'This Christmas is going to be perfect. It’s going to be just like the painting above the fireplace at the Old House. I can't wait to get there!' Kathryn smiled through the mirror into the backseat of the car. Emily nodded and giggled.  This year, Kathryn and Emily were heading back to the Old House, back home for Christmas. It was all Emily's idea, Kathryn couldn't have done any of this without her.

Pricilla stood and stared at the space in front of her. It buzzed with the nothingness that should have been occupied by her silver Peugeot 305. The nothingness seemed to move and vibrate, mocking her. No-one laughed at the senior warden, Priscilla stared into the kitchen window. The little bastards were all eating hungrily. All except Kathryn.
'Tom! Come here and bring your fucking car keys!' She screamed, banging on the kitchen window.

Kathryn and Emily laughed. It had been so easy. The keys were there laying on the kitchen table. Most of the workers were half wasted on the cheap wine bought for them to compensate for them having to spend another Christmas in the Blake Street Orphanage. It was an awful place at Christmas. Being there at this time of year really did mean you were 'un-adoptable' as the warden liked to call them.
'We need Christmas songs!' Shouted Kathryn. She fiddled with the radio until Classic FM obliged. Emily began humming along, rocking her small head from side to side in time.

Tom rushed out of the orphanage with a piece of turkey between his lips. You couldn't hang around when the warden was in this mood.
'Come on, come on, She'll be far away by now!'
'Who?' Asked Tom, pulling his jacket around his shoulders.
'That crazy lil bitch Kathryn.'
Tom wheel spinned the car away.
'Where are we going?' He asked.
'Just drive, I know exactly where she's heading to.'

For the first time in as long as she could remember, Kathryn felt free. She opened the car window to taste the cold air outside and see the shining town centre lights wish her seasons greetings and a happy new year. In and amongst the festive glare she spotted a billboard poster and decided mincepies were exactly what they needed next. Kathryn pulled into the late night garage. They stepped inside the Tesco Extra store and quickly placed two boxes of mince pies onto the counter. Kathryn giggled at Emily.
'Hi there, you seem happy?' Smiled the attendant.
'Yes thanks, were just excited about Christmas.' Replied Kathryn
'And whose we? If you don't mind me asking?'
'Not at all, I'm Kathryn and this is Emily.'
'I see…..two pounds please.'
'Thankyou.' Kathryn picked up the boxes and they left. She glanced back at the attendant who watched them all the way to the car.
'What a weirdo!' As they drove away, a red old style Ford Capri pulled into the garage from the other side entrance. Tom was still hungry.

Priscilla and Tom stepped out of the Tesco Extra.
'It was definitely her.' Said Priscilla.
'Are you sure you know where she's going?' Replied Tom.
'Back to the Old House, she never shuts up about it.'
'The what? Hey, you don’t think she's dangerous do you?'
'Only to herself. I should have seen this coming, she's been far too happy the last few days. Never trust an orphan whose happy.'

Emily had eaten all but one of the mince pies. Kathryn frowned.
'Your so naughty Emily!' Emily smiled and showed Kathryn her full mouth.
'You dirty girl! Giggled Kathryn.
The car pulled into a dark, country lane and slowly approached a large, detached house. There were no lights on in or outside the place.
'Welcome…….h,h,h,home.' Whispered Emily's wheezing, faint voice.
Kathryn took Emily's hand. 'Thankyou.' She said.

With a Snickers and a bag of salt and vinegar crisps now inside him, Tom was enjoying the drive with Priscilla. He was sorry her car had been taken but at least it had given him the chance to study her more on their journey. She really did have huge breasts, she was a big woman. A big, strong, powerful woman. Just what he needed. He suddenly found himself being stared at as he stared at he breasts.
'Er, what were you saying about the Old House then?'
Priscilla held Tom's stare for a few seconds, when he looked away she answered. 'Ironically, she's from a family who used to run a childrens home, the Old House orphanage.'
'Where are her family now?'
'Well. That’s why she so fucked up. They all died in a fire on Christmas Eve ten years ago. All but her. Enough to send anyone loopy that!'
'Poor kid.'
'They're all poor kids, but that doesn't excuse them from right and wrong.'
'Maybe that was her imaginary friend?' Laughed Tom. Priscilla remained silent.

The Old House was cold and dark. The front door creaked off it Kathryn and Emily entered. The wind rushed throughout he many gaps in the walls and windows.
'Are you sure everyone's going to come?' Asked Kathryn.
Emily nodded and pointed ahead. They walked hand in hand across a flooring of broken glass and wood bits. They walked into the dark, through to the back of the house. Kathryn reached into her pocket for a lighter. Its small flame showed a large room, its windows were still intact. Emily pointed again to the far side, to the fireplace that came into view.
'Look!' Said Kathryn, sighing with delight. 'It’s the picture, its still here!'
Emily took her hand and pointed to the fire, 'L,L,L,L,light……It.'

Tom steered the car into the dark road leading up to the Old House. He noticed Priscilla had started tapping her fingers frantically as they drew nearer.
'Has she always had imaginary friends then?' He asked.
Priscilla stopped tapping for a second. 'That’s the weird thing, when she first arrived at our place she could hardly speak for nearly a year. When she did it was in a strange, croaky voice. A combination of shock and fire damage I suppose.'
'And then?'
'Then, when she finally did get her voice back, we'd only hear her at night talking away and laughing to herself. One afternoon, Carol came running for me and took me to Kathryn. She was running up and down the stairs calling to Emily.'
'Emily? Any idea who that is?'
'Well, this is where it gets even weirder, Emily is Kathryn's middle name.'

Emily clapped as the fire crackled into life. Kathryn held her lighter to another piece of newspaper. Soon, the fire was enough to light up the colours on the painting above the fireplace. Kathryn stared closer, it looked as if the flames in the painting were moving too.
'Look!' She said, pulling Emily in close to see.
Emily clapped harder, 'T,t,t,….they….. are…... c,c,c,coming.'
Emily pulled on Kathryn's hand. Kathryn's thoughts were held by the painting, she had thought about it so many times. Emily pulled again, and stepped into the fire. It took the sharp, intense heat spreading up her leg to pull Kathryn away from her memories.

Priscilla and Tom entered the Old House, aided by the one thousand candlelight torch from Tom's car. Priscilla shouted, 'Kathryn! Are you here?'
Silence. Priscilla and Tom walked across the broken glass and wood bits. Priscilla took out her phone and dialled Kathryn. On the edge of the main living room, Tom stopped as Priscilla held the phone to her ear. He looked inside, dropping his torch.
'Fuck me!' He screamed and ran towards the figure stood still, covered in flames across the other side of the room.
Priscilla's phone connected, 'Kathryn! Where are you girl?'
Silence. Then something faint. Getting louder. Priscilla listened harder.
'Kathryn! Is that you?' A high pitched scream began to fill Priscilla's head.
'LEAVE!'
It hurt, it really hurt, pin-balling around her eardrum. It felt like they might burst, before they did Priscilla spotted someone running towards her. Quickly. Flaming. Kathryn ran straight into and over Priscilla. Priscilla fell to the ground and passed out. Silence.

Tom screamed as he watched the figure run into Priscilla.
He jumped down to her side and banged out the flames on her body as best he could with his bear hands. She lay unconscious. He listened for her breathing, she was still alive thank God. The fire was raging now all over the main room. The crackling flames seemed to blend into a chorus of voices. Tom was sure he could hear them calling.
'Kathryn.'
'Come home.'
'Come home Kathryn.'
Tom could stay still no more, the house was burning and breaking around him. His heart was pounding, picking up Priscilla, he did his best to drag her large frame to the broken front door.

The voices called and called.
The flames had burnt up into her face, Kathryn's skin was melting. Her eyes could see no more. Her head was blistering and pain throbbed so much she only wanted it to stop. She was sure that was Emily calling.
'Come…..Kathryn…..Home.'
Kathryn ran towards the voices, hitting whatever lay in her way. All she touched set alit. The voices called her towards the fireplace. As Kathryn's fire gelled with the burning room an explosion ballooned, blowing the only remaining windows out of the house.

Tom pulled Priscilla along, her body breaking the glass and bits underneath her as she dragged. He heard the explosion but he didn’t look back. Approaching the door, he took hold of her and with all his might lifted. Two hands reached in threw the door and grabbed them both, throwing them outside.

The chief fireman shook his head in disbelief. The Old House fire came to an end, just as it had ten years ago. He watched the body of a young, adult girl leave the building in a bag. He had seen some things in his time but never something like this. He turned to Tom.
'Kathryn Baines you say?'
Tom nodded.
'The very young girl I took walked out with last time we were here. Who would have thought it.'
Tom sighed. 'I think she was trying to come home, for Christmas.' He said.
'Well, she's here for good now.'

The chief fireman walked over to Priscilla. She coughed, taking another sip of fireman's tea. He handed her a broken and slightly singed painting.
'Somehow, this survived.' He said.
The painting was of a perfect Christmas Eve, with a huge tree, decorated with crackers and tinsel. Horse chestnuts roasted on the open fire and mulled wine filled all glasses. Smiles decorated the faces of everyone there, and on the far edge of the table, sat the guest of honour. The girl who the painting was named for. The one 'Coming Home for Christmas.'