomas wondered if the strange news of this salesman, who just recently had frequented/visited homes in his neighborhood to sell unusual amounts of flood insurance, had compelled his neighbors to start thinking 'deviant thoughts' about what kinds of 'souls' traversed or trafficked that otherwise peaceful suburban area of Virginia. Thomas wondered if playing that Christmas Christian choir-music outside his house-window was helping anymore, especially since he noticed his neighbors continuing to exhibit that characteristic/signature 'eerie grin' every time he walked by them and greeted them or just waved hello! Thomas decided to finally confront one of these neighbors and specifically interrogate him about this odd eerie Christmas-season grin.

THOMAS: Why're you grinning so strangely, good neighbor?
NEIGHBOR: Why, whatever do you mean, Thomas?

THOMAS: I mean, I've noticed others in our community grinning eerily.
NEIGHBOR: Eerily?

THOMAS: Yes, it's almost as if everyone has something 'odd' on their minds.

NEIGHBOR: Well, we're all still recovering from that strange news of that killing salesman!
THOMAS: Of course we are, but I have to admit and wonder how this grin creates goosebumps.

NEIGHBOR: Are you troubled...or afraid?
THOMAS: I just want to know that the hell is going on, good neighbor!
NEIGHBOR: We've all been good neighbors for multiple years now, Thomas.

THOMAS: I'm not doubting your friendship, but I'm worried about everyone's general demeanor.

NEIGHBOR: Well, it's actually a big secret Thomas, which I can tell you if you join our 'circle.'

THOMAS: Excuse me?

NEIGHBOR: If I tell you this secret, will you join our underground club, Thomas?
THOMAS: Why, alright, yes, of course --- you know I don't like feeling left out of excitement!
NEIGHBOR: Come tonight to my house on Friday night, and meet us at my basement.

THOMAS: What's this big meeting about, good neighbor?

NEIGHBOR: Thomas, will you attend and pledge to join our secret society?
THOMAS: Alright, damn it, I'm in --- now tell me...please!

NEIGHBOR: Good; you're in, Thomas; a number of us in our neighborhood have been killing.
THOMAS: Killing?
NEIGHBOR: Yes, we pick up transients and drunkards in pubs and take them to the forest to kill!
THOMAS: Good lord; why?
NEIGHBOR: When you come to the meeting Friday, you'll be indoctrinated and participate.

THOMAS: I suppose then everything will become clear and illuminated then, hmm?
NEIGHBOR: Precisely, Thomas; you see, we've been 'moved' by that salesman-story.
THOMAS: So now our neighborhood is filled with 'blood-heated prophets.'
NEIGHBOR: This Christmas will be a season of fright and evil and adventure, Thomas.

THOMAS: I suppose I bought a home in this community for a 'perfect' reason.

NEIGHBOR: Now you're becoming a real thinker, Thomas!

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