The Grinch

There was a town far away by the name of Whoville. In this village, strange things happen. Fantastical things happen. There are talking elephants and even tiny planets. Despite all these oddities, Whoville was an ordinary town where everyone wanting to be the same. The lengths that were taken to be normal were almost heart-stopping. Elephants cut their tongues off and tiny planets self-detonated. This is the world the that this story takes place in, where anything can and will happen, but not in the ways we always expect.
In Whoville, there was a boy of the name of Zane. Zane, a tall, thin boy with a very small nose lived in a very small house all alone on the southern boarder of Whoville. He was very popular and well-liked by all. He lived alone, but he never was truly alone. There was always someone by his side, either talking to him or listening to him. He had everything he wanted in life. Except for this one fact: No one knew this, but there was a tuft of green fur on his chest. It used to only be a hair, but it had grown. Zane shaved it off each day, making sure it was a secret. All he wanted was to be normal. And he was.
Zane just appeared one day at Whoville. He wasn’t born, well not that any person knew of. He just showed up one day. Zane was taken in by the Mayor of Whoville. He was a very short man with a very furry mustache. His wife, on the contrary, was a very tall woman who was completely bald. She denied having grey hair by shaving daily until no one could tell what color hair she truly had anymore. They raised Zane until he was ten and then bought him his house and sent him on his way. They knew that Zane could manage on his own. He did not need them anymore, and they had better things to do.
There was one person in Whoville that Zane really liked. Her name was Regina. Zane thought that that was a beautiful name, and he told her so. That was how their relationship started. She also lived alone in the town, but on the northern border of town. This did not stop them from meeting everyday at noon for lunch. Zane offered many times for Regina to come live with him and not be lonely, but she refused. She liked the peacefulness of her house. Regina, unlike Zane, was not very popular. Everyone in Whoville never talked to Regina, but they make small talk with her when Zane was around. They did not want him to feel bad about Regina. Zane loved Regina, and she loved him. It was the perfect story.
They agreed not to get married until they both had a job and were out of school. Whoville, the town of oddities, still had school. They had two schools, one for boys and one for girls. They separated them to avoid “distractions”, but Zane still managed to visit Regina during lunch everyday. No one cared that it was against the rules. They took one look at Zane and Regina’s love, and decided to simply not remember that they ever saw the happening. They did not want them to get in trouble.
Then, the day came. Zane was spending the weekend with Regina, and he decided to tell her something he had never told anyone else. “Regina, I love you. I know that you know that already. But you must know this, I am not normal. I have a patch of green hair here. See? It is not much of anything, but I wanted there to be no secrets between us. Regina, darling, what is the matter? Regina! Don’t leave!
Regina saw something see had not seen for a long time. Regina was not from Whoville, she had visited the world with her parents before they took her here. When she was five, her parents had been killed by a group of savage animalistic creatures called Grinches. They were wild, uncontrolled beasts that destroyed everything they saw. Their were very tall and skinny, covered in green hair. Zane had the same hair. He was a Grinch. Regina ran from him. She loved him, but was willing to sacrifice him for the greater good of the town. She told the mayor, and he made a decision at once. He banned Zane from Whoville and made a law saying that he was to simply be called the Grinch. Any human qualities of him were to be forgotten. They moved the boundaries of Whoville so that Zane’s house fell right outside of the border and he was out of the town.
Zane was furious. He was no monster. He did not deserve this treatment. His girlfriend and his father figure had both betrayed him. He grew into a resentful monster. He no longer shaved his green, but let it show with pride. He would show them that he was not the monster that his ancestors were.
But time went on. His body was completely covered in hair. No one visited him, and no one cared for him. Zane’s hatred grew until he could no longer stand it. The people in Whoville were happily celebrating Christmas without him. Christmas was his favorite holiday. On the morning, all differences were set aside and all of the people joined hands and sung. Zane loved that. But they denied him. They did not hold his hands anymore as they song of equality and love. How dare they. Zane would take away their Christmas. If he could not have it, then why should they?
Zane planned for that Christmas Eve night, and it finally arrived. He crept past the border and into the streets. Everyone was asleep, and everything was quiet. He snuck into each house smashed ornaments, tore down decorations, and when he was finished, took their tree outside and burned it. They would know who did this, but he no longer cared. He was ready for them to come.
He came to the last house in the northern border of Whoville: Regina’s house. He opened the door and saw Regina crying at her kitchen table. She turned around and smiled at him. “I knew you would come. I have been waiting for you. I never meant for this to happen. Please forgive me. I have seen you outside. What you are doing, it is awful, but the world was awful to you, so I understand.” Zane listened no longer. He would not hurt this house, but he would not listen to what she had to say. He turned around and Regina stood up. She started to walk towards him, but he ran out into the night. He ran and ran until he was almost at his house. He turned around and saw Regina running behind him. He ran faster. He ran past his house and to the mountain that lay towering over Whoville. Regina followed.
He had never ran so fast in his life. He was getting tired, but he could not admit defeat. Regina had stolen his life from him. She had told everyone that I was a monster and it was her fault that he was shunned. He felt his heart pound in his chest as he ran. Suddenly he felt his heart seize up. His chest contracted and he fell into the snow. Inside he body, his heart gave up from all of the running and sadness and broke into two halves. He was heartbroken. Regina finally caught up to him and hugged his body. She was crying. “Zane, I am sorry. I… Zane, are you okay? Do you hurt? I am so sorry. Zane? Talk to me. Please. Say something. Zane!”
Zane died in Regina’s arms. She took his body and laid it in the town square. As everyone woke up, they saw what had happened. They praised Regina for killing the awful beast that had ruined their houses. She tried to explain what had happened, but they did not understand her. They thought that she was delusional or placed under a curse by the monster. Regina lived the rest of her life separated from the town. How could she live with them anymore?
Every Christmas Regina leaves Whoville and goes just a little south from it. She looks up at the mountain and cries. Then, she leaves flowers on Zane’s grave and leaves. She lives on with her grief, living in the past, unable to move forward. She tells visitors of Whoville the stories and Whoville is unable to clean that smudge off of their reputation. It is a part of their history. A myth of a green monster that destroys Christmas. But this is the truth presented here. This is where the story ends, but your’s begins. Remember as you go out into the world. Give a merry Christmas to all.

Reviews

[Jennifer Webster]

A much different version of the classic story, but told with the most incredible art of storytelling imaginable. Hope you keep of the magnificent work of creating such stories like this.-JW

[Boxcat]

Thank you so much! I'm glad you enjoyed my story.

[Jennifer Webster]

You are welcome, and please visit my page anytime!-JW