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Finally she actually looked happy!

Mrs Claus looked into the mirror and beamed back at her reflection. After a nightmare year grieving for her lost husband, Santa, she was at last feeling good about herself again. It was amazing what the Christmas period can do for one's morale and the new Santa Claus was doing a great job. She straightened up her red hat and glistened her glasses before taking a white apron from the stool and tied it around her waist. Only three days until Christmas and there was still plenty of baking to finish!

Smiling to herself, she closed the front door to her cabin and strolled carefully across the soft white snow towards the Lapland Bakery where she spent the majority of her time. The glow of multicoloured lights lit up the village as the festive season had well and truly begun. It was approaching midnight so she wasn't expecting many elves to be inside the bakery as she pushed open the door.

A strong smell of freshly baked cookies greeted her when she entered, eradicating any sense of coldness she was feeling from outside and filled her with warmth and happiness. She glanced around quickly and she was right, the whole building seemed deserted. However, nothing ever stops in Lapland and the baking machines were still very much in operation. A number of conveyor belts were arranged along the centre of the floor with piles of fresh cookie dough being transported towards a large box shaped machine. Mrs Claus walked towards the machine and peered through the glass window to enable her to see what was going on. A huge mechanical cookie cutter, shaped with stars, christmas trees, snowmen and candy canes, was inside the machine being pushed down onto piles of dough every few seconds or so. She smiled as everything seemed to be going to plan.

"We wish you a merry christmas" she started singing quietly to herself as she walked around to inspect another machine. She didn't even notice the little elf following her with a large stick of candy cane swinging for her head.

Mrs Claus awoke with throbbing pain above her right ear but also noticed that she was tied down. She lifted her head slightly and panicked as she realised she was also moving slowly against her will. Mrs Claus cried out from the conveyor belt but she knew the building was empty. The only sound which greeted her was the soft thud of the cookie cutter pressing down violently a few metres from her. She struggled to free her hands and legs from the candy strings which bound them together as she moved ever closer to the machine.

A few moments later and a siren erupted throughout the Lapland Bakery as one of the cookie machines had been blocked by the very undoughlike body of Elrohir.

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As night fell the Scrooge left his hideout to look for food. His small fire had gone out so before he would go hunt he'd have to try to get some dry wood from near the village. As he approached the town he saw the excess of lights in and around a number of buildings and heard the cheery sounds of elven voices. He walked closer to the village and saw that it was that time of year again.

Arocalex walked home after wrapping another 5000 presents today. With only a few days left before Christmas the pressure was building up at work and he was looking forward to a good night's sleep. As he walked into his hallway, he turned on the light and turned around to hang up his coat. As he did, he saw a shadow moving over the wall. He quickly turned on the spot and saw the attacker's left arm crushing down on him. Moments later he felt a small bump on his head as the Scrooge had struck him with a rusty spoon. A amazed look of surprise came over Arocalex's face as he wondered what had just happened.

"Guess that didn't to the trick", the Scrooge said while his right hand reached into his pocket, grabbed a knife and then stabbed Arocalex in his right shoulder. The pain quickly took over as he blacked out.

When Arocalex came to, he first noticed two things: he was stripped of his shirt and and both his shoulders were burning with pain. He managed to lift up his head and saw a dark figure sitting on top of him, digging into his chest with a rusty spoon. The Scrooge mumbled "Cutting out someones heart with a rusty spoon isnt as easy as they make you believe in the movies!" and then grabbed the knife out from Arocalex's shoulder and planted it in his heart, with it ending the life of Arocalex, an elf as nice as they come.

As the Scrooge walked away from the body his mind went back to his home in the woods and the old dead tree infront of it. A grin lit up his face as he grabbed the bloody knife for the third time tonight.

That morning, when Arocalex didnt show up for work two of Santa's most trusted helpers were sent to his house to check up on him. What they found was terrible. On the floor laid the body of Arocalex, his shirt shredded and skin on his chest above his heart mutilated. And on top of all, his pants were stripped down and his 'crown jewels' replaced by two bloody christmas baubles.

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It is now the first **** DAY **** phase.
All Lapland residents have until 11:00 GMT on Tuesday to post in the forum who they would like to lynch.
Remember, you are allowed to change your vote until the deadline but post a new post, do not edit your old one!