We sat around the fire as usual, twelve stumps for twelve bums. Except this time it was my turn to chair the meeting. Because of that, I could be blamed the frost that framed the bare twigs that shivered in the cruel winter winds and the snow that encircled us, the fire was the only thing that kept it at bay. Still, it was a crisp January morning and the stories had yet to be told. Well, that was my fault as well, as nothing began unless the chairperson said so. My cold stare broke as I looked up from the warm beverage in my hand to the others who were nibbling on their carrot cake, possibly disappointed at the lack of warm food, or warm pudding, or warm sherry. December's meetings were always a tough act to follow. At least April wouldn?t get an explosion of hot liquid as she bit into the carrot cake daintily, as was often the case with her and other foodstuffs.
September's face frowned as he yawned, causing the pencil-thin mustache to resemble a chevron, "Shall we began?"
I was quick to reply with an icy remark, "We have yet to do the minutes yet."
April, as usual, objected to this as her hand swept through long blond hair the colour of the summer sun, "Oh come on, with you it?s always minutes this and minutes that."
I gave another cold stare at her while the small and pale February shouted out while nearly spilling his hot chocolate, "Hey! At least there is some order to be found in January's meetings!"
Tensions were rising and even the winter air was getting stuffy as tempers flared. I sighed and put my mug down and called out, in an attempt to calm the other eleven down and enforce order, "Right, we are all present then? Good." I jotted down the list of members present as well as the date, the time and the location - which was the same as ever. Then I looked over the predetermined minutes and peeked back at the other members and sighed again. They were still at it. Even personable, peaceable October's cheeks were red with rage as the chaos when on. But they did have a reason for this. Seasons, stars and even Saturdays were being found dead, murdered by somebody who could be anyone of us. Yet another sigh escaped my mouth as I tried to read out the minutes that needed to be discussed, which included the murders, of course. It only served to cause more panic.
Now even I was at my wit's end and shouted, "LET'S JUST HAVE A NICE FIVE MINUTE WINTER WALK AND COOL DOWN."
They obeyed and the tree stumps were now empty and footprints led away from the fire into the woods. I just walked in circles around the fire, hoping that it would work. The roar of the fire and the pitter-patter of my feet covered up the sound of something else, however. Something that didn't belong. I just should have followed the others into the woods. At least they were smart enough to wander about in pairs. November followed October, as always and April and June went off to gossip about something or other. Meanwhile, I was just there alone by the fire, staring at the ill-chosen minutes and cursing the chaos that caused this to happen. Meanwhile, a knife found its way into my cold heart and warm blood rushed out. My last sight of this world was sadly not the murderer, but roaring flames. Flames that echoed my oblivion as the warm blood bled out of me. I felt faint and could only whisper as the realisation hit me.
"February is next... February is next..."