The Color That Stole Christmas

"The Color That Stole Christmas" is a Lovecraftian short story by British author William Meikle.
==Synopsis==
On the 24th of December, a rural veterinarian is called out to a local farm to treat livestock afflicted with an odd green infection. Taking a sample before going about his daily business, he realises too late that he has spread the contagion to most of the town. As the people and animals are infected, they dissolve into an animate green sludge, and meteors begin to descend, delivering more of the substance to an unsuspecting world…
==Characters==
*Tom, a small-town vet.
*Ellen, Tom's wife.
*Sam, Tom and Ellen's dog.
*John Millar, one of Tom's clients.
==Behind the Mythos==
Despite containing no direct references to either H. P. Lovecraft's works or the greater Cthulhu Mythos, Meikle's inclusion of "The Color That Stole Christmas" in the collection Into the Black: Tales of Lovecraftian Terror indicates his belief that the story follows in the spirit of such works. Additionally, the premise - that of an alien lifeform falling to Earth and corrupting everything it comes into contact with - harks back to Lovecraft's short story "The Colour Out of Space"; in this context, its title is clearly intended to reference that piece.
==Publication History==
"The Color That Stole Christmas" was published in the collection of Meikle's own works Into the Black: Tales of Lovecraftian Terror in May 2019.
Category:William Meikle works
Category:Mythos-Inspired Works