Note: Originally published in "Joy to the Worlds: Mysterious Speculative Fiction for the Holidays", 2015.

Synopsis: "Every time a bell rings, someone's going to die... Around Christmas, many towns and villages are full of wonder and magic, full of smiling people who live to spread seasonal joy. But in the dreary village of Dekwood, the midnight bells are ringing once again... The days are silent and the nights are filled with terror in the little village. Adults and children alike hide under their covers when the jingling bells sound. No one wishes to hear them, or see who they bring...except for one young girl. Who are these Ringers? Why does no one speak out against the evil in town? Young Elise seeks deadly answers in hopes that she can save the town...and herself. Will the Ringers take them all, or will Elise release evil's grip on the little village of Dekwood?" -- from Amazon.com as of 2021-12-08.