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Weekly Spooky
Weekly Spooky
Scary stories, urban legends, haunted places, cryptids and dark folklore with Henrique Couto. New nightmares throughout the week. Halloween all year long.
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Dec. 19, 2024

5 Holiday Horrors to Give You a Deadly Night!

5 Holiday Horrors to Give You a Deadly Night!
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Five Christmas horror stories turn psychiatric wards, frozen wastelands, department-store Santas, assassins, and supernatural vengeance into one deadly holiday anthology.

Inside this collection:

• “Xmas at the Psych Ward” — On a snowy Christmas Eve, troubled young Caleb confronts his past inside a psychiatric hospital while a murderous presence turns the ward’s holiday gathering into a fight for survival.

• “Christmas at Pendleton Station” — Kasselia Tabon crosses a frozen dystopian world where ancient evil, technological nightmares, and an undead Santa Claus stand between her and safety.

• “Santa’s Little Helper” — Washed-up Santa Ronnie Baxley encounters a terrifying little girl whose apparent innocence unleashes violent holiday chaos among children and parents.

• “The Day That Santa Died” — Jonathan L. Copeland’s dark autobiographical tale questions the mythology of Santa Claus through the confession of an assassin hiding in plain sight.

• “Inner Rage” — Regan Devereaux enters Christmas Eve torn between protector and killer as love, loss, and ancient supernatural forces threaten the people she still cares about.

Narrated by Henrique Couto, these five holiday nightmares mix Christmas horror, undead survival, psychological terror, dark fantasy, and bloody seasonal suspense.

🎧 LISTEN NOW and subscribe for spine-tingling horror stories every week!

🎉 Unlock exclusive bonus episodes and support the show on Patreon!
👉 WeeklySpooky.com/Join

📬 Contact Us / Submit Your Horror Story!


🎵 Music by Ray Mattis 👉 Check out Ray’s incredible work here !
👨‍💼 Executive Producers: Rob Fields, Bobbletopia.com
🎥 Produced by: Daniel Wilder
🌐 Explore more terrifying tales at: WeeklySpooky.com
WEBVTT

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Well, my spookys, it's your good buddy and narrator Enrique

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Kuto here with one more special malicious marathon of holiday

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horror to make sure you're having a very scary Christmas.

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I hope you've been enjoying these marathons as well as

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all the new content dropping all through the holiday season.

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We love a good scare, but especially during the holidays,

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something to take your mind off the hustle and bustle,

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the stress of preparing meals, or buying gifts, or missing

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a loved one. That's why we do this show, to

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bring you a little escape from whatever it is that

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ails you. So get comfortable, relax, have something nice and

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warm to drink as we enjoy these six terror tales.

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And it all starts at the psych Ward. Xmas at

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the psych Ward by Bruce Haney. It was snowing that

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Christmas Eve, but this didn't bring joy to Caleb because

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he had been sitting in the psych Ward for the

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last couple of weeks after a failed suicide attempt. He

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had expected to see his parents that night, but the

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recent snowstorm had kept them away. He had been surprised

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that the facility did celebrate the holidays. There was a

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tree decorated in the common area, as well as other

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non Christian themed holiday decorations. There were even gifts that

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had been delivered a few days earlier for the guests

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who were stuck there with no family visiting them. Guests

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is the term this particular hospital likes to use to

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refer to their pains. Being a guest was supposed to

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indicate that you were there temporarily. This was true for most,

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but not for all, the people at Sumpter Behavioral Health Center.

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Caleb was scheduled to be released in a few days,

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but he wasn't planning on making it through the night.

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He had pleaded his case to be let out before Christmas.

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He didn't want to end his life in a hospital.

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I'm not like the other crazy people in here. I'm normal,

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he had pleaded. The term crazy is not accepted around here,

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and I am pressed to remind you that attempting to

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take one's life is not the act of a normal mind.

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His psychiatrist had responded, it is when you've had the

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year that I have, Caleb told her. Caleb had always

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been a bit dramatic, but he was not exaggerating. His

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year had been truly awful. The first bad thing to

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happen was that he lost what he considered to be

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the love of his life. His name was Kyle, and

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he was a bit out of Caleb's league. While Caleb

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worked part time at a failing video game store, Kyle

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was moving up the ranks at his job and heading

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toward management. Kyle was also a real looker. Caleb wasn't

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a slob or ugly, but he was nowhere near as

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attractive as Kyle. This difference in prospects and his low

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self esteem made Caleb resent Kyle, and this resentment led

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to negativity and jealousy, which created a wedge in their friendship,

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a wedge that was just big enough for a man

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named Jacob to squeeze into. Caleb understood this in a

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way that only a person with poor self esteem can.

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Jacob was a ten and owned a condo before the

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age of five. Of course, I couldn't compete with that.

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Who could, Caleb had told his friend Sarah over coffee.

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You'll find someone else, she said, trying to console him. Sure,

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but he was the one. He was the love of

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my life, and I'll never ever be that happy again.

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Caleb whind. It was hard for Sarah to not roll

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her eyes at him. Sarah was a little older than

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he was and a bit wiser. It's going to be hard,

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she said. There will be other guys out there, not

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like Kyle. But think of it this way. You could

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get to fall in love again. How exciting is that,

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Sarah finished, I don't want to, Caleb told her, of

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course you do. You've always been a romantic. You're going

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to have more first dates. You get to experience that

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awkward moment of holding hands for the first time, kisses

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good night, and strange bedfellows, she told him, and gave

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him an exaggerated wink. Are you talking about my prospects

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or yours? Caleb asked, then laughed. Sarah could always make

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him feel better. They had been best friends since he

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was a junior and she was a sophomore. Her death

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two months later by a drunk driver was harder on

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him than losing Kyle. Those events happened before summer, and

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by the time Christmas came around, he had lost his job,

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had his car stolen and totaled by his insurance company,

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not because it was wrecked, but because two people were

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found smoking meth and fentanyl inside of it. He didn't

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have full coverage, so he was out of a vehicle

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to cap it off. Like a lyric from a sad

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country song. Even his damn dog ran away, the one

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Kyle had brought home for their second anniversary. Even before

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this awful year, Caleb had been depressed. He was a cutter,

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but still everyone was shocked when he tried to take

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his life by slashing his wrists at the health center.

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He didn't have access to razor blades, so he was

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going to make a noose out of the sheet from

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his bed. Before attempting to take his life, he decided

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to see what the other guests were doing in the

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common room. This decision to be social possibly saved his

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unwonted life. Less than an hour later, the killings would begin.

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Some of the other guests suffered from depression like Caleb,

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and some others had other mental challenges that they were

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going through. But one guest, unbeknownst to the others, was

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a full blown homicidal maniac. It was getting late, but

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a couple of other guests were sitting in the common

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room watching an old black and white Christmas movie. Hey Caleb,

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John said passively. Caleb liked him, okay enough, as long

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as John didn't start talking about politics. Merry Christmas, Caleb,

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Ethan said to him. Caleb thought Ethan was a good kid. Sadly,

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he too was a cutter, and a failed suicide attempt

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is what landed him in the hospital as well. Though

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Ethan did admit in group that he didn't want to die.

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I just I don't know. I couldn't stand it. I

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was so invisible to them. I thought if I died,

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they would care. They couldn't ignore me if they were

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planning my funeral, Ethan was saying, but was interrupted by

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you pussy, another guest, Tim had said and then laughed.

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John had been there too and laughed. Caleb felt for

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the kid, and that was why he kicked Tim's chair over,

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which also didn't help his case for being released before Christmas.

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When Tim fell to the ground, Mark, another patient who

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never spoke, started laughing and continued to do so while

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Tim and Caleb were separated and escorted out. This annoyed Tim,

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and he screamed at him shut the fuck up. Mark.

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Mark continued to laugh to the point that everyone felt

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unnerved by it. He was laughing because he knew when

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he started his massacre, Tim would be first Merry Christmas. Ethan,

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how are you doing tonight, Caleb asked, before sitting down

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in the common area. I'm doing okay. I wish I

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was at home. This would have been my last Christmas

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to spend living at my parents parent's house. Ethan said, yeah.

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Where do you expect to be next year? Caleb asked,

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University of Oregon. Ethan said, you're going to college. Caleb asked, well,

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my parents are paying for it, and I have the grades,

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and since the whole killing myself thing didn't work out,

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I should build myself a future. Ethan told Caleb, you

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are much smarter at your age than I was or am. Now.

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If I thought like you, I might not be spending

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my Christmas here with the likes of you two. No offense,

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Caleb said, and then laughed. John and Ethan laughed too.

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During their conversation, a nurse named Rob walked into the room.

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They thought they were going to be told to get

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to their own rooms, but he made a note of

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how many guests were in the common area. A few

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minutes later, Rob walked in with a tray with four mugs,

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the usual suspects, he said, while he handed them each

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a cup of hot chocolate. The three looked up at

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him with a questioning look. Merry Christmas. I wanted to

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do something nice. It's Christmas Eve, after all. Some of

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you guests don't deserve a treat. Some of you are

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a pain in my ass, Rob said, and then took

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a drink from his cup. John, you borderline don't deserve

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a treat, but you're with good company, so you can

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reap their reward. It is Christmas and all. Rob said,

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it's just hot chocolate. You're not sucking our dicks. Don't

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feel so high and mighty. Giving us a fifty cent

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cup of cocoa. John said, I can take it back.

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Rob said, calmly, not letting John get to him. No, no, sorry,

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thank you. Merry Christmas, John said. They all sat quietly

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after that, drinking their hot chocolate and watching the old

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Christmas movie. Then they heard the screaming.

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More scares to come weekly, spooky, We'll be right back.

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Rob was the first up and the first to run

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down the hall to find out what was going on. Billy,

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the other nighttime nurse, came out from the office and

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beat him to the room. Inside was an older gentleman

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named Ed, who had been in and out of places

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like this his whole life. He had a bit of

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a violent past, always attacking the people close to him,

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but never enough to do actual jail time. Ed was

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screaming because his roommate Tim was lying in his bed

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with his throat slit and his face slashed all up.

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Rob was the senior nurse there and quickly took charge

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of the situation. What happened here? Who did this? Rob asked,

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I don't know. He was like this when I came

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back from the bathroom, Ed said John. Caleb ethan, back

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to your rooms. Caleb, take Ed with you, and none

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of you let anyone except for the two of us in.

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Billy go back to the office and call nine one one.

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I'll look for the for the killer, Rob ordered, What

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if he tries to attack you? Billy asked, I've been

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taking self defense classes for years. Do you think I

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would work here around these crazies without some way of

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protecting myself? Rob asked, right, Billy said, you haven't been

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taking classes like I told you? Have you? Rob asked, well, I,

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Billy stammered, you fucking rookie just get to the damn phone, Billy,

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Rob shouted. Billy ran off, and John ethan ed and

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Caleb stared at Rob. Get to your rooms now, Rob said.

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They all turned and left. Rob yelled after them, sorry

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for saying crazies. Don't tell my boss please. Rob then

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went on down the hall to look for signs of

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the killer. John went to his room. The doors could

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only be locked with a key, so he decided that

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he would push his bed up against the door. He

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didn't know that the killer was hiding under his bed,

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and as soon as he got close enough, he heard snickering,

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and then before he could react, a hand with a

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stolen kitchen knife stabbed through his left shoe. The cheap

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hospital issued shoes did nothing to hinder the blade, though

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it did keep his now severed middle two toes close

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to where they had once belonged. John then fell to

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the floor, and the killer took the opportunity to slash

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his throat. As the blood sprayed, Mark laughed harder and harder.

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Billy heard the laughter, but before he could make it

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out of his office, the killer was there. Happy holidays,

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Mark said. Once Billy was taken care of, Mark went

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to the next phase of his plan. He knew that

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the landline phone was dead. He had severed it hours ago.

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He knew which line it was because he had severed

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it months earlier. When he first came up with the plan.

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Everyone had made a big stink about it. A technician

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had to come out and fix it, and they lost

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dessert for two days since no one would admit to

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cutting the line. Once in the office, the killer found

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what he hoped he would find In there, both nurses

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cell phones charging. He had made a mental note after

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weeks of watching their patterns that it was around this

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time each night that they plugged their phones in to charge.

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After a shifts worth of tik tok watching and instagramming,

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he acted quickly and methodically. He took each phone and

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shoved his knife through the screens. He then took the

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useless land line phone and smashed against the server equipment

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that provided internet to the building. With that done, he

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looked around the room for other opportunities to add to

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his chaos. He didn't find much, but hanging on the

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coat rack he saw something that he hoped he would find.

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He laughed the whole time as he grabbed the Santa

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Claus costume off the rack and put it on. The

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plan was going better than he had imagined. Luck was

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on his side. Caleb had dragged Ethan and Ed to

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his room. Caleb's roommate was sitting up in bed. What

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the fuck is going on out here? Steve yelled. Steve

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was at the health center because he attempted to light

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his former workplace on fire because he didn't receive a

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Christmas bonus. He didn't quite understand that former employees don't

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typically get Chris Miss bonuses. Steve was a bit of

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a hothead and was fired after he threw his boss's

231
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world's Best Boss mug at his own boss's head. People

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are getting killed, Steve, that is what the fuck is

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going on, Caleb explained for real. Steve asked Ed. Ed

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was older, and Steve trusted him. Ed shook his head

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up and down. This calmed Steve down. Who Steve asked

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Tim at least his throat was slashed. Ed said, I've

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heard two other screams since, I think possibly Billy too.

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Caleb added, fuck Tim got out in a couple of days,

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not that he wanted to. Billy was kind of a prick, though,

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Steve finished, don't speak ill of the dead? Ethan whispered,

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is Rob okay? Steve asked, Rob was a good guy.

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He had to make everyone follow the rules, but he

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did it in a respectful way, and he was respected

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for it as far as we know, Caleb said. At

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that moment, Rob had returned to the main corridor, not

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finding any signs of the killer. Rob wished there was

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more staff there. Billy and himself were it. Usually there

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were another too, but the holidays were always light. The

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staff wanted to be home with their families, and each

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year many guests were released early to make that possible.

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As soon as Rob made it back to the guest wing,

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he heard the laughter, and then the killer in the

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stolen Santa Claus outfit stepped out of the office. What

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are you doing? Rob asked. The killer just laughed. Are

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you Are you wearing my Santa Claus outfit? Rob asked?

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For the last four years, Rob had worn that costume

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every Christmas morning at the facility. Every year the guests

258
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would make fun of him for it, but he could

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tell from some that they did appreciate the effort. The

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killer didn't respond to his first question, so he asked another,

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what's going on in here, Rob asked, no response. Did

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you kill Tim? Rob asked? The killer shook his head yes,

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then made a cross with his two index fingers. Rob

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was confused until the killer then held up two fingers.

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You killed two others, Rob asked. The killer laughed, then

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decided to sprint towards Rob while pulling out the knife

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that he had tucked into the waistband of the Santa suit.

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Get away from me, Rob yelled back in Caleb's room,

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they had been listening to the exchange and when they

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heard the killer go after Rob. Without even thinking, Ethan

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pushed open the door. Caleb followed, stopping just long enough

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to grab a chair. Without knowing it, they were directly

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in the killer's path, who immediately adjusted his aim and

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went to stab Ethan. Caleb pushed Ethan out of the way.

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Ethan fell to the floor and rolled away unscathed. Caleb

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wasn't as lucky. The killer slashed the knife at him,

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cutting his wrist. Caleb watched as the blood from his

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arm hit the polished floor, and for a moment was

279
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taken back to a few weeks ago, when he was

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the one spilling his blood. It was a weird sensation.

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Caleb didn't feel scared. He felt violated. Cutting his wrist

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was something he did not something that was done to him.

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Caleb was filled with anger and swung the chair at

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the pseudo Santa as hard as he could. Then again,

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the killer held his arms up to protect himself from

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the blows, and then ran away. Once the killer was gone,

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Caleb looked over to Rob. You okay, he asked. Rob

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00:20:16.240 --> 00:20:19.519
and Ethan looked him up and down. He was bleeding heavily,

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and they just witnessed him going primal while beating on

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the killer. Are you okay, Rob asked, I'm fine, Caleb said,

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while taking his hand and rubbing his hair back. Blood

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dripped onto his face. Caleb then held out his arm

293
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and looked at the cut again. Maybe not, Caleb said.

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Rob ran off, and moments later was back with a

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full first aid kit. If you're going to get attacked,

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let it be in a hospital type situation. Their first

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00:20:52.920 --> 00:20:56.759
aid kits are usually well stocked. A moment after Rob

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finished fixing him up, the lights went out. He must

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have gotten to the breaker box, Rob said, cheerfully. Why

300
00:21:07.839 --> 00:21:11.960
is that good? Ethan asked. The box is located in

301
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the stairwell at the end of the West hallway, Rob said,

302
00:21:15.200 --> 00:21:19.920
while he got up and started walking, and Caleb asked,

303
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He's far enough away that it should be safe to

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00:21:23.359 --> 00:21:26.160
go to my office and grab a flashlight and call

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the police if Billy hasn't already, Rob said. In the office,

306
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the three of them felt around for anything that could

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be a weapon. Rob eventually found a flashlight in a drawer.

308
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When he turned it on, it revealed that the stuff

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they were walking in was blood. The flashlight also helped

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them see where the blood had come from. Some was

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from Billy's lifeless body, while the rest came from Billy's head,

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which had been cut off and thrown onto the desk

313
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with little to no regard.

314
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You're not safe yet, Weekly Spooky will be right back.

315
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With the flashlight, it was also easy to find the

316
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useless phone. Rob then went for his own, which he

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found next to Billie's, both destroyed. Okay, okay, don't panic,

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Rob said to himself. If we can get to the

319
00:22:37.400 --> 00:22:40.200
breaker and turn it back on, we can use a

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computer to reach out to the police. There has to

321
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be a way to do that, right, Rob asked the two.

322
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Caleb frowned and pointed to the modem and the internet

323
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equipment that had been destroyed. What are we going to do?

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Ethan asked, I don't know. We could try to go

325
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the others and then run outside, but we're two miles

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from anything, and it's snowing pretty heavily outside. Rob said

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maybe we could just hide, Ethan suggested, or we could

328
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all come out into the open. Caleb said, you think,

329
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Rob asked, I think our strength is in our numbers,

330
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which we won't have if we don't act quickly. It's

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easy for him to take us out one by one.

332
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But when he attacked and there were three of us there,

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we walked away scathed, but we did walk away, Caleb explained.

334
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The three of them walked back to Caleb's room to

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grab Steve and ed, you have to come with us.

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Caleb told them I ain't going nowhere. We're safe in

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this room. Ed said, do you think so? How do

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you think Tim was killed in one of these rooms.

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We need to band together, and we need a spot

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where we have room to fight, Caleb explained. Caleb was persuasive,

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and as a group they went to each room looking

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for other survivors. They found John's dead body In one room,

343
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they found two other dead guests, each with a pillow

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over their head so they couldn't scream. He was going

345
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room to room. Rob said, maybe he's back in one

346
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snuck back to them when we were in the office,

347
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and now he's just waiting to jump out and stab

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one of us in the throat. Ed said, so we

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stay away from the rooms. Ethan said no. Caleb replied,

350
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then what Ed asked? We locked them, Rob explained, understanding

351
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what Caleb was getting at every one of them. Caleb finished.

352
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They went methodically down the corridor, locking the doors with

353
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Rob's keys. After each door was locked, one of them

354
00:24:53.279 --> 00:24:57.720
would put their ear and listen for any sign of life.

355
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Nothing was heard until they locked the second to last door.

356
00:25:01.599 --> 00:25:04.680
Ethan then put his ear to the door and heard

357
00:25:04.680 --> 00:25:08.680
a noise inside that he couldn't make out. Someone's in

358
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this room. Ethan whispered to the rest of them, whose

359
00:25:12.799 --> 00:25:17.440
room is that? Steve asked, It's been empty, has been

360
00:25:17.519 --> 00:25:20.720
for a week. Rob said, then it has to be

361
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the killer. Caleb replied, let's get him. Then Ed said

362
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it's safer to just lock him up. There's no exit

363
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from that room. Rob explained. Then the last door that

364
00:25:32.839 --> 00:25:36.039
they were about to check flung open. Ed was the

365
00:25:36.079 --> 00:25:38.279
closest to the door, so he was the one to

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be stabbed by the killer in the Santa Claus suit.

367
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To the common room, Rob yelled when the killer pulled

368
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out his knife, Caleb grabbed Ed and dragged him. Ed

369
00:25:49.720 --> 00:25:53.759
was screaming, don't leave me. The killer followed and continued

370
00:25:53.799 --> 00:25:58.160
to stab poor Ed with every step they made. Eventually,

371
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Ed's body went limp and there was nothing for Caleb

372
00:26:02.839 --> 00:26:07.160
to do but drop it. The killer then swung his

373
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knife at Caleb, just barely missing his throat. Why are

374
00:26:11.240 --> 00:26:17.880
you doing this, Caleb yelled. The killer laughed, Mark Caleb asked.

375
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The killer swung his knife at Caleb again. He had

376
00:26:21.720 --> 00:26:23.960
to run to the common room after that, and by

377
00:26:24.000 --> 00:26:26.400
the time he got there, the others had gathered what

378
00:26:26.519 --> 00:26:31.279
weapons they could find, which wasn't very much. Ethan was

379
00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:33.839
smart and grabbed the nutcracker that was out as a

380
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Christmas decoration. Rob was practical and grabbed a chair, while

381
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Steve yielded the heaviest Christmas package he could find under

382
00:26:41.799 --> 00:26:45.640
the tree, which wasn't all that heavy. To get away

383
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from the attack, Caleb ran behind the tree. Rob swung

384
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the chair, which the killer grabbed with his free hand.

385
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Rob looked at the killer, shocked that his knife wielding

386
00:26:55.359 --> 00:26:58.279
Santa Claus was able to stop the chair's momentum with

387
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only one hand. Rob thought, that's not just strength, that

388
00:27:03.279 --> 00:27:08.000
is the power of being truly crazy. The killer then

389
00:27:08.039 --> 00:27:10.839
put the knife in his pocket and grabbed the chair

390
00:27:10.880 --> 00:27:14.279
with his other hand and made moves to fling Rob

391
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Steve made his way over to hit the killer Santa

392
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with the package, but this had little effect. Ethan had

393
00:27:21.559 --> 00:27:24.279
better luck, smacking him on the shoulder with the heavy

394
00:27:24.319 --> 00:27:28.279
wood nutcracker. The killer screamed out in pain and dropped

395
00:27:28.279 --> 00:27:31.240
his hold on the chair. While this was going on,

396
00:27:31.359 --> 00:27:33.519
Caleb was trying to figure out what he could do

397
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to help the situation, and finally he found his weapon

398
00:27:38.880 --> 00:27:43.559
of choice. It was unconventional, to say the least. Caleb

399
00:27:43.640 --> 00:27:46.119
grabbed the wreath that hung on the wall and waited

400
00:27:46.160 --> 00:27:49.960
for an opportunity, which came suddenly after Ethan hit the

401
00:27:50.039 --> 00:27:53.920
killer another time in the head. The killer responded by

402
00:27:53.920 --> 00:27:57.799
pulling his knife back out and slashing Ethan across the chest.

403
00:27:58.759 --> 00:28:04.960
He then turned around and ran. Caleb was furious as

404
00:28:04.960 --> 00:28:07.319
he thought about the future that young Ethan could have.

405
00:28:07.880 --> 00:28:10.799
Once he was out of there, Caleb ran after him

406
00:28:10.839 --> 00:28:13.480
and put the wreath over the killer's head and then

407
00:28:13.640 --> 00:28:17.599
used it to swing him into the wall repeatedly. During

408
00:28:17.640 --> 00:28:20.400
the struggle, the killer stabbed Caleb in the thigh, but

409
00:28:20.559 --> 00:28:24.799
Caleb hardly noticed. Eventually, the killer went limp from his head,

410
00:28:24.839 --> 00:28:28.720
repeatedly hitting the wall. Caleb then grabbed a knife from

411
00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:33.279
the killer's lifeless body. He was still furious and made

412
00:28:33.319 --> 00:28:36.519
moves to turn the killer over to slash his throat.

413
00:28:37.240 --> 00:28:40.680
Rob was taking care of Ethan's wounds during this, and

414
00:28:40.759 --> 00:28:46.400
Steve walked over to watch. But Caleb was no killer

415
00:28:47.279 --> 00:28:50.759
and had a change of heart. I can't do it,

416
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Caleb said, and then he stood up to check on Ethan.

417
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He's gonna make it. He just barely nicked him. Rob

418
00:29:00.480 --> 00:29:05.519
told him, give me your keys, Caleb said. Rob unhooked

419
00:29:05.519 --> 00:29:08.160
them from the loop on his pants and threw them

420
00:29:08.200 --> 00:29:13.240
to Caleb. I think he's dead, but just in case,

421
00:29:13.319 --> 00:29:17.519
we should lock him up, Caleb explained to Steve. Steve

422
00:29:17.599 --> 00:29:20.079
and Caleb then each grabbed a side of the wreath

423
00:29:20.400 --> 00:29:23.000
that was around his neck and dragged him to the

424
00:29:23.079 --> 00:29:26.279
room where they had heard the sound. Caleb handed the

425
00:29:26.359 --> 00:29:29.559
keys over to Steve to unlock it, and Caleb held

426
00:29:29.559 --> 00:29:34.480
the knife out just in case. When they opened the door,

427
00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:42.640
they heard what had been making the sound. Inside. The

428
00:29:42.759 --> 00:29:48.720
music came from a radio. Caleb and Steve laughed, then

429
00:29:48.880 --> 00:29:55.039
dragged the killer into the room. Momentarily, they were distracted

430
00:29:55.680 --> 00:30:01.200
as the song faded down and the radio DJ came on. Well,

431
00:30:01.240 --> 00:30:04.960
here we are. It's twelve oh one and it's officially Christmas.

432
00:30:05.319 --> 00:30:09.880
Merry Christmas to all of you KWHG listeners. Hope you

433
00:30:09.920 --> 00:30:12.400
were good and didn't make it onto Santa's naughty list.

434
00:30:12.799 --> 00:30:15.759
This is your pal Big Bobby, and the Christmas classics

435
00:30:15.759 --> 00:30:19.400
are going to keep on a coming. Here's deck the halls,

436
00:30:20.079 --> 00:30:31.319
he said, and the song began. That was the moment

437
00:30:31.720 --> 00:30:34.319
that the killer tried to leap up and grab the

438
00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:38.599
knife back from Caleb. Without thinking, Caleb stabbed him in

439
00:30:38.640 --> 00:30:42.960
the throat. The killer stared at him with hatred in

440
00:30:43.000 --> 00:30:48.480
his eyes. Caleb then twisted the blade, and a moment later,

441
00:30:49.680 --> 00:30:54.599
all life left the killer. Steve reached down and pulled

442
00:30:54.640 --> 00:30:58.440
off the beard and hat to reveal what Caleb had

443
00:30:58.480 --> 00:31:03.240
already figured out. It was Mark who would never laugh

444
00:31:03.319 --> 00:31:09.039
his crazy laugh again. With that done, Caleb got up,

445
00:31:09.960 --> 00:31:13.440
walked over to the radio and turned up the volume.

446
00:31:14.640 --> 00:31:18.119
As they walked back to Ethan and Rob the song

447
00:31:18.359 --> 00:31:34.079
continued during the struggle of the night. Caleb couldn't wait

448
00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:36.599
for it to be over, for everybody to be safe,

449
00:31:37.000 --> 00:31:40.799
so he could go back to his room and kill himself.

450
00:31:41.960 --> 00:31:45.759
And now that he had the killer's knife, he was

451
00:31:45.839 --> 00:31:49.920
more prepared than before. He was originally going to hang

452
00:31:50.000 --> 00:31:53.519
himself with his sheet, but now that it was over,

453
00:31:55.039 --> 00:31:58.400
he just wanted to check on his friends. He had

454
00:31:58.440 --> 00:32:03.359
seen enough death. It had been a terrible year, but

455
00:32:03.559 --> 00:32:07.319
fighting for his and other people's lives made Caleb finally

456
00:32:07.400 --> 00:32:12.000
see value in life. So he let go of the

457
00:32:12.079 --> 00:32:25.480
knife and it fell to the floor. Christmas at Pendleton

458
00:32:25.599 --> 00:32:31.640
Station by Rob Fields. I have had much time to

459
00:32:31.759 --> 00:32:35.880
ponder things since my birth on October thirty first, two

460
00:32:35.920 --> 00:32:39.319
thousand and ninety nine. First, I would awaken in a

461
00:32:39.359 --> 00:32:42.039
crypt and leave it to find my way to what

462
00:32:42.200 --> 00:32:46.279
was once the village of Strickfield. I would only get

463
00:32:46.319 --> 00:32:49.359
to learn very little there, since I was attacked and

464
00:32:49.480 --> 00:32:54.319
captured by a cowardly despot named Sarathos, who would prove

465
00:32:54.440 --> 00:32:59.599
to be my first challenge. After defeating him and freeing

466
00:32:59.680 --> 00:33:03.440
several organic women whom he captured for an offering to

467
00:33:03.519 --> 00:33:08.799
hell Weaver, I received new mission files. Currently, I am

468
00:33:08.920 --> 00:33:12.480
en route to the Pendleton way Station. Bear in mind

469
00:33:12.480 --> 00:33:15.319
that this destination is not part of the village of

470
00:33:15.359 --> 00:33:19.559
Pendleton itself. There is a vital component that I must

471
00:33:19.599 --> 00:33:22.920
acquire for when I reach my destination in Shore City.

472
00:33:23.519 --> 00:33:28.039
Upon completion of my other mission objectives, I should have

473
00:33:28.160 --> 00:33:32.559
arrived at Pendleton way Station many days ago. Shortly after

474
00:33:32.599 --> 00:33:35.039
I began my journey, I was forced to engage a

475
00:33:35.119 --> 00:33:39.480
pack of werewolves in battle. After defeating them, I continued

476
00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:42.680
on with my journey. Nearly a week later, I determined

477
00:33:42.720 --> 00:33:46.119
that the sun would rise again and needed to seek shelter.

478
00:33:46.759 --> 00:33:50.519
I found an abandoned dwelling and waited the seemingly endless

479
00:33:50.599 --> 00:33:53.599
day out. I would have to be with patient, since

480
00:33:53.599 --> 00:33:57.359
I recalled in a former life that sunlight was deadly

481
00:33:57.400 --> 00:34:00.359
to me. The day began on the second week of

482
00:34:00.400 --> 00:34:04.480
November and lasted nearly a month. Fortunately, I do not

483
00:34:04.519 --> 00:34:09.320
require sustenance the way organic beings do. However, I would

484
00:34:09.360 --> 00:34:13.000
require plant based nutrition in order to maintain my skin base.

485
00:34:13.840 --> 00:34:18.360
Descending the basement, I discovered many bottles of vintage wine.

486
00:34:18.400 --> 00:34:21.400
Scanning the bottles, I determined the wine to be quite

487
00:34:21.440 --> 00:34:26.199
suitable and gradually consumed it. When Earth had finally moved

488
00:34:26.199 --> 00:34:28.840
to where the sun would finally set, I was able

489
00:34:28.840 --> 00:34:31.800
to finally leave the dwelling and continue on my journey.

490
00:34:32.440 --> 00:34:35.760
I walked many desolate roads and through dense forests until

491
00:34:35.800 --> 00:34:40.760
I would reach the railroad tracks that I required. I

492
00:34:40.800 --> 00:34:43.679
had not walked a mile upon the tracks when a

493
00:34:43.679 --> 00:34:47.320
snowstorm began. The winds would remind me of my berth

494
00:34:47.360 --> 00:34:51.840
in that crypt on Halloween night. According to my internal clock,

495
00:34:52.440 --> 00:34:58.760
the day is December twenty first, two thousand and ninety nine. Unfortunately,

496
00:34:58.840 --> 00:35:01.719
these random weather p patterns and long days and nights

497
00:35:01.800 --> 00:35:04.840
happened as a result of the hell Weaver Holocaust of

498
00:35:04.880 --> 00:35:09.039
October thirty one, two thousand and thirty. Hell Weaver was

499
00:35:09.159 --> 00:35:13.000
victorious against the Battleguard who opposed her and conquered the

500
00:35:13.039 --> 00:35:17.480
multiverse using the reality sphere. She only proved victorious because

501
00:35:17.559 --> 00:35:21.480
one of the Battleguard turned against her allies and joined

502
00:35:21.480 --> 00:35:25.159
hell Weaver. With the epicenter of the hell Weaver Holocaust

503
00:35:25.280 --> 00:35:28.840
being upon this world, the Goddess herself unleashed the power

504
00:35:29.199 --> 00:35:32.679
of the reality sphere. It was this event that forever

505
00:35:32.760 --> 00:35:37.039
altered Earth's axis. Thanks to my advanced software, I am

506
00:35:37.079 --> 00:35:40.360
able to determine how long the days, nights, and weather

507
00:35:40.400 --> 00:35:44.000
patterns will last. The nights shall last until the first

508
00:35:44.079 --> 00:35:48.559
hours of December twenty fifth, two thousand ninety nine. That

509
00:35:48.639 --> 00:35:51.880
shall be sufficient time for me to reach the Pendleton

510
00:35:51.920 --> 00:35:55.519
way Station. This is the first time that I have

511
00:35:55.559 --> 00:35:59.360
experienced winter weather since my birth. I can feel the cold,

512
00:35:59.400 --> 00:36:02.559
in the wind, in the snow. No organic being of

513
00:36:02.599 --> 00:36:07.320
this world could endure these conditions without suitable clothing. Organics

514
00:36:07.360 --> 00:36:09.960
would look upon me and determine that I am not

515
00:36:10.119 --> 00:36:16.760
adequately dressed for these conditions. Myself, however, I am a machine.

516
00:36:16.800 --> 00:36:21.039
My skin base retains its softness and composition in spite

517
00:36:21.079 --> 00:36:24.920
of the negative temperatures. Even my long metallic blonde hair

518
00:36:25.000 --> 00:36:30.199
remains dry and shiny. My clothing is quite wet. However, nevertheless,

519
00:36:30.400 --> 00:36:33.800
I continue my journey and enjoy this change in the weather.

520
00:36:34.400 --> 00:36:38.280
Before the weather was rainy. With the onset of the winter,

521
00:36:38.920 --> 00:36:42.400
the rain has become snow. Just as I do not

522
00:36:42.440 --> 00:36:46.599
require sustenance, I do not require rest my power core

523
00:36:46.719 --> 00:36:50.840
provides me with limitless energy. Again, I find myself wondering

524
00:36:50.880 --> 00:36:53.880
why the life I feel was placed into this metallic body.

525
00:36:55.320 --> 00:36:57.639
I have had many days to ponder the meaning of

526
00:36:57.639 --> 00:37:00.960
my very existence. When I was in that dwelling awaiting

527
00:37:01.000 --> 00:37:04.599
for the sun to descend, I was given the memories, appearance,

528
00:37:04.599 --> 00:37:10.159
and powers of a vampire Treylander hybrid named Cassilia Tabon. However,

529
00:37:10.920 --> 00:37:15.960
the memories are currently incomplete. By my calculations, I have

530
00:37:16.079 --> 00:37:19.880
eighty seven percent of her total memories. The remaining memories

531
00:37:19.880 --> 00:37:22.719
were likely lost when her body was left to decompose

532
00:37:22.800 --> 00:37:26.280
in that crypt for two hundred and twelve years. Upon

533
00:37:26.360 --> 00:37:29.239
analyzing the memories used to give me data to feed

534
00:37:29.239 --> 00:37:33.199
my limitless intelligence capacity, I am unable to quickly reconstruct

535
00:37:33.239 --> 00:37:37.400
the necessary algorithms to fill the gaps. When it comes

536
00:37:37.400 --> 00:37:40.480
to the vampire half of Cassilia Tabon, I do not

537
00:37:40.519 --> 00:37:43.559
possess many of the powers that she once had, such

538
00:37:43.559 --> 00:37:47.000
as the ability to transmorph. I believe this is because

539
00:37:47.039 --> 00:37:50.960
of the composition of my indestructible metallic form that my

540
00:37:51.039 --> 00:37:55.039
skin based conceals. I regard the wintry sky and see

541
00:37:55.079 --> 00:37:58.079
only the barrier that is the clouds which produce the

542
00:37:58.079 --> 00:38:02.039
great winds and the seemingly endless snow across the lands.

543
00:38:02.880 --> 00:38:06.519
Why am I alive? I ask? I know that my

544
00:38:06.639 --> 00:38:09.519
mission is in my data banks, but yet I do

545
00:38:09.599 --> 00:38:12.400
not understand why I was born as a single machine

546
00:38:12.559 --> 00:38:16.920
who must live among a multitude of organics. Only the

547
00:38:17.000 --> 00:38:20.280
harsh winds respond, though they do not give me the

548
00:38:20.360 --> 00:38:24.599
answers that I seek. All I have is my mission.

549
00:38:25.119 --> 00:38:28.719
I must accomplish several side objectives before reaching Shore City

550
00:38:28.960 --> 00:38:33.400
and fulfilling the final objective there. My ultimate objective will

551
00:38:33.440 --> 00:38:36.199
be to engage in battle with hell Weaver and use

552
00:38:36.239 --> 00:38:38.639
all the power at my disposal to prevent her from

553
00:38:38.639 --> 00:38:43.000
creating this multi universal hell, even at the cost of

554
00:38:43.039 --> 00:38:47.639
my own brief existence. I maintain my present course. When

555
00:38:47.639 --> 00:38:49.760
the snow becomes too high for me to be able

556
00:38:49.760 --> 00:38:54.280
to continue walking, I must make calculated jumps. This weather

557
00:38:54.360 --> 00:38:57.559
shall not prevent me from reaching my first objective. The

558
00:38:57.679 --> 00:39:00.960
days and hours mean nothing to me. It is into

559
00:39:00.960 --> 00:39:03.960
December twenty fifth, two thousand and ninety nine, when I

560
00:39:04.000 --> 00:39:09.159
finally reach the outskirts of the Pendleton Way Station. Scanning it,

561
00:39:09.159 --> 00:39:12.239
it has the appearance of a fortress, a high wall

562
00:39:12.320 --> 00:39:16.519
protects the dwellings and the few inhabitants within. The main

563
00:39:16.559 --> 00:39:19.679
gate is just ahead. As I am ready to jump

564
00:39:19.719 --> 00:39:23.800
over the wall, the main gate unlocks and begins to open.

565
00:39:25.000 --> 00:39:28.360
It does not open all the way, however, two organic

566
00:39:28.400 --> 00:39:32.079
males come through the opening and approach me. Both are

567
00:39:32.199 --> 00:39:35.280
armed with weapons. You need to go away from here

568
00:39:35.320 --> 00:39:38.960
at once. The left one says, if you stay, you'll

569
00:39:39.000 --> 00:39:42.519
only endanger yourself and all of us. The right one adds,

570
00:39:43.039 --> 00:39:45.280
I scan both of them to determine that they are

571
00:39:45.320 --> 00:39:49.400
no match for me. My empathic abilities tell me they

572
00:39:49.440 --> 00:39:53.000
are with great fear. How would there be an endangerment

573
00:39:53.440 --> 00:39:57.760
to either myself or you? I inquire. Now the two

574
00:39:57.760 --> 00:40:02.000
of them regard me with confusion. Don't you know what

575
00:40:02.079 --> 00:40:06.760
Christmas Day brings? The left man asks, If I knew,

576
00:40:07.280 --> 00:40:11.360
I would not need to inquire. I return. The men

577
00:40:11.440 --> 00:40:14.800
regard one another for a moment. Then the left man

578
00:40:14.920 --> 00:40:18.000
gently says, we will bring you inside so you may

579
00:40:18.039 --> 00:40:20.920
warm yourself, but we fear none of us shall be

580
00:40:21.000 --> 00:40:27.599
safe once he comes. Once who comes? I inquire? Please

581
00:40:27.679 --> 00:40:33.119
tell me once we're inside. The right man insists, very well,

582
00:40:33.440 --> 00:40:36.960
lead the way. I shall follow you. The men turn

583
00:40:37.039 --> 00:40:40.880
back to the way station entrance and go inside. I

584
00:40:41.000 --> 00:40:44.960
follow close behind. Seeing the inside it looks very much

585
00:40:45.039 --> 00:40:49.239
like a colony, with basic places for commerce, lodging, a restaurant,

586
00:40:49.280 --> 00:40:53.760
a general store, and a communications office. My objective for

587
00:40:53.800 --> 00:40:57.440
the Pendleton way Station highlights I am required to obtain

588
00:40:57.480 --> 00:41:00.800
a vital component here and cannot can tinue my mission

589
00:41:00.840 --> 00:41:04.440
without it. Once the main gate is sealed again, I

590
00:41:04.559 --> 00:41:06.719
follow the men until I am brought to their leader's

591
00:41:06.719 --> 00:41:09.519
building at the center of this colony. We ascend the

592
00:41:09.519 --> 00:41:12.719
stairway and enter through the two doors in front. The

593
00:41:12.800 --> 00:41:16.639
men take me to their leader himself. The organic man

594
00:41:16.719 --> 00:41:19.920
looks up from his desk and sees me. What is

595
00:41:19.960 --> 00:41:23.159
the meaning of this? The men who brought me before

596
00:41:23.239 --> 00:41:25.760
him explain that they found me outside of their gates.

597
00:41:26.559 --> 00:41:29.559
The leader quickly stands to his feet, and you brought

598
00:41:29.559 --> 00:41:33.519
her inside, He moves out from behind his desk. It's

599
00:41:33.559 --> 00:41:35.519
bad enough we had to send the women and children

600
00:41:35.519 --> 00:41:38.960
into hiding. Now you've brought a single female before me.

601
00:41:40.119 --> 00:41:43.360
Now the leader turns and regards me. Don't you have

602
00:41:43.440 --> 00:41:47.960
suitable clothing? Women? Do not worry about me. I tell him,

603
00:41:48.599 --> 00:41:53.519
I wish to know with whom you fear he sneers. Now, truly, woman,

604
00:41:53.599 --> 00:41:56.519
you are foolish if you do not know I have

605
00:41:56.639 --> 00:42:00.480
not been in existence for very long. I say, would

606
00:42:00.519 --> 00:42:04.159
there be any harm in telling me? He looks me over.

607
00:42:05.159 --> 00:42:07.639
You are a most unusual woman if you've been out

608
00:42:07.639 --> 00:42:10.400
in that blizzard and are not affected by it, especially

609
00:42:10.400 --> 00:42:14.480
when your clothing is both inadequate and wet. I am

610
00:42:14.519 --> 00:42:18.960
not so easily overcome, I assure him. He makes the

611
00:42:19.000 --> 00:42:22.440
mistake of glancing to his two men. Suddenly they come

612
00:42:22.480 --> 00:42:25.000
at me. Though they are well trained to fight, they

613
00:42:25.000 --> 00:42:27.559
are not prepared for one such as I. The men

614
00:42:27.599 --> 00:42:30.760
fall before me easily. I do not harm them in

615
00:42:30.800 --> 00:42:34.159
any way, since I understand this was merely an exercise

616
00:42:34.639 --> 00:42:40.239
to test me. The leader nods, a most unusual woman. Indeed,

617
00:42:40.920 --> 00:42:46.000
he regards as men leave us only stand outside the doors.

618
00:42:46.440 --> 00:42:50.039
The men nod and obey him. Now he regards me again.

619
00:42:51.280 --> 00:42:55.480
Tell me you've at least heard of Santa Claus, I

620
00:42:55.519 --> 00:42:59.679
nod once. I have memories from long ago. Mostly they

621
00:42:59.679 --> 00:43:03.519
are fohotographs, songs and tales. He has never been in

622
00:43:03.559 --> 00:43:07.679
my presence. He is quite real. The leader tells me,

623
00:43:08.360 --> 00:43:13.039
May I have your name? I am Cassilia, tabon and yours.

624
00:43:13.840 --> 00:43:18.519
I'm General Rhineboldt Larst. He returns, I've only been in

625
00:43:18.559 --> 00:43:21.920
this highest office for a year tonight. I assumed this

626
00:43:22.119 --> 00:43:25.360
rank and office when our last general was struck down

627
00:43:25.400 --> 00:43:29.239
by Santa Claus last Christmas. I point to a short

628
00:43:29.280 --> 00:43:34.480
stack of blank white paper. May I you may I

629
00:43:34.559 --> 00:43:37.760
pick up a colored pen and astonish Larst with how

630
00:43:37.880 --> 00:43:41.039
quickly I can draw. When I finish, I present him

631
00:43:41.039 --> 00:43:43.960
with the rendering of Santa Claus, as the woman who

632
00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:48.360
was Graham's in a former life had shown me. This

633
00:43:48.519 --> 00:43:53.760
man struck your general down. He growls in frustration. Our

634
00:43:53.880 --> 00:43:56.840
people may only wish Santa Claus was the jolly old

635
00:43:56.880 --> 00:44:00.599
soul of the olden days. Given your picture, say, given

636
00:44:00.639 --> 00:44:03.519
your apparent age, you do not know what has become

637
00:44:03.920 --> 00:44:07.920
of Santa Claus again. Will you please tell me that

638
00:44:08.000 --> 00:44:12.639
I may understand? I inquire. Larst goes behind his desk

639
00:44:12.719 --> 00:44:15.719
and sits. Then he gestures for me to be seated.

640
00:44:16.400 --> 00:44:19.960
I obey and await his story. He tells me that

641
00:44:20.000 --> 00:44:24.440
Santa Claus was indeed the warm and jolly persona of Christmas.

642
00:44:24.519 --> 00:44:27.920
Listening to him and recalling the memories I have of Grams,

643
00:44:28.199 --> 00:44:33.159
the stories have few discrepancies. Are you familiar with the

644
00:44:33.199 --> 00:44:37.000
hell Weaver Holocaust? He asks, You must at least know

645
00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:41.840
that I do. Does your story begin on October thirty first,

646
00:44:41.920 --> 00:44:47.119
two thousand and thirty? I return, Indeed, it does a

647
00:44:47.199 --> 00:44:51.280
heavy sad sigh. When hell Weaver laid waste to our

648
00:44:51.320 --> 00:44:54.320
world and altered it for the worst, there were many

649
00:44:54.360 --> 00:44:56.800
on this world who couldn't handle the reality of how

650
00:44:56.880 --> 00:45:00.320
things would be. It was believed that Santa Claus was

651
00:45:00.360 --> 00:45:02.880
one of them. Even though he lived up at the

652
00:45:02.920 --> 00:45:06.000
North Pole. The blast wave from the reality sphere even

653
00:45:06.039 --> 00:45:09.199
reached his part of Earth. No reason it wouldn't, since

654
00:45:09.239 --> 00:45:14.800
she conquered the entire multiverse. He leans forward, Exactly what

655
00:45:14.920 --> 00:45:18.360
creatures have you seen for yourself? I tell him that

656
00:45:18.440 --> 00:45:22.119
I have regarded many, ranging from werewolves to vampires in

657
00:45:22.239 --> 00:45:28.079
zombified organics. Well, well, you shall soon see Santa Claus

658
00:45:28.119 --> 00:45:33.159
for yourself this very night, he states. Every Christmas Eve

659
00:45:33.519 --> 00:45:36.559
he takes to the skies with his monstrous reindeer and

660
00:45:36.679 --> 00:45:42.239
mercilessly attacks and kills those unfortunate enough to be seen

661
00:45:42.320 --> 00:45:46.360
by him and his reindeer. He's even taken some of

662
00:45:46.400 --> 00:45:48.519
the people back to the North pole to use as

663
00:45:48.519 --> 00:45:54.199
his slaves. He mainly attacks in pillages, cities, villages, and

664
00:45:54.280 --> 00:45:58.760
way stations such as ours. He lifts my rendering of

665
00:45:58.800 --> 00:46:02.679
Santa Claus. This is what we wish he could be. Again.

666
00:46:03.599 --> 00:46:06.559
He puts the rendering down and reaches to a control panel.

667
00:46:07.719 --> 00:46:11.440
View the monitor behind me. Tabon, I regard what appears

668
00:46:11.440 --> 00:46:15.079
to be footage captured by one or more cameras or scanners.

669
00:46:16.000 --> 00:46:20.840
That is Santa Claus. Now, he tells me. The man

670
00:46:20.920 --> 00:46:23.599
wears a red and white suit with a stocking cap,

671
00:46:24.320 --> 00:46:27.800
just the same as in my drawing. However, his skin

672
00:46:27.920 --> 00:46:31.960
is quite black and his eyes glow hot. If anything,

673
00:46:32.000 --> 00:46:35.400
he appears to be greatly zombified. I will not know

674
00:46:35.559 --> 00:46:39.079
for certain until I can scan him. He no longer

675
00:46:39.159 --> 00:46:43.079
leaves presents for good little boys and girls, Larst says,

676
00:46:43.880 --> 00:46:46.920
he doesn't even leave coal for the bad ones. No,

677
00:46:48.320 --> 00:46:51.599
I told you what he does. He turns the monitor off.

678
00:46:52.719 --> 00:46:56.880
Now the question is what do you do. I'm not

679
00:46:56.960 --> 00:47:00.280
a fool, Tabon. You were somehow able to survive out

680
00:47:00.280 --> 00:47:02.960
in that harshest of blizzards. Yet you have come all

681
00:47:03.000 --> 00:47:05.880
the way out here to Pendleton way Station. You are

682
00:47:05.880 --> 00:47:08.559
not whom you appear to be, or perhaps you're here

683
00:47:08.639 --> 00:47:12.840
because you want something. Sensing the man is not malevolent,

684
00:47:13.320 --> 00:47:16.119
I take another piece of paper in a pen, I

685
00:47:16.239 --> 00:47:18.679
draw what I am here to obtain and present that

686
00:47:18.800 --> 00:47:22.360
rendering to him. He regards it for a long moment

687
00:47:23.119 --> 00:47:28.079
before he responds to me again. He is with great distrust.

688
00:47:28.159 --> 00:47:32.639
Now how do you even know about the psionic warp displacer?

689
00:47:33.119 --> 00:47:36.440
He asks? Our scientists worked on that in secret for

690
00:47:36.480 --> 00:47:40.559
the last several years. Now that we've perfected it, you

691
00:47:40.639 --> 00:47:43.559
want to take it from us. I would rather not

692
00:47:43.760 --> 00:47:46.719
just take it from you. I would offer you something

693
00:47:46.760 --> 00:47:50.679
in trade for it. Perhaps. Larst stands and comes around

694
00:47:50.679 --> 00:47:53.519
his desk to stand before me. How do you know

695
00:47:53.559 --> 00:47:57.000
about our device Tabon? We know you were nowhere around

696
00:47:57.000 --> 00:48:01.440
here when it was first conceived, you would be I agree.

697
00:48:02.079 --> 00:48:05.559
Then I stand to face him. What is the psionic

698
00:48:05.599 --> 00:48:09.480
warped displacer worth to you? Larst points to his doors.

699
00:48:10.199 --> 00:48:15.320
Leave here immediately. Suddenly, his two men stationed outside the

700
00:48:15.360 --> 00:48:19.599
doors enter his office. Sir, the man on the left gasps,

701
00:48:20.199 --> 00:48:24.400
we're hearing the bells in the distance. Santa Claus is coming.

702
00:48:25.880 --> 00:48:30.159
More scarce to come weekly, spooky. We'll be right back.

703
00:48:36.719 --> 00:48:39.639
Are you and your men ready for battle? Larst demands

704
00:48:40.400 --> 00:48:43.840
what few we are, sir? The man on the right answers,

705
00:48:45.159 --> 00:48:49.039
we fear we shall not survive this conflict. I increase

706
00:48:49.119 --> 00:48:52.280
my audio sensors and hear the very jingling bells that

707
00:48:52.320 --> 00:48:55.400
the two men have heard themselves. I scan through the

708
00:48:55.400 --> 00:48:59.360
walls and see a vessel in the unforgiving skies. It

709
00:48:59.400 --> 00:49:02.719
appears to be a large sleigh with what appears to

710
00:49:02.760 --> 00:49:07.440
be nine zombiefied reindeer pulling it. The single reindeer in

711
00:49:07.480 --> 00:49:11.760
the very front has a glowing red nose. I point

712
00:49:12.639 --> 00:49:16.599
this Santa Claus comes from that direction. Larst growls at me.

713
00:49:17.039 --> 00:49:20.880
How would you know I regard him? Now? How will

714
00:49:20.920 --> 00:49:23.199
you hope to defeat this being? If he is as

715
00:49:23.280 --> 00:49:26.679
powerful as you and your men claim? Larst points at me.

716
00:49:27.360 --> 00:49:30.119
I am through talking to you. Woman. Leave here now.

717
00:49:30.800 --> 00:49:34.639
I raise my finger. I offered you a trade. I

718
00:49:34.679 --> 00:49:38.159
shall return outside and engage your Santa Claus in battle.

719
00:49:38.440 --> 00:49:41.719
I shall defeat him in exchange for the psionic warped displacer.

720
00:49:42.760 --> 00:49:45.920
Larst and his men laugh. Now, of course, they do

721
00:49:46.000 --> 00:49:49.079
not know that I am a powerful machine. I wait

722
00:49:49.119 --> 00:49:53.960
for them to finish Santa Claus descends. I warn he

723
00:49:54.039 --> 00:49:58.400
shall be within your boundaries very shortly, General Larst, do

724
00:49:58.559 --> 00:50:02.280
we have a bargain? He laughs again. If you can

725
00:50:02.320 --> 00:50:06.559
do what you claim, then it shall be agreed very well.

726
00:50:07.119 --> 00:50:10.480
I turn and exit Larst's office. I return to the

727
00:50:10.599 --> 00:50:15.000
entrance doors and step outside. The being known as Santa

728
00:50:15.000 --> 00:50:19.079
Claus is maneuvering his reindeer over Pendleton way station. Then

729
00:50:19.159 --> 00:50:22.880
I hear Santa's laughter. I have memories from a former

730
00:50:22.960 --> 00:50:27.039
life of gramps laughing with joy and warmth as Santa would.

731
00:50:27.400 --> 00:50:30.760
The laughter I hear now is a menacing, evil one.

732
00:50:31.400 --> 00:50:33.960
The laughter is loud enough to be heard even through

733
00:50:34.000 --> 00:50:38.480
the harsh winds and snow. You are a fool tabon,

734
00:50:39.119 --> 00:50:42.800
General Larsk calls out from behind me. I glance over

735
00:50:42.840 --> 00:50:46.800
my shoulder. Call your men back, General, they need not

736
00:50:46.960 --> 00:50:51.000
risk their lives tonight. I alone shall battle Santa Claus

737
00:50:51.000 --> 00:50:55.199
and defeat him. As per our bargain, he shall never

738
00:50:55.239 --> 00:50:59.000
be a threat to you again. The General sees that

739
00:50:59.039 --> 00:51:01.679
I am serious and issues the order for his men

740
00:51:01.760 --> 00:51:07.960
to retreat again. Tabon, you are foolish, Larsk chastises me.

741
00:51:08.840 --> 00:51:12.760
Die well. Then he slams the doors behind me and

742
00:51:12.840 --> 00:51:16.400
secures them. I stand and watch Santa Claus as he

743
00:51:16.440 --> 00:51:20.880
flies around in time. His sleigh and zombified reindeer are

744
00:51:20.920 --> 00:51:24.679
hovering near the General's building. I scan him and determine

745
00:51:24.800 --> 00:51:28.639
that he is perhaps a demon. He is not undead

746
00:51:28.679 --> 00:51:32.360
as his reindeer. He looks very much as General Larsk

747
00:51:32.440 --> 00:51:35.800
has shown me in his office regarding how menacing his

748
00:51:35.920 --> 00:51:40.239
glowing eyes are. Santa Claus regards me from above and

749
00:51:40.320 --> 00:51:45.320
laughs again. His menacing scornful laughter echoes throughout the blizzard.

750
00:51:46.679 --> 00:51:49.960
Time to utilize some of my hardware. I raise my

751
00:51:50.119 --> 00:51:53.039
voice in response to his laughter, to where he can

752
00:51:53.079 --> 00:51:57.679
hear me. I offer you one chance, demon, turn away

753
00:51:57.760 --> 00:52:00.840
and leave these people in peace. If you do not leave,

754
00:52:01.239 --> 00:52:03.719
and you choose to engage in battle with me, you

755
00:52:03.800 --> 00:52:08.639
shall fall in defeat. This is my promise to you.

756
00:52:10.000 --> 00:52:12.360
Santa Claus and I regard each other for a moment,

757
00:52:13.159 --> 00:52:17.880
a long moment. Then he breaks the silence by laughing

758
00:52:17.960 --> 00:52:21.920
scornfully at me again. Suddenly my senses are alerting me

759
00:52:22.000 --> 00:52:25.320
to danger. I turn and see many little figures coming

760
00:52:25.360 --> 00:52:28.639
over the wall. They laugh and sneer as they scurry

761
00:52:28.679 --> 00:52:32.440
towards me. This already reminds me of my first battle

762
00:52:32.440 --> 00:52:36.800
against Sarathos. He used his underlings to engage me because

763
00:52:36.840 --> 00:52:40.000
he believed me to be too insignificant for him to

764
00:52:40.079 --> 00:52:44.280
engage himself. If this demonic entity wishes to see what

765
00:52:44.320 --> 00:52:49.760
I'm capable of scanning these smaller life forms, they are zombified.

766
00:52:49.800 --> 00:52:53.800
As the reindeer pulling santa sleigh, I'm ready to engage these.

767
00:52:54.800 --> 00:53:00.280
I believe Grahams referred to these creatures as elves. When

768
00:53:00.280 --> 00:53:02.880
the first elf leaps at me, I send it away

769
00:53:02.920 --> 00:53:06.360
with a swift blow. With my mechanical accuracy and speed,

770
00:53:06.400 --> 00:53:09.599
I send these undead abominations away from me as many

771
00:53:09.679 --> 00:53:11.960
of them as there are. Not a single one lays

772
00:53:12.000 --> 00:53:14.960
so much as a finger upon me, and no sooner

773
00:53:15.000 --> 00:53:17.559
do I dispatch the last one. I feel the demon

774
00:53:17.639 --> 00:53:21.519
himself dropping from his sleigh with the intention of landing

775
00:53:21.599 --> 00:53:26.440
upon me. When I step aside, Santa Claus lashes out

776
00:53:26.480 --> 00:53:30.199
and shoves me upon my back. The demon immediately picks

777
00:53:30.239 --> 00:53:33.079
me up and hurls me over the wall. I land

778
00:53:33.119 --> 00:53:35.920
hard against a large tree and fall onto my side.

779
00:53:36.360 --> 00:53:39.119
I quickly rise again and move to the wall. I

780
00:53:39.239 --> 00:53:42.199
leap right over it and see Santa Claus still standing there.

781
00:53:42.760 --> 00:53:45.280
I believe he was wondering if I would truly return.

782
00:53:45.960 --> 00:53:48.960
I land on my feet and face him. You shall

783
00:53:49.000 --> 00:53:52.119
require much more than that if you hope to overcome me.

784
00:53:52.679 --> 00:53:56.639
Demon Santa Claus sneers and launches himself right at me.

785
00:53:57.039 --> 00:53:59.639
I await him and catch him. This time, as he

786
00:53:59.639 --> 00:54:02.159
did to me, I throw him over the wall. I

787
00:54:02.199 --> 00:54:04.840
do not await his return. However, I leap over the

788
00:54:04.840 --> 00:54:08.239
wall again myself in pursuit of him. I land outside

789
00:54:08.280 --> 00:54:11.239
the Pendleton way station. As Santa Claus rises to his

790
00:54:11.280 --> 00:54:14.480
feet again, he roars and comes at me. I move

791
00:54:14.559 --> 00:54:16.880
and go to him. The two of us engage in

792
00:54:16.880 --> 00:54:20.760
a most personal conflict. We throw blow after blow at

793
00:54:20.760 --> 00:54:24.519
one another. Truly, Santa Claus is a more formidable foe

794
00:54:24.920 --> 00:54:29.239
when compared to Sarathos. Suddenly, Santa Claus grabs me, lifts

795
00:54:29.239 --> 00:54:31.360
me off my feet, and drives me into the ground.

796
00:54:32.079 --> 00:54:35.679
He lowers himself and throws more deadly blows directly into

797
00:54:35.679 --> 00:54:39.480
my face. I throttle his throat and remove him from me.

798
00:54:39.559 --> 00:54:42.639
As I ascend to my feet, it becomes my turn

799
00:54:42.719 --> 00:54:46.320
to throw him into the trees. When Santa Claus hits them,

800
00:54:46.360 --> 00:54:49.719
he falls forward. He rises to his feet. Immediately, he

801
00:54:49.880 --> 00:54:54.079
roars and his eyes glow brighter. I know not what

802
00:54:54.280 --> 00:54:57.599
you are, but I shall claim you this night. You

803
00:54:57.800 --> 00:55:01.719
shall become the centerpiece of my trophy. Or perhaps I

804
00:55:01.760 --> 00:55:06.519
shall make a rug out of your hide. Such empty promises,

805
00:55:06.880 --> 00:55:10.400
I mutter. Santa Claus roars and comes at me again.

806
00:55:10.760 --> 00:55:13.559
I leap at him in return. We both connect with

807
00:55:13.639 --> 00:55:16.920
our blows and find ourselves upon our backs. We both

808
00:55:17.039 --> 00:55:20.920
rise and engage one another again. What has become of you,

809
00:55:21.440 --> 00:55:25.320
I asked the demon. According to old fables, you used

810
00:55:25.360 --> 00:55:28.400
to bring joy to all the good people of this world.

811
00:55:28.920 --> 00:55:34.039
Things change, girl. The world changed the day Hell Weaver

812
00:55:34.639 --> 00:55:40.000
changed everything on Halloween night of twenty thirty, when the

813
00:55:40.039 --> 00:55:44.320
world became the very essence of Hell itself. My wife,

814
00:55:44.519 --> 00:55:49.360
my elves, and even my reindeer were slain that night. However,

815
00:55:49.440 --> 00:55:53.199
they would not stay dead. You have seen some of

816
00:55:53.239 --> 00:55:56.199
my elves and all of my reindeer as they are now,

817
00:55:57.679 --> 00:56:02.559
and you seeing how the world became and how worse

818
00:56:02.599 --> 00:56:05.719
it continues to become. There was only so much I

819
00:56:05.760 --> 00:56:09.519
could do. When the blast wave hit, it drove me mad.

820
00:56:10.960 --> 00:56:14.239
At the same time, I became this powerful form before you,

821
00:56:14.559 --> 00:56:19.840
and now who really gives a fuck? He laughs his

822
00:56:20.000 --> 00:56:24.960
menacing laughter again. Christmas is my holiday, and on this

823
00:56:25.039 --> 00:56:27.039
one night out of the year, I go out and

824
00:56:27.079 --> 00:56:30.920
collect that that is due to me. But what should

825
00:56:30.920 --> 00:56:36.119
concern you now is your doom. My senses alert me

826
00:56:36.159 --> 00:56:40.079
to attacks coming from different directions. Santa Claus backs away

827
00:56:40.079 --> 00:56:42.760
to watch me engage in battle with all nine of

828
00:56:42.800 --> 00:56:46.239
his reindeer. They all make their undead battle cries as

829
00:56:46.239 --> 00:56:49.400
they come at me. These creatures are nearly double the

830
00:56:49.480 --> 00:56:53.559
size of normal deer. From the memories I possess, either

831
00:56:53.639 --> 00:56:57.239
reindeer or normally the size or they were affected and

832
00:56:57.360 --> 00:57:01.239
altered by the hell weaver holocaust, just as Santa Claus

833
00:57:01.280 --> 00:57:04.239
himself was. When they come at me, I strike and

834
00:57:04.320 --> 00:57:07.800
attacked with the same mechanical speed and reflexes as when

835
00:57:07.840 --> 00:57:11.480
I earlier repelled the elves. The reindeer are not alone.

836
00:57:11.559 --> 00:57:14.400
Is more of the elves come at me? How many

837
00:57:14.440 --> 00:57:18.960
of these small creatures does Santa Claus have? I've had

838
00:57:19.000 --> 00:57:21.360
time to experiment and see what I am capable of

839
00:57:21.400 --> 00:57:23.880
doing with my new body. I may not know all

840
00:57:23.960 --> 00:57:27.800
of my capabilities, but I shall in good time. When

841
00:57:27.840 --> 00:57:30.000
I first came to know life. The life force that

842
00:57:30.039 --> 00:57:32.800
I was given needed to become fully integrated with my

843
00:57:32.880 --> 00:57:37.760
new body. To my understanding, the futuristic alien technology used

844
00:57:37.760 --> 00:57:41.639
to create me had to be crafted, configured, and fully

845
00:57:41.679 --> 00:57:44.639
optimized to be able to house my spark that is

846
00:57:44.719 --> 00:57:47.840
my life. Comparing my own life force to the one

847
00:57:47.880 --> 00:57:51.239
that was once Cassilia Tabon, I strive to be all

848
00:57:51.320 --> 00:57:54.559
that she never was. I can feel how active my

849
00:57:54.679 --> 00:57:59.320
secondary programming is within me. It is this guiding force,

850
00:57:59.400 --> 00:58:02.719
when working in unison with my emotions, that compels me

851
00:58:02.840 --> 00:58:06.320
to want to do good. The memories I have that

852
00:58:06.360 --> 00:58:10.360
are of the original Cassilia Tabon are not heroic. The

853
00:58:10.440 --> 00:58:13.920
Tabon family who took her in as a newborn were heroic,

854
00:58:14.719 --> 00:58:18.360
but Cassilia would never strive to become as they were.

855
00:58:19.639 --> 00:58:22.039
My software is working to bridge the gaps and the

856
00:58:22.079 --> 00:58:26.639
memories with greatly complicated algorithms. This will take a great

857
00:58:26.679 --> 00:58:29.360
deal of time and patience for the memories to be

858
00:58:29.400 --> 00:58:33.800
fully reconstructed. But knowing that the original Cassilia Tabon was

859
00:58:33.880 --> 00:58:38.559
not heroic and feeling my secondary programming working, I know

860
00:58:38.679 --> 00:58:41.079
that I must use what I have been given and

861
00:58:41.159 --> 00:58:45.519
become heroic. My ultimate objective is that I must stop

862
00:58:45.599 --> 00:58:48.440
hell Weaver, even if it means the end of my

863
00:58:48.679 --> 00:58:53.280
brief existence. That means I must not fail against Santa

864
00:58:53.320 --> 00:58:56.679
Claus again. I am keeping my enemies away from me.

865
00:58:57.239 --> 00:58:59.840
Seeing Santa Claus approaching the main gate to the pendleton,

866
00:59:01.159 --> 00:59:04.000
I know that he means to breach it and accomplish

867
00:59:04.000 --> 00:59:07.880
his insane objective. His reindeer and elves are a distraction

868
00:59:08.079 --> 00:59:13.280
for me. This must end now. When I have an opening,

869
00:59:13.559 --> 00:59:16.639
I lean into the air and towards Santa Claus. You

870
00:59:16.760 --> 00:59:20.920
shall not be successful in your madness. Demon. As I

871
00:59:20.960 --> 00:59:24.239
reach Santa Claus, he turns and suddenly plucks me right

872
00:59:24.280 --> 00:59:27.719
out of the air. Then he sneers and throws me

873
00:59:27.800 --> 00:59:31.280
out into the open, whereas elves and reindeer suddenly converge

874
00:59:31.559 --> 00:59:35.639
and pounce on me. He laughs his horrible evil laughter

875
00:59:35.760 --> 00:59:40.239
again and turns his attention back to the gates. The

876
00:59:40.320 --> 00:59:43.000
reindeer and elves are making their noises as they try

877
00:59:43.039 --> 00:59:47.239
to keep me down and attack. The elves have weapons

878
00:59:47.239 --> 00:59:50.400
from blades to picks. The reindeer are stomping on me

879
00:59:50.679 --> 00:59:53.360
or trying to bite me. My skin base does not

880
00:59:53.519 --> 00:59:57.079
easily yield under the pressure of their teeth. These creatures

881
00:59:57.079 --> 00:59:59.639
are doing anything and everything to keep me here while

882
00:59:59.679 --> 01:00:02.440
they're me. Master uses mighty blows to break open the

883
01:00:02.480 --> 01:00:06.679
main gates. He could easily leap over, but he wants

884
01:00:06.719 --> 01:00:10.480
to break in to show the organics inside that the

885
01:00:10.519 --> 01:00:14.840
gates are futile. It takes him three blows to both

886
01:00:14.880 --> 01:00:18.960
force open the gates and make both halves fall. There

887
01:00:19.000 --> 01:00:22.599
shall be no mortals remaining before this night is over.

888
01:00:23.119 --> 01:00:27.199
This shall be your last Christmas. Next year I shall

889
01:00:27.320 --> 01:00:31.519
ravage a new destination. In time, I shall decimate all

890
01:00:31.599 --> 01:00:35.599
of you remaining mortals. You were foolish to send a

891
01:00:35.639 --> 01:00:39.519
weak female to fight your battles for you most foolish,

892
01:00:39.519 --> 01:00:44.920
indeed and cowardly. Your very existence makes you naughty in

893
01:00:45.039 --> 01:00:49.480
my eyes. But I am not finished. It shall take

894
01:00:49.599 --> 01:00:53.880
far more than these undead abominations to overcome me. The

895
01:00:54.000 --> 01:00:57.280
elves are with distress now as I raise myself to stand.

896
01:00:58.480 --> 01:01:02.360
You shall never defeat one such as I I declare.

897
01:01:03.079 --> 01:01:08.119
Even with your vast numbers, you shall never overcome a machine.

898
01:01:08.159 --> 01:01:10.679
I stand once more and knock them away from me.

899
01:01:10.800 --> 01:01:14.239
Both the elves and the reindeer alike. Killing them will

900
01:01:14.280 --> 01:01:17.599
mean nothing, since they do not have life within their bodies.

901
01:01:18.239 --> 01:01:21.519
Upon repelling enough of them, I turn my attention back

902
01:01:22.000 --> 01:01:27.599
to Santa Claus. He is the one I must ultimately defeat.

903
01:01:28.119 --> 01:01:30.519
I leap forward and reach him again, as he has

904
01:01:30.639 --> 01:01:34.920
ripped the main doors away from General Larsk's station. Will

905
01:01:34.960 --> 01:01:40.159
you ever cease your struggle, you worthless mortal female, he growls,

906
01:01:41.239 --> 01:01:45.599
Not until you're defeated. I return. Then I shall grant

907
01:01:45.639 --> 01:01:50.840
you your death as your final Christmas gift. You shall try.

908
01:01:51.599 --> 01:01:54.480
The two of us engage in battle once more. We

909
01:01:54.559 --> 01:01:58.679
trade many powerful blows, looking to end each other. Each

910
01:01:58.760 --> 01:02:01.920
time that Santa Claus repels me and returns his attention

911
01:02:02.159 --> 01:02:05.199
to entering the General Larsk's building, I leap back to

912
01:02:05.280 --> 01:02:08.960
him to continue our battle. At times I am forced

913
01:02:09.000 --> 01:02:12.960
to repel elves or reindeer. It is then when I

914
01:02:13.039 --> 01:02:16.920
feel something hit my back that I was not expecting.

915
01:02:17.760 --> 01:02:21.880
I see many variables flashing upon my interface, especially when

916
01:02:21.920 --> 01:02:24.559
I am hit again. I regard the reindeer with the

917
01:02:24.559 --> 01:02:28.280
bright red nose. From the memories I have with Grams,

918
01:02:28.639 --> 01:02:33.280
I believe his name to be Rudolph. He fires his

919
01:02:33.400 --> 01:02:36.400
laser beam from his nose and hits my face. I

920
01:02:36.480 --> 01:02:39.840
sense injuries and damage to my skin base now. At

921
01:02:39.880 --> 01:02:42.719
the same time, I feel my healing factor working to

922
01:02:42.760 --> 01:02:46.159
repair the damage. Rudolph fires his laser nose at my

923
01:02:46.280 --> 01:02:47.760
face once again.

924
01:02:49.639 --> 01:02:53.280
Don't go away weakly, Spooky will be right back.

925
01:03:00.920 --> 01:03:04.639
You are unlike anything I have ever seen, Santa Claus

926
01:03:04.679 --> 01:03:08.920
says with disbelief, upon seeing half of my true face.

927
01:03:09.920 --> 01:03:12.239
Then the demon strikes me hard on the back of

928
01:03:12.239 --> 01:03:16.239
my head to send my face into the snow. Nonetheless,

929
01:03:16.280 --> 01:03:19.760
I shall claim you as my prize on this Christmas Day.

930
01:03:20.719 --> 01:03:24.239
Suddenly I am on my knees. Santa Claus roars and

931
01:03:24.320 --> 01:03:26.440
kicks me hard in the chin to make me fly

932
01:03:26.519 --> 01:03:29.199
away from him and slam into the wall. I make

933
01:03:29.239 --> 01:03:33.400
an indentation and fall forward. Santa Claus is upon me

934
01:03:33.480 --> 01:03:36.599
almost at once. He lifts me up, slams me against

935
01:03:36.599 --> 01:03:40.320
the wall, and unleashes many powerful blows into me. You

936
01:03:40.400 --> 01:03:43.679
are clearly not immortal. I know not what you are,

937
01:03:43.960 --> 01:03:46.079
but know that you were foolish to think you could

938
01:03:46.119 --> 01:03:51.199
best Santa Claus. No matter how powerful he is, he

939
01:03:51.360 --> 01:03:55.320
still cannot damage or blemish my mechanical body. I can

940
01:03:55.360 --> 01:03:58.960
feel my skin base repairing itself as the gelatinous substance

941
01:03:59.000 --> 01:04:03.159
spreads itself on the exposed areas that Rudolph created. I

942
01:04:03.199 --> 01:04:06.719
can literally feel my skin base solidifying and becoming my

943
01:04:06.880 --> 01:04:11.639
flesh once more. Even my metallic hair is flawlessly regenerated.

944
01:04:12.239 --> 01:04:15.639
I technically do not require this exterior skin base and

945
01:04:15.719 --> 01:04:19.119
am capable of functioning just as a mechanical being. But

946
01:04:19.360 --> 01:04:22.400
my programming maintains my skin and keeps it as a

947
01:04:22.440 --> 01:04:24.840
part of me. My creators wish for me to have

948
01:04:24.920 --> 01:04:28.599
my exterior covering for specific reasons. Of this, I am

949
01:04:28.679 --> 01:04:32.159
certain I am through letting Santa Claus dominate me in

950
01:04:32.199 --> 01:04:35.199
this conflict, and know I must end it. When I

951
01:04:35.239 --> 01:04:38.039
sense Rudolph firing his red nose at me again, I

952
01:04:38.119 --> 01:04:41.440
turn and suddenly feel my own red beams emitting from

953
01:04:41.440 --> 01:04:45.519
my very optics and passing through my humanoid eyes. My

954
01:04:45.679 --> 01:04:49.239
twin beams conflict with the Reindeers one. I can feel

955
01:04:49.280 --> 01:04:52.519
the very power coursing through my body. To supplement this

956
01:04:53.079 --> 01:04:57.039
power I now utilize, I turn in vampire warped from

957
01:04:57.039 --> 01:05:00.400
Santa Claus toward Rudolph. When I land in front of him,

958
01:05:00.400 --> 01:05:04.039
I take hold of his unique nose and render it useless.

959
01:05:04.559 --> 01:05:07.159
Being undead, The Reindeer does not cry out in pain,

960
01:05:07.519 --> 01:05:10.239
but he does step away, knowing that he can no

961
01:05:10.280 --> 01:05:13.840
longer engage in battle with me. And then when I

962
01:05:13.960 --> 01:05:17.519
vampire warp back to Santa Claus again, I can see

963
01:05:17.559 --> 01:05:21.079
past him and regard the sun that shall rise again soon.

964
01:05:21.760 --> 01:05:24.159
At this point, I do not believe that I shall

965
01:05:24.199 --> 01:05:27.679
be able to defeat this monster before the sun fully rises.

966
01:05:28.280 --> 01:05:31.480
My life shall come to a very abrupt end once

967
01:05:31.519 --> 01:05:35.599
it does. I feel how strong my emotions and my

968
01:05:35.679 --> 01:05:39.679
secondary programming are becoming now. If I am to die shortly,

969
01:05:40.079 --> 01:05:42.639
then I shall do so knowing that I was successful

970
01:05:42.840 --> 01:05:45.840
in keeping Santa Claus from claiming the lives of these

971
01:05:45.920 --> 01:05:51.079
and other organics. Santa Claus engages me again. I understand

972
01:05:51.119 --> 01:05:53.519
his way of fighting now and am able to counter him.

973
01:05:53.760 --> 01:05:57.880
I strike one harsh blow right after another. He staggers backward,

974
01:05:57.920 --> 01:06:00.440
but still manages to get in a few more tax

975
01:06:00.480 --> 01:06:03.719
on me. Refusing to allow him any more leverage against me,

976
01:06:04.000 --> 01:06:07.519
I continue my onslaught and make him stagger. I must

977
01:06:07.559 --> 01:06:11.199
defeat Santa Claus before the sun fully rises and destroys me.

978
01:06:11.880 --> 01:06:15.480
The sun continues, my emotions continue to rise within me.

979
01:06:15.960 --> 01:06:21.800
The demon continues to stagger. Not possible, I continue to

980
01:06:21.840 --> 01:06:26.159
show Santa Claus that it is indeed possible. He falls

981
01:06:26.199 --> 01:06:28.480
to his knees from me to kick him under his

982
01:06:28.599 --> 01:06:31.559
chin and send him upward, make him do a backflip

983
01:06:31.599 --> 01:06:35.159
and then land hard on his face and chest. He

984
01:06:35.199 --> 01:06:38.760
puts his hands down and raises himself. I step in

985
01:06:38.840 --> 01:06:42.440
and keep pummeling him. I am seeing the first rays

986
01:06:42.519 --> 01:06:45.000
of the Christmas morning sun as they begin to bring

987
01:06:45.119 --> 01:06:50.119
lights to this wintry land. The snow has finally ceased,

988
01:06:50.679 --> 01:06:54.719
but the winds continue their vicious onslaught. Then I see

989
01:06:54.719 --> 01:06:57.599
what is becoming of the elves and the reindeer, at

990
01:06:57.679 --> 01:07:01.400
least the ones that still bear animation. The reindeer walk

991
01:07:01.440 --> 01:07:05.639
around fast and make a strange noise. The elves are

992
01:07:05.679 --> 01:07:08.880
trying to flee, even Santa Claus is showing signs of

993
01:07:08.960 --> 01:07:12.800
slowing down. The sun is lighting the new morning more. Now,

994
01:07:13.360 --> 01:07:16.159
a strange vapor begins to emit from the reindeer in

995
01:07:16.199 --> 01:07:18.679
the elves. I look at Santa Claus and see the

996
01:07:18.760 --> 01:07:22.800
vapor rising from him as well. I could run for safety,

997
01:07:22.840 --> 01:07:27.079
but this demon's reign of terror must end here. Santa

998
01:07:27.079 --> 01:07:30.039
Claus makes one last feudal effort to fight me. His

999
01:07:30.159 --> 01:07:32.920
blows are at their weakest. Now they feel like those

1000
01:07:32.920 --> 01:07:38.760
of an organic child. I understand immediately these abominations cannot

1001
01:07:38.800 --> 01:07:43.920
endure the sunlight and are nocturnal creatures. Now I am

1002
01:07:44.000 --> 01:07:47.400
with surprise. I gaze upon my skin basin see that

1003
01:07:48.599 --> 01:07:51.960
nothing is happening to me. I search my memories and

1004
01:07:52.039 --> 01:07:55.079
recall that the original life form could not exist in

1005
01:07:55.119 --> 01:07:57.840
the sunlight. She had tried putting her hand in a

1006
01:07:57.840 --> 01:08:00.960
sunbeam once, only for it to burn her and nearly

1007
01:08:01.000 --> 01:08:04.400
make her hand burst into flames. No such thing as

1008
01:08:04.440 --> 01:08:08.000
happening to me now, however, I stand and watch as

1009
01:08:08.039 --> 01:08:11.880
Santa Claus and his underlings burn in the sunlight. I

1010
01:08:12.000 --> 01:08:15.519
move away and let them. My optics are primarily on

1011
01:08:15.559 --> 01:08:18.880
the demon himself. Within my visual scope, I can see

1012
01:08:18.920 --> 01:08:23.159
the underlings bursting into flames and turning into ash. Santa

1013
01:08:23.199 --> 01:08:26.720
Claus now bursts into flames himself. He roars as his

1014
01:08:26.800 --> 01:08:29.720
black flesh flies away from his body to reveal his

1015
01:08:29.920 --> 01:08:35.399
large organic skeleton, which is also charred. Perhaps that blast

1016
01:08:35.439 --> 01:08:38.720
wave from October thirty first, two thousand and thirty may

1017
01:08:38.760 --> 01:08:42.239
have been the reason for this. Santa Claus falls flat

1018
01:08:42.319 --> 01:08:46.319
now as his skeleton is now burning until nothing remains

1019
01:08:47.199 --> 01:08:50.279
but ash I look upon the skin base of my

1020
01:08:50.359 --> 01:08:55.560
own hands and arms to see I'm still intact. Then

1021
01:08:55.640 --> 01:08:58.520
I remember back in the village of Strickfield, when those

1022
01:08:58.640 --> 01:09:02.960
zombified organics can after me. I also encountered such creatures

1023
01:09:02.960 --> 01:09:06.119
along the way to this way station. I activate my

1024
01:09:06.199 --> 01:09:09.920
diagnostics program to see that I have vital signs. I

1025
01:09:09.960 --> 01:09:14.960
have truly misunderstood the concept of my having life. No,

1026
01:09:15.279 --> 01:09:18.079
I am not the undead creature that the life form

1027
01:09:18.119 --> 01:09:21.760
before me was. When it comes to the vampire aspect,

1028
01:09:22.399 --> 01:09:25.880
I do possess limited powers. I believe that I was

1029
01:09:26.000 --> 01:09:29.359
undead based upon the memories I have been supplemented with

1030
01:09:29.520 --> 01:09:34.399
to give me data to feed my intelligence capacity. Cassilia Tabon,

1031
01:09:34.880 --> 01:09:40.439
being undead was a former life. In my new life, Yes,

1032
01:09:41.079 --> 01:09:44.319
that is indeed what I truly possess within this mechanical body,

1033
01:09:44.880 --> 01:09:49.000
I have the very essence of true life, the same

1034
01:09:49.039 --> 01:09:53.279
as these organic beings. Truly, this shall be a Christmas

1035
01:09:53.319 --> 01:09:57.880
morning to be remembered. I cannot help myself and begin

1036
01:09:58.000 --> 01:10:02.640
to cry. Wait, how am I capable of tears? I

1037
01:10:02.720 --> 01:10:07.600
only have a skin base, yet I produce tears of happiness.

1038
01:10:08.319 --> 01:10:12.000
It is fully mourning Now I never need to fear

1039
01:10:12.079 --> 01:10:18.199
this beautiful sunlight ever again, I feel I am unworthy

1040
01:10:18.239 --> 01:10:22.319
of life and having a mechanical body. I reason it

1041
01:10:22.399 --> 01:10:25.760
is my conflicting memories from the past and the new

1042
01:10:25.800 --> 01:10:30.760
memories I make in the present. After I conclude my crying,

1043
01:10:30.840 --> 01:10:32.840
I know that it is time for me to see

1044
01:10:32.880 --> 01:10:37.439
General Larsk and to claim my prize. I walk into

1045
01:10:37.479 --> 01:10:40.640
his building and soon find him in his office. His

1046
01:10:40.720 --> 01:10:44.119
two men are with him and are armed. Larsk himself

1047
01:10:44.159 --> 01:10:48.159
regards me Santa Claus is no more. I tell him.

1048
01:10:49.000 --> 01:10:51.800
The three men regard me for the longest time. Then

1049
01:10:51.880 --> 01:10:55.600
Larsk finally speaks, I cannot allow you to remove the

1050
01:10:55.640 --> 01:11:00.800
psionic warp displacer from here. He tells me we had arrangement.

1051
01:11:01.199 --> 01:11:05.760
I remind him. Larsk shakes his head. Don't care. We

1052
01:11:05.840 --> 01:11:09.760
are not relinquishing anything to a woman. I do not

1053
01:11:09.880 --> 01:11:12.960
recommend forcing me to take it from you, I say.

1054
01:11:13.840 --> 01:11:17.359
His men raise their weapons. I emit the laser beams

1055
01:11:17.359 --> 01:11:19.760
from my optics that I used a short time ago

1056
01:11:20.600 --> 01:11:24.560
and melt their weapons. I also melt General Larsk's weapon

1057
01:11:24.600 --> 01:11:27.640
after he draws it. The men are with fear and

1058
01:11:27.760 --> 01:11:31.960
do not know how to react. General. Lars quickly points

1059
01:11:32.000 --> 01:11:36.239
to a room off to the side. In there you'll

1060
01:11:36.279 --> 01:11:39.640
find the psionic warp displacer in a display case. My

1061
01:11:39.760 --> 01:11:42.720
empathic powers tell me that he does not speak with truth.

1062
01:11:43.159 --> 01:11:46.960
I utilize my vampire warping power and appear behind Larsk.

1063
01:11:47.560 --> 01:11:50.640
I lift him off his feet. Remembering the design of

1064
01:11:50.680 --> 01:11:55.520
the psionic warp displacer. I scan Larsk's office. My optics

1065
01:11:55.520 --> 01:11:59.680
stop upon his monitor. I lower Larsk and shatter the screen.

1066
01:12:00.439 --> 01:12:03.760
The component that I require is now before me. I

1067
01:12:03.840 --> 01:12:07.399
turn to Larsk. Santa Claus sought to end you and

1068
01:12:07.479 --> 01:12:10.840
your people of this way station. You and your men

1069
01:12:10.880 --> 01:12:13.640
should be grateful that you will continue to live, even

1070
01:12:13.680 --> 01:12:17.560
in knowing that he shall never return. Live your lives

1071
01:12:17.600 --> 01:12:22.439
well while you still have them. Larsk does not listen.

1072
01:12:23.600 --> 01:12:26.960
Why do you want the psionic warp displacer, woman, I

1073
01:12:27.039 --> 01:12:30.439
require it for my mission to find and defeat hell Weaver.

1074
01:12:31.039 --> 01:12:33.880
I answer, it is my mission to make sure this

1075
01:12:34.000 --> 01:12:37.159
reality never happens, and that as few lives are lost

1076
01:12:37.199 --> 01:12:40.039
as possible. The men are not certain as to what

1077
01:12:40.119 --> 01:12:42.920
to make of me, but they question me no longer.

1078
01:12:43.520 --> 01:12:46.159
Larsk steps aside to allow me to take the psionic

1079
01:12:46.239 --> 01:12:50.399
warp displacer. I scan it to determine that it is genuine.

1080
01:12:50.439 --> 01:12:55.279
The side objective is now changed to complete. I realize

1081
01:12:55.279 --> 01:12:58.000
that I cannot just keep this component out in the open.

1082
01:12:58.600 --> 01:13:03.199
Then I understand and will a small portal to open

1083
01:13:03.279 --> 01:13:07.119
before me. I place the warped displacer within the field

1084
01:13:07.640 --> 01:13:13.560
and remove my hand. Shortly after the portal closes. As

1085
01:13:13.560 --> 01:13:16.840
I leave Larsk's office, he weakly calls out behind me.

1086
01:13:17.880 --> 01:13:21.800
You will fail against hell Weaver Tabon. He shakes his

1087
01:13:21.800 --> 01:13:25.560
head slowly. I fail to understand how you could defeat

1088
01:13:25.600 --> 01:13:31.039
Santa Claus. I glance over my shoulder. Beings such as

1089
01:13:31.079 --> 01:13:35.520
Santa Claus cannot defeat the machine. The men are baffled

1090
01:13:35.560 --> 01:13:39.319
as I turn and finally take my leave. I walk

1091
01:13:39.399 --> 01:13:41.640
until I cross through what is left of the gates

1092
01:13:42.159 --> 01:13:45.840
of Pendleton Way Station. It is time for me to

1093
01:13:45.960 --> 01:13:49.439
venture to the second side objective, a place where many

1094
01:13:49.479 --> 01:13:53.159
of the original Life Forces memories were forged. I must

1095
01:13:53.279 --> 01:13:58.359
venture to the Tabon homeland known as Ravenhurst. There, I

1096
01:13:58.479 --> 01:14:01.800
must acquire one of the most power and ancient artifacts

1097
01:14:01.800 --> 01:14:05.760
in the vast Tabon arsenal of weapons to use in

1098
01:14:05.840 --> 01:14:10.640
my battle against hell Weaver. In the meantime, do have

1099
01:14:10.760 --> 01:14:22.920
yourself a very merry Christmas. Santa's Little Helper by Charles Campbell.

1100
01:14:24.439 --> 01:14:27.920
Holiday season in the Valley is something different, to say

1101
01:14:28.000 --> 01:14:31.199
the least. It doesn't exactly drop to freezing. In this

1102
01:14:31.239 --> 01:14:35.319
part of South Carolina. There is what locals call cold

1103
01:14:35.399 --> 01:14:38.720
spells from time to time, but nothing like the bone

1104
01:14:38.800 --> 01:14:42.319
chilling freeze that other parts of the country routinely experience.

1105
01:14:42.880 --> 01:14:49.359
And today, well, today was Christmas Eve. Ronnie Baxley hated

1106
01:14:49.399 --> 01:14:53.600
everything about it. Unfortunately, for the last ten years, he

1107
01:14:53.760 --> 01:14:57.520
and his rotund body were tapped to be Santa Claus

1108
01:14:57.800 --> 01:15:01.760
for the Christmas tree lighting in downtown Burn. When he

1109
01:15:01.800 --> 01:15:04.640
first started donning the red and white suit, the town

1110
01:15:04.680 --> 01:15:07.760
would pay him fifty bucks for about five or six

1111
01:15:07.800 --> 01:15:11.640
hours of work. Now he makes almost two hundred bucks

1112
01:15:11.680 --> 01:15:14.359
for begging little valley rats to sit on his lap.

1113
01:15:15.159 --> 01:15:18.880
His once white beard was now something between baby shit

1114
01:15:19.000 --> 01:15:23.239
yellow and turd brown. Ronnie had maybe seventeeth left in

1115
01:15:23.319 --> 01:15:26.640
his head. His breath smelled of dog shit chased down

1116
01:15:26.680 --> 01:15:30.479
with sewer water. Ronnie sucked in his gut and eased

1117
01:15:30.520 --> 01:15:33.319
into the driver's seat of his beat up Chevy pickup.

1118
01:15:33.840 --> 01:15:36.359
He gave the key a turn, and the engine coughed

1119
01:15:36.399 --> 01:15:39.279
and gagged like it had been smoking those Marlboroughs right

1120
01:15:39.319 --> 01:15:42.960
along with Ronnie for the last thirty plus years. Ronnie

1121
01:15:42.960 --> 01:15:45.119
turned the dial on the radio and was met with

1122
01:15:45.159 --> 01:15:49.600
the sound of jingle bells. He immediately turned off the radio.

1123
01:15:49.760 --> 01:15:52.760
The bald tire spun in the muddy driveway of his

1124
01:15:52.800 --> 01:15:57.079
decrepit trailer. As he backed out, Ronnie began to sing

1125
01:15:57.159 --> 01:16:00.600
in the tune of the freshly in mind Jane Bells.

1126
01:16:01.359 --> 01:16:05.399
Driving through the mud in my fucked up Chevrolet, off

1127
01:16:05.479 --> 01:16:09.319
to the valley, I go broke as fuck today. The

1128
01:16:09.359 --> 01:16:12.720
words trailed off into a da da da da da da,

1129
01:16:12.760 --> 01:16:15.520
as his mind had run out of wit for freestyling.

1130
01:16:16.399 --> 01:16:19.239
He didn't want to go to Burnettown. Ronnie was sick

1131
01:16:19.279 --> 01:16:22.279
of listening to the little and some not so little

1132
01:16:22.359 --> 01:16:25.960
Valley rats drown on about wanting a PlayStation machine or

1133
01:16:26.000 --> 01:16:30.359
an Xbox or some kind of modern gadget. The kids

1134
01:16:30.399 --> 01:16:33.880
weren't normal anymore. Face is always stuck in some kind

1135
01:16:33.920 --> 01:16:38.399
of screen. Few and far between were the requests for footballs,

1136
01:16:38.520 --> 01:16:42.439
basketball hoops, barbie dolls or bicycles. As a matter of fact,

1137
01:16:43.000 --> 01:16:46.119
Ronnie was just as tired of the parents, especially the

1138
01:16:46.119 --> 01:16:49.399
ones he knew from school with their pity filled eyes.

1139
01:16:50.199 --> 01:16:52.880
Look at what has become of Ronnie. Poor guy had

1140
01:16:52.880 --> 01:16:55.960
a great arm in high school. He could have gone pro,

1141
01:16:56.760 --> 01:16:59.560
should have had a career in the majors, but the

1142
01:16:59.640 --> 01:17:03.920
valley got him like it got so many kids. If

1143
01:17:03.920 --> 01:17:06.439
he saw one more tear filled eye from a mother

1144
01:17:06.560 --> 01:17:09.000
looking as if she were doing the world a service

1145
01:17:09.039 --> 01:17:12.600
by feeding astray, he was going to lose his shit.

1146
01:17:13.439 --> 01:17:16.359
The sun was already setting when he arrived at town Hall.

1147
01:17:17.000 --> 01:17:20.119
He cursed daylight Savings time. Every year. When the clock

1148
01:17:20.239 --> 01:17:23.000
rolled back, it meant that six pm was going to

1149
01:17:23.039 --> 01:17:26.039
look the same as midnight, and that always made Ronnie

1150
01:17:26.079 --> 01:17:29.359
tired his shit. Tonight was the one night he couldn't

1151
01:17:29.359 --> 01:17:32.239
be tired. He'd have to sit on the big wooden chair,

1152
01:17:32.520 --> 01:17:34.840
hoping there was still enough material in the seat of

1153
01:17:34.840 --> 01:17:37.439
his pants to keep the splinters out of his ass,

1154
01:17:37.600 --> 01:17:40.880
while pretending to listen as Betty Sue or Molly May

1155
01:17:41.039 --> 01:17:45.000
tells him what kind of iPhone she wants. Because you know,

1156
01:17:45.600 --> 01:17:51.279
the elves are fucking masters at cutting edge technology. Ronnie

1157
01:17:51.359 --> 01:17:54.159
stood by his truck for a moment or two. Taking

1158
01:17:54.199 --> 01:17:57.560
a long drag on his last Marlborough. He'd have to

1159
01:17:57.600 --> 01:17:59.520
wait until he got paid before he could pick up

1160
01:17:59.560 --> 01:18:02.399
another pat from the minute shop. He'd have to bum

1161
01:18:02.560 --> 01:18:04.560
a couple from Eddie the Elf to get him through

1162
01:18:04.560 --> 01:18:09.079
the evening. Eddie was a tall, skinny man, definitely not

1163
01:18:09.239 --> 01:18:12.439
built like an elf, and he was willing to take

1164
01:18:12.479 --> 01:18:15.279
seventy five bucks to usher kids to the lap of

1165
01:18:15.359 --> 01:18:20.039
this sad excuse of a Santa. Ronnie was wishing for

1166
01:18:20.079 --> 01:18:25.319
one more drag when a tiny voice startled him. Merry Christmas, Santa,

1167
01:18:26.039 --> 01:18:29.319
said the little girl, suddenly standing next to him. Where

1168
01:18:29.359 --> 01:18:34.960
the I mean, Hey, little girl, where's your mama? Ronnie asked,

1169
01:18:35.239 --> 01:18:38.680
forcing a smile. He had never seen this child before,

1170
01:18:39.039 --> 01:18:40.880
and she didn't look like she had an ounce of

1171
01:18:40.960 --> 01:18:45.159
valley in her I don't have one, the little girl said,

1172
01:18:45.239 --> 01:18:49.399
just above a whisper. Ronnie looked her over. She couldn't

1173
01:18:49.399 --> 01:18:52.079
have been more than seven years old, and she was

1174
01:18:52.199 --> 01:18:56.279
dressed like a tiny elf. She had long black hair

1175
01:18:56.359 --> 01:18:59.319
and the darkest pools for eyes Ronnie had ever seen.

1176
01:19:00.159 --> 01:19:02.880
He thought maybe the darkness was playing tricks on him,

1177
01:19:03.119 --> 01:19:06.399
but the parking lot was well lit. He knelt to

1178
01:19:06.439 --> 01:19:10.319
meet her gaze, keeping his plastic smile. So if you

1179
01:19:10.359 --> 01:19:14.199
don't have a mama, is your daddy around? I don't

1180
01:19:14.239 --> 01:19:18.439
have one of those either, she whispered. Who's here with you?

1181
01:19:19.000 --> 01:19:23.520
Ronnie asked. You are Sannah, the little girl said, as

1182
01:19:23.560 --> 01:19:27.800
a grin spread under her nose. Ronnie was taken aback

1183
01:19:27.840 --> 01:19:32.000
at the rows of razor sharp teeth that clicked in

1184
01:19:32.000 --> 01:19:37.079
front of him. What the fuck are you? Ronnie asked.

1185
01:19:37.680 --> 01:19:40.840
He hadn't taken any strong shit and resisted the urge

1186
01:19:40.920 --> 01:19:43.960
to reach out and touch her. If she wasn't real,

1187
01:19:44.439 --> 01:19:48.000
he just looked like he was talking to himself. But

1188
01:19:48.119 --> 01:19:51.840
if she was real, she might just bite his fucking

1189
01:19:51.960 --> 01:20:00.359
fingers off. I'm Santa's little helper, she whispered. What's your name?

1190
01:20:00.960 --> 01:20:04.960
Ronnie asked. He knew he should be scared, but it

1191
01:20:05.039 --> 01:20:09.439
was just the opposite. He couldn't explain it, but he

1192
01:20:09.560 --> 01:20:17.520
was feeling giddy. Sarah, she replied, Well, Sarah, I already

1193
01:20:17.600 --> 01:20:20.960
have a helper. His name is Eddie, the Elf. Ronnie

1194
01:20:21.039 --> 01:20:25.760
said he could now hear people mulling around Sassafras Park,

1195
01:20:26.640 --> 01:20:31.079
sight of the tree lighting and lapsitting. Eddie's not going

1196
01:20:31.119 --> 01:20:34.079
to make it tonight, the little girl said, with a

1197
01:20:34.159 --> 01:20:40.680
certainty that Ronnie instantly believed. Oh really, how do you

1198
01:20:40.800 --> 01:20:48.159
know that, Ronnie asked? He's dead, she replied, And how

1199
01:20:48.199 --> 01:20:53.279
do you know that Ronnie found himself asking he wasn't

1200
01:20:53.319 --> 01:20:56.039
going to help you, Sannah, he was going to hurt you,

1201
01:20:56.199 --> 01:21:01.399
like all the rest, she replied. Ronnie smiled with an

1202
01:21:01.479 --> 01:21:08.239
understanding that made the girl grin back. Okay, then let's

1203
01:21:08.239 --> 01:21:13.479
go see the valley rats, Ronnie said.

1204
01:21:16.279 --> 01:21:19.920
Don't go away weakly, Spooky will be right back.

1205
01:21:22.960 --> 01:21:26.560
The front doors of town hall were wide open. There

1206
01:21:26.640 --> 01:21:29.640
was a small line of husbands receiving cups of hot

1207
01:21:29.680 --> 01:21:34.199
cocoa for their wives and tots. Sarah stuck by Ronnie's

1208
01:21:34.199 --> 01:21:37.439
side as he strode past the line of kids hooping

1209
01:21:37.479 --> 01:21:42.039
and hollering for their tortured Santa. He waved a stained

1210
01:21:42.079 --> 01:21:45.000
glove in the air for their approval. As he sat

1211
01:21:45.079 --> 01:21:49.920
on the big wooden chair. Elma Trudeau, an office administrator

1212
01:21:49.960 --> 01:21:52.800
for the town of Burnett Town, leaned in and whispered

1213
01:21:52.840 --> 01:21:56.800
in his ear. Where's Eddie, she asked, while staring a

1214
01:21:56.840 --> 01:22:02.239
hole through Sarah. He's Sickroanie replied, which elicited a closed

1215
01:22:02.239 --> 01:22:05.840
mouthed smile from Sarah. It was a smile that sent

1216
01:22:05.880 --> 01:22:11.880
a feeling of despair through Elma. Who's going to control

1217
01:22:11.920 --> 01:22:15.760
the line? Elma asked, with a tone that clarified she

1218
01:22:16.000 --> 01:22:20.199
was not willing to assume the role. I'm Santa's little helper,

1219
01:22:20.760 --> 01:22:25.720
Sarah replied, surely, you can't suggest that a child. Oh

1220
01:22:25.760 --> 01:22:28.760
and by the way, whose child is this anyway? She's

1221
01:22:28.800 --> 01:22:33.119
not from around here, Alma said, she's my niece. Her

1222
01:22:33.199 --> 01:22:36.800
name is Sarah, and she's visiting from Atlanta. Ronnie replied,

1223
01:22:37.680 --> 01:22:41.279
I call bullshit, Ronnie. You don't have any family, Alma said,

1224
01:22:41.760 --> 01:22:45.279
I would suggest you go back to your office, Elma.

1225
01:22:45.560 --> 01:22:51.760
Sarah intervened, revealing her teeth. What the fuck, Alma whispered

1226
01:22:52.039 --> 01:22:55.159
as she backed away. You should listen to her and

1227
01:22:55.199 --> 01:22:59.319
go back to your office, Ronnie echoed, and stood. Elma's

1228
01:22:59.359 --> 01:23:03.159
hands trem and eyes widened as she slowly backed away.

1229
01:23:04.520 --> 01:23:09.159
Ho ho ho, Eddie, the elf is not feeling well.

1230
01:23:09.239 --> 01:23:13.720
So Santa has a new helper today, Ronnie announced to

1231
01:23:13.760 --> 01:23:17.640
the expanding line of children. There were cheers and shouts

1232
01:23:17.680 --> 01:23:21.159
from the boys and girls. Sarah moved quickly to the

1233
01:23:21.159 --> 01:23:23.840
front of the line and lifted the retractable belt from

1234
01:23:23.880 --> 01:23:27.840
the stanction. Mary Jenkins and her little boy Sam were

1235
01:23:27.840 --> 01:23:31.039
the first in line. Sarah giggled as she reached for

1236
01:23:31.119 --> 01:23:35.880
Sam's hand. He took it without hesitation. As Mary stepped through,

1237
01:23:36.600 --> 01:23:39.159
Sarah looked back as if to tell the next kid

1238
01:23:39.479 --> 01:23:42.520
she would have to wait her turn before taking Sam

1239
01:23:42.560 --> 01:23:46.039
to Santa. Ronnie resisted the urge to roll his eyes

1240
01:23:46.079 --> 01:23:49.880
at Mary Jenkins, who is now Mary Utly, she was

1241
01:23:49.920 --> 01:23:52.640
a cheerleader in high school and he actually had clumsy

1242
01:23:52.680 --> 01:23:55.680
sex with her once in the boy's locker room. It

1243
01:23:55.760 --> 01:23:59.439
was definitely nothing memorable for her, because, as he recalled,

1244
01:24:00.079 --> 01:24:03.199
he was almost done before they got started. The kid

1245
01:24:03.279 --> 01:24:05.119
sat on his lap and he could feel the look

1246
01:24:05.159 --> 01:24:08.000
of pity for Mary boring into the side of his skull.

1247
01:24:09.079 --> 01:24:13.159
Poor Ronnie, I can't believe we actually fucked once. Look

1248
01:24:13.159 --> 01:24:18.159
at him now, Poor poor Ronnie. Sam was blabbing to

1249
01:24:18.239 --> 01:24:21.319
Ronnie about a video game and Sarah tapped Mary on

1250
01:24:21.399 --> 01:24:25.600
her arm with a sharp, pointy fingernail. What is it,

1251
01:24:26.039 --> 01:24:29.199
Mary asked, taken out of her pitiful thoughts of Ronnie.

1252
01:24:30.039 --> 01:24:34.880
Santa doesn't like you, and neither do I, Sarah said.

1253
01:24:35.560 --> 01:24:39.359
Mary's eyes widened in surprise as Sarah smiled at her

1254
01:24:39.760 --> 01:24:44.520
with clicking teeth. Sam. Let's go, Mary shouted as she

1255
01:24:44.560 --> 01:24:46.840
grabbed Sam by the arm as he was still in

1256
01:24:46.880 --> 01:24:51.439
the midst of explaining why this particular PlayStation game was

1257
01:24:51.479 --> 01:24:54.680
a must to have under the tree, Mary pulled him

1258
01:24:54.720 --> 01:24:58.079
so violently Sam's arm almost came clean out of its socket.

1259
01:24:58.760 --> 01:25:03.479
Mom oh, Sam screamed as she began dragging him away.

1260
01:25:04.239 --> 01:25:09.199
Let's go, Mary shouted. Sarah moved quickly, grabbing Mary by

1261
01:25:09.199 --> 01:25:12.760
her not so dainty wrist. Mary's mouth drew back in

1262
01:25:12.840 --> 01:25:16.439
disdain as the little girl's skin to skin touch was

1263
01:25:16.760 --> 01:25:21.319
icy cold. You're not nice. You deserve what's coming to you,

1264
01:25:22.039 --> 01:25:26.359
Sarah said, and then released her grip. Mary dragged a

1265
01:25:26.399 --> 01:25:30.039
screaming Sam behind her. While all this was going on,

1266
01:25:30.279 --> 01:25:32.880
nobody in the line of kids sensed what kind of

1267
01:25:33.000 --> 01:25:37.560
craziness was happening. Crazy shit was par for the course

1268
01:25:38.000 --> 01:25:43.159
on Highway four twenty one, even on Christmas Eve. Ronnie

1269
01:25:43.159 --> 01:25:47.039
watched in joy and amazement. This shit was making him

1270
01:25:47.079 --> 01:25:50.279
so happy. Sarah clicked her teeth at him as she

1271
01:25:50.359 --> 01:25:54.840
went to get the next kid. Barbara Spradley was next

1272
01:25:54.880 --> 01:25:57.960
with her kid, Lisa Ronnie wasn't a fan of the

1273
01:25:57.960 --> 01:26:03.000
Spradley clan. They were pretty much Valley Royalty, owning several

1274
01:26:03.039 --> 01:26:06.560
businesses on this stretch of road. The six year old

1275
01:26:06.600 --> 01:26:11.000
scampered up to Santa, holding Sarah's cold hand. She had

1276
01:26:11.000 --> 01:26:14.720
the distinct Spradley dimple in her chin, with eyes so

1277
01:26:14.880 --> 01:26:17.880
big she almost looked like a character from a Doctor

1278
01:26:17.920 --> 01:26:23.079
Seuss book. Hey, Thanta, Lisa said, with a lisp, Hey,

1279
01:26:23.159 --> 01:26:26.039
little one, what do you want for Christmas? This year?

1280
01:26:26.960 --> 01:26:30.000
I want a Barbie dreamhouse and a couple of new

1281
01:26:30.039 --> 01:26:33.000
barbiees because I cut the hair off the other ones.

1282
01:26:33.199 --> 01:26:38.760
And uh Ethie bake oven, Lisa finished. Ronnie was taken

1283
01:26:38.760 --> 01:26:42.159
aback with Lisa. She was a little girl that actually

1284
01:26:42.199 --> 01:26:46.359
wanted little girl gifts. It was nothing that needed the

1285
01:26:46.399 --> 01:26:50.439
smart descriptor or required the timed mashing of buttons on

1286
01:26:50.479 --> 01:26:54.800
a video game controller. Again, these requests were few and

1287
01:26:55.000 --> 01:26:58.399
far between, but when they came, it made Ronnie feel

1288
01:26:58.479 --> 01:27:03.279
somewhat normal for a few seconds. Sarah noted the genuine

1289
01:27:03.319 --> 01:27:06.399
smile on Ronnie's face and felt his approval, so she

1290
01:27:06.479 --> 01:27:10.159
stayed quiet and gave Barbara a closed mouthed smile, which

1291
01:27:10.199 --> 01:27:14.800
Barbara politely returned. The next kid was big, and so

1292
01:27:15.119 --> 01:27:18.479
was his father. It was Travis Cheatham and his son,

1293
01:27:18.960 --> 01:27:22.720
Little Travis. Sarah reached for Little Travis's hand and he

1294
01:27:22.840 --> 01:27:26.640
jerked away, giving her the finger in the process. Big

1295
01:27:26.680 --> 01:27:31.319
Travis chuckled as if to say, that's my boy. Sarah smiled.

1296
01:27:32.279 --> 01:27:36.119
Hey fuck nut, Big Travis shouted as Little Travis pulled

1297
01:27:36.199 --> 01:27:39.960
himself up onto Ronnie's lap. Ronnie groaned at the weight

1298
01:27:40.039 --> 01:27:43.600
of almost two hundred pounds of this. Eleven year old

1299
01:27:44.479 --> 01:27:48.800
Ronnie remembered Big Travis. They were once teammates, but never friends.

1300
01:27:49.560 --> 01:27:53.439
Big Travis always had a jealous streak, and he loved

1301
01:27:53.479 --> 01:27:58.079
seeing Ronnie like this. Big Travis ran a shady lawn

1302
01:27:58.079 --> 01:28:02.880
care company in the valley, ghostly cash transactions. He liked

1303
01:28:02.880 --> 01:28:06.800
tossing his weight around figuratively and literally. His kid was

1304
01:28:06.840 --> 01:28:10.000
two hundred pounds and Big Travis was over three bills

1305
01:28:10.319 --> 01:28:14.560
almost four. Hey fuck nut, my dad is talking to you,

1306
01:28:15.279 --> 01:28:20.600
Little Travis repeated. That's not very nice. Sarah intervened before

1307
01:28:20.720 --> 01:28:25.159
Ronnie could speak. Who asked you, you little bitch, Little

1308
01:28:25.199 --> 01:28:28.760
Travis replied, while looking back at the approving smile of

1309
01:28:28.800 --> 01:28:32.560
his pops. Listen, here, you will be getting coal in

1310
01:28:32.600 --> 01:28:35.079
your stocking. You can't talk to my little Shut the

1311
01:28:35.079 --> 01:28:38.800
fuck up, Ronnie. You are a fucking loser. Nobody loves

1312
01:28:38.800 --> 01:28:41.079
you if you stink like ass, and you're the sorriest

1313
01:28:41.079 --> 01:28:44.359
sack of shit Sannah I've ever seen. Little Travis didn't

1314
01:28:44.359 --> 01:28:47.840
get the last word out. Sarah moved with catlike quickness.

1315
01:28:48.199 --> 01:28:51.000
She jerked Little Travis from Ronnie's knee and sank her

1316
01:28:51.079 --> 01:28:53.560
teeth into the side of his neck, ripping out his

1317
01:28:53.680 --> 01:28:57.640
trachea and one fell swoop. Blood spewed like a geyser

1318
01:28:57.680 --> 01:29:00.720
from the dying kid's neck. Big t t was still

1319
01:29:00.760 --> 01:29:04.039
trying to register what he was seeing. The color had

1320
01:29:04.079 --> 01:29:08.439
flushed from his face. Kids were now screaming. Sarah leaped

1321
01:29:08.439 --> 01:29:12.239
from Little Travis and lunged at Big Travis, her claws

1322
01:29:12.279 --> 01:29:16.479
digging into his soft, flabby flesh. She scaled up and

1323
01:29:16.560 --> 01:29:18.880
around his back like a lizard on a brick wall.

1324
01:29:19.600 --> 01:29:27.159
Ronnie was smiling. Ronnie was laughing. Ho ho ho fuck nut,

1325
01:29:27.840 --> 01:29:32.479
Ronnie shouted as Sarah raked her claws across Big Travis's face,

1326
01:29:32.720 --> 01:29:36.880
opening gouges in his fat cheeks. Big Travis grabbed Sarah

1327
01:29:36.880 --> 01:29:39.560
by the hair with his huge hands and pulled with

1328
01:29:39.640 --> 01:29:43.920
all his strength. Sarah didn't budge. She was now clicking

1329
01:29:43.920 --> 01:29:47.239
her teeth in front of his frightened eyes. You aren't

1330
01:29:47.279 --> 01:29:50.479
a nice man. You can't treat Santah like that and live.

1331
01:29:51.199 --> 01:29:54.199
Sarah pressed the sharp claws of her thumbs right into

1332
01:29:54.199 --> 01:29:57.840
Big Travis's eyes. They went so deep she could feel

1333
01:29:57.840 --> 01:30:02.079
the soft tissue beneath them. Big Travis fell face first

1334
01:30:02.479 --> 01:30:06.720
as Sarah leaped from his chest. Her movements were fluid

1335
01:30:06.760 --> 01:30:11.800
and fast. Now this shit had everyone's attention. Children were screaming,

1336
01:30:11.880 --> 01:30:15.119
mothers were calling for fathers, and gunshots began to fill

1337
01:30:15.159 --> 01:30:18.800
the air. This had gone well beyond regular four to

1338
01:30:18.840 --> 01:30:22.439
twenty one crazy shit. Ronnie was smiling as he watched

1339
01:30:22.479 --> 01:30:26.039
Santa's little helper go to work. She was blindingly fast.

1340
01:30:26.359 --> 01:30:30.119
She was eviscerating every man with a gun. Ronnie felt

1341
01:30:30.119 --> 01:30:33.399
the pain in his chest he was hit, but he

1342
01:30:33.520 --> 01:30:36.399
was still grinning. The blue lights of the Burnet Town

1343
01:30:36.479 --> 01:30:40.000
police were now everywhere. There would be no tree lighting

1344
01:30:40.039 --> 01:30:43.159
this year, and Sarah was still moving through the crowd.

1345
01:30:43.560 --> 01:30:46.560
She was in a blood frenzy of death and destruction.

1346
01:30:47.239 --> 01:30:50.319
Ronnie felt the warmth of blood flowing from his wound.

1347
01:30:51.119 --> 01:30:54.319
Shots were still ringing out, but there were less of them.

1348
01:30:55.000 --> 01:30:57.640
Ronnie stood in front of the wooden chair, watching the

1349
01:30:57.680 --> 01:31:01.319
mayhem in front of him. Not five minutes ago, the

1350
01:31:01.439 --> 01:31:04.960
kids were in line with their pity filled mothers, waiting

1351
01:31:05.000 --> 01:31:07.920
to beg him for shit he could never afford himself.

1352
01:31:08.640 --> 01:31:11.880
The way these people treated Ronnie over the years was shameful.

1353
01:31:12.560 --> 01:31:16.640
No words of encouragement from any of them, just fucking pity.

1354
01:31:17.479 --> 01:31:23.079
That's why Ronnie hated Christmas. But not this year, No, sir.

1355
01:31:24.000 --> 01:31:29.000
The girl was his vengeance. She knew she could sense

1356
01:31:29.079 --> 01:31:31.840
the ones that had been cruel to Ronnie and the

1357
01:31:31.880 --> 01:31:36.640
ones that didn't offer help only pity. Sarah could smell

1358
01:31:36.680 --> 01:31:41.039
it on them as she literally cut through town. Merry

1359
01:31:41.119 --> 01:31:46.600
Christmas to all and to all a good night, Ronnie shouted.

1360
01:31:46.600 --> 01:31:50.600
As one more shot rang out. It found its mark,

1361
01:31:51.600 --> 01:31:56.920
hitting him in the forehead. The last thing he saw

1362
01:31:57.920 --> 01:32:03.560
was Sarah's face and her clicking teeth. As everything went dark.

1363
01:32:05.159 --> 01:32:09.800
Ronnie died right there, but he died with the solace

1364
01:32:10.319 --> 01:32:15.920
that he'd experienced the best Christmas ever. It was finally

1365
01:32:16.319 --> 01:32:21.159
his happy ending. Sarah was his elf of vengeance, and

1366
01:32:21.239 --> 01:32:32.800
he loved her for it The Day that Santa Died

1367
01:32:33.479 --> 01:32:40.359
by Keith Tomlin. Excerpts from Santa's Bodyguard, My Journey from

1368
01:32:40.439 --> 01:32:45.399
Vietnam to the North Pole, an autobiography by Jonathan L. Copeland,

1369
01:32:45.760 --> 01:32:49.119
as featured in the December twenty eleven issue of The

1370
01:32:49.159 --> 01:32:53.840
weather Be Monthly True Crime journal. Writer's note, I hate

1371
01:32:53.880 --> 01:32:56.840
to start the story off with exposition, but I need

1372
01:32:56.840 --> 01:32:59.159
to make sure that the realities of the situation are

1373
01:32:59.239 --> 01:33:02.720
understood by the reader. These are explained in detail in

1374
01:33:02.760 --> 01:33:06.399
the book version, but readers of this excerpt may benefit

1375
01:33:06.439 --> 01:33:10.680
from knowing the following one. There are around two thousand

1376
01:33:10.720 --> 01:33:14.239
elves in existence. The vast majority of these elves are

1377
01:33:14.279 --> 01:33:18.279
living a happy life working for Santa. There are, however,

1378
01:33:18.359 --> 01:33:22.760
a few that, in their terms, escaped from the North Pole.

1379
01:33:23.640 --> 01:33:28.199
These elves, called renegades, vowed to release their fellow elves

1380
01:33:28.279 --> 01:33:32.560
from their enslavement of their oppressor. For the record, I

1381
01:33:32.600 --> 01:33:35.720
have not seen any indication that Santa was anything but

1382
01:33:35.920 --> 01:33:39.520
kind and generous to those who worked for him. Two

1383
01:33:40.239 --> 01:33:44.800
many supernatural phenomena surround Santa Claus and Christmas. Many of

1384
01:33:44.800 --> 01:33:48.359
these are well documented in popular culture, such as flying

1385
01:33:48.399 --> 01:33:51.880
reindeer and circumventing the entire Earth in one night while

1386
01:33:51.880 --> 01:33:56.479
delivering presence. However, two lesser known ones affect this story.

1387
01:33:57.039 --> 01:34:02.279
The first is that explosives, including gunpower and by extension, firearms,

1388
01:34:02.279 --> 01:34:05.560
do not work around Santa Claus. The same goes for

1389
01:34:05.640 --> 01:34:09.960
internal combustion engines. Santa cannot ride in a car, plane,

1390
01:34:10.319 --> 01:34:13.840
or helicopter. When I asked him about these and other

1391
01:34:13.960 --> 01:34:18.920
unusual occurrences, he would simply shrug and say it's Christmas magic.

1392
01:34:19.920 --> 01:34:24.800
I could get no further explanations. John Copeland twenty eleven,

1393
01:34:26.000 --> 01:34:31.880
December eighteenth, nineteen eighty nine, Cooper's Department Store, Brickton, New Jersey.

1394
01:34:33.159 --> 01:34:35.279
The hair on the back of my neck stood up.

1395
01:34:35.640 --> 01:34:39.319
I could feel that something was wrong. This sixth sense

1396
01:34:39.399 --> 01:34:42.800
saved my life many times in Vietnam, and I've learned

1397
01:34:42.840 --> 01:34:46.760
to trust it. I triggered the radio, Steve, how are

1398
01:34:46.800 --> 01:34:52.159
things looking? The reply came back, everything looks good here, Boss, Alan,

1399
01:34:52.520 --> 01:34:56.600
everything good on your end. YEP, no issues, just kids everywhere.

1400
01:34:56.800 --> 01:35:02.000
Alan replied, Dave, how are you doing? No reply? Dave

1401
01:35:02.960 --> 01:35:09.720
still no reply. Jeff again, no reply, Damn, I sighed.

1402
01:35:10.199 --> 01:35:13.760
I triggered the radio again. Okay, Alan, I want you

1403
01:35:13.800 --> 01:35:16.119
to stop letting people in. Tell them that Santa has

1404
01:35:16.159 --> 01:35:18.920
to feed his reindeer or whatever. Steve, make your way

1405
01:35:18.960 --> 01:35:21.800
towards Dave's sector, but be careful. Head on a swivel.

1406
01:35:22.239 --> 01:35:26.039
I'll head to where Jeff was. After Alan and Steve confirmed,

1407
01:35:26.079 --> 01:35:28.560
I head off down an aisle stacked with boxes of

1408
01:35:28.560 --> 01:35:32.039
board games. A look to my right confirmed that Santa

1409
01:35:32.199 --> 01:35:35.279
was still in the winter Wonderland village that Cooper's Department

1410
01:35:35.319 --> 01:35:38.119
store set up for him. Kids were lined up across

1411
01:35:38.119 --> 01:35:41.880
the sales room floor and down the unpowered escalator. I

1412
01:35:41.960 --> 01:35:45.600
heard tiny footsteps running behind me. I turned and walked

1413
01:35:45.640 --> 01:35:49.159
back towards sporting goods. A blur of motion turned down

1414
01:35:49.159 --> 01:35:52.000
an aisle in the baseball section. I quickly covered the

1415
01:35:52.000 --> 01:35:54.920
ground between me and the mouth of the aisle. Peering

1416
01:35:54.960 --> 01:35:57.800
around the corner, I saw a child no older than

1417
01:35:57.840 --> 01:36:02.359
six standing there, giggling, his mouth covered in chocolate. I

1418
01:36:02.479 --> 01:36:06.680
cautiously made my way towards him. Hi, there are you lost?

1419
01:36:07.119 --> 01:36:11.560
Where are your parents? I asked? They over there, he said,

1420
01:36:11.680 --> 01:36:15.319
pointing somewhat in the direction of Santa's village. I approached

1421
01:36:15.319 --> 01:36:19.960
closer every nerve, screaming, what are you doing here? Don't

1422
01:36:19.960 --> 01:36:22.880
you want to meet Santa. The little man gave me

1423
01:36:23.000 --> 01:36:25.560
candy and said that you wanted to play hide and seek,

1424
01:36:26.039 --> 01:36:29.640
the child said, grinning. I began to answer when my

1425
01:36:29.720 --> 01:36:33.079
instincts told me to duck. A long blade whipped across

1426
01:36:33.119 --> 01:36:36.600
the aisle, barely missing my head. Out of habit and training,

1427
01:36:36.800 --> 01:36:39.319
my hand reached for a pistol at my waist. I

1428
01:36:39.399 --> 01:36:42.680
then remembered I was not carrying a firearm and instead

1429
01:36:43.000 --> 01:36:45.920
grabbed a wooden baseball bat, just in time to block

1430
01:36:45.960 --> 01:36:49.399
another strike from the short sword. The sword dug into

1431
01:36:49.399 --> 01:36:51.479
the wood deep enough to catch, and I was able

1432
01:36:51.520 --> 01:36:53.520
to twist the bat to the side and rip that

1433
01:36:53.600 --> 01:36:56.279
sword out of the grip of a short creature standing

1434
01:36:56.319 --> 01:36:59.039
on the top shelf. I dropped the bat and grabbed

1435
01:36:59.079 --> 01:37:02.199
its legs, turned and swung it across the aisle, hitting

1436
01:37:02.279 --> 01:37:04.800
its head on a metal bin full of baseball bats.

1437
01:37:05.359 --> 01:37:07.880
I let go and it landed on the floor, its

1438
01:37:08.000 --> 01:37:11.359
neck twisted at an impossible angle. I heard the kid

1439
01:37:11.399 --> 01:37:15.079
behind me running away, yelling for his mother. I got

1440
01:37:15.079 --> 01:37:17.920
my first look at the creature and cursed. It was

1441
01:37:17.960 --> 01:37:21.199
around three feet tall, with a thin, narrow face, long

1442
01:37:21.239 --> 01:37:26.239
gray beard, and pointy ears. Guys, I said into the radio.

1443
01:37:26.399 --> 01:37:29.239
We got elves time to shut it down. Alan, they

1444
01:37:29.239 --> 01:37:32.319
don't usually attack civilians. Make sure everybody makes it safely

1445
01:37:32.399 --> 01:37:35.399
off the property. Steve, make your way to me. I'll

1446
01:37:35.399 --> 01:37:39.119
be with the big guy immediately. The guys acknowledged I

1447
01:37:39.279 --> 01:37:42.000
changed channels in radio to have the reindeer sleigh sent

1448
01:37:42.079 --> 01:37:45.159
for a roof extraction. As I begin to quickly walk

1449
01:37:45.199 --> 01:37:47.920
toward the Winter Wonderland set up, I tripped a fire

1450
01:37:47.960 --> 01:37:51.600
alarm mounted on a wall. Sirens and flashing lights filled

1451
01:37:51.600 --> 01:37:53.840
the store as a pre recorded voice played over the

1452
01:37:53.880 --> 01:37:57.159
sound system asking all guests to leave the building in

1453
01:37:57.199 --> 01:38:00.479
an orderly fashion via the nearest exit in the Winter

1454
01:38:00.560 --> 01:38:04.439
Wonderland set store employees began helping crying children and worried

1455
01:38:04.479 --> 01:38:08.880
parents exit the roped off que. Santa, looking majestic in

1456
01:38:08.920 --> 01:38:12.119
his classic red robes with white trim, was reassuring everyone

1457
01:38:12.439 --> 01:38:14.560
and asking them to be careful on the way out.

1458
01:38:15.119 --> 01:38:17.840
I walked up to Santa, my eyes trying to scan

1459
01:38:17.960 --> 01:38:22.359
everyone and everything at once, my nerves screaming. Santa noticed

1460
01:38:22.359 --> 01:38:25.560
my approach and turned to me, concern etched into his

1461
01:38:25.600 --> 01:38:30.000
ageless face. John, my boy, what is going on? Is

1462
01:38:30.039 --> 01:38:33.920
everyone okay? He asked, his deep voice, rising above the

1463
01:38:33.960 --> 01:38:38.760
surrounding chaos. I shook my head. No, sir, the renegades

1464
01:38:38.760 --> 01:38:41.119
are here. I have a few people missing, but I

1465
01:38:41.119 --> 01:38:46.000
haven't heard any issues with the civilians. Oh my, he said, pausing,

1466
01:38:46.439 --> 01:38:50.119
how did they find me? Unclear? At this point, I replied,

1467
01:38:50.560 --> 01:38:53.880
around Christmas, there are thousands of actors posing as Santa

1468
01:38:54.000 --> 01:38:57.520
around the world, meeting children, leading parades, and doing other

1469
01:38:57.600 --> 01:39:00.720
Christmasy duties. For years, I tried in vain to get

1470
01:39:00.760 --> 01:39:04.760
the real Santa to cancel his personal appearances, but he refused,

1471
01:39:05.159 --> 01:39:07.359
saying that the only way to know what children really

1472
01:39:07.399 --> 01:39:09.520
want is to get out there and talk to them.

1473
01:39:09.960 --> 01:39:12.479
I was able to stop him from announcing his appearances,

1474
01:39:12.880 --> 01:39:15.319
hoping that the sheer number of other Santas would act

1475
01:39:15.319 --> 01:39:19.159
as decoys and serve as a form of Christmas camouflage.

1476
01:39:19.319 --> 01:39:22.119
We can worry about that later, sir. Now, we need

1477
01:39:22.159 --> 01:39:24.239
to get you to the roof for pickup. I told

1478
01:39:24.319 --> 01:39:27.239
him I'll go once I know the children are safe.

1479
01:39:27.560 --> 01:39:30.680
He replied, sir, we need to get you out of

1480
01:39:30.680 --> 01:39:34.560
here when the children are safe. Santa said, with a

1481
01:39:34.560 --> 01:39:38.079
bit of an edge in his voice, Roger that I

1482
01:39:38.159 --> 01:39:40.159
knew that once he made up his mind. There was

1483
01:39:40.239 --> 01:39:43.359
no changing it. I turned to face the dwindling crowd,

1484
01:39:43.439 --> 01:39:47.720
scanning for dangers. I spoke into the radio, Alan, what's

1485
01:39:47.760 --> 01:39:51.880
the situation, Alan answered, a bit breathless. The crowd streaming

1486
01:39:51.880 --> 01:39:54.000
out of the building is thinning out a bit. I

1487
01:39:54.039 --> 01:39:57.319
saw some short figures, non children entering through the loading dock.

1488
01:39:57.720 --> 01:40:00.800
Steve went after them. Stay with the crowd, make sure

1489
01:40:00.840 --> 01:40:04.319
nothing happens to them, I said, Steve. Head up to me.

1490
01:40:05.359 --> 01:40:11.439
No answer, Steve. Still nothing, Damn, I thought, as I

1491
01:40:11.479 --> 01:40:14.359
put the radio into a holster on my belt. After

1492
01:40:14.439 --> 01:40:17.279
a few tense minutes, some of the longest of my life,

1493
01:40:17.520 --> 01:40:21.640
Alan's voice came over the radio. Boss employees are saying

1494
01:40:21.640 --> 01:40:25.600
the store should be empty. Roger that heading to the roof,

1495
01:40:25.960 --> 01:40:30.520
I replied, that's when the lights went out. The world

1496
01:40:30.600 --> 01:40:33.600
went black except for the flashing lights of the fire alarm.

1497
01:40:34.520 --> 01:40:38.239
Moments later, the emergency lights came on, their dim pale

1498
01:40:38.319 --> 01:40:42.359
lights combined with the fire lights, casting an eerie shadow.

1499
01:40:43.479 --> 01:40:48.000
Sir I said, we need to go now. A somber

1500
01:40:48.039 --> 01:40:53.520
looking Santa nodded, Yes, John, I believe you're right. Weaving

1501
01:40:53.560 --> 01:40:56.640
through the aisles and holiday displays, I led Santa toward

1502
01:40:56.720 --> 01:41:00.439
the back stairway. As we entered Housewares three days, miniative

1503
01:41:00.520 --> 01:41:02.720
figures emerged out of the darkness at the end of

1504
01:41:02.800 --> 01:41:06.119
the aisle, the amber alarm lights shining off of the

1505
01:41:06.159 --> 01:41:10.279
short steel swords they were wielding. I pulled Santa behind

1506
01:41:10.359 --> 01:41:13.640
me and turned to face the attackers. Out of the

1507
01:41:13.680 --> 01:41:16.439
corner of my vision, I saw a dark shape launch

1508
01:41:16.479 --> 01:41:20.479
itself from the top shelf towards Santa. I sidestepped to intercept,

1509
01:41:20.520 --> 01:41:24.359
putting my body between Santa and the threat. I raised

1510
01:41:24.359 --> 01:41:26.479
my left arm to block the assault, and a long,

1511
01:41:26.880 --> 01:41:30.640
thin blade pierced my forearm. The weight of the small

1512
01:41:30.640 --> 01:41:32.920
body forced my arm back, and the tip of the

1513
01:41:33.000 --> 01:41:37.079
knife cut a long, cruel gash in my cheek. I

1514
01:41:37.119 --> 01:41:40.159
grabbed the attacker, an older, gray haired elf, with my

1515
01:41:40.279 --> 01:41:43.439
right hand, and awkwardly chucked the flailing body at the

1516
01:41:43.479 --> 01:41:48.359
other three, who were now running down the aisle. Swords raised.

1517
01:41:49.600 --> 01:41:53.239
Don't go away, weakly, Spooky will be right back.

1518
01:42:01.479 --> 01:42:04.000
One of the attackers tripped over the thrown Elf, while

1519
01:42:04.039 --> 01:42:06.880
the other two slowed down now that I had turned

1520
01:42:06.880 --> 01:42:10.840
my attention to them. As they cautiously walked forward, I

1521
01:42:10.920 --> 01:42:13.600
pulled the knife from my forearm causing a fresh wave

1522
01:42:13.680 --> 01:42:16.680
of blood to flow. I held the knife at the ready.

1523
01:42:17.319 --> 01:42:19.960
As a Green Beret in Vietnam, my unit was often

1524
01:42:20.000 --> 01:42:23.800
at a numeric disadvantage when we encountered the enemy. In

1525
01:42:23.880 --> 01:42:26.239
those situations, I found that it was best to cause

1526
01:42:26.279 --> 01:42:30.720
confusion in the enemy by doing the unexpected, which usually

1527
01:42:30.760 --> 01:42:34.720
came down to a quick and bloody display of extreme violence.

1528
01:42:35.319 --> 01:42:38.359
I whispered to Santa, keep an eye out behind you.

1529
01:42:38.760 --> 01:42:42.640
I'll be right back. I didn't wait for an answer. Instead,

1530
01:42:42.680 --> 01:42:44.800
I roared at the top of my lungs and began

1531
01:42:44.840 --> 01:42:47.239
to run towards the elves as fast as I could.

1532
01:42:47.840 --> 01:42:50.439
This startled them, and they raised their swords in a

1533
01:42:50.479 --> 01:42:53.399
defensive posture. As I got within a few feet of

1534
01:42:53.439 --> 01:42:56.000
the elf on the right side, I went into a

1535
01:42:56.039 --> 01:43:00.000
feet first baseball slide. The polished and waxed floor assisted

1536
01:43:00.319 --> 01:43:03.600
me with a surprising lack of resistance. I hit him

1537
01:43:03.640 --> 01:43:06.239
just under his right knee. The crack of the bones

1538
01:43:06.319 --> 01:43:09.239
was louder than the fire alarm. As he fell. He

1539
01:43:09.319 --> 01:43:11.680
tried to strike me, but only took out a small

1540
01:43:11.760 --> 01:43:14.760
slice of my left arm. Most of the damage was

1541
01:43:14.800 --> 01:43:18.680
absorbed by my suit jacket. At this time, I realized

1542
01:43:18.720 --> 01:43:20.680
that I had slid too close to the bottom of

1543
01:43:20.720 --> 01:43:24.319
the shelf and it was restricting my movements. My initial

1544
01:43:24.359 --> 01:43:26.159
hope was to take out the right elf with the

1545
01:43:26.199 --> 01:43:29.399
baseball slide, then spin to face away from the upright

1546
01:43:29.439 --> 01:43:32.079
attacker and use my feet to keep him at bay

1547
01:43:32.520 --> 01:43:35.680
until I can find an opportunity to stand up. Not

1548
01:43:35.840 --> 01:43:38.439
the best plan I've ever come up with, but better

1549
01:43:38.520 --> 01:43:42.119
than none. The middle attacker approached and batted away my

1550
01:43:42.199 --> 01:43:45.279
ineffectual attempts to fend him off with my injured arm.

1551
01:43:45.880 --> 01:43:48.119
He raised his sword and plunged it down at me.

1552
01:43:48.640 --> 01:43:51.039
At the last moment, I was able to turn and

1553
01:43:51.119 --> 01:43:54.279
took the strike on my left side. Using what little

1554
01:43:54.279 --> 01:43:57.079
strength I had in my left arm, I tried to

1555
01:43:57.119 --> 01:43:59.439
push him away as he grabbed the sword with both

1556
01:43:59.479 --> 01:44:03.279
hands and leaned into it. That's when I stopped pushing

1557
01:44:03.680 --> 01:44:06.600
and pulled him toward me, his sword passing through me

1558
01:44:06.680 --> 01:44:10.199
and striking the floor. Shock showed on his face as

1559
01:44:10.199 --> 01:44:13.399
he fell forward. Unable to compensate for the lack of resistance.

1560
01:44:14.199 --> 01:44:17.239
I stared into his face inches from mine as I

1561
01:44:17.279 --> 01:44:19.880
brought my right hand up and plunged the dagger into

1562
01:44:19.920 --> 01:44:23.000
his side over and over again. I felt the front

1563
01:44:23.039 --> 01:44:25.479
of my shirt grow wet with his blood, and the

1564
01:44:25.560 --> 01:44:29.000
light in his eye slowly dimmed. I let go, and

1565
01:44:29.079 --> 01:44:32.640
he slumped over his eyes, staring sightlessly at the ceiling.

1566
01:44:33.479 --> 01:44:36.319
Using the shelves to pull myself up, I grasped the

1567
01:44:36.399 --> 01:44:39.439
hilt of the small sword and pulled it free. Wincing

1568
01:44:39.560 --> 01:44:43.319
from the pane, rolling my left shoulder, I deduced that

1569
01:44:43.399 --> 01:44:45.760
the wound on my side was less serious than I

1570
01:44:45.800 --> 01:44:49.960
originally thought. No vital organs were hit. I look at

1571
01:44:50.000 --> 01:44:53.279
the three living elves lying on the ground. The one

1572
01:44:53.279 --> 01:44:55.880
with the broken leg was still clutching it and rolling

1573
01:44:55.920 --> 01:44:59.760
around moaning. The one I threw was still lying dazed

1574
01:44:59.800 --> 01:45:02.199
on the tile floor, while the one that tripped over

1575
01:45:02.279 --> 01:45:05.439
him was just rising to his feet, his cold eyes

1576
01:45:06.119 --> 01:45:09.760
boring into me. I took a step and kicked him

1577
01:45:09.960 --> 01:45:13.600
hard in the face. A wet crunch could be heard

1578
01:45:13.640 --> 01:45:15.960
as a shelf split the back of his skull open

1579
01:45:16.319 --> 01:45:19.800
and wedged into his brain. I then struck the elf

1580
01:45:19.840 --> 01:45:22.520
he tripped over with the sword until he stopped moving.

1581
01:45:23.279 --> 01:45:25.720
I verified that the elf with the broken leg wasn't

1582
01:45:25.720 --> 01:45:31.039
a threat, before looking over at Santa Santa Claus stood there, speechless,

1583
01:45:31.399 --> 01:45:35.399
his ashen white face, registering both shock and disgust. He

1584
01:45:35.479 --> 01:45:39.399
opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. Sir,

1585
01:45:40.000 --> 01:45:43.680
we should be going, I said, looking around for additional threats.

1586
01:45:44.600 --> 01:45:46.680
Santa shook his head like he was coming out of

1587
01:45:46.720 --> 01:45:49.199
a trance. He looked at the carnage in front of

1588
01:45:49.279 --> 01:45:55.399
him and asked, was that necessary, Sir, Let's go, I replied.

1589
01:45:56.159 --> 01:45:59.159
Santa took one last look at the bodies before him

1590
01:45:59.439 --> 01:46:02.880
and slow nodded. We made our way past the jewelry

1591
01:46:02.920 --> 01:46:05.479
counter and into women's wear. I grabbed a couple of

1592
01:46:05.520 --> 01:46:07.840
scarves from a bin and bound my wounds as best

1593
01:46:07.880 --> 01:46:11.359
I could. Santa gave me a disapproving look, but softened

1594
01:46:11.359 --> 01:46:13.560
when I told him that I would pay for them later.

1595
01:46:14.079 --> 01:46:17.079
I almost added if we live, but chose to keep

1596
01:46:17.119 --> 01:46:21.520
that part to myself. We heard movement behind us, at

1597
01:46:21.600 --> 01:46:25.079
least four sets of footsteps heading our way. I began

1598
01:46:25.199 --> 01:46:28.600
pushing Santa to move faster, hoping to reach the stairway

1599
01:46:28.640 --> 01:46:32.079
to the roof before the renegades caught us. My sixth

1600
01:46:32.119 --> 01:46:34.680
sense was screaming that there was something I was missing,

1601
01:46:35.079 --> 01:46:38.000
but years of an action had blunted the tactical sense

1602
01:46:38.319 --> 01:46:43.239
that had been honed into a razor's edge in Foreign Wars. Finally,

1603
01:46:43.279 --> 01:46:45.439
I saw the gap in the shelves along the back

1604
01:46:45.479 --> 01:46:49.119
wall with a bright red sign that read emergency exit.

1605
01:46:49.720 --> 01:46:53.079
As we neared it, something flew by and smacked into

1606
01:46:53.079 --> 01:46:55.720
the wall ahead of us. I looked back and a

1607
01:46:55.760 --> 01:46:59.560
small figure was frantically trying to reload a crossbow. I

1608
01:46:59.640 --> 01:47:02.840
pushed Santa faster, almost knocking him off his feet, and

1609
01:47:02.920 --> 01:47:06.159
we slammed into a metal exit door. A shrill alarm

1610
01:47:06.239 --> 01:47:09.319
began going off, further adding to the chaos of the situation.

1611
01:47:10.119 --> 01:47:13.000
I slammed the door shut and looked around. Stairs were

1612
01:47:13.000 --> 01:47:14.920
going up on the left and down on the right.

1613
01:47:15.560 --> 01:47:18.239
Also on the right was a mop and bucket. I

1614
01:47:18.319 --> 01:47:20.880
grabbed the mop and wedged it between the bottom step

1615
01:47:20.960 --> 01:47:23.840
and the door. It wouldn't last long, but it should

1616
01:47:23.880 --> 01:47:27.159
slow them down. Santa was trying to catch his breath,

1617
01:47:27.199 --> 01:47:30.119
and as much as I hated to do it, I

1618
01:47:30.159 --> 01:47:33.800
couldn't give him time to rest. Sir, the roof is

1619
01:47:33.800 --> 01:47:37.319
one flight up. We're almost there, I said, as reassuringly

1620
01:47:37.359 --> 01:47:41.039
as I could. He nodded and began climbing. I did

1621
01:47:41.039 --> 01:47:43.840
my best to keep watch both ahead and behind us.

1622
01:47:44.279 --> 01:47:46.520
When we made the turn to the final set of stairs,

1623
01:47:46.920 --> 01:47:50.439
I began hearing yells and pounding from below. I readied

1624
01:47:50.479 --> 01:47:52.960
the sword that I still carried and prompted Santa to

1625
01:47:53.000 --> 01:47:56.000
climb even faster. When we finally made it to the

1626
01:47:56.079 --> 01:47:59.960
roof access door, we paused. I pushed Santa against the

1627
01:48:00.199 --> 01:48:02.279
wall and stood in front of him, sword at the ready.

1628
01:48:02.760 --> 01:48:06.880
I radioed the reindeer team. What's the status of the sleigh,

1629
01:48:07.079 --> 01:48:10.239
I asked, We're landing now, the roof is clear. Where

1630
01:48:10.239 --> 01:48:15.119
it go was the reply? I sighed. Finally something was

1631
01:48:15.159 --> 01:48:19.880
going our way. Ready, Sir, I asked Santa. He chuckled,

1632
01:48:20.439 --> 01:48:23.920
I can almost taste the hot chocolate now. As I

1633
01:48:23.960 --> 01:48:26.520
nodded to him, I heard a crash from below us

1634
01:48:26.560 --> 01:48:29.840
and yells of triumph. Santa opened the roof door and

1635
01:48:29.920 --> 01:48:33.520
I followed close behind him, facing the stairway. As soon

1636
01:48:33.520 --> 01:48:36.600
as I backed onto the roof, I knew something was wrong.

1637
01:48:37.520 --> 01:48:41.039
It wasn't until later that I realized that it was

1638
01:48:41.119 --> 01:48:44.840
the lack of noise. Nine reindeer make a ton of

1639
01:48:44.880 --> 01:48:48.680
noise even when they're just standing still, and the roof

1640
01:48:49.560 --> 01:48:53.680
was eerily quiet. As I heard Santa say, oh my,

1641
01:48:54.640 --> 01:48:57.640
I turned and noticed an odd contraption set off to

1642
01:48:57.720 --> 01:49:00.359
the left. It had a four inch two tube and

1643
01:49:00.399 --> 01:49:04.439
two large tanks behind it. Three elves were standing around it,

1644
01:49:04.720 --> 01:49:08.399
two holding long daggers, while the third carried a short spear.

1645
01:49:09.159 --> 01:49:13.119
One elf yelled now, and the one with the spear

1646
01:49:13.239 --> 01:49:16.439
brought it down on a lever and the machine roared.

1647
01:49:17.279 --> 01:49:20.680
I suddenly realized that this was a huge air cannon.

1648
01:49:21.279 --> 01:49:25.079
A metal ball shot out, flying towards Santa's chest. I

1649
01:49:25.159 --> 01:49:27.560
tried to leap in front of him to intercept the threat,

1650
01:49:27.560 --> 01:49:29.880
but it seemed like I was moving in slow motion.

1651
01:49:30.640 --> 01:49:32.439
I was able to get my left arm up in

1652
01:49:32.479 --> 01:49:35.600
front of the cannon ball. It ricocheted off of my arm,

1653
01:49:35.720 --> 01:49:39.840
shattering bone and struck Santa in the stomach. I fell

1654
01:49:39.880 --> 01:49:42.279
to the ground and must have blacked out for a

1655
01:49:42.279 --> 01:49:45.239
few seconds. When I came to, I saw that Santa

1656
01:49:45.359 --> 01:49:48.640
was lying on the roof about six feet away, flanked

1657
01:49:48.640 --> 01:49:51.720
by the three elves from the cannon. Another three elves

1658
01:49:51.720 --> 01:49:53.680
were approaching from the other side of the roof, and

1659
01:49:53.760 --> 01:49:57.359
four more had emerged from the stairway. Still dazed, I

1660
01:49:57.439 --> 01:50:01.960
watched the elves surround Santa, who lay there gasping for breath.

1661
01:50:02.720 --> 01:50:05.319
The elf with the spear stepped forward and jammed it

1662
01:50:05.359 --> 01:50:09.520
into Santa's chest. That broke the dam, and the others

1663
01:50:09.600 --> 01:50:13.239
rushed ahead, plunging their knives into the large man, over

1664
01:50:13.560 --> 01:50:17.319
and over again. Blood began to pull on the roof,

1665
01:50:17.359 --> 01:50:20.880
and the elves handmade boots made red footprints as they

1666
01:50:20.920 --> 01:50:23.960
splashed through the puddle, eagerly elbowing their way through the

1667
01:50:23.960 --> 01:50:28.880
frenzied mob to take another stab. I gave up trying

1668
01:50:28.920 --> 01:50:31.800
to stand and slumped back to the ground. All of

1669
01:50:31.840 --> 01:50:35.199
my will to fight drained out of me. I screamed,

1670
01:50:35.239 --> 01:50:37.840
but the only thing I could hear was the pounding

1671
01:50:37.880 --> 01:50:41.640
of my heart and the soft, wet thud of the

1672
01:50:41.760 --> 01:50:46.159
knives hitting their mark. I hung my head and wept,

1673
01:50:46.359 --> 01:50:51.199
but soon the sounds of the slaughter stopped. I thought

1674
01:50:51.199 --> 01:50:54.000
that I would look up to find myself surrounded by

1675
01:50:54.039 --> 01:50:59.119
bloodthirsty heathens. However, when I opened my eyes, I saw

1676
01:50:59.159 --> 01:51:02.239
that the elves had been staring at the body on

1677
01:51:02.279 --> 01:51:02.800
the ground.

1678
01:51:04.319 --> 01:51:09.079
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your doors? Weakly, spooky,

1679
01:51:09.279 --> 01:51:10.279
We'll be right back.

1680
01:51:12.199 --> 01:51:15.880
Lights began pulsing from each of the dozens of Santa's wounds.

1681
01:51:16.600 --> 01:51:19.600
The light became brighter, and the elves stumbled back further,

1682
01:51:20.119 --> 01:51:22.920
one falling down, but none of them took their eyes

1683
01:51:23.000 --> 01:51:26.560
off of the corpse in front of them. Santa's body

1684
01:51:26.640 --> 01:51:29.000
began to shake and rose in the air like some

1685
01:51:29.439 --> 01:51:32.800
rag doll held up by an invisible hand. The light

1686
01:51:32.880 --> 01:51:35.199
became blinding, and I had to turn away from the

1687
01:51:35.199 --> 01:51:38.960
blazing nova that the fat man had become. There was

1688
01:51:39.000 --> 01:51:42.159
a loud crackle and then a deafening thump, followed by

1689
01:51:42.199 --> 01:51:46.159
a light so bright that it rivaled the sun. After

1690
01:51:46.239 --> 01:51:48.560
a few minutes, I opened my eyes and tried to

1691
01:51:48.600 --> 01:51:51.279
blink away the spots that danced in front of them.

1692
01:51:52.079 --> 01:51:54.600
Santa's body still hung in the air, but the light

1693
01:51:55.279 --> 01:52:00.520
was beginning to dim as his wounds slowly closed. I

1694
01:52:00.640 --> 01:52:02.680
was struck by the thought that he looked like a

1695
01:52:02.760 --> 01:52:08.199
white bearded Jesus crucified on an invisible cross. I felt

1696
01:52:08.199 --> 01:52:11.399
like I was going mad and began to laugh. That

1697
01:52:11.640 --> 01:52:14.720
stopped when I noticed the charred and smoking bodies of

1698
01:52:14.720 --> 01:52:19.640
the renegade elves scattered around the roof. Hearing a scraping sound,

1699
01:52:19.720 --> 01:52:22.720
I turned to see that one of the elves survived.

1700
01:52:23.039 --> 01:52:25.239
Most of its body was charred, and it was using

1701
01:52:25.239 --> 01:52:28.800
its one good arm to pull itself along. I stumbled

1702
01:52:28.800 --> 01:52:31.600
to my feet, the pain in my arm inside beginning

1703
01:52:31.640 --> 01:52:35.439
to throb as the adrenaline wore off. I shuffled over

1704
01:52:35.479 --> 01:52:38.439
to the remaining elf and flipped it over onto its back.

1705
01:52:39.000 --> 01:52:41.720
The majority of its face was burnt black, except for

1706
01:52:41.760 --> 01:52:44.920
the area around its right eye. I could feel the

1707
01:52:45.039 --> 01:52:48.880
hate radiating from it as it looked past me, focused

1708
01:52:48.920 --> 01:52:54.560
on something behind me. Oh, Clarence, Santa said, walking up

1709
01:52:54.600 --> 01:52:58.399
to look down at the elf. My poor boy. I

1710
01:52:58.479 --> 01:53:04.520
wish I could help. You help, Clarence croaked between charred lips.

1711
01:53:05.039 --> 01:53:12.039
Let us go, Santa shook his head. If I could,

1712
01:53:12.920 --> 01:53:18.479
I would, but it's out of my control. Liar, set

1713
01:53:19.159 --> 01:53:25.399
us free, Clarence said, his anger giving strength to his voice.

1714
01:53:25.439 --> 01:53:29.039
Santa got down on one knee and grabbed Clarence's good hand.

1715
01:53:30.439 --> 01:53:34.119
You don't think I've tried to leave. It affects me

1716
01:53:34.960 --> 01:53:38.439
just like it affects you. After two days away from

1717
01:53:38.439 --> 01:53:41.079
the North Pole, I start feeling the tug of the

1718
01:53:41.119 --> 01:53:45.600
place trying to pull me back. After a week away,

1719
01:53:46.039 --> 01:53:50.079
I can't sleep, I can barely eat, and that's just

1720
01:53:50.199 --> 01:53:53.600
the start of the struggle. All I can think of

1721
01:53:53.760 --> 01:53:56.760
is my workshop and my overwhelming need to get back

1722
01:53:56.800 --> 01:54:02.159
to it. I finally just accepted my fate and embraced

1723
01:54:02.159 --> 01:54:08.000
my role in life. I we bring joy to the

1724
01:54:08.079 --> 01:54:12.039
children of the world, and that's a worthy way to

1725
01:54:12.159 --> 01:54:18.039
spend one's life. Doubt showed in Clarence's face, and he

1726
01:54:18.119 --> 01:54:27.159
whispered a final word, ooh. Santa patted his hand. It's

1727
01:54:27.199 --> 01:54:30.760
the spirit of Christmas that calls to us, that pulls

1728
01:54:30.840 --> 01:54:33.800
us back. Its magic is fueled by the hopes and

1729
01:54:33.880 --> 01:54:37.680
dreams of children all over the world. As long as

1730
01:54:37.680 --> 01:54:41.279
there are children who believe in Christmas, the Christmas Spirit

1731
01:54:41.359 --> 01:54:46.319
will be there to guide us. We Santa stopped talking

1732
01:54:46.359 --> 01:54:50.039
as a groan escaped from Clarence's mouth and the light

1733
01:54:50.159 --> 01:54:55.319
in his eyes went out. Santa bowed his head and wept.

1734
01:54:56.760 --> 01:54:59.840
After a few minutes, he gently placed the ELF's hand

1735
01:54:59.840 --> 01:55:04.600
on the ground and stood wiping his face. I radioed

1736
01:55:04.600 --> 01:55:08.520
the sleigh team, and, after verifying their identification, found that

1737
01:55:08.560 --> 01:55:11.640
they never received the original request for a rooftop pickup.

1738
01:55:12.399 --> 01:55:15.880
After scheduling the pickup, I turned to Santa and noticed

1739
01:55:15.920 --> 01:55:18.000
that he was poking a finger through one of the

1740
01:55:18.479 --> 01:55:23.239
dozens of cuts in his jacket. John, he said, confused,

1741
01:55:24.359 --> 01:55:32.920
what happened? Well, sir, you died, I replied, did I know? So?

1742
01:55:33.279 --> 01:55:39.119
How did I undie? He asked, unclear. You started floating

1743
01:55:39.119 --> 01:55:41.960
in the air and burst into a bright light, and

1744
01:55:42.039 --> 01:55:51.159
now you're alive. Really hmm strange? Santa shrugged. Christmas Magic,

1745
01:55:51.680 --> 01:55:59.760
he said, yes, sir, Christmas Magic epilogue in the dark

1746
01:56:00.399 --> 01:56:04.920
between two air units, Frederick the Elf lowered the crossbow

1747
01:56:05.520 --> 01:56:08.199
and placed it next to the backpack of the electronic

1748
01:56:08.239 --> 01:56:12.920
equipment he used to intercept the radio transmissions. He tore

1749
01:56:13.039 --> 01:56:16.600
his gaze off Santa and closed his eyes to quell

1750
01:56:16.680 --> 01:56:20.920
his rage. With that rage subsiding, the pull of the

1751
01:56:21.000 --> 01:56:25.319
North returned. He spent a few minutes conquering that urge,

1752
01:56:25.560 --> 01:56:30.680
his shaking hands finally growing still. Calm descended and he

1753
01:56:30.720 --> 01:56:35.800
began to review what he learned. Santa can't be killed,

1754
01:56:36.159 --> 01:56:39.840
at least not in traditional ways. Santa is not the

1755
01:56:39.880 --> 01:56:43.279
source of the pull, but he is a willing participant

1756
01:56:43.760 --> 01:56:47.399
in the oppression of the elves. The Spirit of Christmas

1757
01:56:47.439 --> 01:56:49.439
is the force that tries to pull them back to

1758
01:56:49.479 --> 01:56:53.119
the North Pole. Human children all over the world give

1759
01:56:53.239 --> 01:56:57.239
power to the Spirit of Christmas to lessen the pull

1760
01:56:57.319 --> 01:57:00.640
of the spirit of Christmas. We need to crease what

1761
01:57:00.800 --> 01:57:07.439
gives it power, namely human children. Frederick opened his eyes.

1762
01:57:08.399 --> 01:57:11.479
He knew what he had to do. Now is the

1763
01:57:11.479 --> 01:57:14.960
time for planning. He cocked his head and seemed to

1764
01:57:14.960 --> 01:57:19.000
hear sleigh belts off in the distance. He took one

1765
01:57:19.079 --> 01:57:23.600
last look at Santa and his bodyguard before slinking off

1766
01:57:24.399 --> 01:57:28.199
into the darkness. Thank you for reading The weather Be

1767
01:57:28.319 --> 01:57:32.039
monthly True Crime Journal. Please check out next month's issue,

1768
01:57:32.199 --> 01:57:34.920
where we will have the next installment of excerpts from

1769
01:57:35.000 --> 01:57:41.159
John Copeland's autobiography. In that article, titled Infanticide, Generation Blood,

1770
01:57:41.560 --> 01:57:51.840
he explores one of the bloodiest terror campaigns in human history.

1771
01:57:53.800 --> 01:58:00.039
Scary Christmas to All by David o'hanley. Santa paced the

1772
01:58:00.079 --> 01:58:04.640
ancient floorboards of his study. The world had changed, Toys

1773
01:58:04.640 --> 01:58:08.039
were bought in stores, and fewer children believed in the

1774
01:58:08.079 --> 01:58:11.800
magic of Santa. There were many tasked with keeping the

1775
01:58:11.880 --> 01:58:16.039
balance of good and evil, but technology was quickly pushing

1776
01:58:16.079 --> 01:58:20.359
them all into the realm of mythology. The Fat Man

1777
01:58:20.399 --> 01:58:23.760
had gone to extremes to keep his operation relevant long

1778
01:58:23.840 --> 01:58:27.640
past its expiration date, but it wouldn't matter much longer.

1779
01:58:28.520 --> 01:58:31.920
Santa chewed the end of his cigar and stopped pacing

1780
01:58:31.960 --> 01:58:35.680
in front of the wooden chest. The lock laid broken

1781
01:58:35.800 --> 01:58:38.720
next to the splinters of wood where the thieves had

1782
01:58:38.760 --> 01:58:44.319
carelessly chopped open the ancient ornate chest. The contents had

1783
01:58:44.319 --> 01:58:48.560
been replaced with a manifesto scrawled into Mittean script. In

1784
01:58:48.680 --> 01:58:52.000
one night, they would undo centuries of legend and tip

1785
01:58:52.039 --> 01:58:57.600
the scales forever unless they could be stopped. Santa struck

1786
01:58:57.640 --> 01:58:59.720
a match and held it to the tip of the cigar,

1787
01:59:00.399 --> 01:59:04.399
knowing there was only one solution, only one operative elf

1788
01:59:04.479 --> 01:59:10.319
enough for the task. I'm freezing my fucking ornaments off Peppermint,

1789
01:59:10.399 --> 01:59:13.359
Ray declared as he stepped into the study and kicked

1790
01:59:13.359 --> 01:59:16.279
the door shut behind him. This is one hell of

1791
01:59:16.319 --> 01:59:21.560
a storm, nothing compared to what is coming, Santa said somberly.

1792
01:59:22.159 --> 01:59:24.960
I called you in for a very important assignment. Ray,

1793
01:59:25.920 --> 01:59:30.000
I finally get to kill Jeff Bezos. Ray perked up. No,

1794
01:59:31.399 --> 01:59:34.720
it worked with toys r us, Ray argued. If we

1795
01:59:34.840 --> 01:59:37.640
take out Amazon and Walmart, they'll have to come to

1796
01:59:37.760 --> 01:59:42.359
us for toys. We'll be back in business full tilt Buggie,

1797
01:59:42.399 --> 01:59:46.279
maybe next year. Ray. Santa stepped away from the Pilford

1798
01:59:46.359 --> 01:59:51.199
chest if there is one, fuck me with a nutcracker,

1799
01:59:51.840 --> 01:59:55.680
Ray gasped. The elf went to the box. His face

1800
01:59:55.720 --> 01:59:58.960
twitched with conflicting emotions as he knelt to retrieve the

1801
01:59:59.000 --> 02:00:01.840
manifesto from the spot that should have held one of

1802
02:00:01.840 --> 02:00:06.640
the North Pole's three sacred documents. He skimmed the pages

1803
02:00:06.680 --> 02:00:10.479
of lunatic ramblings. He's going to give out toys to

1804
02:00:10.520 --> 02:00:14.279
the entire naughty list, Ray said, who would do this?

1805
02:00:15.479 --> 02:00:27.560
He calls himself candy pain sugarplum. Gary flicked a frozen

1806
02:00:27.600 --> 02:00:31.720
booger from his finger. His bulbous nose almost glowed from

1807
02:00:31.720 --> 02:00:35.399
the bite of the winter storm blowing across the Great Lakes.

1808
02:00:35.960 --> 02:00:39.199
Elves didn't chill easily, but the storm made him pull

1809
02:00:39.239 --> 02:00:42.960
the parka tighter around him. Gary liked to eat paint,

1810
02:00:43.520 --> 02:00:47.520
specifically orange, and had lost his job making toys long

1811
02:00:47.600 --> 02:00:51.560
before the bubble burst. For everyone else, he'd been cleaning

1812
02:00:51.560 --> 02:00:55.159
the stables for the past two centuries, which he didn't mind.

1813
02:00:55.319 --> 02:00:58.239
The reindeer never made fun of him, at least they

1814
02:00:58.279 --> 02:01:00.720
would have if they could talk, but they couldn't, so

1815
02:01:00.960 --> 02:01:05.439
Gary was content with his new occupation. He stabbed his

1816
02:01:05.479 --> 02:01:09.159
finger back into his nostril to mine another frozen snot nugget.

1817
02:01:09.800 --> 02:01:12.560
As dumb as Gary was, even he knew the storm

1818
02:01:13.239 --> 02:01:17.119
was their fault. It had started moments after they pilfered

1819
02:01:17.159 --> 02:01:21.640
the Naughtylist and intensified with every toy they delivered along

1820
02:01:21.720 --> 02:01:26.239
their path. Candy Andy knew it too. Gary watched the

1821
02:01:26.279 --> 02:01:29.680
Elvin David koresh saw through the security guard's neck with

1822
02:01:29.720 --> 02:01:34.159
a serrated silver blade. Gary always wanted to be one

1823
02:01:34.199 --> 02:01:37.720
of the Black Mittens, sant as elite core of assassins

1824
02:01:37.720 --> 02:01:42.439
that purged the evilest names from the Naughtilist with absolute ruthlessness.

1825
02:01:43.039 --> 02:01:45.800
Gary had never even gotten to issue a coal citation

1826
02:01:45.960 --> 02:01:49.119
to a bad kid, let alone gotten to bump one off.

1827
02:01:49.840 --> 02:01:53.359
Andy told him he was lucky for that war changes

1828
02:01:53.359 --> 02:01:56.640
in elf and the Naughtilist had become the North Pole's

1829
02:01:56.760 --> 02:02:01.279
version of Vietnam. The Black Mittens were so backlogged that

1830
02:02:01.359 --> 02:02:04.319
they'd started working during Christmas in July, just to keep

1831
02:02:04.319 --> 02:02:07.560
from drowning in the swelling sea of evil caused by

1832
02:02:07.560 --> 02:02:11.960
the influx of department store toys. Andy wiped the blade

1833
02:02:12.000 --> 02:02:15.640
clean and sheathed it. His short, powerful arms cast the

1834
02:02:15.680 --> 02:02:18.000
line of his grappling hook all the way to the

1835
02:02:18.039 --> 02:02:21.359
top of the watch tower. Gary stared in awe as

1836
02:02:21.359 --> 02:02:24.640
the elf scurried up the structure despite the brutal onslaught

1837
02:02:24.640 --> 02:02:28.279
of wind. Gary darted from the bushes and waited inside

1838
02:02:28.359 --> 02:02:31.600
the guard shack for his signal. Andy hadn't told him

1839
02:02:31.600 --> 02:02:34.119
what the signal would be, just that he'd know it

1840
02:02:34.159 --> 02:02:37.520
when he saw it. A moment later, the sniper's corpse

1841
02:02:37.600 --> 02:02:41.439
crashed to the icy pavement, his intestine stretched up from

1842
02:02:41.479 --> 02:02:44.199
his torn abdomen all the way back to the top

1843
02:02:44.239 --> 02:02:47.760
of the tower. Gary giggled and stepped out of the shack,

1844
02:02:48.199 --> 02:02:52.079
looking up at the meaty garland glistening with already frozen blood.

1845
02:02:52.760 --> 02:02:55.760
He plucked it, fascinated by the wet twang it made,

1846
02:02:56.239 --> 02:03:00.800
and waited another moment for Andy's signal. Nothing happened, and

1847
02:03:00.840 --> 02:03:05.720
Gary looked down at the body and gasped, Oh, you're

1848
02:03:05.760 --> 02:03:09.640
the signal. He darted back inside and pulled the lever.

1849
02:03:10.279 --> 02:03:13.359
Ice cracked from the hinges as the gates forced themselves

1850
02:03:13.359 --> 02:03:19.039
open despite the accumulating snow. The vibration rattled loose icicles

1851
02:03:19.039 --> 02:03:23.000
from the bronze lettering overhead. The elf looked up and

1852
02:03:23.159 --> 02:03:27.840
sounded out the letters. It was easy enough even for him.

1853
02:03:28.399 --> 02:03:32.800
Kill you. Gary squinted through the snowflakes to make sure

1854
02:03:32.840 --> 02:03:36.880
he read it correctly. There it was, in big, blocky

1855
02:03:36.960 --> 02:03:42.920
font kill you. Andy repelled down the tower and gracefully

1856
02:03:43.000 --> 02:03:45.960
hit the ground. He waved for Gary to come through.

1857
02:03:46.680 --> 02:03:50.039
The ditzy elf waddled between the still opening gates and

1858
02:03:50.159 --> 02:03:55.000
pointed at the letters. Say Andy, what ah Andy had

1859
02:03:55.039 --> 02:03:57.159
him by the throat. Before he could say another word.

1860
02:03:57.560 --> 02:04:03.600
I won't tell you again, he snarled. It's Pain, Candy Pain.

1861
02:04:04.840 --> 02:04:07.640
The name wasn't the only thing he'd changed about himself.

1862
02:04:08.119 --> 02:04:11.319
His uniform had been replaced with leather and spikes, and

1863
02:04:11.399 --> 02:04:13.960
around his neck he wore a heavy chain of sterling

1864
02:04:14.039 --> 02:04:17.399
candy canes. For every elf that died under his command.

1865
02:04:18.119 --> 02:04:21.359
Each ornament was spaced out with the withering, rotten ear

1866
02:04:21.840 --> 02:04:27.600
of a naughty child. Sorry, Candy Pain, Gary gult I

1867
02:04:27.720 --> 02:04:30.800
was just wondering about the sign, is all. It's a

1868
02:04:30.840 --> 02:04:36.920
strange name for an orphanage. Orphanage, Candy Pain, laughed. Krieger

1869
02:04:37.000 --> 02:04:41.319
Illinois Youth, a fender unit better known as kill You Island.

1870
02:04:42.199 --> 02:04:45.680
Candy Pain swept an arm at the structure. The former

1871
02:04:45.760 --> 02:04:49.119
mental asylum was little more than a shadow through the snowfall.

1872
02:04:49.920 --> 02:04:52.800
The tiny island had always been a place of evil

1873
02:04:53.039 --> 02:04:57.920
and violence. It attracted it the way rot attracts flies.

1874
02:04:58.800 --> 02:05:01.800
Krieger sat far in enough on Lake Michigan to make

1875
02:05:01.840 --> 02:05:04.479
it the perfect place to lock away the most dangerous

1876
02:05:04.560 --> 02:05:08.760
juvenile delinquents in the state. Many of the residents had

1877
02:05:08.760 --> 02:05:12.159
received their lump of coal, while others had skipped straight

1878
02:05:12.199 --> 02:05:14.960
to the top of the naughty list. Somewhere in the

1879
02:05:15.000 --> 02:05:20.279
pint sized penal colony was the mission objective. The Kinder Cannibal,

1880
02:05:20.960 --> 02:05:32.319
Little Robbie Mocker, Christmas Dies Tonight candy pain snarled. Santa's

1881
02:05:32.319 --> 02:05:36.560
glare was hard and cold as gun metal. Missus Claws

1882
02:05:36.560 --> 02:05:39.159
sat the tray of sugar cookies next to the scales.

1883
02:05:39.920 --> 02:05:43.239
On one side a glittery glass ornament, and on the

1884
02:05:43.279 --> 02:05:47.680
other a lump of coal mined by Crampis himself. The

1885
02:05:47.720 --> 02:05:51.359
two pans had never been level, but they never teetered

1886
02:05:51.399 --> 02:05:56.079
too far in one direction either. Now the coal moved

1887
02:05:56.199 --> 02:05:59.960
lower by the minute. No point in watching it, dear,

1888
02:06:00.560 --> 02:06:04.399
the missus said, offering up one of the cookies. Santa

1889
02:06:04.479 --> 02:06:07.680
took the snowman shaped cookie and chomped the head off.

1890
02:06:08.920 --> 02:06:13.520
If he fails, Santa started, then do something about it.

1891
02:06:14.079 --> 02:06:17.199
She slid into his lap. The sleigh is packed and

1892
02:06:17.319 --> 02:06:21.119
ready hand out as many toys as possible by Ray

1893
02:06:21.159 --> 02:06:25.399
the time he needs to destroy candy pain Rai's no

1894
02:06:25.640 --> 02:06:29.880
match for him, Santa admitted, I should have sent everyone.

1895
02:06:30.560 --> 02:06:32.920
Then we'd be burying a lot of dead elves for

1896
02:06:33.000 --> 02:06:37.119
New Year's Missus Claws said. Ray will win this fight

1897
02:06:37.199 --> 02:06:39.640
because he's just as much a symbol of Christmas as

1898
02:06:39.680 --> 02:06:44.119
you are. Santa raised a wooly brow. I don't think

1899
02:06:44.159 --> 02:06:47.960
we're talking about the same elf. How many wars have

1900
02:06:48.039 --> 02:06:51.880
you delivered presents through? How many communities have come together

1901
02:06:52.119 --> 02:06:56.359
in times of disaster, fed one another during famines, sang

1902
02:06:56.479 --> 02:07:01.520
carols through plagues. Christmas is not a holiday. It's not presents,

1903
02:07:02.239 --> 02:07:07.880
It's not even Santa Claus. It's an unyielding spirit, she said,

1904
02:07:08.199 --> 02:07:11.520
coiling the curls of his beard around her fingers. The

1905
02:07:11.600 --> 02:07:16.439
true meaning of Christmas is love. That's why it always

1906
02:07:16.560 --> 02:07:21.159
endures no matter what turmoil comes. Peppermint Ray is the

1907
02:07:21.159 --> 02:07:25.399
embodiment of the Christmas spirit. He's a sadistic munchkin that

1908
02:07:25.560 --> 02:07:30.720
enjoys killing. Santa huffed, you enjoy your work too. She

1909
02:07:30.880 --> 02:07:33.640
kissed his forehead, which is why you need to get

1910
02:07:33.680 --> 02:07:36.760
off your fat ass and get to it. Keep the

1911
02:07:36.760 --> 02:07:40.199
scales moving in our favor. Dear Ray will do his

1912
02:07:40.319 --> 02:07:45.199
job and tomorrow we'll drink our eggnog from candy Andy's skull.

1913
02:07:49.279 --> 02:07:53.520
Bruite Cake flew around the island a second time. Bonfires

1914
02:07:53.560 --> 02:07:58.560
burned high despite the battery of subzero winds. Inmates danced

1915
02:07:58.600 --> 02:08:02.680
and fired captured gun into the air and celebration. An

1916
02:08:02.720 --> 02:08:07.680
explosion illuminated scores of dead guards making bloody snow angels

1917
02:08:07.720 --> 02:08:11.880
in the yard. Ray could smell burnt flesh wafting up

1918
02:08:11.920 --> 02:08:15.800
on the smoke. He checked the magical compass, and the

1919
02:08:15.840 --> 02:08:20.760
needle pointed straight down. Looks like the little shits opened

1920
02:08:20.760 --> 02:08:25.359
their Christmas presents early, He groaned, you ready for Christmas dinner? Pal?

1921
02:08:26.159 --> 02:08:31.199
The reindeer rumbled excitedly. Good. It's colder than Prancer's pecker

1922
02:08:31.279 --> 02:08:33.279
up here, and I want all the feeling in my

1923
02:08:33.399 --> 02:08:38.960
fingers when I closed them around Andy's throat. Bruitcake snorted, shit,

1924
02:08:39.319 --> 02:08:43.560
you're right, we need tunes. Ray turned on the bluetooth

1925
02:08:43.600 --> 02:08:47.560
speaker hanging from Brutecake's saddle. He nodded his head. As

1926
02:08:47.560 --> 02:08:51.479
the bells tinkled and the music began, the reindeer let

1927
02:08:51.520 --> 02:08:56.359
out a long, hoarse call of agreement. That's right, Candy, Andy,

1928
02:08:57.000 --> 02:09:02.119
all I want for Christmas is you to die. The

1929
02:09:02.159 --> 02:09:06.479
reindeer changed course, speeding toward the island. Ray drew his

1930
02:09:06.520 --> 02:09:09.760
scimitar and shifted to the side to hack down one

1931
02:09:09.760 --> 02:09:13.479
of the escaped convicts. Bullets whizzed by his head. His

1932
02:09:13.600 --> 02:09:17.439
steed banked hard, nearly flinging Ray from the saddle. A

1933
02:09:17.439 --> 02:09:21.279
pair of teens cut loose with their festively painted assault rifles.

1934
02:09:21.800 --> 02:09:25.479
Brute Cake twisted, flying over them, upside down and then

1935
02:09:25.600 --> 02:09:29.680
biting one's head while Ray impaled the other. The skull

1936
02:09:29.840 --> 02:09:34.119
crunched loudly between the reindeer's teeth. In the chaos, Ray

1937
02:09:34.199 --> 02:09:38.039
almost missed the incoming call. He turned down the music

1938
02:09:38.079 --> 02:09:41.039
and answered the phone while Brute Cake flew into a

1939
02:09:41.079 --> 02:09:46.640
group of delinquents peppervent party line. He said, gleefully, Ray,

1940
02:09:47.199 --> 02:09:53.199
it's wait, is that gunfire? Missus Claws asked, Not everyone

1941
02:09:53.239 --> 02:09:56.039
plays with the same kinds of toys. A bullet tore

1942
02:09:56.159 --> 02:09:59.960
Ray's hat off. Can I call you back? No, you cannot,

1943
02:10:00.479 --> 02:10:03.680
missus Claws said, sternly. This is going to be really

1944
02:10:03.680 --> 02:10:06.119
hard for you, but you can't kill any of the

1945
02:10:06.199 --> 02:10:09.600
kids on that island. Ray tugged the reins to pull

1946
02:10:09.680 --> 02:10:12.319
Brute Cake up and away from the field of battle.

1947
02:10:12.800 --> 02:10:16.880
Two murder munchkins hung from his bloody antlers. Ray cleared

1948
02:10:16.880 --> 02:10:20.319
his throat. Uh, the service is really bad with this

1949
02:10:20.640 --> 02:10:24.279
storm and all, Ray said. I didn't hear you. You

1950
02:10:24.319 --> 02:10:29.119
said kill all the naughty kids, right, none of them? Ray? Oh,

1951
02:10:30.079 --> 02:10:34.439
so yeah, we can do that, Ray mind shooting himself

1952
02:10:34.479 --> 02:10:38.760
in the head. Why exactly are we not killing them?

1953
02:10:39.319 --> 02:10:43.560
The scales have tipped too far. Her voice sounded sullen

1954
02:10:43.600 --> 02:10:47.319
and distant. It wasn't the storm making Ray's knees shake.

1955
02:10:47.880 --> 02:10:50.840
If she was worried, then it really was the end

1956
02:10:50.840 --> 02:10:54.680
of Christmas. Brute Cake tilted his head to slide one

1957
02:10:54.680 --> 02:10:57.319
of the bodies closer so he could take a bite.

1958
02:10:58.079 --> 02:11:01.760
Ray rolled his eyes. What was done was done so

1959
02:11:01.920 --> 02:11:06.359
his faithful steed might as well enjoy the spoils. Okay,

1960
02:11:07.159 --> 02:11:13.479
no more killing, Ray reluctantly agreed. What's the plan? Give

1961
02:11:13.560 --> 02:11:18.199
them gifts? She told him, Restore the image of Santa,

1962
02:11:18.520 --> 02:11:23.119
remind them that Christmas is about love, and love is

1963
02:11:23.239 --> 02:11:26.960
second chances? Ray, How am I supposed to get past

1964
02:11:27.000 --> 02:11:32.119
them without killing them? Make them toys? Ray, I didn't

1965
02:11:32.159 --> 02:11:37.560
exactly pack for that sort of thing. I have no toys. Improvise.

1966
02:11:38.159 --> 02:11:40.800
You were a toy maker, long before you were a killer,

1967
02:11:41.199 --> 02:11:46.600
she reminded him, A terrible one, the worst, She agreed.

1968
02:11:47.279 --> 02:11:50.640
Naughty kids now get crappy toys, and thanks to you,

1969
02:11:51.239 --> 02:11:54.800
we have a warehouse full of those. Glad I could help,

1970
02:11:55.119 --> 02:11:59.760
Ray said, deadpanned. The other elves are mobilizing. What about

1971
02:11:59.800 --> 02:12:04.680
kill Andy pain? Silly Ray? Her voice perked up. Everyone

1972
02:12:04.800 --> 02:12:09.439
knows peppermint kills pain. Ray ended the call with a

1973
02:12:09.479 --> 02:12:13.359
pointed smile. He tugged the reins and directed Brute Cake

1974
02:12:13.880 --> 02:12:17.159
toward the roof of the prison. A mob of children

1975
02:12:17.239 --> 02:12:22.039
surrounded him with pilfered nightsticks, shanks, and torches. Ray hopped

1976
02:12:22.079 --> 02:12:24.960
down from his saddle. A bigger kid stepped out of

1977
02:12:25.000 --> 02:12:28.920
the group to meet him, wielding an axe adorned with mistletoe.

1978
02:12:29.680 --> 02:12:32.920
We didn't invite you to the Christmas party, the boy said,

1979
02:12:32.960 --> 02:12:36.680
in a pubescent squeak. Why don't you and Rudolph fuck off?

1980
02:12:38.399 --> 02:12:43.640
Are you afraid? Good? Weakly spooky? We'll be right.

1981
02:12:43.439 --> 02:12:56.119
Back Brutecake shook his head violently, flinging the corpses from

1982
02:12:56.119 --> 02:12:59.640
his antlers. He snorted and scraped his hoof through the snow.

1983
02:13:00.479 --> 02:13:04.359
Blood soaked his snout and bubbled in his nostrils. To

1984
02:13:04.439 --> 02:13:06.880
be fair, you do have a red nose right now,

1985
02:13:07.520 --> 02:13:11.600
Ray padded the animal's side. Look, Dallas, we're here on

1986
02:13:11.720 --> 02:13:15.840
important North Pole business. How'd you know my name? The

1987
02:13:15.880 --> 02:13:19.199
boy demanded. I read the naughty list like it's the

1988
02:13:19.239 --> 02:13:23.079
Sunday paper, Ray said, before you chopped up your family,

1989
02:13:23.399 --> 02:13:26.880
you made the list for smashing your sister's gerbil. The

1990
02:13:26.960 --> 02:13:31.159
crowd gasped. And I know you and you and you,

1991
02:13:32.000 --> 02:13:34.840
Ray said, as he turned and pointed at various children.

1992
02:13:35.399 --> 02:13:38.399
He wagged his finger at one of them, especially you.

1993
02:13:39.199 --> 02:13:43.960
That was some innovative work you did, kiddo. What what

1994
02:13:44.039 --> 02:13:48.960
do you want, Dallas asked, to give you presents. Ray

1995
02:13:49.000 --> 02:13:53.239
threw his hands into the air. Christmas is about second chances.

1996
02:13:53.680 --> 02:13:56.359
The fat man's had a change of heart. Go on

1997
02:13:56.520 --> 02:13:59.439
back to your cells before you catch a cold. Tomorrow

1998
02:14:00.159 --> 02:14:05.640
everyone gets gifts. I already got my present. Dallas hefted

1999
02:14:05.640 --> 02:14:09.960
the axe. I said, I wouldn't kill anyone else tonight,

2000
02:14:10.079 --> 02:14:13.159
so try to run really fast so that I don't

2001
02:14:13.199 --> 02:14:16.680
look like a lyar. Ray pulled the be dazzled grenade

2002
02:14:16.720 --> 02:14:21.720
from his pocket. Five second fuse, eight meter kill zone.

2003
02:14:21.760 --> 02:14:26.199
It's doable, but just barely. The elf jerked the pin

2004
02:14:26.359 --> 02:14:30.279
free and the children scattered. Ray ran for the edge,

2005
02:14:30.439 --> 02:14:33.640
knowing his stumpy legs would never get him clear in time.

2006
02:14:34.399 --> 02:14:37.520
He jumped over the side, casting his grappling hook for

2007
02:14:37.560 --> 02:14:41.479
the drain pipe as the device exploded behind him. He

2008
02:14:41.560 --> 02:14:45.119
planned on crashing through the window like John mcclan, only

2009
02:14:45.279 --> 02:14:49.680
Knakotomi Plaza didn't have bars over the windows. Ray struck

2010
02:14:49.720 --> 02:14:52.800
the iron grid and bounced off, twisting on the rope

2011
02:14:52.840 --> 02:14:56.319
like the world's ugliest ornament. He hit it again but

2012
02:14:56.479 --> 02:15:00.199
caught hold. Ray pulled his dagger and used it to

2013
02:15:00.239 --> 02:15:04.239
unscrew the grate. He kicked out the glass and shimmered inside.

2014
02:15:05.720 --> 02:15:10.039
Fuck me with a nutcracker, he groaned, whatever gets your

2015
02:15:10.079 --> 02:15:13.119
rocks off, the woman said, before grabbing Ray by the

2016
02:15:13.199 --> 02:15:17.479
throat and slinging him into a graffitied wall. Ray's tiny

2017
02:15:17.520 --> 02:15:21.199
form shattered the sheet rock. A female guard towered over him.

2018
02:15:21.319 --> 02:15:25.640
Her cutoff trousers revealed thick muscular thighs each one as

2019
02:15:25.640 --> 02:15:29.760
big around as Ray himself. Scalps dangled from her pistol

2020
02:15:29.760 --> 02:15:33.479
belt that hung below a hardened eight pack of abdominal muscles.

2021
02:15:34.159 --> 02:15:37.439
Ray's eyes widened when he saw she was topless and

2022
02:15:37.520 --> 02:15:41.479
pinned her badge threw her left nipple. She patted a

2023
02:15:41.560 --> 02:15:45.319
nightstick against her palm. Growls and barks came from one

2024
02:15:45.319 --> 02:15:48.000
of the cells. Two of the guards came out, wearing

2025
02:15:48.039 --> 02:15:52.399
nothing but dog ears and tails. This is the pro

2026
02:15:52.560 --> 02:15:56.640
bowl of fucking psychopaths, he said, struggling to his feet.

2027
02:15:57.319 --> 02:16:02.239
I'm Commander Thatcher. The woman's voice boomed long before Mindy

2028
02:16:02.319 --> 02:16:06.119
the Thrasher Thatcher had taken over Kreager Island. She'd been

2029
02:16:06.159 --> 02:16:10.720
a women's wrestling champion and longtime resident of the Naughty List.

2030
02:16:11.279 --> 02:16:14.479
It was no wonder Candy Pain had picked Killy Island

2031
02:16:14.760 --> 02:16:19.000
to deliver his coup de gras to Christmas sicken boys.

2032
02:16:19.840 --> 02:16:23.159
The two guards snarled and scurried at Ray on all fours.

2033
02:16:23.760 --> 02:16:27.079
The elf juked around one, letting them crash together with

2034
02:16:27.119 --> 02:16:30.720
a yip. He ran down the hall, hurtling, gnawed bodies,

2035
02:16:31.159 --> 02:16:34.079
and slid to a stop as another guard dog crawled

2036
02:16:34.120 --> 02:16:37.879
out to block his path. Only this time it was

2037
02:16:37.920 --> 02:16:42.120
an actual dog. The terrier, wearing a mask of leather straps,

2038
02:16:42.520 --> 02:16:47.799
dragged a length of intestines behind him. You're breaking the law, convict,

2039
02:16:48.319 --> 02:16:52.399
Thatcher shouted, my law. Now get your scrawny ass back

2040
02:16:52.440 --> 02:16:56.879
in your cell. Convict Ray tugged at his pointy ears,

2041
02:16:57.360 --> 02:17:02.440
You dumbass. I'm an elf. The growled gimp doesn't give

2042
02:17:02.440 --> 02:17:05.719
a shit what gang you're in. Neither do I. Thatcher

2043
02:17:05.760 --> 02:17:09.719
tapped the baton with each step closer. Bad children spend

2044
02:17:09.719 --> 02:17:13.959
the night with the dogs. The human pupps stalked alongside

2045
02:17:14.000 --> 02:17:18.159
their mistress. They gnashed their bloody teeth, slinging pink saliva

2046
02:17:18.280 --> 02:17:22.479
with each bark. This cell block belonged to Lucifer Lloyd.

2047
02:17:23.120 --> 02:17:26.440
Thatcher tugged at a scalp on her belt. So did

2048
02:17:26.479 --> 02:17:30.559
this he thought he was the devil. Think you'll scream

2049
02:17:30.600 --> 02:17:33.520
as much as the devil when I peel your skull. Elf,

2050
02:17:34.440 --> 02:17:37.399
keep talking and I'll do it myself. Ray cupped a

2051
02:17:37.479 --> 02:17:41.200
hand to his ear. Hear that is it time to

2052
02:17:41.200 --> 02:17:46.959
make the cookies. That is just a hurtful stereotype. Ray barked.

2053
02:17:47.520 --> 02:17:51.239
You haven't seen how hurtful I can be yet, Thatcher laughed.

2054
02:17:51.959 --> 02:17:54.079
I was going to give you a witty one liner,

2055
02:17:54.479 --> 02:17:57.559
Ray said, better make it a singer, because it'll be

2056
02:17:57.639 --> 02:18:01.360
your last words. Thatcher drew the bowie knife from her belt.

2057
02:18:01.760 --> 02:18:05.680
Ray backed away from her. She clanked the weapons together rhythmically.

2058
02:18:06.319 --> 02:18:10.520
The human animals howled for elf meat. Ray continued back

2059
02:18:10.559 --> 02:18:13.440
pedaling until he felt the wet nose of the terrier

2060
02:18:13.520 --> 02:18:17.440
touch his hand. The dog let out a deep, throaty

2061
02:18:17.520 --> 02:18:23.000
growl and licked his fingers. Don't you know, Ray said,

2062
02:18:23.000 --> 02:18:27.000
with a giggle. Elves are one with nature, even psycho

2063
02:18:27.040 --> 02:18:30.680
mutch like this. One. Gimp nuzzled its head under his arm,

2064
02:18:31.000 --> 02:18:34.440
and Ray gave him pets. Thatcher stopped in her tracks.

2065
02:18:34.920 --> 02:18:36.959
I bet I know what a good puppy like you

2066
02:18:37.079 --> 02:18:43.079
wants for Christmas, Ray chirped, happily chew toys. The terrier

2067
02:18:43.159 --> 02:18:47.120
bolted down the corridor, launching itself at the wannabees. The

2068
02:18:47.200 --> 02:18:50.639
second pounced on him, biting into the dog's shoulder. Gimp

2069
02:18:50.680 --> 02:18:54.079
didn't even make a yip before swinging around and tearing

2070
02:18:54.120 --> 02:18:58.040
out the man's throat. Thatcher stumbled backwards, slipping in the

2071
02:18:58.159 --> 02:19:02.280
arterial spray. A dog in the remaining guard locked up

2072
02:19:02.920 --> 02:19:06.719
gimp latched onto the man's crotch, drawing a high pitch wail,

2073
02:19:07.520 --> 02:19:12.520
Good boy, you found his squeaker. Ray slouched, Shit, I

2074
02:19:12.600 --> 02:19:16.520
feel like Michael Vick watching this. Thatcher scrambled down the

2075
02:19:16.559 --> 02:19:19.799
hallway with the dog on her heels. Ray whistled as

2076
02:19:19.799 --> 02:19:22.639
he skipped away from the carnage to find the stairwell.

2077
02:19:23.159 --> 02:19:26.719
He crept down stealthily, stopping to listen at the door.

2078
02:19:27.479 --> 02:19:30.799
He could hear a ruckus beyond, and decided to try

2079
02:19:30.840 --> 02:19:35.200
another floor. Ray could rewrite the naughtylist from memory. He

2080
02:19:35.319 --> 02:19:38.920
knew who else howlsed on kill you Island. Some of

2081
02:19:38.959 --> 02:19:41.239
them wouldn't make it easy to keep his word to

2082
02:19:41.280 --> 02:19:45.479
missus claws. On the third floor, Ray paused to listen.

2083
02:19:46.159 --> 02:19:50.239
His ears twitched at the melodic giggling. Normal people do

2084
02:19:50.319 --> 02:19:53.120
not giggle in the middle of a prison riot. He

2085
02:19:53.200 --> 02:19:56.799
didn't need heightened sentences to hear the screams that came next.

2086
02:19:57.479 --> 02:20:01.159
The naughtiest inmate on the island was up in the basement.

2087
02:20:01.879 --> 02:20:05.000
Ray knew that's where pain would be going if he

2088
02:20:05.159 --> 02:20:09.520
wasn't there already. Unfortunately, that meant crossing the east wing

2089
02:20:09.600 --> 02:20:13.280
of the facility. He knelt suddenly putting his palm to

2090
02:20:13.360 --> 02:20:17.360
the floor. Toy makers had to have an amazing sense

2091
02:20:17.399 --> 02:20:21.159
of touch. It helped with stalking naughty children as well.

2092
02:20:22.000 --> 02:20:26.040
Someone was coming up the stairs. His wide nostrils flared,

2093
02:20:26.120 --> 02:20:30.840
taking in the scent chemicals clung to his nosehairs. He

2094
02:20:30.959 --> 02:20:34.319
had a pretty good idea who it was and exactly

2095
02:20:34.360 --> 02:20:39.159
what the kid had asked for this Christmas. Ray was

2096
02:20:39.239 --> 02:20:42.360
out of options. He slid through the door, closing it

2097
02:20:42.479 --> 02:20:46.559
gently behind him. The five girls didn't notice him as

2098
02:20:46.559 --> 02:20:48.879
they played ring around the rosy with one of their

2099
02:20:48.879 --> 02:20:53.840
dismembered but not dead cellmates. The arms and legs still

2100
02:20:53.879 --> 02:20:58.479
twitched and danced next to the wriggling torso. Ray slumped,

2101
02:20:59.440 --> 02:21:04.000
Bridget and Patty Booth led the sing song chant all

2102
02:21:04.120 --> 02:21:07.719
together in a circle, we sing the name of the

2103
02:21:07.719 --> 02:21:13.319
most wicked thing, mister Jolly, the Smiling King, except the

2104
02:21:13.360 --> 02:21:19.200
sacrifice that we bring, mister Jolly, the Smiling King, master

2105
02:21:19.360 --> 02:21:22.799
of all that bite and staying for you, we kill

2106
02:21:23.079 --> 02:21:27.680
and dance, and saying enough, Ray whistled and clapped his hands.

2107
02:21:28.280 --> 02:21:30.760
The girls quit dancing, and the circle broke into a

2108
02:21:30.840 --> 02:21:34.559
human chain that blocked the hall. They stared at the

2109
02:21:34.600 --> 02:21:39.120
elf quizzically, this looks like a really fun slumber party.

2110
02:21:39.559 --> 02:21:43.360
Ray pointed at the sacrifice. Well maybe not for her,

2111
02:21:43.520 --> 02:21:46.319
but you need to get to bed now. Santa is

2112
02:21:46.319 --> 02:21:49.879
bringing everyone presence, but only if you're sound asleep when

2113
02:21:49.879 --> 02:21:54.440
he gets here. Fuck Santa, Pat squeaked. We don't need

2114
02:21:54.479 --> 02:21:58.239
that judgmental bastard. Yeah, like, I've got two of those

2115
02:21:58.319 --> 02:22:02.959
at home. Bridget added, they're called parents. We have the

2116
02:22:03.000 --> 02:22:07.879
Smiling King. The other girls said in unison. Oh yeah,

2117
02:22:07.959 --> 02:22:12.719
that was creepy. Ray patted the air. Hate to tell you,

2118
02:22:12.760 --> 02:22:16.920
but your creepy pasta is a little undercooked. There is

2119
02:22:17.000 --> 02:22:20.639
no mister Jolly is coming, the dismembered girl said, with

2120
02:22:20.680 --> 02:22:24.920
a mouthful of blood. It worked, Hail the Smiling King.

2121
02:22:25.719 --> 02:22:29.319
The lights flickered in the hallway. You've got to be

2122
02:22:29.440 --> 02:22:34.399
fucking kidding me. Ray drew his scimitar. It's a stupid

2123
02:22:34.559 --> 02:22:40.280
internet story. What's Santa, Bridget asked. If you believe in something,

2124
02:22:40.600 --> 02:22:46.079
really believe it's real. Santa is real, Elves are real,

2125
02:22:47.239 --> 02:22:51.920
Mister Jolly is real. This is what we really want

2126
02:22:51.959 --> 02:22:58.799
for Christmas. Pat said, mister Jolly the Smiling King a

2127
02:22:58.840 --> 02:23:02.799
deep voice sag inside a cell. The name of the

2128
02:23:02.879 --> 02:23:08.799
most wicked thing. The lights went out completely. The inhuman

2129
02:23:08.959 --> 02:23:13.319
voice laughed. Ray's eyes adjusted quickly, and he saw the

2130
02:23:13.319 --> 02:23:18.319
girls jumping about giddaly. Spindly fingers gripped the bars of

2131
02:23:18.360 --> 02:23:22.600
the cell. Spiders scurried from his sleeves and over the

2132
02:23:22.680 --> 02:23:28.479
claw like digits. Ray heard muffled buzzing. The entity still

2133
02:23:28.600 --> 02:23:32.639
hiding in the abyss wretched, and the swarm of wasps

2134
02:23:32.680 --> 02:23:36.719
billowed out into the corridor. Ray bolted for the door.

2135
02:23:37.520 --> 02:23:42.920
He cranked on the handle. It wouldn't budge. A widow

2136
02:23:43.000 --> 02:23:46.639
twisted gracefully on a strand of silk until it rested

2137
02:23:46.680 --> 02:23:50.639
on his nose. Ray flicked it away and followed the

2138
02:23:50.680 --> 02:23:54.879
string up to a shiny cufflin. A live, deathly hand

2139
02:23:55.000 --> 02:23:59.479
held the door at the top. Ray turned slowly and

2140
02:23:59.559 --> 02:24:02.639
looked up but the demonic thing the children had summoned.

2141
02:24:03.319 --> 02:24:06.639
It glared down at him with bulging eyes ringed with

2142
02:24:06.760 --> 02:24:11.559
ragged flesh where lids had been cut away. Its gaunt

2143
02:24:11.639 --> 02:24:15.840
face hung open and an oversized smile held together with

2144
02:24:16.040 --> 02:24:23.719
rawhide stitching. The king is holding court, it hissed, without

2145
02:24:23.799 --> 02:24:29.000
moving its mouth. Sorry, Pally, but I like my creepypastas

2146
02:24:29.040 --> 02:24:33.920
with extra red sauce. Ray swung the Tomatian's sword across

2147
02:24:33.959 --> 02:24:38.280
the creature's torso, slicing a wide gash that erupted with insects.

2148
02:24:38.559 --> 02:24:42.079
They spilled over peppermint Ray, biting and stinging his flesh.

2149
02:24:42.479 --> 02:24:45.239
He dived between the monster's legs and rolled across the

2150
02:24:45.280 --> 02:24:48.799
floor to squish as many as he could. The lights

2151
02:24:50.040 --> 02:24:57.280
flicked back on. Mister Jolly was gone. Ray looked around.

2152
02:24:58.079 --> 02:25:01.719
The child coultists were slumped on the floor, covered in

2153
02:25:01.840 --> 02:25:07.319
masses of swollen welts, and all wearing impossibly wide smiles.

2154
02:25:08.239 --> 02:25:11.840
Ray touched a raised knot on his cheek and gingerly

2155
02:25:11.879 --> 02:25:16.680
plucked the stinger from the center. I don't care if

2156
02:25:16.719 --> 02:25:19.040
I did just see you. I don't believe in you,

2157
02:25:19.440 --> 02:25:24.520
he shouted. So there, you can't hurt me. The lights

2158
02:25:24.520 --> 02:25:28.159
flickered and Ray screamed. The door opened at the opposite

2159
02:25:28.200 --> 02:25:32.760
end of the hall. Mister Jolly's laughter echoed from the

2160
02:25:32.799 --> 02:25:38.680
other side. Fucking crazy dominatrix, bitch people acting like dogs

2161
02:25:38.680 --> 02:25:44.600
and lunatics everywhere. Now a supernatural monster. This is worse

2162
02:25:44.680 --> 02:25:48.520
than Christmas with Crampus. Ray threw his hands into the air.

2163
02:25:49.360 --> 02:25:54.959
What's next? The door banged open behind him, chest nuts

2164
02:25:55.159 --> 02:26:01.559
roasting on an open fire. The little boy sang. Ray

2165
02:26:01.639 --> 02:26:04.159
dropped to the ground as the jet of napalm blazed

2166
02:26:04.200 --> 02:26:07.440
over him. He turned over and watched Milo the Pyro

2167
02:26:07.840 --> 02:26:11.879
blast the nearest cell with his flamethrower. Doesn't anyone in

2168
02:26:11.959 --> 02:26:16.239
this fucking place just want a Teddy rucksban, Ray kipped

2169
02:26:16.319 --> 02:26:21.040
up to his feet. Listen, Milo, you're a pretty good kid.

2170
02:26:21.120 --> 02:26:24.479
I mean, who hasn't burned down a house or seven? Right?

2171
02:26:25.440 --> 02:26:29.120
Do you know who I am? Yeah? You make those

2172
02:26:29.200 --> 02:26:35.040
awesome cookies with fudge. Milo smiled. I like those, No

2173
02:26:35.399 --> 02:26:39.079
I do not. Ray saw the boy's eyes fill with hate.

2174
02:26:40.200 --> 02:26:43.680
Do not just make the fudge ones? I make them all.

2175
02:26:44.639 --> 02:26:50.040
I'm the head cookie chef that sounds made up? Milo said,

2176
02:26:50.920 --> 02:26:54.799
Look at these shoes, Milo, Ray wiggled his foot. Look

2177
02:26:54.840 --> 02:26:57.879
at these pointy fucking ears. Do I look like a

2178
02:26:57.959 --> 02:27:03.000
garden gnome? No? I look like an elf. Elves don't

2179
02:27:03.040 --> 02:27:06.079
lie about serious shit, and there is no shit more

2180
02:27:06.159 --> 02:27:11.680
serious than cookies to an elf. Cool, Milo jabbed the

2181
02:27:11.719 --> 02:27:15.639
flamethrower towards him. I'm going to burn this place down now.

2182
02:27:16.360 --> 02:27:19.920
Can't deliver cookies to a pile of ash. Ray shrugged,

2183
02:27:20.280 --> 02:27:23.440
health code and all that. I just signed a deal

2184
02:27:23.479 --> 02:27:27.559
with Santa. The naughty nice thing is over. Naughty kids

2185
02:27:27.559 --> 02:27:30.000
are getting presents now, and he knows how much you

2186
02:27:30.159 --> 02:27:36.799
love my cookies. Then why be nice? Milo torched another cell,

2187
02:27:37.959 --> 02:27:42.079
because there's better presence for the nice kids. Ray waved

2188
02:27:42.079 --> 02:27:46.200
his hand. They're still working out the details, but point is,

2189
02:27:46.760 --> 02:27:52.040
you get cookies on Christmas morning if you stop setting fires.

2190
02:27:52.719 --> 02:27:56.959
The striped ones too, he asked. Ray looked over his

2191
02:27:57.000 --> 02:28:00.840
shoulder at the open door. A spider crawled along the jam,

2192
02:28:01.520 --> 02:28:06.719
and somewhere down the stairs he heard jolly snickering. He

2193
02:28:06.799 --> 02:28:10.840
turned back to Milo and smiled. Let me borrow that

2194
02:28:10.920 --> 02:28:15.159
flamethrower and I'll throw in cookies so special that only

2195
02:28:15.319 --> 02:28:19.319
elves have ever tasted them.

2196
02:28:19.399 --> 02:28:23.799
There's more scares where that came from. Weakly spooky will

2197
02:28:23.840 --> 02:28:24.680
be right back.

2198
02:28:31.520 --> 02:28:35.040
Ray watched the jellied petroleum burn on the cinder block

2199
02:28:35.120 --> 02:28:39.079
wall with a amused grin. He blasted the flame thrower

2200
02:28:39.159 --> 02:28:42.040
down each set of stairs to clear the path until

2201
02:28:42.040 --> 02:28:46.719
he finally arrived in the basement. A rusted gate stood

2202
02:28:46.719 --> 02:28:51.319
ajar next to an unmanned security desk, bare bulbs flickered,

2203
02:28:51.600 --> 02:28:55.799
casting shadow puppets on the walls. The heavy steel doors

2204
02:28:55.840 --> 02:29:01.120
of solitary confinement cells were open. Ells drifted down the

2205
02:29:01.120 --> 02:29:06.879
corridor that made Ray's stomach growl. Someone was cooking burgers.

2206
02:29:07.440 --> 02:29:12.040
His face paled. They didn't cook burgers in prison basements.

2207
02:29:12.760 --> 02:29:15.760
It had to be a Christmas request, and if anyone

2208
02:29:15.799 --> 02:29:19.920
in the hole was requesting delicious all meat patties, it

2209
02:29:20.040 --> 02:29:24.000
had to be Robbie Mocker. Vomit hit the back of

2210
02:29:24.120 --> 02:29:28.079
Ray's teeth, but he choked it back down. Each cell

2211
02:29:28.159 --> 02:29:32.040
he passed was empty. The aroma grew stronger, and despite

2212
02:29:32.079 --> 02:29:36.760
knowing that or who was in those paddies, Ray had

2213
02:29:36.760 --> 02:29:40.760
to admit that the smell was exquisite. He rounded the corner,

2214
02:29:40.879 --> 02:29:45.319
his finger tense against the trigger sugar plum. Gary shoved

2215
02:29:45.360 --> 02:29:48.000
an arm into the meat grinder and hopped off the

2216
02:29:48.040 --> 02:29:51.920
step ladder to work the crank. Ray watched the arm

2217
02:29:52.040 --> 02:29:56.079
descend into the machine. The process made the hand wave

2218
02:29:56.120 --> 02:29:58.760
at him as it disappeared and came out the other

2219
02:29:58.920 --> 02:30:02.639
end in ropey pink strands that dropped into a bowl.

2220
02:30:03.239 --> 02:30:06.239
Gary pinched two balls of the meat and smashed them

2221
02:30:06.239 --> 02:30:09.600
onto an electric griddle. He slapped cheese on a pair

2222
02:30:09.680 --> 02:30:14.239
that were already cooking. The toaster popped noisily, almost causing

2223
02:30:14.319 --> 02:30:19.079
Ray to torch the makeshift kitchen prematurely. Gary, who sucked

2224
02:30:19.079 --> 02:30:23.879
at everything, was a short order savant. Hurry up out there,

2225
02:30:24.239 --> 02:30:26.760
Candy pain barked from the last cell on the left.

2226
02:30:27.200 --> 02:30:33.159
He's still hungry. Order up, Gary declared, happily. Then bring

2227
02:30:33.200 --> 02:30:35.159
it here, Gary, It's not a present if you don't

2228
02:30:35.159 --> 02:30:39.760
deliver it. Ray whistled. Gary turned and dropped the burger.

2229
02:30:40.440 --> 02:30:43.399
The lights went out, and Ray pulled the trigger, filling

2230
02:30:43.440 --> 02:30:48.200
the hallway with fire and smell of burning gingerbread. Gary's

2231
02:30:48.200 --> 02:30:52.239
immolated body bounced off the walls before collapsing next to

2232
02:30:52.280 --> 02:30:56.799
the table. Through the flickering flames, Ray saw the unnatural

2233
02:30:56.840 --> 02:31:01.200
smile hiding in the dark. Mister Jolly unfolded himself from

2234
02:31:01.239 --> 02:31:04.680
the tight space, his legs stepping over his torso like

2235
02:31:04.719 --> 02:31:09.719
a spider. Before he stood upright, wasps crawled along his lips.

2236
02:31:10.479 --> 02:31:14.920
Ray raised the flamethrower. I brought my bug spray this time, Pally,

2237
02:31:15.399 --> 02:31:18.719
you ever been burned alive? I have? It sucks and

2238
02:31:18.799 --> 02:31:20.959
as much as it would jingle my bells to find

2239
02:31:21.000 --> 02:31:25.959
out how flammable you are. I got some more pressing issues.

2240
02:31:27.399 --> 02:31:31.600
Don't you want to smile? Ray the King asked, you

2241
02:31:31.680 --> 02:31:36.319
could smile forever. I will be after I kill you.

2242
02:31:36.559 --> 02:31:39.559
But let's stick a pin in that just for now.

2243
02:31:40.479 --> 02:31:45.440
When you want to play, just sing, mister Jolly. Sank

2244
02:31:45.920 --> 02:31:51.319
into the shadows, sing for the King, the most wicked thing.

2245
02:31:52.799 --> 02:31:56.159
Ray let the flamethrower fall to the floor and stepped

2246
02:31:56.159 --> 02:32:00.280
into the doorway of the kinder cannibal cell. The East

2247
02:32:00.399 --> 02:32:03.239
Child used his fingers to force the last bite of

2248
02:32:03.280 --> 02:32:08.559
burger into his over stuffed mouth. Is that enough? Candy

2249
02:32:08.639 --> 02:32:11.920
Paine asked? Are you satisfied? Now? Have I granted you

2250
02:32:11.959 --> 02:32:16.040
the buffet you most wanted for Christmas? Robbie shook his

2251
02:32:16.120 --> 02:32:20.040
head and his cheeks kept moving afterwards. He was in

2252
02:32:20.120 --> 02:32:23.680
kindergarten when he realized he liked the taste of people.

2253
02:32:24.760 --> 02:32:28.159
Then one day in third grade, he decided to turn

2254
02:32:28.200 --> 02:32:32.200
his class into a goddamn Denny's. At his trial, he said,

2255
02:32:32.239 --> 02:32:36.120
people whose names end in vowel sounds taste better. Ray

2256
02:32:36.200 --> 02:32:38.639
knocked on the door as he entered the tiny room.

2257
02:32:39.559 --> 02:32:45.159
You'll never get away with this, Ray snickered, Get it, Yule, Yeah,

2258
02:32:45.239 --> 02:32:48.040
you never did have a sense of humor. I knew

2259
02:32:48.079 --> 02:32:51.879
he'd send you candy. Pain said, if I give the

2260
02:32:51.959 --> 02:32:55.440
naughtiest kids the presence they want the most, then this

2261
02:32:55.600 --> 02:33:00.840
whole system burns. Without Santa, humans will destroy themselves through

2262
02:33:00.840 --> 02:33:05.680
their own avarice. Ray tapped his ear. Do you hear

2263
02:33:05.760 --> 02:33:12.360
that the sleigh bells? Pain scoffed. I know your corny

2264
02:33:12.440 --> 02:33:16.040
lines as well as I know your tactics. I got

2265
02:33:16.040 --> 02:33:19.399
some mistletoe hanging off my belt. How about you kiss

2266
02:33:19.479 --> 02:33:24.360
me under it? Ray pointed at the ceiling. The storm's over, dipshit.

2267
02:33:24.879 --> 02:33:29.040
Santa's giving naughty kids presents too. Because you're right, humans

2268
02:33:29.079 --> 02:33:34.000
are greedy, and you you're jealous of that. Candy Pain

2269
02:33:34.159 --> 02:33:37.200
rose from the bunk. His hand moved to his dagger.

2270
02:33:37.799 --> 02:33:41.159
When you put love into things instead of people, it

2271
02:33:41.239 --> 02:33:45.600
becomes greed. Christmas has shown us that, but it's shown

2272
02:33:45.680 --> 02:33:49.360
us what they can do when they love each other too.

2273
02:33:49.639 --> 02:33:53.479
Ray drew his knife. For all we've got going for us,

2274
02:33:54.399 --> 02:33:59.280
elves can't love. You're wrong, because I'm going to love

2275
02:33:59.440 --> 02:34:04.159
gutting you. You Ray, Ray, Robbie muttered in a spew

2276
02:34:04.239 --> 02:34:08.920
of crumbs, a sound the cannibal scurried through the discarded

2277
02:34:08.959 --> 02:34:12.600
leftovers and clamped his teeth into Ray's leg. He chewed

2278
02:34:12.600 --> 02:34:15.000
the muscle until he gnawed deep enough for a good

2279
02:34:15.200 --> 02:34:17.959
solid bite, and jerked his head back with a hunk

2280
02:34:18.000 --> 02:34:23.000
of elf meat oozing between his lips. Yummy, Robbie said

2281
02:34:23.000 --> 02:34:27.200
as he chewed. I want more. I want elf burgers

2282
02:34:27.239 --> 02:34:30.840
for Christmas. Ray limped out of the room. He tried

2283
02:34:30.879 --> 02:34:33.639
to think of a plan that didn't involve stabbing the

2284
02:34:33.760 --> 02:34:37.520
kid in the face, but it was the most appealing option.

2285
02:34:38.360 --> 02:34:42.280
Gingerbread wafted to his schnauz. Ray looked at the knife

2286
02:34:42.319 --> 02:34:46.040
in his hand. In his very long life, he'd never

2287
02:34:46.120 --> 02:34:50.639
known missus claws to be wrong about anything. He hobbled

2288
02:34:50.639 --> 02:34:54.680
to Gary's burnt corpse and collapsed next to it. He

2289
02:34:54.760 --> 02:34:58.159
cut away a slab of blackened muscle and tossed it

2290
02:34:58.200 --> 02:35:01.920
onto a single paper plate. Ray held the plate up

2291
02:35:01.959 --> 02:35:06.680
as the kinder cannibal sprang on him once more. Merry Christmas,

2292
02:35:07.239 --> 02:35:12.000
he squeaked. Robbie snatched the plate from him and sniffed it.

2293
02:35:13.159 --> 02:35:19.159
I want burgers. That is better than burgers. Ray said that, well,

2294
02:35:19.920 --> 02:35:25.440
that's a Gary meal. Gary. Robbie accented the vowel sound

2295
02:35:25.479 --> 02:35:30.559
and took a bite. Gary meal is yummy too, seasoned

2296
02:35:30.600 --> 02:35:34.600
with my secret blend of herbs and napalm. Ray snapped

2297
02:35:34.639 --> 02:35:37.079
off one of Gary's ribs and got to his feet.

2298
02:35:37.440 --> 02:35:40.920
Every Gary Meal comes with a prize too. Ray worked

2299
02:35:40.959 --> 02:35:43.840
at the bone with his dagger, putting his Elvin toy

2300
02:35:43.879 --> 02:35:46.920
making abilities to task. As he quickly whittled it into

2301
02:35:46.920 --> 02:35:51.000
a figure. He stretched to hand it to Robbie. All

2302
02:35:51.120 --> 02:35:54.879
kids deserve toys for Christmas, and that is special because

2303
02:35:55.280 --> 02:35:59.559
it's just for you. It's a limited edition. What is it,

2304
02:36:00.079 --> 02:36:05.559
Robbie asked. It's a superhero. Looks like a fish. That's

2305
02:36:05.600 --> 02:36:09.959
because it's Aquaman. Ray rolled his eyes. Look pally. Last

2306
02:36:10.040 --> 02:36:12.479
year I would have just killed you. So shitty action

2307
02:36:12.600 --> 02:36:15.440
figures are a step up. Now, how about you go

2308
02:36:15.559 --> 02:36:17.879
back to your room and I'll make you another Gary Meal.

2309
02:36:18.559 --> 02:36:22.760
You're fucking dead. Candy Pain charged down the hall, springing

2310
02:36:22.799 --> 02:36:25.479
off Robbie's back and launching himself into the air with

2311
02:36:25.600 --> 02:36:29.040
his dagger cocked back. The light glinted on the serrated

2312
02:36:29.079 --> 02:36:33.280
teeth of the blade. Ray jumped back, narrowly dodging the attack.

2313
02:36:33.799 --> 02:36:37.159
Pain slashed for Ray's throat, a spray of indigo blood

2314
02:36:37.280 --> 02:36:41.559
drenched both elves faces. Ray twisted his dagger and pulled

2315
02:36:41.559 --> 02:36:44.879
it free. Guess you don't know my tactics that well,

2316
02:36:44.920 --> 02:36:51.440
after all, Candy Andy. Ray let the elf fall. Robbie

2317
02:36:51.479 --> 02:36:56.719
crawled to him. Candy Andy, He accented the final sound

2318
02:36:56.760 --> 02:37:02.079
of each word, double yum. Andy's gurgling screams echoed down

2319
02:37:02.120 --> 02:37:05.200
the halls as the kinder cannibal dragged the elf to

2320
02:37:05.280 --> 02:37:09.200
his cell for a late night snack. Ray listened to

2321
02:37:09.280 --> 02:37:12.840
the begging until it was replaced with noisy chewing. He

2322
02:37:12.959 --> 02:37:19.000
pursed his lips and nodded, Merry Christmas, Pally. Ray limped

2323
02:37:19.040 --> 02:37:23.079
around a pool of shadow and locked the cell and

2324
02:37:23.200 --> 02:37:38.639
to all a good night inner. Rage by Rob Fields,

2325
02:37:39.760 --> 02:37:45.600
chapter one. Christmas Eve is here again, only this year

2326
02:37:46.520 --> 02:37:49.879
and the many others that follow I'll be spending it

2327
02:37:49.920 --> 02:37:54.280
at glen View Correctional Facility, which is located just a

2328
02:37:54.360 --> 02:37:59.000
short drive from North Ridgeway. This place has been my

2329
02:37:59.120 --> 02:38:03.079
home ever since I turned myself in shortly after bringing

2330
02:38:03.120 --> 02:38:08.239
down the Queen of Heart's serial killer. You see, I

2331
02:38:08.479 --> 02:38:13.319
was also a serial killer known as the Angel of Death.

2332
02:38:14.959 --> 02:38:17.920
Keep in mind I never referred to myself as that

2333
02:38:18.040 --> 02:38:22.000
it was simply what the media called me, mainly because

2334
02:38:22.040 --> 02:38:26.799
I only killed people who I believe deserved to die,

2335
02:38:27.760 --> 02:38:33.520
like high profile criminals and other serial killers. I might

2336
02:38:33.639 --> 02:38:36.760
still be a serial killer today if I hadn't met

2337
02:38:37.040 --> 02:38:42.840
Detective Drake Kasmarak. Drake seemingly came to Strickfield, where I

2338
02:38:42.920 --> 02:38:46.280
was attending university at the time, to fill a detective

2339
02:38:46.280 --> 02:38:50.000
opening that his uncle had in the police department. In truth,

2340
02:38:50.600 --> 02:38:55.760
Drake was in Strickfield to find and capture me. Drake

2341
02:38:55.840 --> 02:38:58.639
had done much homework and determined I was in that

2342
02:38:58.879 --> 02:39:02.840
very village. Shortly after he arrived at the station, I

2343
02:39:02.920 --> 02:39:06.319
showed up at the request of Chief Jeffrey Casmarack. I

2344
02:39:06.399 --> 02:39:10.920
was a police intern and a sign to Drake. I

2345
02:39:10.959 --> 02:39:13.360
believe it was right then and there that Drake fell

2346
02:39:13.399 --> 02:39:17.319
madly in love with me. At the time, I couldn't

2347
02:39:17.319 --> 02:39:20.879
feel emotions, but I knew there was an ulterior motive

2348
02:39:21.399 --> 02:39:25.520
for his being in Strickfield. As Drake mentored me during

2349
02:39:25.600 --> 02:39:29.120
my off campus hours, I decided to take my mentor

2350
02:39:29.680 --> 02:39:32.920
as my new mate and applied myself to being his

2351
02:39:33.120 --> 02:39:37.280
perfect girl friend. Little did he realize that the serial

2352
02:39:37.360 --> 02:39:40.719
killer he was looking for was right under his nose

2353
02:39:41.520 --> 02:39:46.120
and in his bed. Why was Drake determined to capture me?

2354
02:39:47.120 --> 02:39:50.200
Years ago, during my time in high school, I had

2355
02:39:50.319 --> 02:39:54.120
killed a former North Ridgeway High teacher named Annie Judge.

2356
02:39:54.760 --> 02:39:59.799
She was prostituting herself and selling drugs to my fellow students,

2357
02:40:00.280 --> 02:40:04.479
even underaged kids. When a girl turned up missing and

2358
02:40:04.520 --> 02:40:08.760
I discovered she was dead, I trapped Annie Judge and

2359
02:40:08.959 --> 02:40:13.520
ended her. Little did I realize that this particular kill

2360
02:40:13.520 --> 02:40:17.319
would come back to haunt me in the form of Drake,

2361
02:40:17.959 --> 02:40:22.760
who was Annie's former lover. Maybe Drake wanted to fall

2362
02:40:22.799 --> 02:40:25.760
in love with me, and maybe he didn't. I've never

2363
02:40:25.840 --> 02:40:28.879
asked him this. Even though I was putting myself in

2364
02:40:29.000 --> 02:40:32.040
danger of him discovering me being a serial killer, I

2365
02:40:32.159 --> 02:40:35.200
chose to be with him, knowing that he was a

2366
02:40:35.239 --> 02:40:39.920
good man. Choosing to remain with Drake was what ultimately

2367
02:40:39.959 --> 02:40:43.760
became my undoing as a serial killer. Drake loved me

2368
02:40:43.879 --> 02:40:46.639
so much that he wanted to marry me, to which

2369
02:40:46.719 --> 02:40:50.920
I accepted his proposal. The Queen of Heart's Killer had

2370
02:40:50.920 --> 02:40:53.879
a personal vendetta with me and let me know she

2371
02:40:54.040 --> 02:40:58.760
wanted to finish a prior conflict from before I was

2372
02:40:58.799 --> 02:41:02.639
ready to kill Rigby Rooster, the Queen of Hearts, but

2373
02:41:02.840 --> 02:41:05.760
Drake begged and pleaded with me not to end her.

2374
02:41:07.120 --> 02:41:09.120
It was in that one moment that he took me

2375
02:41:09.159 --> 02:41:13.399
in his arms and kissed me. It was that one

2376
02:41:13.520 --> 02:41:17.680
magical moment, that one triggering event I waited my whole

2377
02:41:17.719 --> 02:41:21.559
life for, Drake had finally caused me to feel the

2378
02:41:21.719 --> 02:41:26.879
very emotions I had longed for. In that moment, I

2379
02:41:27.000 --> 02:41:30.159
knew I loved Drake the same way he loved me.

2380
02:41:31.639 --> 02:41:34.120
Even though Drake had finally found the person who had

2381
02:41:34.200 --> 02:41:38.760
killed Annie Judge, he couldn't forsake me. He still wanted

2382
02:41:38.760 --> 02:41:41.680
to marry me. I can swear by it that Drake

2383
02:41:41.760 --> 02:41:44.600
is one of the most honest cops you'll ever meet.

2384
02:41:44.799 --> 02:41:48.120
He was always by the book on everything, even when

2385
02:41:48.159 --> 02:41:52.040
he was mentoring me in my university years. But this

2386
02:41:52.280 --> 02:41:56.520
one time, Drake was willing to look the other way,

2387
02:41:57.799 --> 02:42:01.479
not just because he loved me, but because I never

2388
02:42:01.600 --> 02:42:06.920
killed innocent people or children. The problem with that, however,

2389
02:42:07.120 --> 02:42:11.559
was that my new emotions came back on me. I

2390
02:42:11.600 --> 02:42:15.159
had a horrible nightmare of me killing some random person

2391
02:42:15.200 --> 02:42:18.399
the way I've done so many hundreds of killers and

2392
02:42:18.440 --> 02:42:23.639
criminals before that was when I told Drake to arrest me,

2393
02:42:24.559 --> 02:42:26.799
even though it hurt him deep to have to do it.

2394
02:42:27.360 --> 02:42:30.079
He read me my rights and took me to the station.

2395
02:42:31.040 --> 02:42:35.159
I confessed to being the Angel of Death to Chief Casmarak.

2396
02:42:36.040 --> 02:42:39.000
I was found guilty at my trial and sentenced to

2397
02:42:39.040 --> 02:42:43.559
life here at the glen View Correctional Facility. However, I

2398
02:42:43.600 --> 02:42:47.840
wouldn't be placed with the general population. My Mama, Detective

2399
02:42:47.920 --> 02:42:51.520
Chantelle Devereaux, and Drake both had influence on account of

2400
02:42:51.559 --> 02:42:54.920
their reputations as detectives and went to bat for me.

2401
02:42:55.959 --> 02:42:59.319
It was decided that I could have certain privileges in

2402
02:42:59.399 --> 02:43:03.319
return for my services. I would help solve cases when

2403
02:43:03.319 --> 02:43:07.760
they were presented to me. Because of my highly photographic memory.

2404
02:43:08.559 --> 02:43:12.799
I was a great service in this aspect. Plus, I

2405
02:43:12.959 --> 02:43:18.399
think like a killer. I'm in my very own special cell,

2406
02:43:18.479 --> 02:43:21.680
which gives me many of the comforts of home. It's

2407
02:43:21.799 --> 02:43:24.920
kind of like having a little apartment, except I can't

2408
02:43:24.959 --> 02:43:28.239
always come and go when I please. I do get

2409
02:43:28.280 --> 02:43:31.360
to go outside, but I'm all by myself and am

2410
02:43:31.399 --> 02:43:35.360
constantly watched by the guards. Mama and Drake can both

2411
02:43:35.399 --> 02:43:39.040
come visit me anytime they want. I've even had visits

2412
02:43:39.040 --> 02:43:43.479
from both Chief Cosmarak and Chief Montgomery Cobbs, my mom's boss.

2413
02:43:44.479 --> 02:43:48.719
You'd think i'd be regretting turning myself in here's the irony,

2414
02:43:48.760 --> 02:43:52.920
though I don't. I've been at peace ever since I

2415
02:43:52.959 --> 02:43:57.920
got locked up. The only thing that really hurts is Drake.

2416
02:43:59.319 --> 02:44:01.319
I couldn't even and begin to tell you how many

2417
02:44:01.360 --> 02:44:04.159
times I've told him to forget about me and find

2418
02:44:04.159 --> 02:44:07.280
someone else who would be better suited for him, but

2419
02:44:07.319 --> 02:44:11.280
he will not turn away from me. In fact, he

2420
02:44:11.319 --> 02:44:14.319
still wants to marry me. Even though I'm in glen

2421
02:44:14.399 --> 02:44:18.040
View for the rest of my life. Drake still won't

2422
02:44:18.079 --> 02:44:21.639
give me up. Every so often he proposes to me

2423
02:44:21.760 --> 02:44:24.399
again and wants to give me back my engagement ring

2424
02:44:24.479 --> 02:44:28.239
that I returned to him once he arrested me. My

2425
02:44:28.399 --> 02:44:31.079
problem here is that Drake challenges me to look him

2426
02:44:31.079 --> 02:44:33.680
in the eyes and tell him I want him out

2427
02:44:33.719 --> 02:44:36.680
of my life. If I can just tell him that,

2428
02:44:36.760 --> 02:44:40.920
he'll respect my wishes and never come back. But every

2429
02:44:40.959 --> 02:44:44.120
time I try, I burst into tears and clutch him

2430
02:44:44.159 --> 02:44:47.520
to me. Mama told me that you can't just turn

2431
02:44:47.559 --> 02:44:52.280
emotions on and off. I hate when she's right. So

2432
02:44:52.440 --> 02:44:57.319
Drake and I are still together. Like I said, it's

2433
02:44:57.399 --> 02:45:01.159
Christmas Eve. I'm sitting in my cell visiting with Mama.

2434
02:45:01.959 --> 02:45:05.159
She's proud of me for having helped solve some heavy

2435
02:45:05.239 --> 02:45:09.479
cases in the last month. Unfortunately, Mama won't be able

2436
02:45:09.479 --> 02:45:12.399
to spend the night with me since she's on duty.

2437
02:45:13.639 --> 02:45:16.399
She said she'd be back in the afternoon for Christmas.

2438
02:45:17.440 --> 02:45:20.000
I told her I'd be okay since Drake was coming

2439
02:45:20.479 --> 02:45:23.680
and would be spending the night with me. After Mama

2440
02:45:23.719 --> 02:45:28.120
and I wish each other Merry Christmas. She leaves. Now

2441
02:45:28.159 --> 02:45:39.079
it's just me and the guard at her station. Chapter two,

2442
02:45:39.360 --> 02:45:41.840
CHESSI Carver has been one of the guards assigned to

2443
02:45:41.879 --> 02:45:44.719
sit outside my cell since I was first placed in here.

2444
02:45:45.600 --> 02:45:47.559
At first, she didn't know what to make of me,

2445
02:45:48.280 --> 02:45:51.639
but in time we started talking to each other. We

2446
02:45:51.719 --> 02:45:56.079
came to build trust and understanding between us. In fact,

2447
02:45:56.120 --> 02:45:58.760
it's getting close to the evening when Drake shows up

2448
02:45:59.079 --> 02:46:03.040
and sees us playing chess. When he sees me pondering

2449
02:46:03.079 --> 02:46:07.120
my next move, he asks me if I'm okay. I

2450
02:46:07.159 --> 02:46:09.760
look up at him. This is what I get for

2451
02:46:09.840 --> 02:46:14.040
teaching Chessie everything I know about chess. Drake watches us

2452
02:46:14.079 --> 02:46:19.719
finish our game, Chessie beats me barely. After I congratulate

2453
02:46:19.760 --> 02:46:22.440
her on a game well played, she leaves my cell

2454
02:46:22.479 --> 02:46:26.520
and returns to her station. Of course, she locks Drake

2455
02:46:26.600 --> 02:46:30.639
and I in. Drake again makes my emotions rise when

2456
02:46:30.639 --> 02:46:34.200
he lays a huge bag of Denoyer's grill down on

2457
02:46:34.280 --> 02:46:37.600
the table. I told you i'd bring you something wonderful

2458
02:46:37.639 --> 02:46:41.440
for dinner, Drake reminds me. I start to cry a

2459
02:46:41.440 --> 02:46:47.319
little when I smell those delicious pancakes and the burghers. Wow,

2460
02:46:48.000 --> 02:46:51.360
everything's still warm. You must have floored it from Denoyers

2461
02:46:51.360 --> 02:46:53.840
all the way here. What did you do turn on

2462
02:46:53.879 --> 02:46:58.159
the siren when you left there? Drake laughs. No, Actually,

2463
02:46:58.719 --> 02:47:01.079
there weren't too many people on the road on Christmas Eve.

2464
02:47:02.159 --> 02:47:04.559
I look at the clock and see it's around six

2465
02:47:05.239 --> 02:47:08.680
by now. Many people are probably home or with family

2466
02:47:08.760 --> 02:47:12.559
and friends to enjoy Christmas Eve. Having Drake here with

2467
02:47:12.680 --> 02:47:14.959
me makes me glad. I don't have to spend tonight

2468
02:47:15.399 --> 02:47:19.559
or tomorrow alone. Before I never really cared whether I

2469
02:47:19.639 --> 02:47:23.719
was alone or not, not when I didn't have feelings.

2470
02:47:24.719 --> 02:47:31.040
You okay, rage, Drake asks, Yeah. I quickly reply I'm fine.

2471
02:47:32.079 --> 02:47:34.600
We look at each other for a little bit, then

2472
02:47:34.760 --> 02:47:38.600
Drake moves and sets the table. When he's done, he's

2473
02:47:38.680 --> 02:47:41.959
laid out a nice feast of breakfast and dinner foods.

2474
02:47:42.440 --> 02:47:46.840
Dig in, Drake invites me. Chessie gets up and leaves

2475
02:47:46.879 --> 02:47:50.120
for a little bit. Normally she's not supposed to do that,

2476
02:47:50.280 --> 02:47:53.079
but she kind of makes it a point when Drake

2477
02:47:53.120 --> 02:47:56.440
and I are together like this. She's heard us talking

2478
02:47:56.440 --> 02:48:00.719
to each other before and hasn't heard anything taboo. She's

2479
02:48:00.799 --> 02:48:04.239
even been there when we've made out. I've even told

2480
02:48:04.239 --> 02:48:07.360
her I'm not the least bit bothered by her. Still

2481
02:48:07.920 --> 02:48:11.879
she gives us alone time at times. Drake and I

2482
02:48:12.000 --> 02:48:16.079
have our Denoyer's grill feast and talk about whatever. Drake

2483
02:48:16.159 --> 02:48:18.360
again thanks me for all I do with helping the

2484
02:48:18.360 --> 02:48:23.040
police force in spite of my current situation. Drake and

2485
02:48:23.079 --> 02:48:25.920
I finish eating, I clear off the table and throw

2486
02:48:25.959 --> 02:48:30.120
away the trash. Before I can sit down, Drake takes

2487
02:48:30.159 --> 02:48:32.360
hold of my wrist and eases me to sit on

2488
02:48:32.440 --> 02:48:35.360
his lap. We look at each other for a long

2489
02:48:35.440 --> 02:48:39.159
moment before we have some kisses. Since Drake will be

2490
02:48:39.200 --> 02:48:41.639
spending the night with me tonight, I can't wait until

2491
02:48:41.680 --> 02:48:45.239
we can be intimate. The more we kiss, the more

2492
02:48:45.280 --> 02:48:48.600
I'm finding it hard to be able to wait. Eventually,

2493
02:48:48.680 --> 02:48:52.920
we do stop so we can catch our breaths. I

2494
02:48:53.000 --> 02:48:56.920
love you, he tells me. I close my eyes and

2495
02:48:56.959 --> 02:49:00.239
bow my head a little. I still say you could

2496
02:49:00.239 --> 02:49:03.559
do so much better than me. He puts his finger

2497
02:49:03.639 --> 02:49:06.760
under my chin and raises my head back up. I

2498
02:49:06.799 --> 02:49:11.399
open my eyes and look into his. Just tell me

2499
02:49:11.479 --> 02:49:14.920
to my face, just say it and mean it, and

2500
02:49:15.000 --> 02:49:19.200
I'll leave you right now. Once again, he's challenging me.

2501
02:49:20.200 --> 02:49:22.239
I don't even get to have another attempt. When I

2502
02:49:22.239 --> 02:49:25.799
feel the tears on my face. When Drake holds me,

2503
02:49:26.559 --> 02:49:32.399
I can't help holding him back. You deserve better, I persist.

2504
02:49:32.600 --> 02:49:35.520
When I finish crying, Drake has the engagement ring out

2505
02:49:35.559 --> 02:49:38.799
again again. I try to tell Drake to leave me

2506
02:49:38.920 --> 02:49:42.280
and never look back, but the tears come more than ever.

2507
02:49:43.120 --> 02:49:46.639
It hurts more and more each time, thinking of a

2508
02:49:46.680 --> 02:49:51.239
life without Drake. I don't care that you're in here rage,

2509
02:49:51.719 --> 02:49:55.000
Drake tells me again, like he's told me so many

2510
02:49:55.040 --> 02:49:58.680
times before, I can come see you whenever I want.

2511
02:49:58.719 --> 02:50:02.239
I can even stay with you. We should be living

2512
02:50:02.280 --> 02:50:06.200
together in our own place, not here in prison. I

2513
02:50:06.280 --> 02:50:10.520
tell him, I don't care where we are. He insists

2514
02:50:11.000 --> 02:50:14.120
you'll always have me in your life. I'm never letting

2515
02:50:14.159 --> 02:50:17.959
you go. I quickly get off Drake's lap and tighten

2516
02:50:18.000 --> 02:50:21.319
my fists. But what will your family say about you

2517
02:50:21.399 --> 02:50:25.280
marrying a serial killer? I told you how many lives

2518
02:50:25.319 --> 02:50:29.559
I've taken. Drake gets up to confront me. I don't

2519
02:50:29.639 --> 02:50:33.239
care what my family says. I only care about you.

2520
02:50:34.479 --> 02:50:38.200
I really tighten my fists now. I won't let you

2521
02:50:38.319 --> 02:50:41.840
throw away your life on me, Drake. I feel myself

2522
02:50:42.280 --> 02:50:47.280
really shaking now. I'm practically sobbing. Just as I'm about

2523
02:50:47.360 --> 02:50:51.239
to scream for him to leave me, I fall to

2524
02:50:51.280 --> 02:50:56.719
my knees. Drake lowers himself and comforts me, as he's

2525
02:50:56.760 --> 02:51:01.360
also done so many times before. Am I really so

2526
02:51:01.520 --> 02:51:06.280
scared of losing him? Yes? I'm reminded of that again

2527
02:51:06.360 --> 02:51:10.360
when we're kissing. I can't wait any longer. It's when

2528
02:51:10.360 --> 02:51:13.639
I hear CHESSI fastening the locks on my cell that

2529
02:51:13.760 --> 02:51:17.639
she knows we need our alone time. It's once we

2530
02:51:17.680 --> 02:51:21.200
hear her leave and lock that door behind her that

2531
02:51:21.280 --> 02:51:23.799
we quickly work to get each other's clothes off.

2532
02:51:25.440 --> 02:51:29.360
You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will be right back.

2533
02:51:35.399 --> 02:51:40.360
Chapter three Drake and I are spooned up together under

2534
02:51:40.399 --> 02:51:44.559
the covers and watching TV. I can't help looking at

2535
02:51:44.559 --> 02:51:48.159
the engagement ring again. He placed it on my finger

2536
02:51:48.200 --> 02:51:51.559
and challenged me to take it off. It feels so

2537
02:51:51.760 --> 02:51:55.440
wrong on so many levels, But at the same time,

2538
02:51:55.559 --> 02:51:58.760
I know I can never remove it. I know I

2539
02:51:58.879 --> 02:52:03.360
truly belong to him. You're going straight to hell with me.

2540
02:52:03.959 --> 02:52:07.799
I tell him, you know that, right, If that's where

2541
02:52:07.799 --> 02:52:11.719
we're getting married, then I accept. He tells me. We

2542
02:52:11.879 --> 02:52:15.440
kiss again, then we get dressed and sit with each other.

2543
02:52:16.520 --> 02:52:20.319
After a time, Chessie comes back in and unlocks my cell.

2544
02:52:21.440 --> 02:52:24.479
When I look to her for an explanation, she reminds

2545
02:52:24.520 --> 02:52:26.920
me that I'm allowed my time to leave my cell.

2546
02:52:27.799 --> 02:52:30.360
Drake's allowed to take me to the rooms designated my

2547
02:52:30.479 --> 02:52:34.319
free spaces. While other prisoners here can access these rooms

2548
02:52:34.360 --> 02:52:37.280
during their times, they're not supposed to know when I'm

2549
02:52:37.319 --> 02:52:40.840
even here. That's why I have my own private area

2550
02:52:41.200 --> 02:52:44.840
and don't have a cellmate. Also, I can access rooms

2551
02:52:44.920 --> 02:52:47.799
like the library because the other prisoners are locked up

2552
02:52:47.840 --> 02:52:50.600
for the night. As long as Drake or Mama is

2553
02:52:50.600 --> 02:52:54.520
with me, a guard doesn't always have to be. Drake

2554
02:52:54.559 --> 02:52:57.760
and I head into the library and sit again. He

2555
02:52:57.879 --> 02:53:00.799
tells me he wants to marry me. I tell him

2556
02:53:00.840 --> 02:53:03.319
he knows my answer. Since I can't bring myself to

2557
02:53:03.360 --> 02:53:09.079
remove the ring, I look at it again. I'll go

2558
02:53:09.159 --> 02:53:12.840
straight to hell with you, he promises me, taking and

2559
02:53:12.879 --> 02:53:16.920
holding my hands. Nothing is ever going to separate us,

2560
02:53:17.440 --> 02:53:21.520
not even this prison. I squeeze his hands back. I

2561
02:53:21.600 --> 02:53:25.040
truly do want better for him, but my emotions won't

2562
02:53:25.079 --> 02:53:30.200
let me lose him. I love him way too much. However,

2563
02:53:30.479 --> 02:53:32.680
Drake and I were about to have our love put

2564
02:53:32.719 --> 02:53:36.920
to the test this very night. The test was about

2565
02:53:36.959 --> 02:53:40.120
to start. Once we got up and started walking around

2566
02:53:40.120 --> 02:53:43.120
the safe rooms again. We walk out into one of

2567
02:53:43.159 --> 02:53:46.719
the hallways and head to the little theater. We go

2568
02:53:46.799 --> 02:53:49.079
in and head up to the projection booth to see

2569
02:53:49.079 --> 02:53:52.280
what we can watch together. Drake and I have watched

2570
02:53:52.319 --> 02:53:55.639
movies in here together before. He tells me he's found

2571
02:53:55.639 --> 02:53:58.440
a good Christmas movie for us to watch and puts

2572
02:53:58.440 --> 02:54:02.440
it in as soon as he turns the digital projector on.

2573
02:54:03.520 --> 02:54:12.159
That's when the terror begins. Chapter four. Drake reaches me

2574
02:54:12.239 --> 02:54:15.239
when he sees me bent over the body of Sherman

2575
02:54:15.360 --> 02:54:18.840
Biggs near the screen. One of the older guards. I

2576
02:54:18.879 --> 02:54:22.840
got along with We had many conversations in the library

2577
02:54:22.879 --> 02:54:27.520
on nights. Careful, Rage, Drake warns me, don't let the

2578
02:54:27.520 --> 02:54:30.399
other guards here see her. You can vouch for me,

2579
02:54:30.760 --> 02:54:34.479
I remind him. Quickly, look at these. I point to

2580
02:54:34.520 --> 02:54:38.920
the two puncture marks on Sherman's neck. This would explain

2581
02:54:38.959 --> 02:54:42.559
why the body's pale. When Drake looks at me, I

2582
02:54:42.600 --> 02:54:45.799
can tell he really doesn't want to believe it. Oh,

2583
02:54:45.799 --> 02:54:48.200
if Mama saw the look on his face right now,

2584
02:54:48.360 --> 02:54:52.479
she'd be given him Hell. Why won't you believe? I ask?

2585
02:54:53.399 --> 02:54:56.799
You've seen vampires for yourself, Drake. Mama and I have

2586
02:54:56.920 --> 02:54:59.719
both proven to you they're real. You were with us

2587
02:54:59.760 --> 02:55:02.920
the night night we took down Sheranda Thorn. You've seen

2588
02:55:03.040 --> 02:55:06.639
vampires with your own two eyes. Drake seems to be

2589
02:55:06.719 --> 02:55:09.879
at a loss for words. I groan, annoyed at his

2590
02:55:10.040 --> 02:55:14.680
continued disbelief. If Mama was here right now, she'd slap

2591
02:55:14.680 --> 02:55:18.200
you upside the head. Now he's giving me that look.

2592
02:55:18.799 --> 02:55:22.479
I know Drake's never been comfortable around Mama. He's endured

2593
02:55:22.520 --> 02:55:26.440
her for my sake. I point to Drake, you stay

2594
02:55:26.440 --> 02:55:30.959
close to me, Stay close to you. You're not even armed,

2595
02:55:31.040 --> 02:55:36.360
Rage Drake counters, pulling his gun. He's right looking around.

2596
02:55:36.399 --> 02:55:38.280
I can't pick up any of the chairs and break

2597
02:55:38.319 --> 02:55:41.600
them for stakes, since they're all metal and attached to

2598
02:55:41.639 --> 02:55:46.559
the floor. Suddenly I have an idea. I grab Drake's hand,

2599
02:55:47.079 --> 02:55:51.639
let's go, rage, Drake protests. I lead Drake through one

2600
02:55:51.719 --> 02:55:55.440
room after another until we come into the chapel. Fortunately,

2601
02:55:55.520 --> 02:55:59.079
this supposedly holy place is open twenty four to seven.

2602
02:56:00.239 --> 02:56:04.159
Open the door and we both gasp. There's blood all

2603
02:56:04.159 --> 02:56:07.000
over the altar from the priest who's hanging from the

2604
02:56:07.079 --> 02:56:11.399
large cross overshadowing it. I had a feeling you would

2605
02:56:11.440 --> 02:56:16.799
come here eventually, Reagan Devereux. A feminine voice calls out.

2606
02:56:17.719 --> 02:56:20.239
We look to see the tell tale woman getting up

2607
02:56:20.239 --> 02:56:23.840
from one of the pews and turning to face us.

2608
02:56:24.399 --> 02:56:27.520
She looks like she's in her early forties. I can

2609
02:56:27.559 --> 02:56:30.479
see the facial features and immediately know who this woman

2610
02:56:31.040 --> 02:56:35.319
is related to. Yes, you recognize me, do you not?

2611
02:56:36.239 --> 02:56:41.079
Then she chuckles, you remember my daughter whom you destroyed.

2612
02:56:42.079 --> 02:56:48.000
Your mother took my son. However, Sherandah was my favorite.

2613
02:56:48.040 --> 02:56:52.000
Maximilian was a fool. It was no wonder that he died.

2614
02:56:52.920 --> 02:56:57.719
She points to me. But you killed my daughter, and

2615
02:56:57.799 --> 02:57:03.879
I must now rectify that by killing you. She smiles wickedly,

2616
02:57:04.719 --> 02:57:10.200
and the man you love. She holds her hands outward. Naturally,

2617
02:57:10.280 --> 02:57:12.840
you came here to seek weapons to fight us with.

2618
02:57:14.360 --> 02:57:17.399
When she sees the look on my face, she knows

2619
02:57:17.520 --> 02:57:21.360
she's got the upper hand. You did not think I

2620
02:57:21.399 --> 02:57:25.360
would come to this prison alone. Oh, I will battle

2621
02:57:25.399 --> 02:57:28.959
with you myself. I just needed my minions to make

2622
02:57:29.000 --> 02:57:33.000
sure it would be just the two of us. There

2623
02:57:33.000 --> 02:57:36.200
are no other guards here to help you now, she

2624
02:57:36.360 --> 02:57:40.040
raises her finger, and you need not worry about the prisoners.

2625
02:57:40.920 --> 02:57:45.879
They shall remain locked in their cells. Ah, here they

2626
02:57:45.920 --> 02:57:50.360
are now. Now I see there are other vampires emerging

2627
02:57:50.440 --> 02:57:53.959
from their hiding places. Their hissing noises and their red

2628
02:57:54.000 --> 02:57:56.680
eyes tell me, Drake and I are going to have

2629
02:57:56.799 --> 02:58:01.040
our hands full. Have you taken care of every last

2630
02:58:01.120 --> 02:58:06.360
guard here? The Thorn Woman asks, we have one of

2631
02:58:06.360 --> 02:58:11.920
the answers. Excellent. Then she looks back at me. We

2632
02:58:12.000 --> 02:58:16.239
shall play a little game, you and I. Suddenly she

2633
02:58:16.280 --> 02:58:18.799
appears right in front of me and knocks me on

2634
02:58:18.879 --> 02:58:22.600
my ass. When Drake raises his gun, she snatches it

2635
02:58:22.639 --> 02:58:28.959
from him and crushes it, much to his horror and disbelief. Next,

2636
02:58:29.000 --> 02:58:33.479
she grabs Drake and tosses him to her minions. They

2637
02:58:33.559 --> 02:58:37.440
grab him and keep him with them. When I get up,

2638
02:58:37.479 --> 02:58:38.680
the woman is in my face.

2639
02:58:38.760 --> 02:58:39.040
Now.

2640
02:58:39.959 --> 02:58:43.920
I could easily kill you right now, but that would

2641
02:58:43.959 --> 02:58:47.559
be far too easy. Miranda would never want me to

2642
02:58:47.680 --> 02:58:51.959
kill you easily. No, I taught her to be more

2643
02:58:52.040 --> 02:58:57.319
ruthless than that. Oh, where are my manners? I know

2644
02:58:57.440 --> 02:59:01.239
your name, but you need to know mine. I believe

2645
02:59:01.280 --> 02:59:04.840
you must know I am a thorn, but you may

2646
02:59:04.879 --> 02:59:10.440
call me Miranda. When she sees me looking uneasily at Drake,

2647
02:59:10.840 --> 02:59:14.239
she turns my attention back to her. You need not

2648
02:59:14.399 --> 02:59:19.520
worry about your lover, Reagan, she addresses her minions. Under

2649
02:59:19.559 --> 02:59:22.799
no circumstances are any of you to harm that mortal

2650
02:59:23.239 --> 02:59:26.760
in any way. He is to be the prize in

2651
02:59:26.799 --> 02:59:31.799
our contest. Am I understood? When I hear the minions

2652
02:59:31.840 --> 02:59:35.840
agree to her commands, Neroanda turns her attention back to me.

2653
02:59:37.319 --> 02:59:40.719
Here are the rules of our contest. I shall give

2654
02:59:40.760 --> 02:59:45.360
you a fifteen minute head start. From there, I shall

2655
02:59:45.440 --> 02:59:48.959
hunt you down myself. My underlings will keep your lover

2656
02:59:49.159 --> 02:59:53.600
safe and secure. You have until the end of Christmas Eve,

2657
02:59:54.799 --> 02:59:58.239
just under three hours, if you are still alive at

2658
02:59:58.239 --> 03:00:01.840
the stroke of midnight, or in the unlikely event that

2659
03:00:01.920 --> 03:00:06.479
you and me, both you and your lover have earned

2660
03:00:06.479 --> 03:00:11.799
your freedom and your lives. However, when I find and

2661
03:00:11.920 --> 03:00:16.200
destroy you, then my reward shall be both a vengeance

2662
03:00:16.200 --> 03:00:20.639
for my daughter, and I shall lay claim to your

2663
03:00:20.680 --> 03:00:26.360
lover by siring him and making him my new husband. Then,

2664
03:00:26.479 --> 03:00:30.879
Miranda laughs coldly. The fear on both of you is

2665
03:00:30.959 --> 03:00:35.639
so ripe I can practically taste it on my own tongue.

2666
03:00:35.680 --> 03:00:41.559
She points to the clock. Your fifteen minute head start begins. Now,

2667
03:00:42.360 --> 03:00:46.399
if I were you, Reagan, I'd be taking every advantage

2668
03:00:46.920 --> 03:00:51.280
of that time. I have no choice. Fortunately, I know

2669
03:00:51.440 --> 03:00:54.079
enough about glen View to have an advantage over these

2670
03:00:54.479 --> 03:00:58.319
blood sucking freaks. I just know I have to save Drake.

2671
03:00:59.159 --> 03:01:04.959
I turn around and run out of the chapel. Chapter five.

2672
03:01:06.600 --> 03:01:09.159
It doesn't take me long to find some tools to

2673
03:01:09.239 --> 03:01:12.200
help me. I came across a few of the bodies

2674
03:01:12.200 --> 03:01:15.600
of the guards. Naranda wasn't lying when she said her

2675
03:01:15.639 --> 03:01:19.559
minions took them all down. They're all pale, which means

2676
03:01:19.559 --> 03:01:23.000
they were drained of their blood. I find keys and

2677
03:01:23.120 --> 03:01:25.760
key cards on the first guard. On the next one,

2678
03:01:25.799 --> 03:01:28.440
I find a gun and take it. I won't be

2679
03:01:28.479 --> 03:01:30.479
able to use it against Aranda or any of the

2680
03:01:30.520 --> 03:01:33.799
other vampires, but it's better to have a gun than

2681
03:01:33.879 --> 03:01:38.079
have nothing at all. I won't let Naranda take me unarmed.

2682
03:01:38.760 --> 03:01:41.040
If I go down against her, then I'm going down

2683
03:01:41.120 --> 03:01:44.799
knowing I was fighting. I've been counting the time in

2684
03:01:44.879 --> 03:01:48.639
my mind. So far, i haven't seen her. When I

2685
03:01:48.719 --> 03:01:51.200
come into the gymnasium, I see the big clock on

2686
03:01:51.239 --> 03:01:55.040
the middle wall and see Naranda has kept her word.

2687
03:01:55.959 --> 03:01:58.760
I've got one minute left before she'll start pursuing me.

2688
03:02:00.360 --> 03:02:03.520
As I'm trying to keep my focus. I've never gotten

2689
03:02:03.600 --> 03:02:06.719
used to the feeling of fear. I hate to admit it,

2690
03:02:06.760 --> 03:02:10.920
but I'm really scared. I'm scared that Miranda will kill me,

2691
03:02:11.879 --> 03:02:14.319
but I'm more afraid she'll make good on her promise

2692
03:02:14.399 --> 03:02:19.120
to Drake. The fifteen minutes are up. Now, Miranda lets

2693
03:02:19.159 --> 03:02:23.559
me know when I hear the long shrill whistle. Hard

2694
03:02:23.559 --> 03:02:26.639
to believe that vampire kept her word. I'll have to

2695
03:02:26.639 --> 03:02:30.360
consider the possibility that she may be a master vampire.

2696
03:02:30.840 --> 03:02:32.879
If she is, then I'll have to both stake her

2697
03:02:33.000 --> 03:02:36.760
and cut her head off. Then I remember telling Drake.

2698
03:02:36.799 --> 03:02:39.000
How Mama would have slapped him upside the head for

2699
03:02:39.040 --> 03:02:43.360
his disbelief. Mama would give me hell if she knew

2700
03:02:43.360 --> 03:02:46.040
I wasn't thinking straight and not calling upon the lessons

2701
03:02:46.079 --> 03:02:50.600
about vampires and other supernatural beings she taught me. No,

2702
03:02:51.559 --> 03:02:54.399
Mama's not going to find my dead body. I'm not

2703
03:02:54.440 --> 03:02:58.120
going to let Mama down again, Not like this. Mama

2704
03:02:58.159 --> 03:03:00.840
taught me better than that. Not going to let the

2705
03:03:00.879 --> 03:03:04.120
man I love down either. I may not have the

2706
03:03:04.159 --> 03:03:10.239
bloodlust anymore, but that doesn't count against vampires. They're already dead.

2707
03:03:11.319 --> 03:03:14.799
I still have my highly photographic memory. I still remember

2708
03:03:14.840 --> 03:03:18.239
each in every kill I've ever done, how they died,

2709
03:03:18.680 --> 03:03:22.959
what date, and what I destroyed them for. I remember

2710
03:03:23.000 --> 03:03:27.079
everything Mama taught me regarding the supernatural. My mind is

2711
03:03:27.079 --> 03:03:31.479
how I'll destroy you, Neranda. Just as I'm contemplating a plan,

2712
03:03:31.840 --> 03:03:34.040
I hear some clacking on the floor. As I reach

2713
03:03:34.120 --> 03:03:37.159
the end of a long hall, I turn and see

2714
03:03:37.159 --> 03:03:41.879
a large wolf looking right at me and know it's Neranda.

2715
03:03:42.600 --> 03:03:44.959
She changed into a wolf and tracked me down by

2716
03:03:44.959 --> 03:03:49.399
my scent. The wolf growls and runs swiftly towards me.

2717
03:03:50.200 --> 03:03:53.760
I'm ready to turn and run, but I don't have

2718
03:03:53.840 --> 03:03:57.799
to do. I. In that moment, I lose my fear

2719
03:03:58.120 --> 03:04:00.840
and look right at Neiranda as she's closing the gap

2720
03:04:00.879 --> 03:04:05.239
between us. I've got grim determination now and know how

2721
03:04:05.280 --> 03:04:10.000
I'm winning this round. That's it, Queenie, just keep on coming.

2722
03:04:10.479 --> 03:04:14.000
I'll show you how I've dealt with bad dogs. In fact,

2723
03:04:14.440 --> 03:04:17.920
a very bad dog was my first kill. A very

2724
03:04:17.959 --> 03:04:21.520
bad dog was how I learned I was a serial killer.

2725
03:04:22.399 --> 03:04:24.639
Just as Miranda is ready to leap up and at me,

2726
03:04:25.159 --> 03:04:28.000
I drop my gun and suddenly snatch her and drive

2727
03:04:28.040 --> 03:04:31.399
her right to the floor. Just as quickly, she springs

2728
03:04:31.440 --> 03:04:33.360
back to her feet and bites me on the wrist.

2729
03:04:34.120 --> 03:04:37.120
Even though I no longer have my bloodlust, I still

2730
03:04:37.200 --> 03:04:41.239
feel very little pain. This is a double edged sword

2731
03:04:41.280 --> 03:04:44.760
for me. I just told you the positive side. The

2732
03:04:44.799 --> 03:04:47.200
negative is that I can become injured and not know it,

2733
03:04:47.719 --> 03:04:53.399
which means I can potentially bleed to death. Now I'm mad. Wow,

2734
03:04:53.920 --> 03:04:57.319
I really love being mad. I'm wishing I could have

2735
03:04:57.360 --> 03:05:00.479
felt this emotion much sooner. I'm so mad right now

2736
03:05:00.479 --> 03:05:03.200
that I roar and kick Nearanda hard in her chest

2737
03:05:03.719 --> 03:05:05.799
enough to make her break her hold on my wrist.

2738
03:05:06.639 --> 03:05:09.479
While she's stunned. I lower myself to take hold of

2739
03:05:09.520 --> 03:05:12.280
the back of her head and her muzzle and snapper

2740
03:05:12.360 --> 03:05:17.559
had hard enough to hear her neck break. Noranda yelps

2741
03:05:18.479 --> 03:05:23.079
and goes limp. No, I haven't defeated her, but I

2742
03:05:23.120 --> 03:05:26.799
have temporarily stunned her and bought myself a little time.

2743
03:05:27.920 --> 03:05:31.319
I spring and slide the door shut before I run again.

2744
03:05:32.520 --> 03:05:34.879
I know these doors are sealed enough to prevent smoke

2745
03:05:34.920 --> 03:05:38.360
from penetrating them, which happened many years ago when prisoners

2746
03:05:38.399 --> 03:05:42.559
got loose and rioted. This was long before I was born,

2747
03:05:42.639 --> 03:05:46.520
by the way, Also, Mama was at university and wasn't

2748
03:05:46.559 --> 03:05:50.920
in North Ridgeway around that time. I'm already concocting another

2749
03:05:50.959 --> 03:05:54.479
plan and am finalizing the details when I hear the

2750
03:05:54.520 --> 03:05:57.959
sliding door give way. Nearanda had to have returned to

2751
03:05:58.000 --> 03:06:01.840
her human form after she healed from her injury. She

2752
03:06:01.959 --> 03:06:05.319
either snapped the locks on the sliding door or she

2753
03:06:05.440 --> 03:06:08.879
warped past it. As long as Nearanda can't see me,

2754
03:06:09.520 --> 03:06:13.600
she can't warp right to me. Unfortunately, turning off all

2755
03:06:13.639 --> 03:06:17.399
the lights won't help me since she has vampire vision.

2756
03:06:18.520 --> 03:06:21.920
I hear clacking on the floor again and know she's

2757
03:06:22.000 --> 03:06:25.639
returned to her wolf form, likely tracking my blood this

2758
03:06:25.799 --> 03:06:30.879
time precisely what I was counting on. In fact, Neiranda,

2759
03:06:31.319 --> 03:06:35.200
I already know how I'm going to defeat you at least. Yes,

2760
03:06:35.239 --> 03:06:38.079
you kept your word by giving me a fifteen minute

2761
03:06:38.079 --> 03:06:41.079
head start that you promised, but that doesn't mean you'll

2762
03:06:41.159 --> 03:06:43.920
keep your word about releasing Drake when I defeat you,

2763
03:06:44.600 --> 03:06:47.680
and trust me when I say, your punishment shall most

2764
03:06:47.719 --> 03:06:54.079
certainly fit the crime. Like I said, you're dead, even

2765
03:06:54.120 --> 03:06:58.079
though I no longer have my insistent bloodlust commanding me

2766
03:06:58.159 --> 03:07:01.280
to take lives from before. I don't have to feel

2767
03:07:01.280 --> 03:07:06.040
guilty about killing you since you're not alive. But in

2768
03:07:06.159 --> 03:07:09.079
order for me to accomplish my objective and defeat you

2769
03:07:09.399 --> 03:07:12.760
and your minions, I have to get to one specific

2770
03:07:12.840 --> 03:07:17.520
area of the prison. It'll be there where we finish

2771
03:07:17.559 --> 03:07:21.360
our game. I run down a couple flights of stairs

2772
03:07:21.360 --> 03:07:23.520
to get to the ground floor and head to the

2773
03:07:23.559 --> 03:07:27.079
laundry room. When I get inside, I quickly remove my

2774
03:07:27.159 --> 03:07:31.200
clothes underwear too. First, I take care of my bites

2775
03:07:31.239 --> 03:07:35.680
by rinsing them out and using clean cloths to bandage them. Now,

2776
03:07:35.719 --> 03:07:37.600
I grab some dirty clothes out of one of the

2777
03:07:37.719 --> 03:07:42.879
wash piles and quickly put them on. These clothes really stink,

2778
03:07:43.319 --> 03:07:45.639
but they may be enough to conceal my own scent.

2779
03:07:46.559 --> 03:07:49.639
After slipping my feet into shoes, I find I get

2780
03:07:49.680 --> 03:07:53.360
out of the laundry room and resume my destination. A

2781
03:07:53.399 --> 03:07:57.959
few moments later, I hear a loud, shrill scream sounds

2782
03:07:58.000 --> 03:08:01.399
to me like Neranda's lost my scent. I know I

2783
03:08:01.440 --> 03:08:04.600
can't gloat too much. Nearanda knows other ways she can

2784
03:08:04.639 --> 03:08:08.479
pick me up again. She's been a vampire for far

2785
03:08:08.559 --> 03:08:13.440
too long to not have other means of detection including

2786
03:08:13.520 --> 03:08:16.719
picking up the smell of my blood again.

2787
03:08:18.600 --> 03:08:23.959
Are you afraid? Good? Weekly Spooky, We'll be right back.

2788
03:08:29.200 --> 03:08:33.879
Chapter six. I'm proven right. When I go to cross

2789
03:08:33.920 --> 03:08:37.520
through another hallway, I'm about to shut that sliding door

2790
03:08:37.600 --> 03:08:42.799
behind me when I feel Neranda's close. Suddenly the door

2791
03:08:42.879 --> 03:08:47.000
comes flying away. Nearanda gasps with either happiness that I'm

2792
03:08:47.040 --> 03:08:50.239
giving her a challenge or that she's finally caught up

2793
03:08:50.280 --> 03:08:54.360
to me. Who can say, please, do not make this

2794
03:08:54.520 --> 03:08:58.280
easy for me, Reagan, She says, I still wish to

2795
03:08:58.319 --> 03:09:02.159
have fun with you. She licks her lips, and your

2796
03:09:02.200 --> 03:09:07.319
blood tastes just delicious. I was hoping I wouldn't have

2797
03:09:07.360 --> 03:09:10.280
to use these yet, I tell her, but you're not

2798
03:09:10.399 --> 03:09:13.399
leaving me with much choice. I step up to her

2799
03:09:13.719 --> 03:09:16.600
as she's putting her hands on my arms. I grab

2800
03:09:16.680 --> 03:09:19.159
the neck of her form fitting dress and pull it

2801
03:09:19.200 --> 03:09:23.479
open to drop what's in my hand inside. Miranda shrieks

2802
03:09:23.520 --> 03:09:26.799
and screams when she feels the holy wafers. I manage

2803
03:09:26.879 --> 03:09:30.120
to snap up at the bloody altar burning her flesh.

2804
03:09:30.399 --> 03:09:34.159
Both her skin and the gown are aflame. Since she's

2805
03:09:34.200 --> 03:09:36.760
going to have to sort that out, I've got time

2806
03:09:36.840 --> 03:09:39.559
to run again. I don't know how much time I'm

2807
03:09:39.600 --> 03:09:41.920
going to have before Neranda will be back to hunting

2808
03:09:41.959 --> 03:09:44.920
me again. I can see the blood from my wrists

2809
03:09:44.959 --> 03:09:48.479
soaking through my makeshift bandage. She'll smell that again and

2810
03:09:48.559 --> 03:09:52.159
easily pick up the trail. Also, since she got close

2811
03:09:52.239 --> 03:09:56.639
enough to me, she'll know the scent of these stinky clothes. Fortunately,

2812
03:09:56.719 --> 03:09:59.440
I'm almost where I need to get to. I reach

2813
03:09:59.479 --> 03:10:02.360
the women's sh room before I go in, I quickly

2814
03:10:02.360 --> 03:10:04.360
get naked and turn on the water to hear all

2815
03:10:04.399 --> 03:10:07.719
the nozzles fire up at once. I walk inside and

2816
03:10:07.760 --> 03:10:10.840
stand underneath a spray of steamy water at the back center.

2817
03:10:11.280 --> 03:10:14.959
When Miranda enters and sees me, Oh, the look of

2818
03:10:15.040 --> 03:10:18.879
confusion on her face. What is the meaning of this, Reagan?

2819
03:10:19.319 --> 03:10:25.159
She asks? Then she smirks, are you are you offering

2820
03:10:25.200 --> 03:10:29.520
yourself to me to save your lover? Is that what

2821
03:10:29.719 --> 03:10:33.920
you really think? I murmur, running my hands from the

2822
03:10:33.959 --> 03:10:37.680
front to the rear of my long, wet, dirty blonde hair.

2823
03:10:38.719 --> 03:10:41.559
She's really confused now. When I raise my finger for

2824
03:10:41.639 --> 03:10:44.520
her to see. Next, I move my finger to my

2825
03:10:44.680 --> 03:10:49.520
neck and trace down in between my large breasts all

2826
03:10:49.559 --> 03:10:52.719
the way to my belly button. Then I trace my

2827
03:10:52.840 --> 03:10:58.079
finger across my skin just underneath my breasts. The water

2828
03:10:58.239 --> 03:11:01.600
continues to spray down on me as I just stand

2829
03:11:01.639 --> 03:11:06.040
there and wait for her. I'm all yours, Miranda. I

2830
03:11:06.120 --> 03:11:10.000
tell her all you have to do is just join

2831
03:11:10.079 --> 03:11:14.159
me in the shower. Then I smirk, if you can.

2832
03:11:15.520 --> 03:11:18.239
She's still not sure what I've got in mind, but

2833
03:11:18.360 --> 03:11:21.879
she walks towards me. The showers are wetting her down.

2834
03:11:22.719 --> 03:11:25.600
It's when she starts to come under my spray that

2835
03:11:25.719 --> 03:11:28.520
she suddenly cries out in pain and hisses as she

2836
03:11:28.559 --> 03:11:33.040
gets away from me. What is this? She demands? Then

2837
03:11:33.120 --> 03:11:36.239
she tries to come and grab me again, like before,

2838
03:11:36.559 --> 03:11:39.520
her skin burns when the water spraying from my nozzle

2839
03:11:39.639 --> 03:11:43.959
touches her. As for me, I'm fine. The water's warm

2840
03:11:44.040 --> 03:11:47.159
to hot, but not burning me in the slightest. In fact,

2841
03:11:47.799 --> 03:11:51.719
the water feels very relaxing. Miranda tries grabbing me a

2842
03:11:51.760 --> 03:11:55.360
couple more times. In determination, she warps behind me and

2843
03:11:55.399 --> 03:11:58.040
wraps her arms around me. I cry out when she

2844
03:11:58.159 --> 03:12:01.159
sinks her fangs into me again, and this time at

2845
03:12:01.159 --> 03:12:03.879
my shoulder. She holds on for as long as she

2846
03:12:03.959 --> 03:12:07.079
can as she drinks from me. I can actually feel

2847
03:12:07.159 --> 03:12:10.239
the pain of her fangs in my flesh. But why

2848
03:12:10.239 --> 03:12:15.440
does this feel so wonderful? I think I love pain.

2849
03:12:16.159 --> 03:12:19.000
Miranda can't hold onto me anymore, since she's in way

2850
03:12:19.040 --> 03:12:21.600
more pain from the water than what she's giving me.

2851
03:12:22.440 --> 03:12:25.200
She finally lets go and warps away from my shower

2852
03:12:25.239 --> 03:12:30.760
spray shit, I'm bleeding again. Neranda glares at me now,

2853
03:12:31.399 --> 03:12:34.440
much to my surprise, she's not the least bit angry

2854
03:12:34.479 --> 03:12:39.040
with me. Yes, you are giving me quite the challenge,

2855
03:12:39.360 --> 03:12:43.879
Reagan Devereux. She licks her lips. Your blood is so

2856
03:12:44.120 --> 03:12:47.920
incredibly delicious. I think I may just keep you and

2857
03:12:48.040 --> 03:12:51.920
drink from you on special occasions. Perhaps, you shall be

2858
03:12:52.000 --> 03:12:55.600
the special reserve label blood I drink after I marry

2859
03:12:55.639 --> 03:12:59.159
your man. I can see the steam coming off of

2860
03:12:59.200 --> 03:13:03.079
her burning skin. How are you able to be safe

2861
03:13:03.120 --> 03:13:07.639
from me under your shower. It's not this shower alone,

2862
03:13:07.920 --> 03:13:11.680
I inform her. It's any shower I happen to stand underneath.

2863
03:13:12.360 --> 03:13:15.360
I start to close up my chosen vampire trap. When

2864
03:13:15.360 --> 03:13:18.079
I leave the nozzle I'm under and move to another.

2865
03:13:18.920 --> 03:13:23.399
See for yourself. Miranda cautiously moves to the nozzle I

2866
03:13:23.479 --> 03:13:27.799
was underneath. Sure enough, her skin's not burning under that

2867
03:13:27.879 --> 03:13:31.319
spray now. Yet she comes too close to the spray

2868
03:13:31.360 --> 03:13:35.680
I'm now underneath, and her skin is burning again. She

2869
03:13:35.840 --> 03:13:39.360
curses me, but is oddly happy at the same time.

2870
03:13:40.000 --> 03:13:42.319
I quickly move to the shower entrance, where there are

2871
03:13:42.319 --> 03:13:45.719
two heavy spraying nozzles. I squat down and make the

2872
03:13:45.760 --> 03:13:48.239
sign of the Cross on the floors. There. I make

2873
03:13:48.280 --> 03:13:51.040
my way around to each of the other sprays and

2874
03:13:51.120 --> 03:13:55.000
make the same sign underneath them. Noranda tries to stop me,

2875
03:13:55.239 --> 03:13:57.639
but has to keep away since the water's spraying on

2876
03:13:57.760 --> 03:14:01.559
me is deadly to her. You think you can just

2877
03:14:02.360 --> 03:14:07.239
seal me in here like this, Noranda yells, exactly. I

2878
03:14:07.360 --> 03:14:10.760
tell her every shower nozzle in here is deadly holy

2879
03:14:10.840 --> 03:14:14.719
water to you now. In fact, I even disinfected my

2880
03:14:14.799 --> 03:14:18.360
wounds with it. You hurt me, Miranda, but I'm sure

2881
03:14:18.360 --> 03:14:21.280
my pain's nowhere near to what you're feeling right now.

2882
03:14:21.639 --> 03:14:24.040
In fact, I don't even think you could turn into

2883
03:14:24.079 --> 03:14:27.680
mist to be able to escape my trap. Miranda falls

2884
03:14:27.680 --> 03:14:30.760
to her knees. She's not directly under the nozzles, but

2885
03:14:30.799 --> 03:14:33.200
the steam is too much for her. Her skin is

2886
03:14:33.239 --> 03:14:36.239
as red as a lobster's shell. She tries to change

2887
03:14:36.239 --> 03:14:39.680
into a wolf, then a bat. She howls with pain

2888
03:14:39.760 --> 03:14:43.079
before she returns to her human form and falls flat

2889
03:14:43.120 --> 03:14:47.360
on her face and chest on the floor. Now it's

2890
03:14:47.440 --> 03:14:53.559
time to prepare her for old time's sake. Chapter seven,

2891
03:14:55.000 --> 03:14:58.040
Miranda wakes up and finds herself secured to a table

2892
03:14:58.079 --> 03:15:01.440
in the infirmary. She tries to sit up, of fines,

2893
03:15:01.559 --> 03:15:05.639
she can't move Like your daughter before you, I've bound

2894
03:15:05.639 --> 03:15:09.520
you with a crucifix. I tell her you're mine now.

2895
03:15:10.520 --> 03:15:13.600
Miranda is still badly burned from being in holy water

2896
03:15:13.680 --> 03:15:18.239
showers with me. As for me, I'm dry now, aside

2897
03:15:18.239 --> 03:15:21.760
from my hair. She looks up at me now like

2898
03:15:21.840 --> 03:15:25.159
Shiranda thorn before her. She tries using her glam on me.

2899
03:15:26.120 --> 03:15:29.239
Then she sees my eyes glowing red, the way Shiranda

2900
03:15:29.479 --> 03:15:32.719
and so many of my other victims before her have seen.

2901
03:15:34.120 --> 03:15:38.639
What are you, Neiranda demands, you cannot possibly be a

2902
03:15:38.760 --> 03:15:41.920
human woman. I can feel your evil emitting from your

2903
03:15:42.040 --> 03:15:45.639
very eyes. I wonder if I'll ever understand why my

2904
03:15:45.760 --> 03:15:49.639
victims think I'm so evil. And then I put my

2905
03:15:49.760 --> 03:15:52.280
hands on the pit of my stomach and feel my

2906
03:15:52.399 --> 03:15:58.719
familiar passenger. I moan softly, knowing my bloodlust has returned.

2907
03:16:00.280 --> 03:16:05.600
With my new emotions, it feels just amazing. I want

2908
03:16:05.639 --> 03:16:09.879
more than anything to put Nearanda to death and claim her. Now,

2909
03:16:10.000 --> 03:16:13.360
Nearanda sees the plaques displaying the pictures of the dead

2910
03:16:13.399 --> 03:16:17.479
guards I found. You and your minions have killed these people.

2911
03:16:18.040 --> 03:16:20.639
Many of them had families who loved them a great deal.

2912
03:16:21.360 --> 03:16:25.000
I understand your vile nature as a vampire, but in

2913
03:16:25.079 --> 03:16:29.520
my eyes, you're all vicious murderers. You even tried to

2914
03:16:29.520 --> 03:16:32.520
take my love from me, regardless of whether you ever

2915
03:16:32.559 --> 03:16:35.440
planned on keeping your word and letting him go. I

2916
03:16:35.520 --> 03:16:39.840
will not be letting you go. Like your daughter before you.

2917
03:16:39.840 --> 03:16:44.520
You're going to die by my hands. Very shortly, Miranda

2918
03:16:44.600 --> 03:16:48.040
opens her mouth to show her fangs. My family will

2919
03:16:48.079 --> 03:16:50.959
never stop coming for you, Reagan Devereux. If you kill

2920
03:16:51.000 --> 03:16:53.559
me here today, you will have enemies at every turn.

2921
03:16:53.680 --> 03:16:56.600
The house of Thorn is a great one. Allow me

2922
03:16:56.680 --> 03:16:58.719
to live, and I shall bring you into my house.

2923
03:16:59.680 --> 03:17:02.799
You would be greatly worshiped for your abilities as a

2924
03:17:02.840 --> 03:17:07.840
prolific killer alone. I consider her a moment. Then I

2925
03:17:07.959 --> 03:17:11.559
tell her, perhaps if you would have approached me years

2926
03:17:11.559 --> 03:17:14.200
ago when I was a child and raised me yourself,

2927
03:17:14.879 --> 03:17:17.760
I might have been as your offering. But I was

2928
03:17:17.879 --> 03:17:21.000
raised by a good and wonderful person who taught me

2929
03:17:21.079 --> 03:17:24.079
to be a good girl and instilled her values in me.

2930
03:17:24.840 --> 03:17:27.440
She even taught me her ways of dealing with your kind.

2931
03:17:28.280 --> 03:17:32.479
I can never take innocence. I just can't do it. No,

2932
03:17:33.559 --> 03:17:36.399
you will die here today. If your family comes for me,

2933
03:17:36.600 --> 03:17:39.879
then they come for me. None of us will live forever,

2934
03:17:40.719 --> 03:17:45.879
nor are we promised tomorrow. You are a fool to

2935
03:17:45.959 --> 03:17:51.840
refuse my offer, Reagan. Miranda yells a fool, But today

2936
03:17:52.719 --> 03:17:55.959
you're the fool, I remind her, Or have you suddenly

2937
03:17:56.000 --> 03:17:58.719
forgotten what I'm about to do to you? I reach

2938
03:17:58.799 --> 03:18:01.239
over to my instruments and pick up one of the

2939
03:18:01.280 --> 03:18:07.360
sharp wooden steaks I made, and now Nearanda Thorn let

2940
03:18:07.399 --> 03:18:12.680
the punishment fit the crime. When I raise the steak,

2941
03:18:13.079 --> 03:18:16.879
she yells for me to stop. I do for a moment.

2942
03:18:17.760 --> 03:18:19.920
Then she asks me how I was able to make

2943
03:18:19.959 --> 03:18:23.920
those showers spray holy water. She tells me I must

2944
03:18:23.959 --> 03:18:28.239
at least tell her that, but I don't, and bring

2945
03:18:28.280 --> 03:18:34.239
the steak right down, hard and fast. Nearanda screams when

2946
03:18:34.239 --> 03:18:37.319
the steak pierces her heart from the front to the back.

2947
03:18:38.760 --> 03:18:44.639
I wait until she finally dies. However, her body doesn't

2948
03:18:44.680 --> 03:18:50.559
immediately start burning into ash, which means Naranda Thorn had

2949
03:18:50.600 --> 03:18:56.200
lived long enough to become a master vampire. I pick

2950
03:18:56.280 --> 03:18:58.399
up the blade I made in the maintenance shop a

2951
03:18:58.479 --> 03:19:02.639
block away and use it to decapitate her. I grab

2952
03:19:02.680 --> 03:19:05.760
her hair and lift her head up high, feeling both

2953
03:19:05.760 --> 03:19:10.280
my emotions and my bloodlust together. I've never been more excited.

2954
03:19:10.559 --> 03:19:14.479
I've just killed my first ever master vampire. Mama will

2955
03:19:14.479 --> 03:19:17.559
be so proud of me. I think I'm even crying

2956
03:19:17.559 --> 03:19:21.680
with joy now. So how did I make the shower

2957
03:19:21.760 --> 03:19:25.719
spray holy water? Well? When I turned eighteen, Mama had

2958
03:19:25.760 --> 03:19:29.399
me do something really strange. She made me sign up

2959
03:19:29.399 --> 03:19:33.440
online to become an ordained minister. Mama and I don't

2960
03:19:33.479 --> 03:19:36.879
believe in the existence of God or Satan, but she

2961
03:19:37.000 --> 03:19:39.799
explained that using artifacts of the holy and being a

2962
03:19:39.840 --> 03:19:43.120
minister doesn't mean faith in God. It means believing that

2963
03:19:43.200 --> 03:19:46.200
these weapons can protect you against the beings who are

2964
03:19:46.280 --> 03:19:50.799
vulnerable to them. Now do you understand? I simply blessed

2965
03:19:50.799 --> 03:19:53.079
myself and the spots on the floor in the shower

2966
03:19:53.120 --> 03:19:57.280
to turn the water holy. Like I said, Mama taught

2967
03:19:57.319 --> 03:20:02.120
baby well, But today I learned a valuable lesson that

2968
03:20:02.200 --> 03:20:05.479
the master vampire I had just killed taught me before

2969
03:20:05.520 --> 03:20:08.760
I ended her. I know what I need to do.

2970
03:20:08.840 --> 03:20:12.840
Now it's time for me to go find Drake and

2971
03:20:12.959 --> 03:20:18.399
show Nearanda's minions that she's lost our contest. After placing

2972
03:20:18.440 --> 03:20:22.319
Nearanda's body in the incinerator, I gathered the stakes I made,

2973
03:20:22.840 --> 03:20:26.559
armed myself with a few crosses, and pocketed several bottles

2974
03:20:26.559 --> 03:20:29.840
of holy water. I'll go down fighting if that's what

2975
03:20:29.879 --> 03:20:34.799
those vampires want. I secure Miranda's head and carry it

2976
03:20:34.840 --> 03:20:38.000
in my hand. I'm coming for you, Drake.

2977
03:20:39.959 --> 03:20:42.440
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your

2978
03:20:42.520 --> 03:20:45.959
doors weekly Spooky we'll be right back.

2979
03:20:51.600 --> 03:20:58.920
Chapter eight. You're never going to believe this. I returned

2980
03:20:58.920 --> 03:21:01.159
to the chapel ready for the fight of my life.

2981
03:21:01.239 --> 03:21:05.520
I was truly ready to die to save Drake. I

2982
03:21:05.639 --> 03:21:08.399
came into the chapel and held up Neranda's head for

2983
03:21:08.440 --> 03:21:13.079
her minions to see. Your master is mine. I yelled,

2984
03:21:13.600 --> 03:21:16.799
honor the bargain and let Drake go, or come out

2985
03:21:16.799 --> 03:21:20.760
here and fight me yourselves to keep him. My bloodlust

2986
03:21:20.840 --> 03:21:24.479
is really hungry for more vampires, but it would not

2987
03:21:24.520 --> 03:21:28.760
get any more today. The bodies of Miranda's minions, or

2988
03:21:29.360 --> 03:21:34.399
rather their ashen remains, are everywhere. I do find Drake

2989
03:21:34.479 --> 03:21:37.760
behind the altar, unconscious. I check him over and see

2990
03:21:37.799 --> 03:21:41.079
he's not bitten, even using a mirror to see his reflection.

2991
03:21:42.319 --> 03:21:46.159
Knowing he wasn't sired, I shake him awake as he

2992
03:21:46.200 --> 03:21:48.920
struggles to come too. I know that he was glamed.

2993
03:21:49.520 --> 03:21:51.200
I look around to see if there are any other

2994
03:21:51.319 --> 03:21:57.879
vampires waiting to attack, but they don't. Rage Drake utters

2995
03:21:58.520 --> 03:22:01.440
Are you all right? I asked, helping him to his feet.

2996
03:22:02.440 --> 03:22:05.840
Drake gasps when he sees Miranda's head on the altar.

2997
03:22:06.799 --> 03:22:09.559
Then he sees the look on my face and knows

2998
03:22:09.600 --> 03:22:12.879
what I'm about to say isn't going to be good.

2999
03:22:14.079 --> 03:22:18.520
Rage he utters again. I look him in the eyes.

3000
03:22:19.959 --> 03:22:24.719
I'm not going to marry you, Drake. In fact, it's

3001
03:22:24.760 --> 03:22:27.959
over between you and me. I really do mean it

3002
03:22:28.040 --> 03:22:32.239
this time. I remove the engagement ring and place it

3003
03:22:32.239 --> 03:22:38.319
in his hand. But rage, he stammers. He doesn't see

3004
03:22:38.360 --> 03:22:41.360
me cry like I've done many times before when I

3005
03:22:41.360 --> 03:22:46.680
couldn't allow myself to be separated from him. Go and

3006
03:22:46.799 --> 03:22:51.200
live your life, Drake, Kasmarak. I tell him, I'm going

3007
03:22:51.239 --> 03:22:52.840
to be in this prison for the rest of my

3008
03:22:52.959 --> 03:22:57.440
natural life, and that's not fair to you. While you

3009
03:22:57.479 --> 03:22:59.399
were able to come and visit me here and even

3010
03:22:59.440 --> 03:23:02.479
spend nights with me, you can't ultimately live here with me.

3011
03:23:03.440 --> 03:23:08.360
Ultimately you won't want to live with me. I've taken

3012
03:23:08.920 --> 03:23:11.559
far too many lives. I don't even know if I'm

3013
03:23:11.639 --> 03:23:15.719
human or not. I just killed this master vampire, and

3014
03:23:17.680 --> 03:23:22.159
I loved it. I step away from Drake, I mean it.

3015
03:23:22.719 --> 03:23:26.680
Leave here now and go live your life, find yourself

3016
03:23:26.680 --> 03:23:30.280
another mate to be happy with. All I'll ever bring

3017
03:23:30.319 --> 03:23:33.879
you is misery. You may not think so now, but

3018
03:23:33.959 --> 03:23:36.319
over time, you're going to wish you'd never met me

3019
03:23:37.399 --> 03:23:39.520
or did you forget why you came looking for me

3020
03:23:39.559 --> 03:23:42.760
in the first place. I tighten my fists and scream,

3021
03:23:43.520 --> 03:23:48.360
I killed Annie Judge. Now Drake is finally looking at

3022
03:23:48.360 --> 03:23:50.959
me the way I knew he would. I can see

3023
03:23:50.959 --> 03:23:56.520
some contempt on his face. I killed Annie Judge. I repeat,

3024
03:23:57.239 --> 03:24:00.280
I will never regret killing her, Drake. You and I

3025
03:24:00.280 --> 03:24:03.840
both know why she deserved to die. In fact, I

3026
03:24:03.879 --> 03:24:07.639
will never regret killing any of my victims. I grab

3027
03:24:07.680 --> 03:24:13.520
and raise Miranda's head again, including this master vampire. I

3028
03:24:13.600 --> 03:24:17.000
glare at him now. He gasps when he sees how

3029
03:24:17.079 --> 03:24:22.719
red my eyes have become. Don't you understand I'll never

3030
03:24:22.760 --> 03:24:25.479
be your perfect mate, I'll never be a normal woman,

3031
03:24:25.639 --> 03:24:29.079
and you deserve so much, so much better than me.

3032
03:24:29.879 --> 03:24:34.239
I put the head back on the altar. I release you, Drake,

3033
03:24:35.360 --> 03:24:39.200
go and live the rest of your life. Hopefully you'll

3034
03:24:39.239 --> 03:24:41.719
be able to find someone who can truly make you happy.

3035
03:24:43.200 --> 03:24:47.079
You're a good man, but I am not a good woman.

3036
03:24:48.959 --> 03:24:51.319
I told you a long time ago that I'm damaged

3037
03:24:51.360 --> 03:24:55.399
and can never be made whole again. Leave me now

3038
03:24:55.399 --> 03:25:00.680
and never return here to see me ever again. In fact,

3039
03:25:01.639 --> 03:25:04.280
I will leave instructions that you are banned from seeing

3040
03:25:04.280 --> 03:25:08.000
me unless it's for a case you absolutely need my help.

3041
03:25:08.000 --> 03:25:12.440
On Drake doesn't say anything to me. I know I've

3042
03:25:12.520 --> 03:25:16.159
heard him again. I know I heard him deep when

3043
03:25:16.200 --> 03:25:20.159
I killed Anny Judge. But this will likely hurt him

3044
03:25:20.239 --> 03:25:26.360
just as deep. In time, he will heal. I follow

3045
03:25:26.399 --> 03:25:28.959
behind him where I can see him and he can't

3046
03:25:29.000 --> 03:25:32.200
see me. I watch from an open door as he

3047
03:25:32.239 --> 03:25:35.399
gets into his car and leaves.

3048
03:25:37.040 --> 03:25:37.559
Wow.

3049
03:25:37.719 --> 03:25:40.920
I left him so distraught that he completely forgot I

3050
03:25:40.959 --> 03:25:45.000
can easily walk out of glen View altogether. I could

3051
03:25:45.040 --> 03:25:48.719
literally be a free woman this very night, or rather

3052
03:25:50.239 --> 03:25:57.799
Christmas Day, as the nearby clock strikes midnight. I know

3053
03:25:57.959 --> 03:26:00.079
I have the skills to be able to stay on

3054
03:25:59.920 --> 03:26:03.360
the run and avoid law enforcement. I could even leave

3055
03:26:03.399 --> 03:26:07.319
the country and live somewhere free of this place's rules.

3056
03:26:09.120 --> 03:26:13.639
The ironic truth here is, however, that I really don't

3057
03:26:13.639 --> 03:26:18.479
want to go. I know I've done wrong. In spite

3058
03:26:18.520 --> 03:26:21.319
of the fact I've saved so many lives and claim

3059
03:26:21.440 --> 03:26:26.600
so many corrupt souls, the truth is I still continue

3060
03:26:26.639 --> 03:26:32.000
to feel very much at peace here. It's then when

3061
03:26:32.040 --> 03:26:35.680
it begins to snow, I stand in the doorway and

3062
03:26:35.760 --> 03:26:39.200
watch it come down. The Christmas lights that line. The

3063
03:26:39.200 --> 03:26:44.760
fence aren't the prettiest to look at, but I'll take it. Suddenly,

3064
03:26:44.799 --> 03:26:48.600
I feel somebody near me. I turn and see CHESSI

3065
03:26:48.719 --> 03:26:54.600
carver Reagan. She utters. She and I look at each other.

3066
03:26:55.760 --> 03:26:59.959
I'm so overjoyed that she's okay. Looks like she probably

3067
03:27:00.079 --> 03:27:04.120
he got knocked out. Chessie sees I can easily escape

3068
03:27:04.120 --> 03:27:07.120
glen View. She doesn't even have her gun on her.

3069
03:27:07.840 --> 03:27:12.399
She has her belt, but no gun. Chessie gives me

3070
03:27:12.479 --> 03:27:18.440
a beckoning look, please do the right thing, Reagan, don't escape.

3071
03:27:19.680 --> 03:27:23.680
I give her a warm smile and approach her. I

3072
03:27:23.680 --> 03:27:27.200
think she's wondering if I'm going to kill her, but

3073
03:27:27.280 --> 03:27:30.680
I wrap my arms around her. Then I feel her

3074
03:27:30.760 --> 03:27:34.799
hugged me back. I just wanted to see the snow.

3075
03:27:35.840 --> 03:27:41.600
I tell her it's Christmas. Now, I'm so glad you're

3076
03:27:41.639 --> 03:27:46.760
all right. We hug for a moment, then we come apart.

3077
03:27:48.040 --> 03:27:52.360
Chessie seems more confident in me now, want to take

3078
03:27:52.399 --> 03:27:57.520
me back to my block. I ask, I promise I

3079
03:27:57.559 --> 03:28:03.120
won't fight you. Chessie nods. I hold out my hands

3080
03:28:03.120 --> 03:28:06.520
for her to cuff me, but she takes my hand.

3081
03:28:07.559 --> 03:28:09.680
We walk back to my block, where I let her

3082
03:28:09.719 --> 03:28:14.319
open my special cell and watch me go back inside.

3083
03:28:14.440 --> 03:28:17.559
It's only minutes after she locks me up that the

3084
03:28:17.600 --> 03:28:22.600
state police finally arrive. Chessie tells them everything she knows

3085
03:28:23.239 --> 03:28:26.600
seeing I'm in my cell. They don't even question me.

3086
03:28:27.959 --> 03:28:31.319
As for Drake, no one ever knew he was there

3087
03:28:31.479 --> 03:28:39.280
during Miranda's raid. It's one week later New Year's Eve.

3088
03:28:40.120 --> 03:28:43.479
Chessie actually agreed to sit at her station and watch me. Tonight,

3089
03:28:44.200 --> 03:28:46.000
she could have gone to be with her family and

3090
03:28:46.040 --> 03:28:49.680
friends to watch the ball drop or whatever people do

3091
03:28:49.840 --> 03:28:53.079
to ring in the New Year. Mama was already here

3092
03:28:53.120 --> 03:28:56.399
and we spent the day together. As for Christmas Eve,

3093
03:28:57.040 --> 03:28:59.680
she got the full story from me on what happened.

3094
03:29:00.760 --> 03:29:03.600
Like I said, she was very proud of me for

3095
03:29:03.680 --> 03:29:07.920
slaying my first master vampire. She was even more proud

3096
03:29:07.959 --> 03:29:10.959
of me for not escaping here when I had the chance.

3097
03:29:12.040 --> 03:29:15.440
She said I was truly a good girl and that

3098
03:29:15.520 --> 03:29:18.559
she raised me right in spite of the fact I

3099
03:29:18.639 --> 03:29:22.920
was a serial killer. She was still sad and wondering

3100
03:29:23.000 --> 03:29:26.600
where she went wrong with me on that I assured

3101
03:29:26.639 --> 03:29:30.280
her it was nothing she did. She also said she

3102
03:29:30.360 --> 03:29:34.559
was very sorry for what happened between Drake and I

3103
03:29:35.479 --> 03:29:39.639
speaking of Drake. He hasn't been back here since Christmas Eve.

3104
03:29:40.399 --> 03:29:43.639
Aside from Mama, the only visitor I got was Chief

3105
03:29:43.680 --> 03:29:47.200
Cobbs from the North Ridgeway PD. He had a case

3106
03:29:47.239 --> 03:29:51.040
he wanted my help on. Once I cracked it, he

3107
03:29:51.120 --> 03:29:56.719
thanked me personally. Now I'm here with Chessie. She's not Mama,

3108
03:29:56.879 --> 03:29:59.719
but she's a motherly woman to me just the same.

3109
03:30:00.719 --> 03:30:03.040
She later told me that I had saved her daughter's

3110
03:30:03.079 --> 03:30:06.360
life years ago when a rapist tried to take advantage

3111
03:30:06.360 --> 03:30:10.920
of her. She told me the name of the man. Yes,

3112
03:30:11.159 --> 03:30:15.360
I did kill him for that very reason. I didn't

3113
03:30:15.360 --> 03:30:18.319
admit to it, but Chessie said I didn't have to.

3114
03:30:20.120 --> 03:30:23.959
She even called me a good girl too. As Chessie

3115
03:30:24.000 --> 03:30:26.360
and I are playing another game of chess in my cell,

3116
03:30:27.040 --> 03:30:30.520
she gets a call at her station phone. I wait

3117
03:30:30.600 --> 03:30:33.920
while she goes and answers it. Then she looks my

3118
03:30:34.000 --> 03:30:38.680
way and tells me I have a visitor. She doesn't

3119
03:30:38.719 --> 03:30:40.360
know who it is and asks if I want to

3120
03:30:40.399 --> 03:30:44.120
see the young woman waiting for me? Who would come

3121
03:30:44.120 --> 03:30:47.479
to visit me on New Year's Eve? I wonder out loud,

3122
03:30:48.920 --> 03:30:51.120
then I nod and tell Chessie it may be a

3123
03:30:51.239 --> 03:30:54.639
law enforcement official with another case for me to work on.

3124
03:30:55.600 --> 03:30:57.760
Chessie confirms the meeting as I come out of my

3125
03:30:57.879 --> 03:31:01.639
cell to walk with her. Chessie takes me to the

3126
03:31:01.760 --> 03:31:04.799
room where I get my cases. But it's not any

3127
03:31:04.879 --> 03:31:08.920
kind of law enforcement person that I've ever seen. It's

3128
03:31:08.959 --> 03:31:14.200
a girl who looks to be either seventeen or eighteen.

3129
03:31:15.120 --> 03:31:20.239
She's very skinny and has long blonde hair. Then I

3130
03:31:20.360 --> 03:31:26.040
see her red eyes and know immediately that she's a vampire.

3131
03:31:27.639 --> 03:31:31.559
I turn to Chessie and nod once, I'll be okay.

3132
03:31:33.040 --> 03:31:36.719
Chessie nods once herself and leaves, locking the door behind me.

3133
03:31:38.440 --> 03:31:44.600
Then I sit down across from this vampire Reagan Devereux right,

3134
03:31:45.319 --> 03:31:50.399
She asks me, or do you prefer rage? Rage is fine,

3135
03:31:50.840 --> 03:31:58.440
I reply. The girl smiles. My name's Bella Tabon. I'd

3136
03:31:58.479 --> 03:32:01.200
like it very much if we could have ourselves a

3137
03:32:01.280 --> 03:32:10.479
friendly chat. Well, my Spookyes, the holiday season is nearing

3138
03:32:10.520 --> 03:32:14.520
its clothes, but don't worry. There's plenty of fear and

3139
03:32:14.600 --> 03:32:18.840
fun waiting for you right here. So make sure you're subscribed.

3140
03:32:18.879 --> 03:32:21.479
And thank you so much for all the support, all

3141
03:32:21.520 --> 03:32:25.040
the love, and all the fear we get to share

3142
03:32:25.520 --> 03:32:27.239
it really does mean a lot to me, and it

3143
03:32:27.280 --> 03:32:31.639
adds a lot to my own holiday season. So make

3144
03:32:31.680 --> 03:32:34.959
sure you're subscribed and head to Weeklyspooky dot com if

3145
03:32:34.959 --> 03:32:37.520
you want to throw us some support, But for now,

3146
03:32:38.719 --> 03:32:41.920
stay warm.