A crisp snow had fallen on London, and Hampstead was blanketed in white. The village centre, that preserves its character as more than just another part of London, was beautiful in the early morning light, and the Christmas morning meant that the streets were empty.
Apart from one person. Sally Fairbairn, aged fifteen, was out walking her dog. She was enjoying the snowy morning, not a care in the world. The dog was sniffing happily. She turned into Hampstead churchyard, a semi-wild place, and somewhere she really shouldn't have gone alone.
It was then that Sally felt the oppressive presence. She turned to face a terrifying figure. The man was drunk, if not worse, and he was a vagrant, his intentions all too obvious. Sally was no match for his strength. He grabbed her and tore her coat open. She tried to scream, but no sound came.
Then the vagrant screamed. He let go of Sally and fell to the ground, cursing and clutching his bleeding leg.
Behind him was revealed a figure that, though smaller than that of the vagrant, was even more terrifying. It was the size and shape of a little girl, about thirteen, but black and smoky, with twin glowing red eyes its only discernible features. The body was transparent and indistinct, like some sort of phantom. One hand seemed to be holding some sort of dagger.
It faced the red-haired teenager, silent, apparently startled to see her.
"Th.. the Outsider?" Sally asked, fearful, yet relieved at what the Outsider had done to help her. The Outsider might look sinister, but...
She moved towards the black smoky figure and held out a hand impulsively.
"You're a girl, aren't you? I'm Sally Fairbairn..."
"I... I know," The Outsider said with some difficulty. "I know who you are..."
"Last year someone put some presents without a name on around our tree," Sally said. "We found them after you stopped some burglars robbing us. Was it you?"
The Outsider was silent.
"So it was you! And you came back this year, because I saw those new presents there! That's why you're here!"
Again the Outsider said nothing.
"That's a Katar you're holding, isn't it? An Indian thrusting dagger. My uncle showed me one before he was killed in India. I thought my cousin Emily was killed then as well, but you're Emily, aren't you?"
The Outsider's eyes widened in shock.
"How did you know?"
"The things you bought us last year. You're still Emily. Come on home with me! You can have Christmas with us!"
"I can't. I'm a creepy black smoky thing..."
"I bought you something."
The Outsider took Sally's hand.
"Okay. I'll come back with you..."
Sally's dad brought Emily home that night. I've never seen her so happy in my life. She had so many presents, and she was very, very sleepy. Emily had had the first family Christmas since her parents were murdered, and she deserved it.
