For
many years the citizens of Edinburgh had enjoyed a Christmas Market
on the plaza outside the art galleries. People gathered in the winter
dusk to browse the stalls, drink mulled wine and enjoy the Christmas
lights.
However,
trouble has been brewing.
The
evil moneymakers from XS Xmas want to expand the market. Without
seeking planning permission, they have erected scaffolding across the
whole of East Princes Street Gardens, covering the lawns and removing
the memorial benches. Many citizens of Edinburgh are shocked, but the
evil moneymakers rub their grubby hands with glee as the cash
strapped city council cave in to their demands and give them
retrospective planning permission.
'Of
course you can bury our beautiful gardens in cheap market stalls all
selling identical products and overpriced food and drink' say the council officials.
But
underneath the gardens, something stirs.
Many
years ago, where these gardens now stand, there was a stretch of
water known as the Nor-Loch. Criminals lurked on its shores,
broken-hearted damsels threw themselves into its dark waters and
innocent women were branded witches and drowned in its stinking
depths.
Their
ghosts have long haunted the gardens biding their time.
As
XS Xmas and local dignitaries take to the podium to officially open
XS Xmas Edinburgh, the scaffolding begins to shake. At first people
applaud, thinking this is a special effect of the type XS Xmas are
known for. But the shaking continues, a thunderstorm unleashes a
deluge, unearthly screams are heard from the ground and the crowds
flee.
As
the scaffolding gives way and the Christmas market disappears in
smoke, the broken hearted damsels, the wrongly accused herbalists and
those who had been pushed into crime by poverty mass onto the podium.
Before the dignitaries realise what's going on, they have been driven
into the rising waters of the stinking Nor Loch.
On
Christmas Day, people are once again enjoying mulled wine in the
traditional Christmas market area, looking across the gardens, now
restored to their rightful glory. At night, eerie wails are heard,
that sound strangely like 'we only wanted to make lots of money!'
Inspired by true events
