It started innocuously enough: some Peppa Pigs without the telltale green flag, a hint of parmesan on the air. There was no ignoring the sausages at the back of the freezer, though. As they argued, she waved them in Ted's face like evidence of a murder, which, to be fair, to Lina they were #WriteCBC

Oh nice! Enjoyed this one (and reading everyone's entries!)

Daisies adorned the walls, painted by a cheerful hand once upon a time. The petals were chipped now; some by age, others hacked with malice. The room seemed to groan, anger and sadness wrapped into the warped floorboards. A desultory mobile swung in the breeze, its owner long absent. #WriteCBC

The faint sound of hissing was coming from somewhere; muffled through the hot, humid air. She spotted three heaters in the cluttered room, incongruous amongst the lush foliage. A jar of dead mice sat amongst bright flowers, its lid askew. She fingered the hot pink snakeskin keychain: ah. #writecbc

Sainsbury's? I was the #4 purchaser of something, need to up my game

That's fair, I'm pretty sure I would die for Topsey

#5ActFestiveStory Gasping, Ella threw a log at the fire; it roared a wall of heat, ice retreating with a pained yelp.

They threw open the door to a snow-quiet street. Then, with a shift of snowflakes, an unearthly figure emerged.

'Darling,' he drawled. 'That was cruel. Did you not get my apology?'

#5ActFestiveStory 'Calm down!' Ella reached out with stilling hands. 'Who?'

Her mother sighed. 'Oh Ella,' she stared at the cheerful Christmas cards on the mantle. 'Your grandfather. It was the shame, you see? He just couldn't accept it.

The daughter of Ol' Nick himself? On the naughty list!'

'Every damned year,' blinking away furious tears, she upended a box over the threadbare rug. A rain of postcards: Senegal, New York, Tokyo. 'Sorry, sorry, sorry.'

Ella stared. 'Mum, wait.' She shifted a card, then another. Pictures merging; lines overlapping. 'Look, it's a map.' #5ActFestiveStory

A blazing sun greeted Liv when she flipped the card, which just felt mocking. It couldn't be for her, the Airbnb was a cosy blizzard-prison, but not home. She wandered to the front door and peered down the snow-silenced street. Time to meet the neighbours, she supposed. #5ActFestiveStory