(FICTION) (This is Part 5. Part 1 of this story can be found here, Part 2 can be found here, Part 3 can be found here, and Part 4 can be found here.)

The sun was rising in the sky and Mrs. Smith was beginning to sweat—which couldn’t be good for a snowman—by the time the lady came back outside.  When she spoke, she addressed little Susie.

“You reminded me with your song that I haven’t called my mother lately, so I went in to do that.”

“Your mother is alive?” Susie Smith asked. Mrs. Smith also wondered, since the lady was very old.

“No,” the lady replied. “Anyway, we were chatting and Mama told me I should come out here and change you all back to my neighbors.

“Yay!” Susie said.

Mrs. Smith waited for a “but,” and she wasn’t disappointed.

“But,” said the old lady, “there are conditions. First, you must make me a promise to never come caroling here again, and if carolers come to you, tell them not to visit me.”

“We can do that,” Mrs. Smith replied.

“Mmhmm,” little Susie agreed. “What are the other conditions?”

“I will grant you each a wish, as long as it does me no harm and you don’t sing.” She gave a side eye to Mr. Smith Sr., who was still silent by necessity. He had no mouth.

“Okay!” little Susie said.

So one by one, the old witch approached each member of the Smith family of snowmen and ensured they had a mouth to make their wish with. Mr. Smith Sr. promptly wished to keep the buttons for his mouth and continued grumbling while the others spoke their wishes.

When the lady got to Mrs. Smith, she wished for a cup of coffee but then realized what she’d done and amended her wish to state that she’d wait until she was no longer a snowman.

Finally, the old lady stood before little Susie Smith.

“And what would you like, little angel,” the old lady asked.

“I’d like for you to love Christmas carols. Especially ones sung by carolers.”

“Gah!” cried the witch, and she turned them all back into the real Smiths and stomped back into the house.

And so the feud continued, for the Smiths never went caroling at the witch’s house again, and they told everyone who caroled in the neighborhood not to go to the witch’s house.

Even though she loved Christmas carols. Especially ones sung by carolers.

The End.

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