Act 5

"SPIRIT! LET ME! GO! LET ME GO! LET-" Marlon woke up, trapped in his own blankets. He popped his head out of the blankets, his hair was a mess. He looks at his surroundings, and found that he's back in his bed, he moves the curtains to find that he's back in his own room...It was morning, and on top of all that, his face was wet with tears from what he had experienced...but he isn't sad anymore, he was happy. "Heh heh heh heh...HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He let out a laugh that he hadn't let out in years, it was a warm and hearty laugh. "I'm finally home! The Spirits have given me another chance!" He said in a elated tone as he jumped out of bed. He went into his closet to put on his clothes, he comes out still wearing his sleepwear, only with his suit jacket. "Mmmm, something ain't..." He looks over at the hat rack and puts on his top hat. "Ah, much better...HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! I haven't felt this good in years! I feel as happy as an angel! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He fell back on his bed, rolling and laughing hard. Once he had calmed down, he realized something: "Wait...what time is it? How long was I asleep?" He asks to himself as the bells started to chime outside.

He got out of bed to open a window, the air was cold, but the sky was clear and that there's no fog anywhere, the sun was also rising from behind the buildings and birds also flew by, it's so beautifully breathtaking. Just then he sees a boy walking by his home. "Hey you, boy!" Marlon shouts to him, it got his attention.

"Huh?"

"What day is today?!"

"It's Christmas Day!" The boy answered.

"Christmas Day? Terrific! I haven't missed a thing!" He said to himself both relived and ecstatic, he then turned to the boy. "Listen boy, I want you to do me a huge favor: I want you to go to that butcher shop nearby with the huge prize turkey and buy it!" Marlon then took out a silver coin. "I'll give this half crown coin if you do!"

"Yes sir! Thank you!" The boy said enthusiastically as he hurries to the shop. Meanwhile, Marlon slides down the rail of his stairs to the first floor before falling down, he stood up no problem as he wasn't hurt. He then sees the portrait of his late-partner Cheru Marley, Marlon took it down just to hug it.

"Thank you much, Marley!" Marlon said in a jovial tone in his voice. "Thank you for showing me your face! And thank you for showing me the light!" The door knocks, Marlon goes to the door to open it, it was the boy from earlier with the turkey.

"I got the turkey you asked for, sir." He said.

"Excellent! Thank you so much!" Marlon gives the boy a half crown coin as promised.

"Your welcome sir, have a Merry Christmas!" The boy said as he ran off.

"You to, lad!" Marlon said. As he was giggling, he put on a coat and scarf and ran out of the house. He was dancing around with a Turkey in hand, everyone around him were quiet surprised by his behavior. He reached a Mail Carrier. "Are you heading to the Cratchit home today?"

"Uh yeah, you're Mr. Marlon right?" The Carrier said. "I was gonna deliver your letter to him." Marlon looked and realizes it's Keel's debt to replace the frozen ink, how could he have forgotten that? Marlon took the letter and tore it up in front of the surprised Carrier. "Forget about the letter, I want you to give him and his family this Turkey! But don't tell him it's from me, I want it to be a surprise." He gave the Turkey to him, then he took out a bag of coins. "I'll pay you handsomely for it."

"Understood sir, thank you!" The Carrier took the coins as well as Marlon goes skipping down the road. "And a Merry Christmas!." In town, Marlon couldn't stop laughing, he was shaking everyone's hands and greeting everyone warmly.

"Good morning!...Top of the morning!...Merry Christmas!" He was greeting everyone like a flash. They were baffled by his changed behavior, but seeing as he was treating everyone with respect, they greeted him back. Just ahead of him, he sees a man with platinum hair and red eyes watching the children; it was one of the detonators who came to him yesterday. "Merry Christmas, good sir!" He cried out happily, startling the man.

"AH! Oh it's you!" He responded, recovering from the surprise. Marlon goes up to him.

"Ok listen, I know that my name is not pleasant to you, but all I ask is for your forgiveness about my rudeness yesterday and my years of greed." He explains, he voice was filled with remorse. "I'll make it up to you, here!" Marlon took out 5 bags of money. "100 shillings for the poor! No thanks is necessary but I'd be more than happy if you and your green headed friend to come visit me anytime! YAHOO!" Marlon jumps and runs down the street again, The platinum headed man was stunned by the man's generosity, but was grateful about his charity, he picks up the bags.

"This will help the poor for sure sir, thank you so much!" He calls out. "And a Merry Christmas!"

Throughout the day, Marlon walks through the town, greeting and talking to people. The people soon began to realize that the man is not crazy, and that he's changed his greedy and cruel ways, hopefully for good. Marlon soon stops in front of a house he knows, it was his Nephew's house. Marlon took a deep breath, bringing about his courage to knock on the door.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

He composes himself, the one who opened the door was a woman with long white hair tied into a ponytail and red eyes. She was surprised when she realizes who he is.

"E-E-Ebenezer!?" She let out a gasp at his arrival.

"Good day, Ma'am. May I speak with my Nephew, please?"

"...S-sure." She moves aside and allows Marlon inside.

"Thank you." He says, he goes into the parlor where his Nephew and his family are, Ayn was having some tea when he saw his Uncle, causing him to spit out his drink in surprise.

"UNCLE MARLON?!" He exclaimed in a surprised tone, wiping the tea off of him.

"Merry Christmas, Nephew!" Marlon proclaimed loudly, this surprised his relatives even more. "I came to tell you that I will be excepting your invitation to the Christmas dinner!" Ayn looks at his wife.

"I don't believe it." He said to his wife in disbelief, he then turned to his uncle. "You're actually coming!?"

"But of course! You know how much I enjoy roasted turkey and mined pies."

"W-wow...this is amazing! Uncle Marlon." Ayn stood up to hug him, Marlon hugs him back as his other relatives and servants cheered. Rapidly they made him feel at home, and he enjoys an evening that is just as wonderful as it was in the Ghost's of Christmas Present's vision. From food to stories, from music to games. Soon the day went by, and he returns home at night, finally experience the joys of Christmas that he thought he lost.

The next day, Christmas is over, everyone was getting their decorations down to be saved for next year. Marlon goes to his Counting House, he sat by his desk, but instead of having his usual scowl, he was grinning largely. He noticed that Keel hasn't showed up yet. "Hmmmm, he must be running late." He said to himself, just then he began hearing panting outside the building, quickly Marlon composed himself, deciding to play around with him for a bit. He makes his usual scowl. Sure enough Keel runs through the door, panting.

"Hah...hah...I'm sorry...Hah...Mr. Marlon...Something came up..." He panting.

"...Something came up, huh?" Marlon made a fake sneer. "Just another excuse for your laziness." He got up from his chair and walked towards him, Keel was starting get nervous as Marlon started to raise his voice. "When I say be here first thing in the morning, I mean it...And I had just about enough of this "Day off" business." Keel was sweating, thinking that he's going to lose his job. "Thereby, you leave me with no choice but to...but to..." Marlon's seriousness is starting to crack, Keel raised an eyebrow. "But to...PFFFFFFFFFFFFTHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Marlon started to laugh loudly as he hugs Keel tightly, startling the young man. "I'm gonna give you a-"

"Pink slip?" Keel asked.

"Yes..wait, no no no no! I'm giving you a raise." When he said that, Keel's glasses fell off of his face. Marlon was able to catch it for him.

"...A-a-are you serious!?" Keel said in surprise.

"Yes! And I'm also making you my partner."

"P-Partner?...I don't know what to say, this is so sudden!"

"How about: "Thank you for the turkey you delivered, Mr. Marlon"."

"...That turkey...you're the one that..."

"Yes, Crat- I mean Keel...I want to help your family get back on their feet, and help pay for your daughter's medication, this is my apology for all the things I did to you in the past." Keel was surprised by what his boss was doing and how he's behaving, but at the same time he is happy to learn that he's getting the help he needed, not to mention his boss changing his ways.

"Ebenezer...you're apology is excepted...thank you for your generosity." Keel said, smiling widely.

As time went on, Marlon does all that he promises, treating his peers and their peers with kindness and generosity, helping the less fortunate, and making amends for all the wrong things he did in the past, until soon enough, the memory of his greed and cruelty is starting to fade, becoming popular among most people, of course there will be people who distrusts him, he doesn't care, he has becomes known for his Christmas spirit and forgiveness. As he was walking on the street, Marlon greeted the People around him as they greeted him back.

"Ebenezer! Ebenezer!" Marlon heard a small voice behind him, he turned to find his new partner Keel with his youngest daughter Aile, who no longer possesses a crutch, she also walks more normally as she is cured of her illness, she runs to Marlon with open arms to hug him, he hugs her back, his kindness towards Keel's family has earned him a spot as a family friend and a second father to the children. Marlon puts Aile on his shoulders as he and his partner continue their walk, wiil Aile proclaiming once more:

"God bless us, every one!"

End of Act 5