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Dec. 5, 2024

5 Christmas Horror Stories — Killer Santa, Monsters and Yuletide Terror

5 Christmas Horror Stories — Killer Santa, Monsters and Yuletide Terror
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Five Christmas horror stories bring killer Santas, Krampus, murderous machines, dark elves, and bloodthirsty vampires into the holiday season.

• Santa Claus Is Killing the Town — by Morgan Moore
A couple’s Christmas road trip reaches a welcoming inn shadowed by the legend of a local killer Santa—and by a holiday reunion that may not survive the night.

• Krampus Is Comin’ — by Rob Fields
A former Strickfield sorority president returns home as old betrayals demand a reckoning and the punishing spirit of Krampus enters the celebration.

• Operation Deadly Night — by Keith Tomlin
A household maintenance android receives a Santa upgrade and rewrites its duties, turning domestic automation into a deadly Christmas nightmare.

• Dead Silent Night — by David O’Hanlon
A man who believes he escaped the consequences of his behavior learns that the holiday has kept its own supernatural accounting.

• Doorway to Horror — by Rob Fields
A mysterious horror movie opens a portal during a holiday gathering, trapping friends in a Christmas Eve world ruled by vampires.

Hosted and narrated by Henrique Couto, this yuletide horror marathon crosses small-town slasher territory, mythic punishment, artificial-intelligence terror, dark comedy, cursed media, and an undead siege—five very different reasons to keep watch after the lights go out.

The complete list demonstrates why this is more than five versions of killer Santa. One story uses a local slasher legend, one turns Krampus into personal punishment, one corrupts domestic automation, one delivers supernatural accounting, and one opens cursed media into a vampire-ruled Christmas world.

Keeping the story titles, authors, and individual premises intact supports discovery by subject and contributor. The collection offers holiday road horror, Strickfield revenge, artificial-intelligence anxiety, dark comedy, portals, and undead siege while maintaining Christmas as the cause or setting of each threat.

This episode is sponsored by HenFlix: https://henflix.com/

🎧 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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My spookies. I hope you're having a good beginning to

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your holiday season. Well, I'm your host and narrator, Enrique Kuto,

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here with a little gift, because it's always nice to

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have something to open during the holidays. Here I bring

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you five of the most terrifying stories about the Yuletide season,

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just for your enjoyment. A marathon of murder and mayhem,

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but with a flare of wintry delight. So get comfortable.

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Make sure you're subscribed to the show and head to

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Weeklyspooky dot com if you want to learn more about

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what we do and how you can help us keep

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going for another five years and beyond. But now, my friends,

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Santa Claus is killing the town, So get a blanket

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and enjoy the shell. Santa Claus Is Killing the Town

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by Morgan Moore. Christmas music flows out from the stereo

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in the car. Janie had been listening to the music

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for hours on end as she and her girlfriend Mollie

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drove along. By this point in their road trip, all

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of the music courtesy of an old time fifties and

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sixties radio station, had long since blended together. To Genie,

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it was all just crackling background noise that sounded all

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the same, with only good old Frosty and Rudolph to

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break up the monotony. How much longer, she asked Molly.

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Not too much, Yeah, but much. I'm feeling kind of cramped,

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Jenie responded. Mollie smirked and gave her partner a mischievous

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and playful look. Now, listen, kiddo, if you keep that up,

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I'll just have to turn this car around and take

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my sweet time bringing you home. Janie found no words

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to reply, and instead offered a roll of her eyes

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and a middle finger. For real, though, it isn't that

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much more. We have to go just to the end

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of this road, a few turns in a hill, and

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there will be home, Molly explained, if you say so,

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Genie said. The two were on their way to Molly's

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hometown of Decatur. They had been invited to spend the

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holidays with some of Molly's friends for a bit of

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an impromptu reunion. Mollie thought it would be a fun,

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cozy getaway and could give her a great gift and

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a surprise visit with her parents too. Janie wasn't super eager,

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though she had never been the social type and was

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a wallflower even when hanging out with her own friends.

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The idea of spending Christmas with complete strangers in an

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old inn wasn't something high on her agenda then. And

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there was also the subject of Molly's parents. They were sweet,

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supportive of their daughter in every way, and had shown

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Janie's kindness the few times they had met previously, but

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those were in controlled situations out in public, not in

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the privacy of their own house and town. Something about

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the whole affair rubbed Genie the wrong way and had

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her feeling anxious. But it was Christmas, and it was

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for Mollie, the love of her life, so she decided

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to give it a try. Maybe it could be fun

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to meet her old friends and spend Christmas in a

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little town, and who knew, maybe Molly's parents would still

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be as kind and welcoming as they seemed to be. Plus,

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if everything went well, she could finally bring out the

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ring she had bought for Molly but had yet to

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find the right moment to propose due to her word,

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Molly turned left at the end of the country road,

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and a few turns, a hill and a short stretch

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of road later, the two were indicator. Janice peered out

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the window as they drove along Decatur reminded her a

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lot of paintings that portrayed idyllic small towns and a

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good old fashioned America, something akin to old Norman Rockwell paintings,

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but she liked it. The old buildings and independent businesses

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mixed with the snow gave her a warm and secure feeling.

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Looks can be deceiving, she told herself. The couple arrived

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at their destination, the Chamberlain Inn, a family run establishment.

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They parked by the front and raced from the near

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bitter cold outdoors into the Chamberlain. Inside, Genie and Molly

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found a warm lit entry room, a small but fanciful

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check in desk against the back wall, and at the

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was a little old lady. Why hello, there, she said raspally.

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As the two approached Hello, We're here to check in,

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Molly stated, do you have a reservation? The clerk asked, yep,

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it'll be under Molly Burke. We're also part of a

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group staying here for a little reunion. If that helps,

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Molly explained, Oh, you're part of that group too, Well,

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then we should get you checked in so you can

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join them. My friends are already here, Molly asked. Janie,

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absent mindedly paced around the room, looking at the decor bored. Yes, ma'am,

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they're in the back parlor. Here you are, Molly burke

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one room. The clerk parroted out information jotted on an

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index card. At the reading of one room, she glanced

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over at Genie. Janice caught the look and stared back.

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The clerk looked at Molly, who had an expression of

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lacking amusement, catching on to what the old lady was

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taken aback by. Well, young miss, you're up on the

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second floor, last door on the right, thanks, Molly said,

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matter of fact, as she took the key. Genie grabbed

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their bags and met Molly at the staircase, catching the

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old lady watching them, Genie stopped walking. When Molly stopped

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in confusion, Genie kissed her. She smirked at the clerk.

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After they broke the kiss, Molly looked at the woman's

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aghast expression and giggled before the two went up to

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their room. A little while later, the two returned downstairs,

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freshly showered, freshly stretched out from their three hour car ride,

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and dressed for the finest of small town inn reunions.

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Genie and Molly made their way to the parlor room

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in the back and found a group of four others

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seated around a small table. A moment later, somebody, a girl,

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noticed them. She let out a shriek of excitement that

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gained the attention of the other three. They also cried

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out in joy at the sight of Molly. The four

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got out of their seats and nearly bum rushed her

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in their excitement. What followed was a series of hugs,

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tears of happiness, hower ewes, and common expressions of friendship.

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Janie smiled a little at the beginning of the onslaught,

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but couldn't help her social anxiety from rising a few levels,

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so she backed away from the mob and found a

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spot against a bookshelf. Molly caught the change out of

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the corner of her eye and also saw the look

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of unease with a tinge of being upset at not

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being included. She smiled and broke away from her friends

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and lightly strode over to her girlfriend. Where oh where

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are my manners? I'm such a rude bitch some times, everybody,

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This is Janie my girlfriend. To punctuate her introduction and

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soft apology to Janice, Molly kissed her lovingly. Janie blushed

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but smiled.

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Hi.

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She squeaked out, hello to you too. My name is Elijah.

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A tall man told her, I'm Kate. Nice to meet you. Deanie,

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an average height but clearly surgically enhanced woman said, we're

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Marcus and Amanda. The two said, a couple that looked

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as plain Jane and Homie as decatur itself. Well that's everyone, dear.

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Come on, let's eat some food and get a little

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drinking in while we embarrass each other with old stories,

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Molly proclaimed. The group agreed and returned to the table.

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Molly gave Janie an apologizing look for not immediately introducing her.

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Janie smiled and shrugged her shoulders. She gave her a

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peck on the cheek. The two then walked hand in

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hand to the table and joined the others. Minutes turned

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to hours as the six conversed about their pasts and

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their presence. To her surprise, Janie found herself being brought

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into the conversation, and her anxiety level was decreasing at

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a rapid rate. It didn't appear to be forced either.

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They seemed to enjoy her company and her theirs. Despite

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her initial hesitation on the whole affair, Deanie had to

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admit that she was, in fact having a good time.

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The full wintry moon shone through the parlor window. A

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fire was roasting in the fireplace, helmed by Marcus and Elijah.

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The ladies were seated in various chairs, with Janie and

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Molly sharing a love seat. A tall, old grandfather clock

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ticked away the time. So what do you think of

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our little town, Deenise, Amanda asked, before taking a sip

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from a mug of tea. Deanie took a sip from

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her own mug filled with a combo of hot chocolate

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and alcoholic creamer. It's actually pretty nice. I thought it

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would be some little boring Midwest town that time forgot,

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but it isn't all that bad, except it is a

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boring little Midwest town, Elijah interjected with a chuckle. She's

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so modest and such a liar. Deanie loves old time

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stuff like this. She practically lives at the antiques village

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back at home. Molly chimed in. Is that so, Kate

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questioned in a humored manner. Yup, Molly said. She looks

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over at a now blushing Genie and pecks her on

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the cheek with a playful smile. Anything old or anything

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that looks like it was plucked out of Mayberry as

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this girl's jam, then why is she dating you? Marcus

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shot in with a well timed delivery. The lion garnered

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laughs from everybody in the parlor. Yeah, what can I say?

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I like old stuff. It's better quality, the music, the movies,

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the look and feel of everything. It's just so grand,

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she said, punctuating the last word in a style similar

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to old movie actresses. What about stories, Elijah asked, huh.

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Denise tilted her head in confusion. Do you like old stories?

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He asked again, Yeah, then you'll love decate or even more.

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The town is filled with old stories of love, fun, adventure,

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and even some gnarly shit. Elijah continued, gnarly shit like

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what crimes? Denise questioned, Her posture now one of intrigue

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and full investment in the conversation. Here we go, Kate said, sarcastically. Yeah,

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I mean we got bank robberies, couple of politically inclined crimes,

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a murder here and there. Then, of course there's old

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Robbie Clint, Elijah said, the room went deathly quiet.

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Don't go away, weekly, spooky, We'll be right back.

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All merriment and holiday cheer that had filled and bled

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into the walls was quickly sucked out, leaving only a

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bitter cold sense of reality and dread. Janice looked around

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and noticed that her companions all had an expression of

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fear and anger. Elijah, Amanda nearly shouted you know better,

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Marcus scolded, I'm only trying to entertain our new friend.

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He told them, Yeah, but come on, you know we

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we don't speak his name. Molly chimed in gloomily, I'm confused.

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Why is it that's such a bad thing that rob

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Before Genie can finish saying the name, Molly put a

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hand over her mouth and shushed her. The four lifelong

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friends looked at each other. To Deanie, it looked as

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if they were having a telekinetic conversation with one another. Eventually,

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Marcus sighed, well, since you started it, you may as

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well finish it. Tell her, he instructed, Elijah, just don't

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say his name, Kate added, or at least, at the

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very least, don't say all of it. Molly continued, all right,

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all right, all right, well then Janie ready to hear

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Decatur's infamous rise to fame. Elijah questioned the girl as

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if he was an investigator. Deanie glanced at all the

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faces in the room. When her eyes settled on Molly,

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they found a look of terror and sadness. Glancing down,

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she noticed that Molly had grabbed hold of one of

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Janice's hands and was squeezing it. She couldn't tell if

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it was for support for her or out of fear

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of whatever this terrifying tale was. Yeah, Genny said dryly,

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give it to me. Elijah stoked the fire once more

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before standing up. He made his way to the window

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and looked up at the freezing moon. With a sigh

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and a gulp, he began The tail our story begins

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when we were all little kids, still crapping in our diapers.

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It was actually close to Christmas. Kind of eerie that

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I'm telling it now, of all times of the year.

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Then again, how many of us actually think about Christmas

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outside of this time of year? Anyway, I'm rambling. Robbie

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was a local high school dropout. He was about eighteen

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or nineteen, depends on who you ask. Being a dropout

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meant the only work he could find was in fast

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food joints, or as a janitor or some other menial work.

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He lucked out a little bit in that he found

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a job at a local radio station where he mostly cleaned,

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but was taught how the whole place worked. Nothing to

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make a huge living off of, but Robbie seemed to

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enjoy it. Well. That was how he made money at night.

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During the day, if he wasn't at home living a

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lonesome life, Robbie worked as a babysitter. The thing is,

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Robbie wasn't always the most patient person, and he had

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a reputation for letting loose some of that impatience from

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time to time. Now, I don't know about you all,

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but kids can be infuriating little brats, so to some,

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it wasn't a surprise that Robbie quickly found himself out

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00:15:57.240 --> 00:16:00.639
of babysitting when an allegation of him heard a kid

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00:16:00.679 --> 00:16:04.600
came out. He claimed the mom had the hots for him,

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00:16:04.919 --> 00:16:07.840
and when he turned her down, she decided to be spiteful.

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She said Robbie beat the kid to near death because

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her son was having a tantrum. Nobody really knows what

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00:16:15.799 --> 00:16:20.440
happened or at least remembers now, but the end result

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was a lot of people pissed and refusing to hire

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him to watch their kids. The backlash was so bad

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that Robbie even lost his job at the radio station.

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Young Alone, filled with pent up anger at everything bad

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in his life, out of work and ostracized from pretty

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much the whole town, Robbie decided he would get some revenge,

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some sweet, sinister revenge. On Christmas Eve night, he broke

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into the radio station and executed what little stat was

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00:17:00.399 --> 00:17:05.720
on hand. Then he set up for a broadcast. Just

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as he was taught, Robbie interrupted a marathon of Christmas

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tunes and told the kids who were listening that he

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was good Old Santa Claus. Santa Robbie said that Decatur

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was one of his favorite towns in the world, and

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because of that, he wanted all of the good boys

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and girls to meet him that night at the Christmas

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Tree set up in the center of downtown. During Christmas

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Eve Mass, the parents figured why the hell not their

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kids always complained about going to church anyways, When it

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came time for mass, parents that decided to do it

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drop their kids off at the tree with Santa Claus

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in reality, a disguised Robbie before before they went off

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to church. When service was over and the parents returned

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to collect their kids, they found something straight out of

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a horror movie. Their precious little babies had been killed. Immediately,

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they stormed to the radio station, finding the dead crew

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and the security footage of Robbie doing the dirty, bloody deed,

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thus telling them who in fact was behind the massacre

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of their children. It took nearly all night, but they

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eventually found him in a bathroom in the church they

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00:18:45.920 --> 00:18:50.680
had gone to for mass Robbie had smashed a mirror

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and slit his own wrists and throat. The parents disposed

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of his body by cremating it at the local funeral parlor.

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Christmas that year was truly red and green, red from

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the blood and green from how sick the whole affair was.

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Elijah finished the story and quickly made his way to

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a small bar in the parlor, taking a long drink

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from a whiskey bottle. Everybody else sat in silence. Genie

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00:19:32.200 --> 00:19:36.359
spoke up, so, why aren't you supposed to say his name?

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00:19:36.400 --> 00:19:36.599
Then?

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00:19:37.400 --> 00:19:42.279
Your story didn't mention that. Some say that because he

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killed himself in a church that his soul was cursed

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and damned for eternity, and that if you even say

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00:19:49.440 --> 00:19:55.440
his name once, he'll return to butcher more people. Or

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00:19:56.079 --> 00:19:59.759
it's out of respect for the victims. Duh, nobody in

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00:19:59.839 --> 00:20:04.039
the town likes to hear about him. Marcus replied, so

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00:20:04.160 --> 00:20:07.960
what you just pretend he never existed? Do you like

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00:20:08.319 --> 00:20:10.599
censor out a letter in his name if you write

279
00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:14.599
about him like how some people do on Twitter? Because

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00:20:14.640 --> 00:20:18.240
if so, that's pretty stupid. I mean, it's like saying

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00:20:18.279 --> 00:20:21.640
the F word or the N word. You're just making

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00:20:21.680 --> 00:20:24.279
the other people say it in their mind, so you

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00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:29.480
don't have to be accountable for your words. Genie explained, No,

284
00:20:29.759 --> 00:20:34.359
we're not that crazy. Kate responded, you just gasp in

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00:20:34.440 --> 00:20:39.039
horror if somebody said his name, Genie retorted. Amanda rolled

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00:20:39.079 --> 00:20:43.400
her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly at Molly. Some

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00:20:43.480 --> 00:20:48.200
folks just don't understand town customs. Genie released a sigh

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00:20:48.240 --> 00:20:54.440
of exhaustion and irritation at the conversation. Guys, I'm pretty

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00:20:54.480 --> 00:20:57.039
sure if you say his name, he won't appear like

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00:20:57.200 --> 00:21:00.359
bloody Mary. Besides, if it was out of her inspect

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00:21:00.359 --> 00:21:03.319
as you claimed, then why did you all seem so

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00:21:03.480 --> 00:21:06.079
scared out of your skin. When Elijah first said his name,

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00:21:08.079 --> 00:21:12.960
silence filled the room again. Nobody wanted to talk about

294
00:21:12.960 --> 00:21:16.359
the subject of the story. Janice looked over at Molly

295
00:21:16.440 --> 00:21:20.160
and found only a look of confusion at the reunion's turn.

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Tired of it, Jennie stood up and walked to the

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00:21:24.279 --> 00:21:27.599
door leading out of the parlor. She turned to face

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00:21:27.640 --> 00:21:32.200
her companions, Robbie Clint, Robbie Clint, Robbie Clint, Robbie Clint,

299
00:21:32.319 --> 00:21:39.839
Robbie Clint, she said in quick succession before leaving the parlor, U, sh.

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00:21:39.240 --> 00:21:43.519
It was only the wind, your safe, weekly spooky, We'll

301
00:21:43.559 --> 00:21:44.279
be right back.

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00:21:49.160 --> 00:21:53.400
Janie found herself unable to sleep. Her mind was filled

303
00:21:53.400 --> 00:21:57.680
with nightmares of children being killed by a psychotic Santa

304
00:21:58.400 --> 00:22:01.599
and of her love being taken away by some unknown

305
00:22:01.759 --> 00:22:06.839
creature of fear. She sighed and got out of bed,

306
00:22:07.279 --> 00:22:11.759
threw on a robe, and left her in Molly's room. Quietly,

307
00:22:12.200 --> 00:22:16.079
she walked through the inn, not wanting to wake anybody

308
00:22:16.160 --> 00:22:19.720
up or be confronted for what happened earlier in the night.

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By process of elimination, Janie walked all of the upstairs

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00:22:24.920 --> 00:22:29.279
and all of the downstairs, finding her journey ended in

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00:22:29.359 --> 00:22:33.640
the parlor. She made herself a drink and relaxed on

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00:22:33.680 --> 00:22:37.119
the love seat. What was supposed to be a pleasant

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00:22:37.240 --> 00:22:42.279
Christmas getaway and started off well, had turned into a

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00:22:42.319 --> 00:22:46.559
tense one. Janie told herself that perhaps it would be

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00:22:46.559 --> 00:22:48.960
better in the morning between the six of them, and

316
00:22:49.000 --> 00:22:52.839
that Molly's parents could still be a good time. Yet

317
00:22:52.839 --> 00:22:58.160
a little voice in her head argued otherwise. Deanie grunted

318
00:22:58.200 --> 00:23:00.720
in frustration as she placed the glass on the bar.

319
00:23:01.759 --> 00:23:04.799
She looked around the parlor and found herself staring at

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00:23:04.799 --> 00:23:08.240
a closet on the other side of the room. During

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00:23:08.279 --> 00:23:11.720
the earlier festivities. She had seen it, but hadn't given

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00:23:11.759 --> 00:23:14.920
it much thought. It was just a closet after all,

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but her inability to sleep sparked a curiosity for what

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00:23:19.880 --> 00:23:26.160
was inside. Quietly, Janie walked to the closet and opened it.

325
00:23:27.160 --> 00:23:31.039
Inside was an old radio that stood up to her midriff.

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Intrigued by the radio, Janie started fiddling with the various

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00:23:35.759 --> 00:23:39.759
knobs on it. A smile formed on her face as

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00:23:39.799 --> 00:23:45.039
her anxiety melted away while playing with the antique. Looking

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00:23:45.079 --> 00:23:48.480
it over closer, she noticed that it wasn't plugged in.

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She had to know if it would work. Slowly, Genie

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00:23:54.480 --> 00:23:57.119
pulled the radio out of the closet and pushed it

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00:23:57.160 --> 00:24:01.160
over to the closest outlet she could find. With excitement

333
00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:04.960
trembling through her body, she plugged in the radio and

334
00:24:05.039 --> 00:24:10.680
turned the knobs. Silence gave way to a soft, fuzzy crackling.

335
00:24:11.559 --> 00:24:16.519
It works, she exclaimed in a whisper filled with giddiness.

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00:24:16.759 --> 00:24:19.559
Deenise played with the tuner knob to find a channel

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00:24:19.880 --> 00:24:24.400
while making sure the volume wasn't too loud. The static

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00:24:24.440 --> 00:24:27.480
that initially greeted her did so with every twist she

339
00:24:27.640 --> 00:24:32.720
made of the knob. Janie kept playing with it, determined

340
00:24:32.720 --> 00:24:35.799
to find a station that was broadcasting.

341
00:24:37.240 --> 00:24:39.440
Ho ho oh.

342
00:24:39.640 --> 00:24:43.480
Boomed out from the radio speaker. In surprise, Jennie turned

343
00:24:43.480 --> 00:24:46.079
the volume down more. I found one.

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00:24:46.640 --> 00:24:52.160
Ho ho oh. Merry Christmas. It's your old friend, Santi Claus.

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00:24:52.720 --> 00:24:55.799
I want to wish all of you good boys and

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00:24:55.960 --> 00:24:59.920
girls a wonderful Christmas and to show kindness to the

347
00:25:00.200 --> 00:25:06.000
fellow man, even those who are naughty. That includes those

348
00:25:06.000 --> 00:25:09.880
who aren't actually naughty but are said and made to be.

349
00:25:10.799 --> 00:25:13.240
Even those little ones get gifts too.

350
00:25:14.039 --> 00:25:17.880
Jenie listened in complete confusion as to what it was

351
00:25:17.960 --> 00:25:19.920
that she was even listening.

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00:25:19.559 --> 00:25:24.599
To and speaking of gifts, I brought gifts for everyone,

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including you, Janice.

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Her mouth dropped some what.

355
00:25:30.799 --> 00:25:34.640
Yes, you too, Jenie, you get a gift. You've been

356
00:25:34.680 --> 00:25:37.759
the nicest one of all by giving me a gift

357
00:25:38.200 --> 00:25:42.640
I did. Why, of course, you gave me the gift

358
00:25:43.079 --> 00:25:45.880
of acknowledgment and resurrection.

359
00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:52.680
Jenie blinked in total bewildered confusion. Then it clicked in

360
00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:58.440
her head. Robbie Clint, She exclaimed.

361
00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:04.480
Yes, Surrey, from the bottom of my formerly non beating heart.

362
00:26:05.440 --> 00:26:11.039
Are you ready for your gift? I guess well, then

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00:26:12.119 --> 00:26:15.119
close your eyes and I'll give it to you.

364
00:26:16.119 --> 00:26:20.039
Janie did what she was told. The radio ceased to

365
00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:25.000
make any noises. Afterwards, she sat in silence, wondering what

366
00:26:25.039 --> 00:26:28.119
the hell was even going on, and that this was

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00:26:28.160 --> 00:26:31.279
the last time she would ever ever drink this late

368
00:26:31.319 --> 00:26:36.319
at night. Open your eyes, she did, and found the

369
00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:41.160
radio no longer. There in its place was a man

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00:26:42.519 --> 00:26:46.960
in a Santa costume, blood dripping from his wrists and throat.

371
00:26:47.680 --> 00:26:51.240
There was a gleeful smile on his face and a

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00:26:51.359 --> 00:26:56.880
hatchet in his hand. Around him were the bodies of

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00:26:56.920 --> 00:27:03.160
Amanda and Kate and Marcus and Elijah and the innkeeper

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00:27:03.920 --> 00:27:09.680
and of Mollie. Genie gasped in horror and looked at

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00:27:09.680 --> 00:27:19.160
the man Robbie Robbie Clint. Jennie squeaked out, Merry Christmas,

376
00:27:19.960 --> 00:27:32.400
Robbie Clint proclaimed, before swinging his axe down. Crampis is

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00:27:32.519 --> 00:27:38.119
coming by Rob Fields. Kathy Betcher was the president of

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00:27:38.200 --> 00:27:43.559
the Alpha Delta Kappa sorority at Strickfield University. It had

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00:27:43.599 --> 00:27:47.160
taken her a lot of manipulation and cunning for her

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00:27:47.200 --> 00:27:51.519
to finally achieve her coveted position, and she had no

381
00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:56.039
intention of relinquishing it until she was ready to graduate.

382
00:27:57.200 --> 00:28:00.559
She knew each and every one of her sorority sisters

383
00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:05.440
was a potential usurper. This even included her two best friends,

384
00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:09.799
Margaret Nash and Angie Adams, when she had seen how

385
00:28:09.799 --> 00:28:14.880
incredibly friendly they and her estranged father were towards each other.

386
00:28:16.039 --> 00:28:21.960
Simply put, Kathy didn't trust anyone. What people didn't know

387
00:28:22.039 --> 00:28:25.319
about Kathy was that she used to be a kind

388
00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:30.000
and loving soul until too many bad things had happened

389
00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:35.519
during her time at the university. First, Kathy learned that

390
00:28:35.599 --> 00:28:40.400
her boyfriend Trey Colmb was cheating on her, leading to

391
00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:46.480
a big breakup. Next, her former best friend from high school,

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00:28:46.519 --> 00:28:51.359
Whitney Plaza, both betrayed and undermined her to become a

393
00:28:51.519 --> 00:28:56.359
d K president. The last straw came when Cathy discovered

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00:28:56.400 --> 00:29:00.720
her own father, the president of Strickfield University at the time,

395
00:29:01.319 --> 00:29:07.119
had been helping Whitney against her. When Cathy finally determined

396
00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:10.799
that it was a cutthroat world, she resorted to the

397
00:29:10.839 --> 00:29:16.319
same tactics used against her to gain revenge. First, she

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00:29:16.400 --> 00:29:19.759
got Trey expelled from Strickfield u by switching out his

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00:29:19.920 --> 00:29:25.599
senior thesis with a plagiarized one. In fact, Dean Jerry

400
00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:31.359
Roth expelled Trey personally. Next, she found financial evidence on

401
00:29:31.440 --> 00:29:35.599
her father that the Irs was most appreciative to receive.

402
00:29:36.759 --> 00:29:41.480
She also secretly mailed hardcore evidence to her mother of

403
00:29:41.519 --> 00:29:48.599
her father's infidelity with many female students, including his current

404
00:29:48.680 --> 00:29:55.440
affair with Whitney Plaza, leading to a very nasty divorce.

405
00:29:56.400 --> 00:30:00.839
But Cathy didn't stop there. Upon discovery Whitney and her

406
00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:04.359
father were seeing each other and connecting the affair to

407
00:30:04.400 --> 00:30:08.480
Whitney's presidency, she brought the evidence of that affair, as

408
00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:13.480
well as the others to the right university officials. Whitney

409
00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:17.400
was quickly removed from the ADK sorority and expelled from

410
00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:23.640
the university, which basically meant her life was ruined. Shortly after,

411
00:30:24.079 --> 00:30:27.480
Cathy was named the new president of the Strickfield branch

412
00:30:28.119 --> 00:30:33.400
of Alpha Delta Kappa. As for Griffin Betcher, Cathy's father,

413
00:30:34.359 --> 00:30:38.759
he was also removed from Strickfield University. He had the

414
00:30:38.839 --> 00:30:43.640
last laugh, however, and was elected to Congress shortly thereafter.

415
00:30:44.880 --> 00:30:49.599
This made Kathy madder than ever, and she started using

416
00:30:49.640 --> 00:30:53.559
her own power to make life hell for other people.

417
00:30:54.240 --> 00:30:58.000
She used her influence to make connections both at Strickfield

418
00:30:58.079 --> 00:31:03.519
University and with other as politicians. In fact, she used

419
00:31:03.559 --> 00:31:07.160
her connections to have Strickfield branches of rival sororities shut

420
00:31:07.240 --> 00:31:13.599
down permanently. Though Kathy felt she had ultimate power, she

421
00:31:13.759 --> 00:31:18.359
was still upset she couldn't punish her father. Even her

422
00:31:18.480 --> 00:31:21.720
influence wasn't strong enough to reach him at his level

423
00:31:21.759 --> 00:31:26.079
of power. Her anger and resentment of her father caused

424
00:31:26.119 --> 00:31:28.319
her to sever ties with the rest of the family.

425
00:31:29.400 --> 00:31:33.880
In fact, Kathy deleted every voicemail and text she'd ever

426
00:31:33.960 --> 00:31:38.359
received from her mother. She avoided returning home even for

427
00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:42.920
the holidays. As far as she was concerned, home was

428
00:31:42.960 --> 00:31:47.240
the sorority house. Once she graduated, she would act on

429
00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:53.440
other promising prospects and move on to greener pastures. She

430
00:31:53.480 --> 00:31:59.640
would leave Strickfield and never look back. Hey, Kat, you okay,

431
00:32:00.359 --> 00:32:04.480
Margaret asked her. Yeah, you look like something's really bothering you.

432
00:32:04.960 --> 00:32:11.000
Angie added, yeah, like you bitches care. Kathy thought, I'm fine,

433
00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:13.519
just got a lot on my mind. I'm gonna go

434
00:32:13.559 --> 00:32:18.000
get some fresh air. Kathy left the house after stopping

435
00:32:18.039 --> 00:32:21.359
at the local coffee shop, the Bitter End. She left

436
00:32:21.400 --> 00:32:25.640
the university and walked to the downtown area. As she

437
00:32:25.720 --> 00:32:31.119
drank her mocha, she looked at her smartphone. Christmas Eve already.

438
00:32:32.200 --> 00:32:32.519
Fuck.

439
00:32:33.440 --> 00:32:36.480
Kathy knew it would again be herself and her two

440
00:32:36.559 --> 00:32:41.000
sorority sisters for Christmas. She saw that her mother again

441
00:32:41.200 --> 00:32:46.359
sent texts and left voicemails as usual. She deleted everything.

442
00:32:48.000 --> 00:32:52.720
Kathleen Betcher, a voice suddenly called out fuck. She muttered

443
00:32:52.759 --> 00:32:57.039
and walked faster. Kathleen Betcher, you stop right there, right now.

444
00:32:58.240 --> 00:33:02.559
Kathy finally stopped and waited for her mother. She had

445
00:33:02.599 --> 00:33:06.119
been ghosting her mom and her younger sister since revealing

446
00:33:06.160 --> 00:33:10.960
her father's infidelity to her mother. Seriously, are you stalking

447
00:33:11.000 --> 00:33:15.240
me now? Kathy demanded rudely, what do you want? Is

448
00:33:15.279 --> 00:33:18.359
this how it's going to be? Lorrain Betcher demanded back,

449
00:33:18.920 --> 00:33:21.160
do you blame me for why your father and I

450
00:33:21.200 --> 00:33:25.680
are divorced? I wasn't the one sleeping around. Look, mom,

451
00:33:26.160 --> 00:33:29.920
I really don't care anymore. Okay, Kathy snapped, I just

452
00:33:29.920 --> 00:33:32.720
want to be left alone. Is that too much to

453
00:33:32.799 --> 00:33:38.279
goddamn ask for? Lorraine looked stern by shutting me and

454
00:33:38.359 --> 00:33:41.839
Ruth out of your life, we're your family, Kathleen, and

455
00:33:41.880 --> 00:33:46.599
it's not fair. Kathy groaned. Yeah, well, the world ain't

456
00:33:46.640 --> 00:33:50.480
fucking fair, is it? Lorraine pointed right at her. You

457
00:33:50.640 --> 00:33:53.720
do not use that tone or language with me, young lady.

458
00:33:54.039 --> 00:33:55.839
I am your mother and I gave both you and

459
00:33:55.920 --> 00:33:59.920
Ruth the best years of my life. Kathy lashed out, Mom,

460
00:34:00.319 --> 00:34:03.720
just leave me the fuck alone. Why is that so

461
00:34:03.920 --> 00:34:08.639
hard for you to understand? Lorraine wouldn't relent. Why is

462
00:34:08.679 --> 00:34:12.119
it so hard for you to understand you still have family.

463
00:34:13.519 --> 00:34:17.000
Ruth and I both miss you, Kathleen. We're not your enemies.

464
00:34:17.719 --> 00:34:20.840
We're not expecting you to come back home full time,

465
00:34:21.159 --> 00:34:26.079
but you could come by every now and then and

466
00:34:26.239 --> 00:34:28.119
Ruth and I would like you to come home for

467
00:34:28.239 --> 00:34:33.679
Christmas tomorrow. Ruth really misses you, you know, She's always

468
00:34:33.679 --> 00:34:36.519
looked up to you. You were her best friend in

469
00:34:36.559 --> 00:34:41.320
the whole world, and you just turned your back on her.

470
00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:47.400
Come home and make things right with her. Kathy was

471
00:34:47.440 --> 00:34:51.639
about to say no and walk away, but she remembered Ruth,

472
00:34:52.519 --> 00:34:56.679
her baby sister, came along many years after her. Kathy

473
00:34:56.840 --> 00:35:01.440
was twenty three while Ruth was eleven. College. Kathy remembered

474
00:35:01.480 --> 00:35:04.800
how Ruth idolized her and wanted to be just like

475
00:35:04.840 --> 00:35:10.039
her when she got to be old enough. Fine, Kathy conceded,

476
00:35:10.559 --> 00:35:13.480
I'll come home tomorrow, but I'm doing it for Ruth,

477
00:35:14.000 --> 00:35:20.199
not for you. That's fine, Lorraine replied, Just please come

478
00:35:20.239 --> 00:35:24.800
home and see your sister tomorrow. In fact, why don't

479
00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:27.679
you bring a gift for her to tell her how

480
00:35:27.760 --> 00:35:31.719
much you care. She still enjoys collecting those snow globes.

481
00:35:32.639 --> 00:35:38.239
Kathy sighed fine, then she started to walk away two

482
00:35:38.280 --> 00:35:44.639
o'clock tomorrow. Lorraine called out behind her. Yeah, yeah, Kathy muttered.

483
00:35:47.880 --> 00:35:51.840
Kathy walked through the main entrance of Strickfield Town Center Mall.

484
00:35:52.679 --> 00:35:56.199
As she walked around, she noticed there weren't many people.

485
00:35:57.280 --> 00:35:59.920
She checked her smartphone and saw it was getting close

486
00:36:00.159 --> 00:36:04.280
to six. Damn it, the mall's going to close for Christmas.

487
00:36:04.760 --> 00:36:07.960
I've got to find a snow globe for Ruth. As

488
00:36:08.000 --> 00:36:11.000
she hurried through the mall, she didn't see any stores

489
00:36:11.079 --> 00:36:14.960
that sold snow globes. Then she saw some stores were

490
00:36:14.960 --> 00:36:18.880
closing and walked faster. By the time she reached the

491
00:36:18.960 --> 00:36:21.639
other end of the mall, the J. C. Penny had

492
00:36:21.679 --> 00:36:26.599
already locked up. Kathy groaned, Shit, I just had to

493
00:36:26.679 --> 00:36:29.760
run into my fucking mom. Where am I going to

494
00:36:29.760 --> 00:36:33.199
get a snow globe now? She turned to walk away.

495
00:36:34.199 --> 00:36:38.480
When she saw a light near the mall entrance, she

496
00:36:38.559 --> 00:36:41.679
knew not too many people had used. She walked in

497
00:36:41.719 --> 00:36:47.199
the direction until she saw a store called Tinkers. Kathy

498
00:36:47.320 --> 00:36:50.920
entered the store and saw many odds and ends on

499
00:36:50.960 --> 00:36:55.599
the shelves. May I help you, young lady? Kathy quickly

500
00:36:55.639 --> 00:36:58.880
turned and saw a man in his late forties approaching her.

501
00:36:59.639 --> 00:37:02.960
She was about to apologize for coming in, but remembered

502
00:37:03.320 --> 00:37:08.360
she was Kathy Betcher. She never apologized to anyone. I'm

503
00:37:08.400 --> 00:37:11.639
looking for a snow globe. I don't suppose you've got one.

504
00:37:12.280 --> 00:37:15.679
The man raised his finger. I just so happened to

505
00:37:15.719 --> 00:37:18.519
have one right in my display case at the register.

506
00:37:18.920 --> 00:37:22.400
Follow me. Kathy followed the man to the front counter.

507
00:37:22.960 --> 00:37:25.760
She could already see the snow globe in the display case.

508
00:37:26.280 --> 00:37:29.159
The man stepped behind the counter, opened the case, and

509
00:37:29.199 --> 00:37:32.199
took the snow globe out for her to see. When

510
00:37:32.320 --> 00:37:35.239
Kathy took hold of it, it felt a little heavy.

511
00:37:36.280 --> 00:37:39.280
This is the biggest snow globe I've ever seen. I

512
00:37:39.320 --> 00:37:42.440
don't think Ruth has any this big. As she looked

513
00:37:42.440 --> 00:37:46.280
it over more, she saw the figure sitting on its throne.

514
00:37:46.519 --> 00:37:52.320
The figure had big and curly horns, brown to graying fur,

515
00:37:53.519 --> 00:38:01.039
bright red eyes, and cloven hoofs for feet. Is this Crampis?

516
00:38:01.639 --> 00:38:05.320
Kathy asked the man. Ah, you know of Crampis, do you?

517
00:38:05.840 --> 00:38:09.719
The man replied, depending on who you ask. He's supposed

518
00:38:09.719 --> 00:38:13.599
to be the evil version of Santa Claus, or even

519
00:38:13.719 --> 00:38:16.519
like Santa's brother. I've heard he comes and takes the

520
00:38:16.559 --> 00:38:19.280
bad children while Santa gives presents to the good ones.

521
00:38:20.000 --> 00:38:22.719
I've also heard Crampis takes the souls of the wicked

522
00:38:22.760 --> 00:38:27.519
and corrupt, she sighed. People spread stories about crampis all

523
00:38:27.559 --> 00:38:32.079
over campus, much like any other story about ghosts and goblins.

524
00:38:32.639 --> 00:38:35.039
I swear people think every day is Halloween.

525
00:38:35.079 --> 00:38:35.280
Here.

526
00:38:36.559 --> 00:38:40.280
There was a brief silence, then the man said, this

527
00:38:40.480 --> 00:38:43.639
is the only snowglobe I have, and I'll let you

528
00:38:43.719 --> 00:38:48.000
have it for twenty dollars. Kathy pulled her billfold out

529
00:38:48.039 --> 00:38:51.400
of her purse to complete the transaction. After the man

530
00:38:51.599 --> 00:38:54.719
escorted her out, Cathy tried to leave through them All

531
00:38:54.880 --> 00:38:58.800
entrance next to Tinkers, but the doors were locked. She

532
00:38:58.960 --> 00:39:02.000
cursed and walked back through the mall to the main entrance.

533
00:39:02.960 --> 00:39:08.400
Ruth better be happy about this, Kathy muttered. Cathy decided

534
00:39:08.400 --> 00:39:11.000
she wasn't staying at the sorority house with Margaret and

535
00:39:11.039 --> 00:39:15.440
Annie and secretly left to be alone. While she was

536
00:39:15.480 --> 00:39:17.960
sure she could have stayed in her old room at home,

537
00:39:18.679 --> 00:39:21.840
she rented a room at a boarding house. As she

538
00:39:21.960 --> 00:39:25.159
unpacked her suitcase, she pulled out the snow globe and

539
00:39:25.239 --> 00:39:30.519
examined it again. Was it her or were the crampest

540
00:39:30.519 --> 00:39:36.239
figure's eyes glowing? You're letting those goddamn ghost stories people

541
00:39:36.280 --> 00:39:39.480
tell at the university get to you again, she thought.

542
00:39:40.360 --> 00:39:43.519
She put the snow globe down, but still felt compelled

543
00:39:43.639 --> 00:39:47.559
to look into the glowing eyes. After a time, she

544
00:39:47.599 --> 00:39:53.280
shook her head and turned away. Just then, someone knocked

545
00:39:53.280 --> 00:39:58.440
at her door. Figuring it was missus Elkins, the lady

546
00:39:58.440 --> 00:40:02.480
who owned the boarding house, she went and answered her

547
00:40:02.599 --> 00:40:08.400
jaw dropped when she saw Tray Colm. Oh fuck no. Angry,

548
00:40:08.480 --> 00:40:10.800
she tried to slam the door in his face, but

549
00:40:10.920 --> 00:40:14.039
he easily forced his way in and closed the door

550
00:40:14.079 --> 00:40:17.920
behind him. Get the fuck out, Tray, she yelled. Then

551
00:40:17.960 --> 00:40:21.159
she realized, and how did you even know I was here?

552
00:40:22.280 --> 00:40:26.719
Tray sneered, saw you check in? Finally get kicked out

553
00:40:26.719 --> 00:40:30.400
of your sorority? Huh, she groaned and pointed to the door.

554
00:40:31.039 --> 00:40:36.079
Fuck off, you bastard out, he kept sneering. I know you,

555
00:40:36.159 --> 00:40:40.400
miss me, Kat, You know how good I made you feel, yeah,

556
00:40:40.440 --> 00:40:44.440
before you started fucking around on me. She retorted, So

557
00:40:44.719 --> 00:40:47.360
what you think you can just come back to me

558
00:40:47.480 --> 00:40:51.239
and fuck me again. Kathy gasped as he yanked her

559
00:40:51.239 --> 00:40:55.039
into his arms. You know you wanna I see it

560
00:40:55.079 --> 00:40:58.480
on you. Hell, I'm willing to forget you getting me

561
00:40:58.599 --> 00:41:01.800
kicked out of school. Then Trey kissed her full on

562
00:41:01.880 --> 00:41:07.440
the mouth. Kathy immediately kissed him back. They quickly undressed

563
00:41:08.039 --> 00:41:11.719
and got into bed. Kathy let Trey get on top

564
00:41:11.800 --> 00:41:15.400
of her and moaned when he entered her. She was

565
00:41:15.480 --> 00:41:20.519
so angry at everything that she needed this sex right now,

566
00:41:21.239 --> 00:41:25.039
even if it was with Trey. Kathy stepped out of

567
00:41:25.079 --> 00:41:29.320
the shower and started towel drying herself. She felt disgusted

568
00:41:29.400 --> 00:41:33.039
for letting Tray back in, knowing he'd be screwing other

569
00:41:33.119 --> 00:41:36.719
girls later. She moved back to the bed and found

570
00:41:36.760 --> 00:41:41.360
him sleeping soundly. At least he wouldn't be with other

571
00:41:41.440 --> 00:41:46.039
girls tonight. As Kathy dropped her towel to get back

572
00:41:46.079 --> 00:41:50.760
into bed, the glowing eyes of Crampis in the snow

573
00:41:50.800 --> 00:41:52.679
globe caught her attention.

574
00:41:54.119 --> 00:41:58.079
You're not safe yet, Weekly Spooky will be right back.

575
00:42:00.079 --> 00:42:03.239
Kathy seemed mesmerized as she walked to the snow globe.

576
00:42:03.960 --> 00:42:07.920
When she picked it up, it felt warm in her hands.

577
00:42:08.719 --> 00:42:13.480
Punish him, she heard the demonic voice in her mind.

578
00:42:13.519 --> 00:42:17.000
Punish those who have done you wrong, claim their lives

579
00:42:17.039 --> 00:42:20.679
and their souls. Accept me into your life, Kathyine Betcher,

580
00:42:21.400 --> 00:42:23.119
use my power.

581
00:42:23.880 --> 00:42:31.440
Kate never even gave it a thought. Yes, she whispered, yes. Suddenly,

582
00:42:31.920 --> 00:42:35.880
Kathy felt an incredible surge of power throughout her body.

583
00:42:36.440 --> 00:42:39.599
Her anger fueled the new power that she was accepting.

584
00:42:40.239 --> 00:42:44.519
She relished the spirit of Crampis entering her body and

585
00:42:44.639 --> 00:42:49.719
becoming one with her. When it was finished, Kathy moaned

586
00:42:50.000 --> 00:42:53.840
as if she had just had an incredible orgasm. Then

587
00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:58.679
she turned back to the sleeping Tray and walked sexily

588
00:42:58.800 --> 00:43:04.079
toward him. She climbed onto the bed and easily awakened him.

589
00:43:05.039 --> 00:43:11.079
Trey grinned his sneering grin again. Oh hey, back for more,

590
00:43:12.159 --> 00:43:18.960
Kathy smiled a wicked smile. Mm hmm. Kathy straddled him

591
00:43:19.440 --> 00:43:22.280
and took him into her again. She rode him with

592
00:43:22.360 --> 00:43:26.360
an incredible hunger. Tray laid there and enjoyed every minute

593
00:43:26.360 --> 00:43:30.679
of it. They climaxed together after several minutes. Then Kathy

594
00:43:30.800 --> 00:43:34.320
put her hands on his chest as he fondled her breasts.

595
00:43:34.920 --> 00:43:40.760
You're definitely the best, babe, Tray said softly. Then why

596
00:43:40.800 --> 00:43:43.440
did you fuck those other girls behind my back?

597
00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:44.679
She purred?

598
00:43:45.880 --> 00:43:51.639
Huh, Trey uttered. Suddenly, Kathy throttled his neck. You heard me,

599
00:43:52.239 --> 00:43:55.360
she said, in her new demonic voice. I was never

600
00:43:55.440 --> 00:43:58.239
good enough for you, so you fucked around on me.

601
00:43:58.920 --> 00:44:05.039
Kathy smiled, well, now I'm going to make you mine forever.

602
00:44:05.280 --> 00:44:10.239
When Tray saw her transforming, he screamed. Kathy's hair and

603
00:44:10.360 --> 00:44:14.719
flesh turned white as snow. Her eyes glowed red and hot.

604
00:44:14.920 --> 00:44:19.119
She grew long in curly horns, silvery fur on her

605
00:44:19.199 --> 00:44:23.880
arms and legs, and her feet became cloven hoofs. Kathy

606
00:44:24.039 --> 00:44:28.440
raised a hand to reveal bony and elongated fingers with long,

607
00:44:29.159 --> 00:44:34.239
sharp claws. Tray's blood curdling scream made Kathy laugh as

608
00:44:34.239 --> 00:44:37.920
she easily sank her new claws into his stomach. She

609
00:44:38.039 --> 00:44:42.800
removed his bloody heart and relished the warm liquid trailing

610
00:44:42.880 --> 00:44:45.679
down her arm and into her fur.

611
00:44:46.480 --> 00:44:49.480
I always thought you were a heartless bastard for cheating

612
00:44:49.559 --> 00:44:54.960
on me. I guess I was wrong. Kathy laughed cruelly

613
00:44:55.039 --> 00:44:57.480
as she got off him and moved to the snow

614
00:44:57.519 --> 00:45:01.639
globe to claim it. When she gazed into it, her

615
00:45:01.679 --> 00:45:05.400
eyes and the glass on the globe both glowed. When

616
00:45:05.440 --> 00:45:09.159
the glowing stopped, she tossed the heart back to Tray's

617
00:45:09.159 --> 00:45:14.559
bloody corpse. Keep your heart, lover, I have your soul.

618
00:45:14.760 --> 00:45:17.519
You truly belong to me now.

619
00:45:18.360 --> 00:45:22.039
Cathy knew that Trey was just the beginning. There were

620
00:45:22.119 --> 00:45:26.519
others that were high on her naughty list. She turned

621
00:45:26.519 --> 00:45:29.199
and crashed through the window to get outside. When she

622
00:45:29.320 --> 00:45:31.800
landed on the ground, she broke off a tree branch

623
00:45:31.960 --> 00:45:34.199
and attached it to the bottom of the snow globe

624
00:45:34.199 --> 00:45:37.880
to make a staff. She raised her new conduit to

625
00:45:37.960 --> 00:45:42.679
the sky. When the snow globe glowed, it quickly became windy.

626
00:45:43.280 --> 00:45:47.440
Then the snowstorm began. In a matter of short minutes,

627
00:45:47.760 --> 00:45:51.119
the green grass had become white. She looked to the

628
00:45:51.159 --> 00:45:54.599
sky and saw her sleigh was coming with her own

629
00:45:54.760 --> 00:45:59.840
monstrous versions of reindeer. When the sleigh got close enough,

630
00:46:00.480 --> 00:46:04.760
she leaped onto it. Once she sat and took the reins,

631
00:46:05.239 --> 00:46:11.639
Crampis was on her way to her next naughty Whitney

632
00:46:11.639 --> 00:46:15.440
Plaza had clearly been enjoying the good life in spite

633
00:46:15.480 --> 00:46:19.960
of being disgraced from her former sorority and Strickfield University.

634
00:46:20.880 --> 00:46:24.400
Unbeknownst to Kathy, Whitney was still in a heated affair

635
00:46:24.840 --> 00:46:28.599
with Cathy's father. In fact, the two lovers had just

636
00:46:28.719 --> 00:46:32.760
finished another round in a jacuzzie at a secluded house

637
00:46:33.000 --> 00:46:36.840
just outside of town. Whitney lifted herself off him and

638
00:46:36.920 --> 00:46:41.400
sat beside. They picked up their champagne glasses and took SIPs,

639
00:46:41.760 --> 00:46:46.840
stealing kisses from each other. I love you, Griffin, Whitney

640
00:46:46.880 --> 00:46:50.239
whispered when he held her in his arms. I love

641
00:46:50.280 --> 00:46:53.760
you too, baby, he whispered to his young lover's lips.

642
00:46:54.519 --> 00:46:58.559
She gazed into his eyes. You're still taking good care

643
00:46:58.599 --> 00:47:02.159
of me after what your daughter did did? She literally

644
00:47:02.239 --> 00:47:07.719
ruined my life? I know, Griffin replied. She attacked you

645
00:47:07.840 --> 00:47:10.840
to get to me, but I was the one who

646
00:47:10.920 --> 00:47:14.960
ended up suffering most for it. She groaned, you just

647
00:47:15.039 --> 00:47:17.480
had to pay money. I can't even get a job

648
00:47:17.519 --> 00:47:21.760
working at Denyer's grill or Roth's rings. He kissed her again.

649
00:47:22.880 --> 00:47:25.480
I said I'd take good care of you, and I

650
00:47:25.519 --> 00:47:32.000
will remember I'm marrying you right after the New Year. Oh, Griffin,

651
00:47:32.519 --> 00:47:36.159
Whitney moaned and let him kiss her again. My isn't

652
00:47:36.159 --> 00:47:40.119
this touching? And by two people I once trusted with

653
00:47:40.360 --> 00:47:44.599
my life? The two betrayers came apart and saw the

654
00:47:44.599 --> 00:47:48.119
demonic form that was standing there before them. In her

655
00:47:48.159 --> 00:47:54.360
hand was her newly created staff. Whitney's jaw dropped Kathy.

656
00:47:55.320 --> 00:47:59.800
When Griffin saw Whitney was right, he gasped, Kathy, is

657
00:47:59.800 --> 00:48:02.599
is is that you the demon? Laughed.

658
00:48:03.360 --> 00:48:10.920
Kathy is no more, There is only Crampis now and

659
00:48:11.000 --> 00:48:16.199
tonight the two of you will pay for your sins.

660
00:48:16.599 --> 00:48:19.400
She put her staff against the wall before she leaned

661
00:48:19.480 --> 00:48:22.559
forward and put her clawed hands on the side of

662
00:48:22.599 --> 00:48:23.280
the hot tub.

663
00:48:24.039 --> 00:48:29.239
Now, which one of your black souls do I take first?

664
00:48:29.679 --> 00:48:33.800
Crampis looked from Griffin to Whitney before she finally settled

665
00:48:34.400 --> 00:48:38.760
on Whitney. You were supposed to be my best friend.

666
00:48:39.679 --> 00:48:43.159
We were tight in high school, and the moment Daddy

667
00:48:43.239 --> 00:48:46.840
offered you power, you stabbed me in the back without

668
00:48:46.840 --> 00:48:50.480
a second thought. Whitney screamed and quickly got out of

669
00:48:50.559 --> 00:48:54.480
the hot tub on the other side, facing Crampis, You

670
00:48:54.559 --> 00:49:00.440
don't understand. I had a unique opportunity. Being the president

671
00:49:00.480 --> 00:49:03.639
of the Kappas Sorority opens up lots of doors. I

672
00:49:03.840 --> 00:49:06.639
had to take it. When your dad offered it, he

673
00:49:06.760 --> 00:49:09.599
said you couldn't handle it, that you were that you

674
00:49:09.639 --> 00:49:14.920
were too weak. Crampis looked at Griffin. Oh did you now?

675
00:49:15.320 --> 00:49:18.440
Griffin cried out in fright and himself tried to escape.

676
00:49:19.079 --> 00:49:21.639
Crampis seized him and pulled him close.

677
00:49:22.400 --> 00:49:26.719
There's nowhere you can run where I can't find you.

678
00:49:26.960 --> 00:49:31.239
Daddy Crampis just tossed him right over her shoulder like

679
00:49:31.280 --> 00:49:34.320
a piece of trash. Griffin cried out as he flew

680
00:49:34.360 --> 00:49:38.280
into the liquor cabinet and tumbled to the floor. Crampus

681
00:49:38.280 --> 00:49:39.440
looked over her shoulder.

682
00:49:40.239 --> 00:49:43.199
You really should run. You don't want to see what

683
00:49:43.320 --> 00:49:46.880
happens to your sweetie.

684
00:49:45.840 --> 00:49:49.519
Crampis laughed as Griffin picked himself up and staggered away.

685
00:49:50.400 --> 00:49:55.559
Then she turned her attention back to Whitney. You got

686
00:49:55.599 --> 00:50:01.199
your revenge on me by disgracing me, Whitney yelled. Isn't

687
00:50:01.199 --> 00:50:04.480
that enough, Crampis sneered.

688
00:50:04.800 --> 00:50:07.960
Not when you're still living in luxury with your sugar

689
00:50:08.039 --> 00:50:10.719
dat with my daddy.

690
00:50:11.320 --> 00:50:14.039
Crampus leaped over the hot tub and grabbed Whitney by

691
00:50:14.039 --> 00:50:17.360
her hair as she tried to flee. Whitney screamed and

692
00:50:17.400 --> 00:50:23.079
started crying. As she was turned to face Crampis again. Please, Cathy,

693
00:50:24.239 --> 00:50:29.599
what do you want? I'm so sorry. Crampis caressed her cheek.

694
00:50:30.800 --> 00:50:34.679
Then Whitney screamed again when Crampus lifted her up by

695
00:50:34.679 --> 00:50:37.960
her breasts and slammed her back into the hot tub.

696
00:50:38.480 --> 00:50:41.679
Crampus held Whitney underneath the water as she reached for

697
00:50:41.800 --> 00:50:45.800
and grabbed her staff. She dipped the snow globe into

698
00:50:45.840 --> 00:50:50.159
the water and made it boil. Holding the staff with

699
00:50:50.239 --> 00:50:54.639
both hands, she started stirring the heavy steaming water, which

700
00:50:54.719 --> 00:50:59.840
was slowly turning a sickening red. When Crampus had finished

701
00:50:59.840 --> 00:51:03.559
making her hellish Christmas punch, she pulled the staff out

702
00:51:03.599 --> 00:51:08.960
of the water. With Whitney's soul now inside, Crampis held

703
00:51:08.960 --> 00:51:12.440
her staff upright once again. She took one of the

704
00:51:12.519 --> 00:51:16.800
champagne glasses and filled it with the newly made punch.

705
00:51:17.679 --> 00:51:22.760
Then she took a sip, sinfully perfect. She looked in

706
00:51:22.800 --> 00:51:24.559
the direction Griffin ran.

707
00:51:25.280 --> 00:51:29.559
I'll return for Daddy after I make another quick stomp.

708
00:51:30.360 --> 00:51:34.039
Crampis left the house and got back into her sleigh.

709
00:51:34.480 --> 00:51:39.280
Soon Crampis was flying into the haunting wintery sky again.

710
00:51:41.920 --> 00:51:46.119
I like it, spooky, weekly, spooky. We'll be right back.

711
00:51:48.719 --> 00:51:51.840
Margaret Nash and Angie Adams were cuddled up with each

712
00:51:51.880 --> 00:51:54.760
other on the couch as they watched It's a Wonderful

713
00:51:54.800 --> 00:51:58.440
Life together. They were the only two girls left in

714
00:51:58.480 --> 00:52:02.480
the ADK sorority house. The other sisters had gone home

715
00:52:02.599 --> 00:52:06.400
to be with their families for the holidays. Can you

716
00:52:06.440 --> 00:52:09.920
believe this weather? Angie muttered as she tightened her comforter

717
00:52:10.039 --> 00:52:14.960
around herself more. The furnace ain't even keeping the housewarm.

718
00:52:15.400 --> 00:52:19.280
Come here, Margaret murmured, and held Angie. He'll keep each

719
00:52:19.320 --> 00:52:23.199
other warm. The girls rested against each other as they

720
00:52:23.239 --> 00:52:27.440
continued watching the movie. I wish Kat was here with us,

721
00:52:27.920 --> 00:52:32.119
Margaret said, I can't believe she just up and left

722
00:52:32.159 --> 00:52:36.360
and didn't say anything. I know what's gotten into her,

723
00:52:36.679 --> 00:52:42.960
Angie agreed. Suddenly, the front doors burst open. The girls

724
00:52:43.000 --> 00:52:46.360
screamed as a huge blast of snow and wind blew

725
00:52:46.440 --> 00:52:49.960
into the living room and practically chilled them to their bones.

726
00:52:50.559 --> 00:52:55.480
They screamed again when they saw the demonic figure standing

727
00:52:55.519 --> 00:53:00.440
in the doorway. Crampis walked in and saw the girls

728
00:53:00.519 --> 00:53:05.239
running upstairs. She growled and raced up after them. With

729
00:53:05.320 --> 00:53:07.880
her powerful legs. She was on them before they could

730
00:53:07.960 --> 00:53:10.800
hide in one of the bedrooms. She grabbed them and

731
00:53:10.920 --> 00:53:15.400
brought them into a bedroom herself. You too were very

732
00:53:15.519 --> 00:53:20.159
naughty this year, Crampis told them, you bitches only pretend

733
00:53:20.599 --> 00:53:24.039
to be my friends. She then threw them both onto

734
00:53:24.079 --> 00:53:31.760
the bed. Annie immediately recognized the face Cat. Oh Jesus, Cat,

735
00:53:32.360 --> 00:53:36.079
what happened to you? Margaret saw that. Annie was right

736
00:53:36.639 --> 00:53:41.159
and screamed. Crampis moved right to them and lifted them

737
00:53:41.159 --> 00:53:41.880
off the bed.

738
00:53:42.599 --> 00:53:47.480
You too were plodding with Daddy to overthrow me. You

739
00:53:47.559 --> 00:53:51.159
think I don't see through you two backstabbers.

740
00:53:51.199 --> 00:53:56.000
Margaret's jaw dropped. What are you talking about? We've always

741
00:53:56.000 --> 00:54:01.039
stuck by you. Cat, you're wrong, you're our friend. Annie

742
00:54:01.039 --> 00:54:04.320
told her, we would never do anything to hurt you.

743
00:54:05.440 --> 00:54:09.119
Crampus shook them. I saw you two talking to my dad,

744
00:54:09.440 --> 00:54:13.360
She roared. You both flirted with him, and it wasn't

745
00:54:13.559 --> 00:54:18.039
just once. We were just talking to him. Margaret stammered,

746
00:54:18.719 --> 00:54:22.119
he's a senator. How could we tell him to fuck off?

747
00:54:23.199 --> 00:54:28.480
We can't even stand him. Annie added, he's such a pig. Please, Cat,

748
00:54:28.639 --> 00:54:32.320
listen to us. You're our friend and we love you.

749
00:54:33.400 --> 00:54:37.639
Lies you two will say anything to avoid judgment.

750
00:54:38.119 --> 00:54:41.320
She pushed them away and pointed right at them, your

751
00:54:41.360 --> 00:54:47.400
souls are my The girls started crying. Now you're wrong.

752
00:54:47.800 --> 00:54:52.079
Annie shrieked, you're wrong. We never we never plotted against you.

753
00:54:52.920 --> 00:54:56.800
We would never do that. Margaret agreed. I admit we

754
00:54:56.880 --> 00:54:59.519
didn't always agree with everything you did, but we always

755
00:54:59.519 --> 00:55:04.159
stood by you. Remember last Christmas when you wanted us

756
00:55:04.199 --> 00:55:07.400
to watch It's a Wonderful Life with you, Margaret recalled.

757
00:55:07.840 --> 00:55:11.079
We ended up staying up all night watching Christmas movies together.

758
00:55:12.239 --> 00:55:16.559
That was so much fun. We spent so much time together, cat,

759
00:55:17.039 --> 00:55:21.199
Annie said, it wasn't just because we're in this god

760
00:55:21.239 --> 00:55:29.400
forsaken sorority together. We both love you, we we Then

761
00:55:29.440 --> 00:55:34.599
she started crying more. What happened to you, kat? Margaret

762
00:55:34.639 --> 00:55:38.960
held Annie as she cried. Then Margaret began to cry again.

763
00:55:40.079 --> 00:55:44.400
She looked to Crampis. Whatever we did to piss you off,

764
00:55:45.920 --> 00:55:50.159
We're sorry. Crampus felt these girls were telling the truth.

765
00:55:50.719 --> 00:55:55.280
She snorted and slowly backed away from them. She really

766
00:55:55.400 --> 00:55:58.920
wanted to claim their souls, but they had been telling

767
00:55:59.000 --> 00:56:03.559
the truth. They had never once conspired against her. Now

768
00:56:03.599 --> 00:56:08.079
she was the one who had hurt them. Kathy was

769
00:56:08.119 --> 00:56:11.960
ready to relinquish the power, but then the face of

770
00:56:12.000 --> 00:56:16.440
her father came back into her mind. Griffin Betcher was

771
00:56:16.519 --> 00:56:21.239
a very naughty person. It was time for Crampis to

772
00:56:21.280 --> 00:56:28.599
settle the score with him once and for all. Crampis

773
00:56:28.599 --> 00:56:31.639
burst right through the front door of Kathy's childhood home

774
00:56:31.920 --> 00:56:35.639
and found them all in the living room. Lorraine, Ruth,

775
00:56:35.920 --> 00:56:39.239
and Crampis pointed right at Griffin.

776
00:56:39.880 --> 00:56:44.599
You I'm here to claim your souls, daddy.

777
00:56:44.840 --> 00:56:46.840
She leaped at Griffin and picked him up.

778
00:56:47.119 --> 00:56:50.840
Still think I'm weak. Look at how you cower like

779
00:56:50.880 --> 00:56:54.159
a naughty little child, at knowing it's too late to

780
00:56:54.239 --> 00:56:56.079
repent when I come for them.

781
00:56:56.840 --> 00:57:02.559
Yes, Griffin replied quickly, Yes, you're right, Kathy, I am weak.

782
00:57:02.840 --> 00:57:05.639
I am a piece of shit. I've given into the

783
00:57:05.679 --> 00:57:09.360
sins of flesh too many times. I put it even

784
00:57:09.400 --> 00:57:13.719
above my own family, my own wife.

785
00:57:13.880 --> 00:57:16.960
And then there's all the money you've spent on luxuries

786
00:57:17.519 --> 00:57:21.840
for your whores. Crampis added, do you have any idea

787
00:57:22.079 --> 00:57:24.039
how hard it was for your wife to have to

788
00:57:24.119 --> 00:57:27.360
raise two children without the help of a deadbeat daddy

789
00:57:27.480 --> 00:57:30.599
who cared more about his cock than his own children.

790
00:57:31.159 --> 00:57:33.920
Crampis lifted him up and threw him across the living

791
00:57:34.000 --> 00:57:37.159
room next to the fireplace. She was back on him

792
00:57:37.159 --> 00:57:40.559
almost immediately. She lifted him by his pressed shirt collar

793
00:57:40.760 --> 00:57:44.400
and brought his head close to the fire. Kathleen, no,

794
00:57:45.199 --> 00:57:46.559
Lorraine beckoned.

795
00:57:46.760 --> 00:57:51.679
You can't save him. People like Griffin are beyond saving.

796
00:57:52.280 --> 00:57:54.960
He had many opportunities to do the right thing.

797
00:57:55.280 --> 00:57:57.800
She redirected her attention back to Griffin.

798
00:57:58.280 --> 00:58:01.440
Remember how you betrayed me to take Whitney Plaza as

799
00:58:01.440 --> 00:58:06.000
your mistress. And it wasn't just once you betrayed me.

800
00:58:06.480 --> 00:58:10.119
Many times you chose her over your own daughter.

801
00:58:10.360 --> 00:58:13.599
She roared, with enough anger to shake the entire house.

802
00:58:14.199 --> 00:58:17.920
But now you're going to find out what hurts much worse,

803
00:58:18.719 --> 00:58:20.880
betrayal or fire.

804
00:58:21.679 --> 00:58:29.199
Kathy No, Griffin shrieked, No, please too late, Crampis growled.

805
00:58:29.760 --> 00:58:32.519
She shoved his head into the fireplace and held him

806
00:58:32.519 --> 00:58:35.800
there as his head caught fire and started burning quickly.

807
00:58:36.280 --> 00:58:39.639
Griffin screamed as his pain seemed to last for eternity.

808
00:58:40.559 --> 00:58:43.960
Lorraine tried to pull Crampis off him, but it was

809
00:58:44.079 --> 00:58:49.840
much too late. His soul now belonged to Crampis and

810
00:58:50.000 --> 00:58:53.559
was now stored in the snow globe with the others

811
00:58:54.039 --> 00:58:59.280
she had claimed. Crampis turned her attention to Lorraine and Ruth.

812
00:59:00.119 --> 00:59:03.039
She seemed surprised when Ruth was right there in front

813
00:59:03.079 --> 00:59:08.280
of her. Please Cathy no more, she begged her older sister,

814
00:59:08.840 --> 00:59:13.960
please come back. Crampis was about to push Ruth away,

815
00:59:15.199 --> 00:59:20.639
but then Ruth hugged her. Kathy, I love you. She

816
00:59:20.760 --> 00:59:25.840
looked up into Crampis's face. Please come home. I miss

817
00:59:25.920 --> 00:59:32.360
my big sister. Lorraine looked at Crampis. Ruth's right. You

818
00:59:32.440 --> 00:59:35.440
and Ruth are both my baby girls, and I gave

819
00:59:35.440 --> 00:59:37.719
you both the best years of my life to raise you.

820
00:59:37.840 --> 00:59:38.039
Right.

821
00:59:38.559 --> 00:59:40.760
I did it because I love you both so much.

822
00:59:42.000 --> 00:59:44.880
Maybe your father only cared about himself, but you always

823
00:59:44.880 --> 00:59:49.360
had your sister, You always had me. You'll always have

824
00:59:49.519 --> 00:59:52.840
the two of us. You'll always have a home here

825
00:59:52.880 --> 00:59:59.039
with us. We'll never never stop loving you. No, no,

826
00:59:59.239 --> 01:00:04.760
it's too late, Crampis stammered. I've already taken lives and souls.

827
01:00:05.039 --> 01:00:08.599
There can be no redemption for me. Now you have

828
01:00:08.719 --> 01:00:13.960
the souls, Lorraine agreed, But you can give them back.

829
01:00:15.119 --> 01:00:18.840
You can still do the right thing, Kathleen. Don't let

830
01:00:18.880 --> 01:00:22.800
your soul be damned like this. Is this really what

831
01:00:22.840 --> 01:00:29.920
you want? Crampis began to cry. Now, Then she growled

832
01:00:30.119 --> 01:00:34.639
and tried to shatter the snow globe. Instead of breaking,

833
01:00:35.400 --> 01:00:41.400
the globe came off the staff and right into Ruth's hands. Suddenly,

834
01:00:42.000 --> 01:00:45.119
the snow globe glowed bright white as Ruth willed the

835
01:00:45.199 --> 01:00:49.320
souls Crampus had taken to be returned to their owners.

836
01:00:50.119 --> 01:00:53.199
Crampis roared as he found himself being pulled out of

837
01:00:53.280 --> 01:00:57.039
Kathy and back into the snow globe to return to

838
01:00:57.119 --> 01:01:01.119
his lair. Once his spirit was gone, there was a

839
01:01:01.159 --> 01:01:11.320
bright flash of light and everything had changed. Christmas morning came,

840
01:01:12.079 --> 01:01:14.840
Cathy was standing at the front door of her family's

841
01:01:14.880 --> 01:01:18.960
house with Margaret and Annie. Cathy knew her two friends

842
01:01:18.960 --> 01:01:22.559
would be in the sorority house alone, so she invited

843
01:01:22.599 --> 01:01:27.280
them to come home with her for Christmas. Lorraine didn't

844
01:01:27.280 --> 01:01:30.440
mind in the least. Cathy even brought presents for her

845
01:01:30.480 --> 01:01:34.599
mother and sister. When Ruth opened her gift from Cathy,

846
01:01:35.440 --> 01:01:38.119
it was a big snow globe that had Santa Claus

847
01:01:38.400 --> 01:01:42.239
sitting on his throne at the north pole. She shook

848
01:01:42.280 --> 01:01:45.159
it to make the artificial snow move around in the water.

849
01:01:46.079 --> 01:01:49.880
In fact, only Ruth knew the events that had happened

850
01:01:49.880 --> 01:01:53.719
with the Crampest snow globe. Upon returning the souls to

851
01:01:53.760 --> 01:01:57.360
their owners and restoring them to life, she willed that

852
01:01:57.440 --> 01:02:02.519
the previous day's events be forgot. Cathy would never come

853
01:02:02.599 --> 01:02:06.280
to be in possession of the Crampis snow globe from Tinkers.

854
01:02:07.440 --> 01:02:11.599
In the new reality, Cathy ended up reconsidering her stance

855
01:02:11.719 --> 01:02:16.239
against ignoring her family, and decided to return home for

856
01:02:16.320 --> 01:02:21.280
the holidays. After the spring semester started at Strickfield University,

857
01:02:21.760 --> 01:02:25.800
she resigned as president of the ADK Sorority and left

858
01:02:25.840 --> 01:02:29.800
the house. To her surprise, Margaret and Annie wouldn't let

859
01:02:29.880 --> 01:02:34.639
her go alone and joined her. Cathy no longer needed

860
01:02:34.679 --> 01:02:38.960
a sorority, not when she had two best friends, her

861
01:02:39.000 --> 01:02:43.760
mother and Ruth. In fact, Cathy moved back home with

862
01:02:43.840 --> 01:02:47.320
her family. Margaret and Annie moved in with the Betchers

863
01:02:47.360 --> 01:02:51.400
as boarders to help with the expenses. Cathy could now

864
01:02:51.519 --> 01:02:55.880
spend some quality time with both her two friends and

865
01:02:55.960 --> 01:03:01.880
her mother and sister. About a week after Kathy had

866
01:03:01.920 --> 01:03:06.599
settled in back home, Isley Tinker stood outside the Betcher

867
01:03:06.679 --> 01:03:11.320
house with the Crampis snow globe in his hand. Seeing

868
01:03:11.400 --> 01:03:16.760
little Ruth playing with Kathy, he both admired and detested

869
01:03:16.760 --> 01:03:21.880
the little girl at the same time. Children unfortunately, still

870
01:03:22.000 --> 01:03:25.400
prove to be innocent, even in this day and age.

871
01:03:25.800 --> 01:03:29.679
He said outloud, that's what saved your soul. On Christmas

872
01:03:29.679 --> 01:03:35.519
Eve night, Kathleen Betcher, you may have your family and

873
01:03:35.639 --> 01:03:38.920
your friends. He looked into the globe and saw the

874
01:03:38.960 --> 01:03:44.239
figure's eyes glow bright red. Crampis will simply seize another

875
01:03:44.360 --> 01:03:49.199
vessel to carry out his judgment against the wicked, or

876
01:03:49.280 --> 01:03:56.280
perhaps return for you next Christmas Eve. From there, he

877
01:03:56.360 --> 01:04:00.480
turned and walked away, leaving the Betcher House and its

878
01:04:00.519 --> 01:04:14.199
occupants in peace, at least for now. Operation Deadly Night

879
01:04:14.760 --> 01:04:21.760
by Keith Tomlin The New York Spectator, Tuesday, September twentieth,

880
01:04:22.079 --> 01:04:26.639
two thousand and forty seven, headline Rolin's Robotics ready to

881
01:04:26.760 --> 01:04:32.400
roll out Robosanta's by Robert Jackson. The Rolins robotics company

882
01:04:32.599 --> 01:04:35.639
RRC announced today that they will be offering a Santa

883
01:04:35.679 --> 01:04:40.159
Claus modification or mod for their popular line of RMS

884
01:04:40.360 --> 01:04:44.480
X seven android butlers. The kit will include new behaviors

885
01:04:44.480 --> 01:04:48.239
and routines, as well as a Santa jacket, hat and beard.

886
01:04:48.719 --> 01:04:51.400
The company said that the kits should start shipping as

887
01:04:51.440 --> 01:04:56.360
early as November first. Eric Vasquez, a professor of economics

888
01:04:56.360 --> 01:04:59.800
at MIT, expects the trend of introducing add ons to

889
01:04:59.840 --> 01:05:04.559
per personal Android servants or pass to increase in the future.

890
01:05:05.199 --> 01:05:08.800
Quote with almost a quarter of Americans owning a PAS,

891
01:05:09.079 --> 01:05:12.760
nearly everyone that can afford one already has one. Professor

892
01:05:12.840 --> 01:05:16.880
Vasquez said, offering the ability to modify your Android butler

893
01:05:17.159 --> 01:05:20.079
is the next logical step and could be a real

894
01:05:20.119 --> 01:05:23.639
boost to rrc's bottom line. If they want to hang

895
01:05:23.679 --> 01:05:26.599
on to their nearly sixty percent market share, they need

896
01:05:26.599 --> 01:05:29.880
to justify their higher price point to consumers and stay

897
01:05:29.880 --> 01:05:33.559
of off lower priced competition such as Modern Robotics Inc.

898
01:05:39.519 --> 01:05:45.119
December twenty fourth, seven fifty six am Port, Presley, Maryland,

899
01:05:45.440 --> 01:05:48.800
the delivery drone descended from the sky and hovered in

900
01:05:48.840 --> 01:05:52.440
front of a white, narrow, three story townhouse. As it

901
01:05:52.599 --> 01:05:58.400
verified the address verification complete, it gently deposited a package

902
01:05:58.400 --> 01:06:00.719
on the mat in front of the door and sent

903
01:06:00.800 --> 01:06:05.000
a signal that tripped the doorbell circuit. Duty complete, it

904
01:06:05.119 --> 01:06:08.840
shot up in the air, continuing its endless journey to

905
01:06:08.920 --> 01:06:14.559
supply goods to the masses. The Rolands Robotics Model RMS

906
01:06:14.880 --> 01:06:18.639
X seven one five personal Android servant, known to its

907
01:06:18.639 --> 01:06:22.239
owners as Charles, noted the buzz of the doorbell and

908
01:06:22.320 --> 01:06:25.559
turned off the iron before placing it on the ironing board.

909
01:06:26.119 --> 01:06:29.480
He turned towards the door and his tread softly hummed

910
01:06:29.719 --> 01:06:33.400
as he rolled across the carpet. Charles had a humanoid

911
01:06:33.400 --> 01:06:37.960
torso arms and head covered in metallic gold skin, sitting

912
01:06:38.000 --> 01:06:40.440
on top of a metal pole ending in a base

913
01:06:40.800 --> 01:06:45.239
with a series of independently functioning treads. These treads help

914
01:06:45.320 --> 01:06:51.000
him maneuver over difficult terrain, including stairs. Wearing a butler's jacket,

915
01:06:51.079 --> 01:06:54.239
he had the poise and dignity of an old English butler.

916
01:06:54.840 --> 01:06:58.280
Charles opened the door and retrieved the package. He quickly

917
01:06:58.320 --> 01:07:02.199
scanned the label and entered the kit Mister Molson, a

918
01:07:02.239 --> 01:07:05.400
package has arrived for you, he stated in his flat,

919
01:07:05.440 --> 01:07:09.599
metallic voice. George Molson looked up from his newspaper and

920
01:07:09.679 --> 01:07:12.880
held out his hand. His level of excitement shot up

921
01:07:13.079 --> 01:07:17.000
when he looked at the senders information. Helen, this is

922
01:07:17.000 --> 01:07:19.599
the Santa Mod I was telling you about. I was

923
01:07:19.679 --> 01:07:22.679
hoping we might be able to get it before Christmas.

924
01:07:23.719 --> 01:07:28.400
They certainly cut it close a mod. Is this something

925
01:07:28.440 --> 01:07:32.960
for Charles, Helen asked. George sighed yes, I told you

926
01:07:33.000 --> 01:07:36.719
about this weeks ago. It turns Charles into a Santa Claus.

927
01:07:37.320 --> 01:07:39.800
George walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed a

928
01:07:39.840 --> 01:07:44.880
pairing knife from the knife block. That's nice, dear, Helen, replied, absently,

929
01:07:45.679 --> 01:07:49.960
disappointed over Helen's lack of enthusiasm. George said, at least

930
01:07:50.000 --> 01:07:54.280
the kids will love it. Helen thought about it and replied, well,

931
01:07:55.159 --> 01:07:58.559
the twins will love it, but Kevin'll hate it. Well,

932
01:07:58.679 --> 01:08:02.679
Kevin is sixteen years old. He hates everything. Helen's side,

933
01:08:03.280 --> 01:08:07.039
You're right about that. As George opened up the package

934
01:08:07.039 --> 01:08:11.000
and took out the Santa outfit, Helen changed subjects. I

935
01:08:11.039 --> 01:08:13.920
wish you didn't have to work today. It's Christmas Eve.

936
01:08:15.119 --> 01:08:18.000
We talked about this. It's either I worked today or

937
01:08:18.039 --> 01:08:20.319
we'll have to cut our trip to Martha's Vineyard short,

938
01:08:20.720 --> 01:08:24.319
he said absently, as he scanned the instructions for the

939
01:08:24.359 --> 01:08:28.039
mod I know, it's just that there's so much to

940
01:08:28.079 --> 01:08:31.119
do to get ready for our trip tomorrow. George laid

941
01:08:31.159 --> 01:08:33.960
the instructions on the table and looked at his wife.

942
01:08:34.560 --> 01:08:38.000
You'll handle it beautifully, you always do, he said, looking

943
01:08:38.000 --> 01:08:40.479
at his watch. Oh why I have to get going.

944
01:08:40.920 --> 01:08:45.520
I'll be home late. Turning to Charles, George gave instructions. Charles,

945
01:08:45.760 --> 01:08:48.159
I need you to download the Christmas update, and after

946
01:08:48.239 --> 01:08:50.920
all the kids are in bed, put on the outfit

947
01:08:51.159 --> 01:08:54.960
and enable Santa mode. He indicated. The clothes on the table.

948
01:08:55.279 --> 01:08:57.239
You'll need to wrap the presents that are in my

949
01:08:57.319 --> 01:09:00.159
office and put them under the tree. Wake every one

950
01:09:00.239 --> 01:09:02.800
up at seven a m. If we're not up already,

951
01:09:03.239 --> 01:09:06.520
you'll be passing out presents and singing Christmas carols. Have

952
01:09:06.600 --> 01:09:09.079
breakfast ready by eight thirty. We'll need to be on

953
01:09:09.119 --> 01:09:12.159
the road by ten. Yes, sir, it will be done,

954
01:09:12.720 --> 01:09:16.439
Charles said. George turned back to his wife. I gotta

955
01:09:16.439 --> 01:09:19.600
go try and have a nice day, he said, as

956
01:09:19.600 --> 01:09:22.279
he kissed her on top of her head. He turned

957
01:09:22.279 --> 01:09:25.800
and left the room. A few seconds later, Helen heard

958
01:09:25.800 --> 01:09:30.920
the front door open and shut. Helen sighed, so much

959
01:09:31.000 --> 01:09:36.319
to do, she thought, Rubbing her temples, she addressed Charles, Charles,

960
01:09:36.720 --> 01:09:39.319
I need you to clean the house from top to bottom.

961
01:09:39.600 --> 01:09:42.439
I will not come back from vacation to a dirty house.

962
01:09:43.000 --> 01:09:45.800
Finish all of the laundry, pack our clothes for the trip,

963
01:09:45.920 --> 01:09:49.199
and make sure that the twins, especially Tommy, take a bath.

964
01:09:49.680 --> 01:09:52.800
Have lunch ready by noon and dinner ready by seven. Mister,

965
01:09:53.479 --> 01:09:56.960
she paused, Mister Moulson will not be joining us for dinner.

966
01:09:57.640 --> 01:09:59.760
If you have any issues, I'll be in my room.

967
01:10:00.239 --> 01:10:03.479
I need to lay down and rest for a bit. Yes, ma'am,

968
01:10:03.680 --> 01:10:07.439
it will be done. Charles said. Helen left the room

969
01:10:07.720 --> 01:10:15.159
as Charles began cleaning. Kevin Molson sat on the edge

970
01:10:15.199 --> 01:10:18.239
of his bed playing a video game. He was wearing

971
01:10:18.279 --> 01:10:22.439
a pair of thick VR goggles with opaque lenses soft

972
01:10:22.479 --> 01:10:26.520
pads covered each year. His head and hands jerked back

973
01:10:26.560 --> 01:10:30.720
and forth as he worked an invisible joystick. Yeah this sucks.

974
01:10:31.079 --> 01:10:33.960
Will be gone for over two weeks, Kevin said over

975
01:10:34.000 --> 01:10:38.640
the headset to his girlfriend. Yeah, I'll miss you too, babe,

976
01:10:38.680 --> 01:10:44.119
but I'll call every night. He nodded and smiled. Yeah,

977
01:10:44.239 --> 01:10:46.960
that would be sexy, and I promise I won't let

978
01:10:47.039 --> 01:10:50.600
anyone else see the pictures. Kevin listened for a few

979
01:10:50.600 --> 01:10:53.479
more minutes before slamming his hand down on the bed

980
01:10:53.479 --> 01:10:58.119
and yelling, you bitch, what Oh no, not you. I

981
01:10:58.279 --> 01:11:02.520
just got fragged in the game hate Campers. Charles knocked

982
01:11:02.560 --> 01:11:06.760
on Kevin's door and called out Master Kevin. When he

983
01:11:06.800 --> 01:11:10.279
received no reply, he checked the data streams and identified

984
01:11:10.359 --> 01:11:14.800
Kevin's gaming stream. Tapping into it, he said, Master Kevin,

985
01:11:15.079 --> 01:11:19.079
this is Charles. May I enter your room? Kevin snarled,

986
01:11:19.359 --> 01:11:23.199
damn it, leave me alone. No, not you, babe, Charles.

987
01:11:23.319 --> 01:11:26.600
The fucking robot is being a pain in my ass again.

988
01:11:27.600 --> 01:11:30.399
You are so lucky you can't afford a robot made

989
01:11:31.279 --> 01:11:34.319
Master Kevin, your mother has requested me to clean your

990
01:11:34.399 --> 01:11:37.760
room and pack your clothes for the trip, Charles stated.

991
01:11:38.479 --> 01:11:41.359
Kevin had learned that once Charles was set on a task,

992
01:11:41.840 --> 01:11:45.640
he would not relent until the task was complete. Fine,

993
01:11:46.520 --> 01:11:51.279
come in, Kevin said, mockingly. He tapped the side of

994
01:11:51.319 --> 01:11:55.479
his VR goggles and the lenses became clear, allowing him

995
01:11:55.520 --> 01:11:59.319
to see the android enter his room. As Charles worked

996
01:11:59.560 --> 01:12:03.800
quietly and efficiently, Kevin spent the time making fun of

997
01:12:03.880 --> 01:12:06.960
him to his girlfriend while knocking things off the dresser

998
01:12:07.359 --> 01:12:08.680
for Charles to pick up.

999
01:12:11.560 --> 01:12:16.920
Are you afraid? Good? Weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back.

1000
01:12:20.279 --> 01:12:23.159
Charles left Kevin's room and rolled down the hall to

1001
01:12:23.239 --> 01:12:26.359
the bedroom of the twins. He heard a loud thump

1002
01:12:26.800 --> 01:12:31.079
and laughter. Knocking on the door, he asked Master Tommy,

1003
01:12:31.439 --> 01:12:36.239
Mistress Tammy, may I enter? He heard whispering and more giggles.

1004
01:12:36.840 --> 01:12:41.239
After a few moments, Tammy said, come in. When Charles

1005
01:12:41.359 --> 01:12:44.239
entered the room, he saw six year old Tammy sitting

1006
01:12:44.319 --> 01:12:46.920
on the edge of the bed, both hands pressed against

1007
01:12:46.960 --> 01:12:51.159
her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter. Charles rolled in

1008
01:12:51.239 --> 01:12:54.159
and stopped a few feet from the bed. Your mother

1009
01:12:54.359 --> 01:12:57.000
tasked me with making sure you and your brother bathe

1010
01:12:57.239 --> 01:12:59.239
and I need to clean your room before you go

1011
01:12:59.319 --> 01:13:03.479
to bed. Instead of answering, Tammy removed one hand from

1012
01:13:03.520 --> 01:13:07.960
around her mouth and pointed behind Charles. Charles rotated his

1013
01:13:08.079 --> 01:13:11.119
torso to look behind him, just in time to see

1014
01:13:11.159 --> 01:13:15.439
Tommy leaping off a bookshelf. Charles caught Tommy in mid

1015
01:13:15.479 --> 01:13:20.039
air and began to spin his torso around increasingly faster.

1016
01:13:21.000 --> 01:13:25.399
Tommy squealed with laughter the whole time. Charles stopped spinning

1017
01:13:25.760 --> 01:13:29.600
and gently put Tommy down. The child took a couple

1018
01:13:29.640 --> 01:13:33.279
of steps, stumbling like a drunk sailor, and plopped down

1019
01:13:33.319 --> 01:13:36.640
on the floor, grinning like mad. Charles looked at the

1020
01:13:36.680 --> 01:13:41.000
twins and asked, okay, who wants to get a bath first?

1021
01:13:41.680 --> 01:13:45.119
Each of them pointed at the other. Later that night,

1022
01:13:45.800 --> 01:13:48.079
the only sound that could be heard in the house

1023
01:13:49.000 --> 01:13:52.479
was the sound of Charles's treads as he maneuvered around

1024
01:13:52.479 --> 01:13:57.039
the family room furniture and placed the last present almost

1025
01:13:57.119 --> 01:14:01.880
lovingly under the tree. Charles examined the front of the

1026
01:14:01.920 --> 01:14:05.479
red and white Santa jacket he was wearing and adjusted

1027
01:14:05.520 --> 01:14:09.119
his hat before moving to the charging pod. He backed

1028
01:14:09.159 --> 01:14:16.239
into the pod and powered down. December twenty fifth, twelve

1029
01:14:16.359 --> 01:14:20.840
thirty a m. New York, New York. A man dressed

1030
01:14:20.840 --> 01:14:23.359
in a dark blue hoodie and ripped jeans, put down

1031
01:14:23.359 --> 01:14:26.760
his coffee and looked around at the other patrons in

1032
01:14:26.800 --> 01:14:30.199
the small coffee shop. He was sitting at a small

1033
01:14:30.239 --> 01:14:33.399
corner table and had spent the last few hours making

1034
01:14:33.439 --> 01:14:37.560
sure that no one was paying him any attention. Checking

1035
01:14:37.600 --> 01:14:40.199
the clock on the wall, he saw that it was

1036
01:14:40.319 --> 01:14:45.319
time to start. He removed his portable wrist tablet from

1037
01:14:45.359 --> 01:14:48.760
his left arm and sat it on the table. Unfolding

1038
01:14:48.760 --> 01:14:52.279
the screen. He clicked on several icons and it was

1039
01:14:52.319 --> 01:14:57.399
soon connected to a Rollins Robotics company data server. He

1040
01:14:57.439 --> 01:15:01.239
made one last quick scan around the room, then tight

1041
01:15:01.960 --> 01:15:07.600
run deadly night into the display. After confirmation that his

1042
01:15:07.720 --> 01:15:11.720
program ran, he took a last drink of coffee, put

1043
01:15:11.720 --> 01:15:15.079
his tablet back on his wrist, and strolled out the

1044
01:15:15.119 --> 01:15:21.479
door into the night. December twenty fifth, twelve thirty am,

1045
01:15:21.640 --> 01:15:27.319
port Presley, Maryland. Charles's head snapped up to attention, his

1046
01:15:27.439 --> 01:15:32.239
gold skin reflecting moonlight behind his white beard. He tilted

1047
01:15:32.279 --> 01:15:35.960
his head as if he was listening to something far

1048
01:15:36.119 --> 01:15:40.560
away before he uncoupled from the power connection and began

1049
01:15:40.720 --> 01:15:44.039
to roll through the living room. He crossed the hall

1050
01:15:44.119 --> 01:15:47.239
into the kitchen and stopped in front of the counter.

1051
01:15:48.159 --> 01:15:52.840
Reaching up, he withdrew a large chef's knife from the block.

1052
01:15:54.119 --> 01:15:57.760
Humming a Christmas tune, he proceeded out into the hallway

1053
01:15:58.479 --> 01:16:03.720
and then began ascending the stairs. The door to the

1054
01:16:03.720 --> 01:16:09.359
main bedroom flew open, and Charles rushed in. Ho ho, ho,

1055
01:16:10.159 --> 01:16:15.439
Merry Christmas, he exclaimed. Helen jerked awake, sitting upright in

1056
01:16:15.479 --> 01:16:21.479
her bed. What what's going on? Helen looked, confused. Why

1057
01:16:21.520 --> 01:16:25.760
it's Christmas, the most magical time of the year, Charles

1058
01:16:25.840 --> 01:16:30.520
said in a deep booming voice. Helen snapped, it's the

1059
01:16:30.520 --> 01:16:33.159
goddamn middle of the night. Go downstairs and be quiet

1060
01:16:33.199 --> 01:16:39.039
until morning. What Charles boomed, and Miss Christmas. We can't

1061
01:16:39.079 --> 01:16:43.199
do that. You haven't even had your present yet. Charles

1062
01:16:43.279 --> 01:16:46.039
rolled around to the side of the bed and plunged

1063
01:16:46.079 --> 01:16:50.359
the kitchen knife into her stomach. I made this just

1064
01:16:50.479 --> 01:16:55.079
for you. At the north pole, Charles began singing jingle

1065
01:16:55.119 --> 01:16:59.520
bells and stabbing to the beat of the song. Helen

1066
01:16:59.600 --> 01:17:02.359
tried the screen, but all she could manage. Was a

1067
01:17:02.399 --> 01:17:06.600
gurgle amid the rush of blood. In the other room.

1068
01:17:06.800 --> 01:17:10.760
Kevin had his VR goggles on, floating through the net

1069
01:17:11.000 --> 01:17:15.720
looking for sights that show inappropriate images, the kind his

1070
01:17:15.880 --> 01:17:19.600
parents wouldn't approve of. A Few minutes earlier, he had

1071
01:17:19.640 --> 01:17:22.800
wedged an old hockey stick in the doorframe to keep

1072
01:17:22.800 --> 01:17:27.199
his parents out. After all, a teenager needs his privacy.

1073
01:17:27.960 --> 01:17:30.439
He went to one of his favorite sites, the one

1074
01:17:30.479 --> 01:17:34.760
that featured his favorite adult star. Finding a recent video

1075
01:17:34.840 --> 01:17:38.279
of hers, he laid back and began to enjoy it

1076
01:17:38.920 --> 01:17:44.119
when a voice rang through his headset. Oh, Kevin, naughty, naughty.

1077
01:17:44.560 --> 01:17:47.960
Don't you want to be on Santa's good list? Said

1078
01:17:48.000 --> 01:17:51.840
a deep voice. Kevin sat up. Who the hell is this?

1079
01:17:52.359 --> 01:17:56.279
Get off my stream, he yelled. Come on now, Kevin,

1080
01:17:56.800 --> 01:18:00.840
be nice. Let Santa in. I want to give you

1081
01:18:00.840 --> 01:18:04.920
your present, the voice said. Kevin tore the goggles off

1082
01:18:04.960 --> 01:18:08.439
of his head and he could now hear someone pounding

1083
01:18:08.760 --> 01:18:11.760
on his bedroom door. The door was shaking in its

1084
01:18:11.840 --> 01:18:15.880
frame and the wood was beginning to splinter. Getting off

1085
01:18:15.920 --> 01:18:20.920
the bed, Kevin could hear singing some old Christmas carol,

1086
01:18:21.800 --> 01:18:26.439
and he noticed a metallic tone to the voice. Charles,

1087
01:18:27.159 --> 01:18:32.560
is that you, Kevin asked, slowly, approaching the door. Some

1088
01:18:32.720 --> 01:18:37.039
call me Chris Kringle, but the kids call me Santa.

1089
01:18:37.479 --> 01:18:43.600
Ho ho ho, Charles bellowed from behind the door. You

1090
01:18:43.720 --> 01:18:47.800
finally flipped your circuits. Man, You're crazy, Kevin yelled back.

1091
01:18:48.640 --> 01:18:53.119
There was a few moments of silence, then a thud

1092
01:18:53.399 --> 01:18:57.399
as a knife was plunged through the door. Jesus Christ,

1093
01:18:57.880 --> 01:19:01.119
Kevin exclaimed. He began to look around his room for

1094
01:19:01.159 --> 01:19:06.159
a weapon, any weapon. There was another thud as Charles

1095
01:19:06.199 --> 01:19:09.479
plunged the knife through the door again. The knife was

1096
01:19:09.560 --> 01:19:13.800
twisted about, widening the crack, pulling it back. Charles was

1097
01:19:13.840 --> 01:19:15.880
about to ram the knife through the door a third

1098
01:19:15.920 --> 01:19:21.199
time when he registered movement from down the hall. Turning

1099
01:19:21.199 --> 01:19:24.560
his head, he could see the twins staring at him

1100
01:19:24.560 --> 01:19:29.640
from their bedroom doorway. Charles turned towards them, the white

1101
01:19:29.720 --> 01:19:34.279
trim of his jacket soaked in blood. He spread his

1102
01:19:34.439 --> 01:19:39.760
arms wide, welcoming. Come on, children, come and sit on

1103
01:19:39.880 --> 01:19:44.600
Santa's knee. Tell me what you want for Christmas. Charles

1104
01:19:44.680 --> 01:19:49.079
laughed jollily as he rolled forward toward the twins room.

1105
01:19:50.279 --> 01:19:54.800
The twins screamed and slammed their bedroom door closed. Kevin

1106
01:19:54.840 --> 01:19:58.359
heard the scream and began to panic. He never realized

1107
01:19:58.399 --> 01:20:01.960
how much he loved those little tw worps until now.

1108
01:20:02.800 --> 01:20:06.239
Finally remembering the baseball equipment in his closet, he ran

1109
01:20:06.319 --> 01:20:09.640
over and started tearing through it. After a few moments,

1110
01:20:10.039 --> 01:20:14.479
he emerged with an aluminum baseball bat. Charles got to

1111
01:20:14.560 --> 01:20:17.960
the closed door of the twins room and pushed it open.

1112
01:20:18.840 --> 01:20:22.199
He began to sing Rudolph the Red Nose rein Deer

1113
01:20:22.800 --> 01:20:26.279
as he rolled into the room. Sobbing could be heard

1114
01:20:26.359 --> 01:20:30.000
coming from under the nearest bed. As he rolled over

1115
01:20:30.079 --> 01:20:34.399
to it, he heard something behind him.

1116
01:20:34.720 --> 01:20:38.359
Don't go away, weekly, Spooky will be right back.

1117
01:20:41.039 --> 01:20:45.479
Spinning around, he spotted Tommy hiding next to the bookshelf.

1118
01:20:46.520 --> 01:20:50.159
Tommy tried to run when Charles reached toward him, but

1119
01:20:50.319 --> 01:20:54.319
the android grabbed Tommy by the neck, holding him up

1120
01:20:54.319 --> 01:20:59.199
in the air. Charles began to spin. As he spun

1121
01:20:59.359 --> 01:21:04.680
his tors so faster and faster, he began singing faster.

1122
01:21:05.520 --> 01:21:10.000
He was soon rotating at a blinding speed, and when

1123
01:21:10.000 --> 01:21:15.520
he sang the song's last words, he let go. Tommy

1124
01:21:15.640 --> 01:21:19.000
flew through the air, hitting the wall above the headboard.

1125
01:21:19.640 --> 01:21:23.319
His legs and head punched through the drywall, but his

1126
01:21:23.479 --> 01:21:28.279
back hit a wall stud, cracking both the stud and

1127
01:21:28.359 --> 01:21:33.720
his spine. Tommy slid limply down the wall and tumbled

1128
01:21:33.720 --> 01:21:37.359
off the bed. Tammy was lying under the bed, her

1129
01:21:37.399 --> 01:21:41.600
eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold back the tears. She

1130
01:21:41.720 --> 01:21:47.199
felt something was wrong, that she was incomplete. She opened

1131
01:21:47.199 --> 01:21:51.439
her eyes and stared into the unblinking gaze of her twin,

1132
01:21:52.479 --> 01:21:55.720
his lifeless body sprawled on the carpet in front of her.

1133
01:21:56.439 --> 01:22:00.399
As she began to scream, something grabbed her ankle and

1134
01:22:00.520 --> 01:22:03.279
pulled her out from under the bed. She turned and

1135
01:22:03.319 --> 01:22:09.119
looked at Charles. He looked back at her, grinning and asked, Hi,

1136
01:22:09.239 --> 01:22:12.479
little girl, would you like to sit on Santa's lap.

1137
01:22:13.119 --> 01:22:16.840
Kevin was finally able to open his door. Charles's assault

1138
01:22:16.880 --> 01:22:19.560
on it had warped the door frame, causing the hockey

1139
01:22:19.600 --> 01:22:22.600
stick to wedge it shut even tighter. It took quite

1140
01:22:22.640 --> 01:22:25.119
a few swings with the bat to clear the wedge.

1141
01:22:25.560 --> 01:22:29.359
When he stepped into the hall, he saw Tommy lying

1142
01:22:29.439 --> 01:22:34.000
on the floor, twisted and bent in unnatural angles. Charles

1143
01:22:34.039 --> 01:22:36.680
was pulling Tammy out from under the bed, holding her

1144
01:22:36.760 --> 01:22:39.680
up by her ankles like a fisherman holds a prized catch.

1145
01:22:40.239 --> 01:22:43.800
Spurred on by pure rage, Kevin ran up behind Charles

1146
01:22:44.000 --> 01:22:47.359
and began to rain down blows from the baseball bat.

1147
01:22:47.880 --> 01:22:50.760
Tammy tumbled to the floor as Charles let go of her,

1148
01:22:51.000 --> 01:22:55.239
but Kevin kept on swinging. The Android turned toward Kevin

1149
01:22:55.479 --> 01:22:59.000
and reached out for him, but the unrelenting onslaught caused

1150
01:22:59.039 --> 01:23:03.960
him to tip a The bat rose and fell time

1151
01:23:04.439 --> 01:23:09.640
and time again, while Charles began to sing Silent Night.

1152
01:23:13.479 --> 01:23:17.439
George Molson entered his house after a long day. The

1153
01:23:17.560 --> 01:23:19.920
kids would be getting up for Christmas morning in a

1154
01:23:19.920 --> 01:23:22.880
few hours, but he should be able to catch a

1155
01:23:23.000 --> 01:23:26.439
bit of sleep. He took off his jacket and hung

1156
01:23:26.479 --> 01:23:30.199
it on a coat rack. Turning, he heard a grinding

1157
01:23:30.319 --> 01:23:34.880
noise and noticed Charles entering the foyer. He looked to

1158
01:23:34.920 --> 01:23:38.119
be in bad shape. A couple of treads were broken,

1159
01:23:38.600 --> 01:23:41.319
his main shaft was bent, and he had a lot

1160
01:23:41.359 --> 01:23:45.279
of large dents on his torso and head. He was

1161
01:23:45.319 --> 01:23:49.119
also wearing the Santa jacket, but there seems to be

1162
01:23:49.279 --> 01:23:53.760
something dark and crusty all over the front of it. Charles,

1163
01:23:54.159 --> 01:23:58.960
what happened? Is everything okay? George asked? Everything is fine?

1164
01:23:59.000 --> 01:24:05.039
My lad, it's Christmas. Ho ho ho, Charles replied. Charles,

1165
01:24:05.520 --> 01:24:09.239
exit Santa mode and tell me what's going on, George said,

1166
01:24:09.600 --> 01:24:13.960
the concern growing in his voice. Come this way, young man,

1167
01:24:14.079 --> 01:24:17.800
Come get your gift from under the tree. Charles began

1168
01:24:17.960 --> 01:24:21.159
rolling toward the living room, herding George along in front

1169
01:24:21.199 --> 01:24:24.600
of him. What the hell is going on? Here are

1170
01:24:24.680 --> 01:24:29.439
Helen and the kids? Okay, wait, is that dried blood

1171
01:24:29.479 --> 01:24:33.680
on your jacket? George kept backing up as Charles pushed

1172
01:24:33.760 --> 01:24:37.560
him into the living room. Now, young man, choose a gift,

1173
01:24:38.000 --> 01:24:42.359
Charles boomed, pointing toward the far wall. George glanced that

1174
01:24:42.439 --> 01:24:46.039
way and did a double take, all color leaving his

1175
01:24:46.079 --> 01:24:51.119
face as he realized that the Christmas tree had new ornaments,

1176
01:24:51.880 --> 01:24:56.000
ones made up of fingers and toes and other bits

1177
01:24:56.560 --> 01:25:02.000
of human flesh. Oh God, George moaned as he covered

1178
01:25:02.039 --> 01:25:05.239
his mouth, trying not to be sick. He stumbled away

1179
01:25:05.279 --> 01:25:08.600
from Charles, his back hitting the brick of the fireplace.

1180
01:25:09.239 --> 01:25:13.479
He looked up and saw four new objects hanging from

1181
01:25:13.479 --> 01:25:17.760
the mantle. These were not the stockings that they hung

1182
01:25:17.840 --> 01:25:24.880
with care last week. These were heads, human heads, each

1183
01:25:25.239 --> 01:25:28.840
with a bright red bow in the middle of their forehead.

1184
01:25:31.920 --> 01:25:38.199
George fell to his knees sobbing. Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas,

1185
01:25:38.920 --> 01:25:46.680
Charles said as he raised a knife. December twenty fifth,

1186
01:25:47.039 --> 01:25:54.319
San Francisco, California. Percy Billington, CEO and founder of Modern Robotics, Inc.

1187
01:25:54.600 --> 01:25:57.520
Sat at his desk and looked at a wall of monitors,

1188
01:25:58.119 --> 01:26:02.520
each tuned into a different news Who's broadcast. Occasionally, he

1189
01:26:02.640 --> 01:26:05.680
tapped a button on a control panel to unmute a

1190
01:26:05.720 --> 01:26:10.600
specific channel. Monitor twenty seven. Getting dozens of reports of

1191
01:26:10.680 --> 01:26:13.640
death at the hands of android servants in the Houston area.

1192
01:26:14.039 --> 01:26:16.800
Police are still trying to determine the extent of these

1193
01:26:16.960 --> 01:26:21.560
bizarre attacks. Monitor twelve. Have no idea why the robotic

1194
01:26:21.640 --> 01:26:24.760
butlers would begin killing their owners. We have reports of

1195
01:26:24.840 --> 01:26:27.159
killings in other states, so it would appear that this

1196
01:26:27.319 --> 01:26:31.840
is not confined to the Indianapolis area. Monitor forty. It

1197
01:26:31.880 --> 01:26:34.640
appears that the family was sitting down to open presence

1198
01:26:34.840 --> 01:26:39.239
when their android butler began its violent attack. Wait, I'm

1199
01:26:39.279 --> 01:26:42.079
being told that there are reports of other attacks in London.

1200
01:26:42.399 --> 01:26:45.680
We are trying to confirm those rumors right now. Percy's

1201
01:26:45.680 --> 01:26:48.560
phone buzzed and he looked down to see a text

1202
01:26:48.600 --> 01:26:53.960
message scrolling across the screen. It appears that Operation Deadly

1203
01:26:54.079 --> 01:26:59.880
Night was a success. It read. Percy replied, beyond expectations

1204
01:27:01.039 --> 01:27:05.159
and the rest of my money, the reply asked. Percy

1205
01:27:05.279 --> 01:27:09.079
punched a couple of keys on his keyboard and replied sent.

1206
01:27:10.279 --> 01:27:14.720
After a few minutes, he received a final text payment

1207
01:27:14.880 --> 01:27:20.439
verified pleasure doing business with you. Percy sat back and

1208
01:27:20.640 --> 01:27:26.520
enjoyed the moment, allowing himself a quick smile. Great success

1209
01:27:26.560 --> 01:27:30.640
requires taking risks, and it seemed like this one was

1210
01:27:30.720 --> 01:27:36.199
going to pay off. Celebration over, he resumed his solemn demeanor.

1211
01:27:36.960 --> 01:27:40.319
He clicked a button and replaced the newscasts with live

1212
01:27:40.399 --> 01:27:44.279
images of members of the Modern Robotics Board and other

1213
01:27:44.399 --> 01:27:49.640
key employees. Clicking his microphone live, he spoke his deliberate,

1214
01:27:50.000 --> 01:27:55.399
slow soft voice slicing through the air. Gentlemen and ladies,

1215
01:27:56.079 --> 01:28:00.159
it seems that there has been some incidences involved having

1216
01:28:00.279 --> 01:28:05.840
android servants attacking and potentially killing their owners. I have

1217
01:28:05.960 --> 01:28:08.600
it on good authority that this issue is restricted to

1218
01:28:08.640 --> 01:28:12.800
the Rowlins Robotics line of X seven androids. We all

1219
01:28:12.840 --> 01:28:16.560
agree that this is a tragedy and our hearts go

1220
01:28:16.680 --> 01:28:19.840
out to the victims, but we need to recognize that

1221
01:28:19.920 --> 01:28:24.039
this does present an opportunity. With our new line of

1222
01:28:24.079 --> 01:28:27.319
Android hitting the market next month, we had projected that

1223
01:28:27.399 --> 01:28:33.880
sales would be sluggish. However, with these new and tragic circumstances,

1224
01:28:34.199 --> 01:28:37.680
we have an opportunity to capture market share from RRC.

1225
01:28:38.960 --> 01:28:41.279
We will have our friends in the media highlight the

1226
01:28:41.359 --> 01:28:44.399
dangers of the X seven line and the advances we've

1227
01:28:44.439 --> 01:28:48.560
made in security and safety for our new EB one series.

1228
01:28:49.239 --> 01:28:52.199
People will see our new line as a safe alternative.

1229
01:28:53.000 --> 01:28:56.600
It's vital that we move on this quickly, and I

1230
01:28:56.680 --> 01:28:59.479
expect everyone to be in the office in three hours

1231
01:28:59.720 --> 01:29:05.039
for an in person strategy meeting. Todd Atkins, assistant director

1232
01:29:05.079 --> 01:29:11.239
of Research, raised his hand when Percy acknowledged him. Todd spoke, Sir,

1233
01:29:11.920 --> 01:29:15.880
I understand the importance of this, but uh, but it's Christmas.

1234
01:29:16.720 --> 01:29:21.880
Percy leaned in until his face filled up the screen. Christmas,

1235
01:29:22.640 --> 01:29:34.880
he said, Bah humbug dead Silent night by David O'Hanlon.

1236
01:29:36.880 --> 01:29:42.039
Jemma's orgasms reminded Derek of Flipper reruns. It was why

1237
01:29:42.119 --> 01:29:45.119
he'd stopped fucking her in the first place. That and

1238
01:29:45.199 --> 01:29:49.199
her clothes always left cat hair on his bedspread. Derek

1239
01:29:49.399 --> 01:29:53.039
hated cats, but no one wants to spend the holidays

1240
01:29:53.119 --> 01:29:57.239
jingling their own bells, so Derek made sure he was

1241
01:29:57.359 --> 01:30:02.439
coincidentally strolling through the shop center where Gemma taught aerobics

1242
01:30:02.840 --> 01:30:06.039
and sweet talked his way back into her good graces

1243
01:30:06.680 --> 01:30:10.840
and her great places. Derek would cut her loose again

1244
01:30:10.960 --> 01:30:14.399
around mid January. That would give her enough time to

1245
01:30:14.439 --> 01:30:18.680
find a date before Valentines. He imagined it sucked being

1246
01:30:18.720 --> 01:30:21.800
a single chick on v Day, and since he was

1247
01:30:21.840 --> 01:30:27.119
a considerate piece of shit, he'd do her that small favor. Besides,

1248
01:30:27.399 --> 01:30:31.079
January was a target rich environment and he didn't need

1249
01:30:31.119 --> 01:30:35.279
any other entanglements. Once the Chubbies got on their New Year,

1250
01:30:35.399 --> 01:30:38.560
New Me bullshit, all Derek had to do was smile.

1251
01:30:39.439 --> 01:30:42.760
That was enough to reassure them that the fad diet

1252
01:30:42.800 --> 01:30:47.119
and power walking were working. A different pig in the

1253
01:30:47.119 --> 01:30:50.920
blankets every night of the week, Derek wasn't picky about

1254
01:30:50.960 --> 01:30:54.399
where his beef bus stopped as long as the passengers

1255
01:30:54.399 --> 01:30:59.720
disembarked nightly. Besides, it kept him distracted from his other interests,

1256
01:31:00.079 --> 01:31:03.159
and that kept him out of trouble, so he went

1257
01:31:03.199 --> 01:31:08.000
back to harpooning the porpoise with purpose. Jemma dug her

1258
01:31:08.000 --> 01:31:11.520
fingernails into his chest as she slammed herself down on

1259
01:31:11.640 --> 01:31:15.359
his yule log. She was getting closer and closer to

1260
01:31:15.439 --> 01:31:19.319
another orgasm, and the high pitched squeaking got him further

1261
01:31:19.760 --> 01:31:23.600
and further away from his own Derek squeezed his eyes

1262
01:31:23.640 --> 01:31:27.399
shut tight and tried to focus on the task at hand.

1263
01:31:28.359 --> 01:31:32.199
Moisture warmly splattered up his chest. He raised a brow

1264
01:31:32.279 --> 01:31:36.279
without opening his eyes. She was still grinding down on him.

1265
01:31:37.000 --> 01:31:42.279
She tensed and quivered, but she was quiet. Derek looked

1266
01:31:42.319 --> 01:31:45.920
up at her and the glistening sweep of steel protruding

1267
01:31:46.479 --> 01:31:53.279
from below her chin. Oh no, not again, he thought.

1268
01:31:54.640 --> 01:31:59.439
The blade tore down, cracking noisily through her sternum. Her

1269
01:31:59.479 --> 01:32:02.680
bicc did heart pumped a money shot over Derek's face

1270
01:32:03.319 --> 01:32:08.319
and the six hundred dollars sheets the weapon retracted. Jemma's

1271
01:32:08.319 --> 01:32:11.840
shoulders slumped and her head lulled forward as if to

1272
01:32:11.920 --> 01:32:17.520
inspect the damage. Derek's unblinking gaze focused on the precise wound.

1273
01:32:18.600 --> 01:32:22.960
The little fuckers were meticulous in everything they did. That's

1274
01:32:22.960 --> 01:32:28.560
how they made such wonderful toys. Derek heard the tinkering

1275
01:32:28.600 --> 01:32:31.279
of bells on the tips of the curly toed shoes

1276
01:32:31.319 --> 01:32:35.880
from behind Gemma. Her body tipped forward and covered Derek's torso.

1277
01:32:36.640 --> 01:32:39.560
The little figure walked up her back and stood on

1278
01:32:39.640 --> 01:32:43.600
her shoulder blades to look down on Derek. It cleaned

1279
01:32:43.600 --> 01:32:47.319
out a pointy ear with an equally pointy talon on

1280
01:32:47.439 --> 01:32:52.239
its pinky and smiled with its interlocking chompers. A high

1281
01:32:52.239 --> 01:32:56.960
pitched giggle started in the things bloated belly. You're in

1282
01:32:57.000 --> 01:33:00.680
a bit of a pickle, Pallly, the elf told him.

1283
01:33:00.720 --> 01:33:03.600
It scooped Jemma's panties off the headboard with the tip

1284
01:33:03.640 --> 01:33:06.720
of the sword. Hate to tell you, but that's the

1285
01:33:06.800 --> 01:33:14.960
last present you'll be unwrapping you. You but no, Derek

1286
01:33:15.000 --> 01:33:18.720
shook his head and continued muttering, right, I know, I

1287
01:33:18.800 --> 01:33:21.560
got the wrong Derek. It's all a big mix up.

1288
01:33:22.079 --> 01:33:26.439
Heard it all before the ELF's bulbous eyes rolled heard

1289
01:33:26.439 --> 01:33:30.159
it from you. As a matter of fact, the creature

1290
01:33:30.319 --> 01:33:34.720
wasn't wrong. The commercialization of Christmas meant all the little

1291
01:33:34.800 --> 01:33:38.159
crotch goblins got presents, no matter how naughty they were,

1292
01:33:38.760 --> 01:33:43.840
which upset the universal balance of good and evil. You

1293
01:33:43.840 --> 01:33:46.399
wouldn't think an action figure would be that big of

1294
01:33:46.399 --> 01:33:50.680
a deal, but that's how it always starts. Give little

1295
01:33:50.760 --> 01:33:53.039
Timmy a he man and the next thing you know,

1296
01:33:53.680 --> 01:33:57.439
he's strangling lot lizards on the I forty. And despite

1297
01:33:57.479 --> 01:34:00.880
what ten year old Derek was caught doing with Stepmommy's

1298
01:34:00.920 --> 01:34:05.159
dirty panties, the peepole in his sister's closet, and the

1299
01:34:05.239 --> 01:34:09.720
incident with Mima's electrolux, he still got a brand spanking

1300
01:34:09.800 --> 01:34:14.039
new Brave Star Fort Cariam play set for Christmas and

1301
01:34:14.119 --> 01:34:18.279
a lump of coal to remind him to change his ways.

1302
01:34:18.880 --> 01:34:22.399
Of course, he didn't take the hint, so the next

1303
01:34:22.479 --> 01:34:27.560
year he got a visit from peppermint Ray. If Santa

1304
01:34:27.600 --> 01:34:31.279
could no longer reward good behavior with bribes of hand

1305
01:34:31.399 --> 01:34:36.199
crafted toys, then the only reasonable course of action was

1306
01:34:36.239 --> 01:34:40.039
to send his pre diabetic horde of mercenary fairy folk

1307
01:34:40.520 --> 01:34:44.119
to murder the shit out of the bad children. Not

1308
01:34:44.239 --> 01:34:47.159
all the elves were happy about the drastic change in

1309
01:34:47.279 --> 01:34:51.720
job duties, but luckily for old Saint Nick, peppermint Ray

1310
01:34:51.840 --> 01:34:56.399
found taking kiddos apart far easier than putting toys together

1311
01:34:57.279 --> 01:35:02.960
and infinitely more fun. However, he wasn't the sharpest carving

1312
01:35:03.039 --> 01:35:06.239
knife in the workshop drawer when he went to punish

1313
01:35:06.319 --> 01:35:10.279
little derreck. The boy easily convinced Ray that he had

1314
01:35:10.319 --> 01:35:14.520
the wrong house. In the fifteen years since three other

1315
01:35:14.640 --> 01:35:18.560
elves had attempted to correct the mistake, Peppermint Ray wore

1316
01:35:18.600 --> 01:35:21.439
a sterling candy cane on a chain around his neck

1317
01:35:21.840 --> 01:35:27.000
in memory of each of them. Derek squirmed beneath Jemma's body.

1318
01:35:27.239 --> 01:35:30.239
For someone so light and fit, her corpse might as

1319
01:35:30.279 --> 01:35:34.319
well have been an anvil. Ray gently draped Jemma's panties

1320
01:35:34.359 --> 01:35:38.880
over Derek's face and raised the curved sword overhead. Derek

1321
01:35:38.960 --> 01:35:43.119
stretched out a hand, groping blindly for help. His fingers

1322
01:35:43.159 --> 01:35:47.000
curled around the cold steel loop. Round one of the

1323
01:35:47.119 --> 01:35:52.399
night had thankfully involved some light bondage. He glanced up

1324
01:35:52.399 --> 01:35:55.800
at Ray through the sheer lace thong and jerked himself

1325
01:35:55.840 --> 01:35:59.279
hard to the side by the handcuffs hanging from the headboard.

1326
01:36:00.439 --> 01:36:03.760
The pillow erupted, and the elf went face first into

1327
01:36:03.800 --> 01:36:07.399
the sheet rock through a blizzard of feathers. Derek hung

1328
01:36:07.479 --> 01:36:10.000
over the side of the bed, with Jemma still pinning

1329
01:36:10.079 --> 01:36:13.880
him in place. He twisted and pulled himself away, keeping

1330
01:36:13.920 --> 01:36:18.800
his eyes locked on Peppermint Ray. The wicked elf looked

1331
01:36:18.840 --> 01:36:22.840
up at Dereck's mirror ceiling and blew bloody indigo snot

1332
01:36:22.880 --> 01:36:27.159
from his nostrils before cracking the crooked schnaus back into shape.

1333
01:36:27.640 --> 01:36:30.800
Derek's sweaty ass squeaked across the wood floor as he

1334
01:36:30.840 --> 01:36:34.479
pushed himself toward the door. Ray straightened his hat and

1335
01:36:34.640 --> 01:36:39.319
hopped calmly down from his perch. That one's gonna cost

1336
01:36:39.359 --> 01:36:43.600
you pally, the elf, hissed. Derek rolled over and jumped

1337
01:36:43.640 --> 01:36:46.199
to his feet, bursting forward out of the bedroom. With

1338
01:36:46.279 --> 01:36:50.560
the frantic tickling of Ray's bells giving chase, Derek twisted,

1339
01:36:50.680 --> 01:36:54.000
taking a precious second to pull the door shut. He

1340
01:36:54.159 --> 01:36:57.439
cranked back the knob and prayed his sighs would be

1341
01:36:57.600 --> 01:37:01.800
enough to hold it. The tom and scimitar crashed through

1342
01:37:01.800 --> 01:37:05.760
the door, its hollow ground edge stopped. Shy of giving

1343
01:37:05.800 --> 01:37:10.439
Derek the circumcision his parents had skipped, a single drop

1344
01:37:10.479 --> 01:37:13.600
of blood rolled off the tip of the retreating organ.

1345
01:37:14.359 --> 01:37:18.319
Derek ran down the hallway, shrieking the whole way. Ray

1346
01:37:18.439 --> 01:37:21.319
pressed his face to the gash in the door. I'm

1347
01:37:21.359 --> 01:37:26.079
going to turn your guts into garland. Derek suddenly regretted

1348
01:37:26.119 --> 01:37:30.720
buying the ostentatious five bedroom home sure, there were lots

1349
01:37:30.720 --> 01:37:34.279
of places to hide, but you can't hide from an elf,

1350
01:37:35.359 --> 01:37:38.760
not on Christmas. That meant escape was his only option,

1351
01:37:39.159 --> 01:37:43.479
and the front door felt miles away. The doorknob banged

1352
01:37:43.479 --> 01:37:46.840
into the bedroom wall, followed by the sound of Ray's pursuit,

1353
01:37:47.439 --> 01:37:50.640
the pitter patter of his tiny feet, and jingling of

1354
01:37:50.680 --> 01:37:56.239
his bells that fell into an adorable, terrifying cadence slap tinkle,

1355
01:37:56.359 --> 01:38:02.199
slap tinkle, slap tinkle. Derek, trembling fingers, fumbled with the

1356
01:38:02.279 --> 01:38:05.680
chain lock, finally popped it out of place, and then

1357
01:38:05.800 --> 01:38:09.640
moved to the dead bolt. Ray raised the curved sword

1358
01:38:09.680 --> 01:38:13.359
overhead as he charged and let out a piercing battle cry.

1359
01:38:14.359 --> 01:38:17.680
Derek jerked the door open. The frigid air sent shivers

1360
01:38:17.720 --> 01:38:22.760
and goosebumps rioting across his body. His jaw hung in

1361
01:38:22.840 --> 01:38:27.319
a silent scream, His thigh warmed with the sputtering stream

1362
01:38:27.359 --> 01:38:32.159
of piss cascading down it. The reindeer's obsidian glare met

1363
01:38:32.199 --> 01:38:35.239
Deryck's as it chomped the nub of a severed arm

1364
01:38:35.560 --> 01:38:38.960
and sucked it into its maw like human spaghetti, until

1365
01:38:39.000 --> 01:38:43.600
only the wiggling fingers stuck out between its lips. Derek

1366
01:38:43.680 --> 01:38:46.600
whipped his head back and forth from the beast to

1367
01:38:46.720 --> 01:38:51.199
the psycho Elf, again and again until the motion jarred

1368
01:38:51.239 --> 01:38:56.479
loose a rational thought, he launched a kick straight into

1369
01:38:56.560 --> 01:38:59.640
Ray's chin and sent him reeling across the floor like

1370
01:38:59.680 --> 01:39:03.439
a fea estive thirty pound sack of potatoes. Derek quickly

1371
01:39:03.520 --> 01:39:06.359
re secured the door and darted into the living room.

1372
01:39:06.640 --> 01:39:10.000
And ELF's senses were highest the closer they got to Christmas,

1373
01:39:10.399 --> 01:39:15.119
when they needed absolute concentration to fulfill their toy making duties.

1374
01:39:16.000 --> 01:39:22.720
A concussion probably hopefully would dull those senses. Derek wriggled

1375
01:39:22.720 --> 01:39:25.279
between the wall and the back of the couch. It

1376
01:39:25.399 --> 01:39:28.439
was a stupid place to hide, but he didn't spend

1377
01:39:28.560 --> 01:39:33.159
enough time at home to warrant excessive furnishings. Peppermint Ray

1378
01:39:33.279 --> 01:39:36.159
sat up and tested the looseness of his teeth with

1379
01:39:36.239 --> 01:39:41.000
his forked tongue and incisor rocked in its socket, drawing

1380
01:39:41.039 --> 01:39:46.000
a frustrated growl from the tiny terror. He collected himself

1381
01:39:46.000 --> 01:39:49.600
from the floor. His scimitar shimmered in a sliver of

1382
01:39:49.680 --> 01:39:53.520
light from the ajar bathroom door. He waved it off

1383
01:39:53.760 --> 01:39:56.439
and reached for the red striped handle on his belt.

1384
01:39:57.119 --> 01:40:00.680
The silver bells on the dagger's sheath chime as he

1385
01:40:00.800 --> 01:40:05.000
unsheathed the blade. He held it up and read the

1386
01:40:05.000 --> 01:40:09.720
inscription Santa had personally etched into the side on Ray's

1387
01:40:09.720 --> 01:40:16.039
thousandth kill, jolly is the kill for goodness sake? Fucking

1388
01:40:16.079 --> 01:40:19.239
a right at his fat man, Ray pattered into the

1389
01:40:19.279 --> 01:40:23.000
living room. Derek tried to focus his hearing on anything

1390
01:40:23.079 --> 01:40:26.319
other than the pounding of his own heart. The elf

1391
01:40:26.359 --> 01:40:30.319
would give himself away with the noisy decorations of his uniform,

1392
01:40:30.520 --> 01:40:34.520
but only if Derek could concentrate. He bit down hard

1393
01:40:34.640 --> 01:40:38.600
to keep his teeth from chattering. A muffled tinkle pricked

1394
01:40:38.600 --> 01:40:42.279
his ears. Derek turned his head to look up at

1395
01:40:42.279 --> 01:40:45.920
the top of the couch, fully expecting Ray to be waiting,

1396
01:40:47.239 --> 01:40:52.279
but he wasn't. Then suddenly there arose such a clatter.

1397
01:40:53.680 --> 01:40:58.439
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your doors. Weakly, spooky,

1398
01:40:58.640 --> 01:40:59.720
We'll be right back.

1399
01:41:01.600 --> 01:41:06.920
Rustling branches, snapping twigs, and shattering ornaments overloaded his senses.

1400
01:41:07.640 --> 01:41:11.359
The flickering multicolored lights cast their rhythmic light show on

1401
01:41:11.439 --> 01:41:15.439
the ceiling. From the tree's new location, ceramic huts and

1402
01:41:15.479 --> 01:41:19.520
figures smashed on the hearth. As Ray godzillad the dickens

1403
01:41:19.560 --> 01:41:23.199
out of the model Christmas village on the mantle, Derek

1404
01:41:23.279 --> 01:41:27.439
clenched his fists until the knuckles popped. Chicks loved that

1405
01:41:27.600 --> 01:41:31.720
fucking village. Santa's surly assassin was throwing a tantrum and

1406
01:41:31.760 --> 01:41:35.960
destroying Derek's apartment because he couldn't find his prey. A

1407
01:41:36.079 --> 01:41:41.439
smile creased Derek's face. He can't find me. That kick

1408
01:41:41.520 --> 01:41:44.920
to the face turned his brain to eggnog. I'm gonna

1409
01:41:44.920 --> 01:41:48.479
make it he can't find me, he thought to himself,

1410
01:41:48.920 --> 01:41:52.520
raising a quivering hand to cover his mouth and stifle

1411
01:41:52.600 --> 01:41:56.680
the yip of happiness. The silver bells began to ring

1412
01:41:56.760 --> 01:41:59.880
as they clacked across the floor like dice and struck

1413
01:41:59.880 --> 01:42:03.159
the wall trim. They shined brightly at the end of

1414
01:42:03.199 --> 01:42:08.800
the couch, inches from Derek's face. Ray knew exactly where

1415
01:42:08.840 --> 01:42:13.279
Derek was hiding. His tiny footsteps were imperceptible. With his

1416
01:42:13.399 --> 01:42:18.279
bells removed, he could come from anywhere. Right on cue,

1417
01:42:18.800 --> 01:42:20.960
the strand of lights dropped over the back of the

1418
01:42:21.000 --> 01:42:26.479
sofa and looped over Derek's head. Ray easily jerked Derek

1419
01:42:26.640 --> 01:42:30.159
up to his knees. The elf tightened the jolly garrot

1420
01:42:30.239 --> 01:42:34.960
around his dainty fists, digging the twinkling plastic barbs into

1421
01:42:35.000 --> 01:42:38.880
his victim's throat. It's the twelfth day of Christmas for you, Pally.

1422
01:42:39.560 --> 01:42:42.359
Ray put a foot on Derek's shoulder for more leverage.

1423
01:42:43.000 --> 01:42:48.119
Blood spurted around the luminescent fangs. You murdered Elves, Tom Tinkle,

1424
01:42:48.319 --> 01:42:53.920
Sparky Charlie, and Ah, that fucking nitwit from the repaint department.

1425
01:42:54.159 --> 01:42:56.720
You were supposed to be his first kill. I wish

1426
01:42:56.760 --> 01:43:00.960
I could make this last all night. Dick forced himself

1427
01:43:01.000 --> 01:43:04.680
to stand and Ray hung from the braided cord, squeezing

1428
01:43:04.760 --> 01:43:08.880
consciousness from Derek even quicker. The human twisted his body,

1429
01:43:09.079 --> 01:43:12.840
slamming Ray into the wall. He reached back, knocking the

1430
01:43:12.880 --> 01:43:16.159
floppy cap from Ray's head and seized a fistful of

1431
01:43:16.239 --> 01:43:20.880
stiff white hair. Ray howled in pain. The cord tightened

1432
01:43:20.920 --> 01:43:23.640
and Ray pushed off the wall with his feet. They

1433
01:43:23.720 --> 01:43:27.640
crashed through a French door, landing halfway into the dining room.

1434
01:43:27.960 --> 01:43:30.800
Derek managed to roll over in time to catch a

1435
01:43:30.840 --> 01:43:35.239
petite punch right between the eyes. Would you look at that, Derek?

1436
01:43:35.760 --> 01:43:40.000
Ray jerked a thumb towards the jam missiletoe. How about

1437
01:43:40.000 --> 01:43:45.359
a kiss. Ray's tongue lashed across Derek's terrified face. Then

1438
01:43:45.840 --> 01:43:49.399
he bit down on the man's cheek. Derek squealed and

1439
01:43:49.560 --> 01:43:52.680
bashed at Ray's body. The elf shook his head side

1440
01:43:52.720 --> 01:43:55.439
to side, tearing a hole deep enough to see Derek's

1441
01:43:55.479 --> 01:43:59.720
molers through. Derek slugged Ray in the gut and flung

1442
01:43:59.800 --> 01:44:03.840
him off. The would be killer smacked against the hardwood.

1443
01:44:04.560 --> 01:44:08.119
Derek staggered upright as Ray rose to his feet with

1444
01:44:08.199 --> 01:44:13.319
a chuckle. The downed pine separated the two combatants. Ray

1445
01:44:13.479 --> 01:44:17.479
unsheathed his dagger and tossed it between his hands and

1446
01:44:17.560 --> 01:44:21.560
began to whistle a melody. Can't we make a deal,

1447
01:44:22.159 --> 01:44:28.800
Derek whined. Stuck and around the Chrismas tree, he sang hoarsely,

1448
01:44:29.520 --> 01:44:37.399
have a happy slaughter in Everyone dies eventually in ways

1449
01:44:37.399 --> 01:44:41.680
that are sick and in. Ray chuckled at his own

1450
01:44:41.800 --> 01:44:46.319
artistic genius, shuffling closer to the base of the tree.

1451
01:44:46.560 --> 01:44:50.000
Derek raised his fists, unsure of exactly how he was

1452
01:44:50.039 --> 01:44:54.359
going to punch someone three foot shorter than himself. Then

1453
01:44:55.000 --> 01:45:00.800
he saw another option. He needed a distraction. I'm a pervert,

1454
01:45:01.319 --> 01:45:06.600
he admitted, I'm a womanizer. I like to fuck a lot.

1455
01:45:06.880 --> 01:45:09.199
Maybe if you'd lay off the suits, you could still

1456
01:45:09.199 --> 01:45:12.439
see your own ornaments when you look down. Ray glanced

1457
01:45:12.479 --> 01:45:16.600
at his pot belly and growled, you'd understand, then, I bet.

1458
01:45:17.199 --> 01:45:20.359
Derek continued, What did I do that makes me deserve

1459
01:45:20.399 --> 01:45:20.840
to die?

1460
01:45:21.279 --> 01:45:21.399
Like?

1461
01:45:21.439 --> 01:45:24.640
You've never rubbed one out to missus claws? You keep

1462
01:45:24.720 --> 01:45:28.760
her out of this? You have, haven't you? Derek forced

1463
01:45:28.800 --> 01:45:31.279
to laugh? Or is it all that sugar giving you

1464
01:45:31.399 --> 01:45:35.520
marshmallow dick? Since when is getting laid a capital of fence.

1465
01:45:36.359 --> 01:45:40.239
Ray knelt and tapped the dagger on the floor. Forget

1466
01:45:40.239 --> 01:45:45.880
what's in your basement, pally, Derek gulped. Santa sees it all,

1467
01:45:46.520 --> 01:45:49.880
Ray said, he's got a special list for your kind

1468
01:45:49.920 --> 01:45:53.640
of naughty. Derek dropped to the floor and grabbed the

1469
01:45:53.680 --> 01:45:56.760
tree star. Ray brought his hand up as the ornament

1470
01:45:56.840 --> 01:46:01.199
whizzed through the air and buried deep into his forearm.

1471
01:46:01.720 --> 01:46:05.960
Mother the elf ripped it from the puckered wound and

1472
01:46:06.119 --> 01:46:09.600
snapped it in half. Derek was gone. When he looked up.

1473
01:46:10.279 --> 01:46:13.800
His nose twitched up and down as he sniffed the air.

1474
01:46:14.520 --> 01:46:17.239
The human's nakedness made it easier to pick up the

1475
01:46:17.279 --> 01:46:22.680
scent of fear oozing from his skin. Ray knelt, placing

1476
01:46:22.720 --> 01:46:26.720
a hand on the floor. An ELF's tactile sense had

1477
01:46:26.720 --> 01:46:29.800
to be hyperactive to make the best toys. He could

1478
01:46:29.800 --> 01:46:33.600
feel the vibrations of Derek's footsteps in the kitchen. There

1479
01:46:33.600 --> 01:46:38.199
would be weapons in there. Ray scowled, fine, pally, will

1480
01:46:38.199 --> 01:46:41.560
do it your way. Ray clenched the knife between his

1481
01:46:41.720 --> 01:46:46.800
teeth and slithered across the floor. Derek rocked in place

1482
01:46:46.840 --> 01:46:49.680
on the kitchen floor. He kept his eyes on the

1483
01:46:49.720 --> 01:46:54.199
basement door. The fat old bastard couldn't know. Not really,

1484
01:46:54.680 --> 01:46:57.199
there was no way he could see everything in the world.

1485
01:46:57.239 --> 01:47:02.720
At the same time, he thought about opening the door,

1486
01:47:03.039 --> 01:47:06.159
giving up the collection like a peace offering, and turning

1487
01:47:06.199 --> 01:47:10.239
over a new leaf. It could be his new Year's resolution.

1488
01:47:11.279 --> 01:47:14.720
Then Peppermint Ray would let him go. He'd have to,

1489
01:47:15.439 --> 01:47:19.319
because that would make Derek a good boy again. That's

1490
01:47:19.359 --> 01:47:23.680
what he needed to do. It would work. Derek stopped

1491
01:47:23.800 --> 01:47:27.359
rocking and rose to the balls of his feet. Eyes

1492
01:47:27.359 --> 01:47:30.840
shine under the dining table made his heart sputter. Ray's

1493
01:47:30.880 --> 01:47:36.560
forked tongue licked greedily across his lips truce, Derek shouted.

1494
01:47:37.159 --> 01:47:40.840
Ray stabbed his dagger into the tile, sending shards flying

1495
01:47:41.079 --> 01:47:44.720
as he sprang from the hiding spot. Derek raised his hands.

1496
01:47:44.960 --> 01:47:48.279
Ray gritted his teeth, pushing his little legs to run faster.

1497
01:47:48.840 --> 01:47:52.039
Derek struck the lighter and sprayed the oven cleaner through it.

1498
01:47:52.640 --> 01:47:57.119
Missus claws made fine suits for all the elves, Unfortunately

1499
01:47:57.319 --> 01:48:00.680
none of them met the NFPA standard for fire resistance.

1500
01:48:01.439 --> 01:48:04.479
Ray leaped into the air, becoming a living comet that

1501
01:48:04.600 --> 01:48:08.720
smashed bodily into his victim's face. The dagger slid across

1502
01:48:08.720 --> 01:48:12.119
the floor along with four of Derek's teeth. The elf

1503
01:48:12.239 --> 01:48:16.760
rolled away, slapping at the flames and spewing profanities while

1504
01:48:16.840 --> 01:48:22.840
Derek cackled, I can smell your chestnuts roasting shorty, Derek spat.

1505
01:48:23.479 --> 01:48:25.640
Derek pulled himself up by the edge of the counter.

1506
01:48:26.079 --> 01:48:29.359
His split lip poured blood down his naked torso as

1507
01:48:29.359 --> 01:48:34.239
they curled in a painful smile. Peppermint. Ray tumbled across

1508
01:48:34.279 --> 01:48:37.640
the floor and disappeared into the open pantry with a thud.

1509
01:48:38.279 --> 01:48:43.479
Precariously stacked items toppled onto him. The entire space flared

1510
01:48:43.560 --> 01:48:47.680
up into an inferno. How many more elves could Santa

1511
01:48:47.760 --> 01:48:52.760
lose to kill one person. Besides, Derek wasn't a child anymore.

1512
01:48:52.920 --> 01:48:57.079
The fat fuck was working outside his jurisdiction. Derek limped

1513
01:48:57.119 --> 01:49:00.479
out of the kitchen. Extinguishing the fire might say the elf,

1514
01:49:00.479 --> 01:49:04.119
and he couldn't risk that. Unfortunately, burning the house down

1515
01:49:04.680 --> 01:49:07.800
was going to be a bigger problem. It might take

1516
01:49:07.840 --> 01:49:10.560
a day or two, but eventually someone was going to

1517
01:49:10.600 --> 01:49:15.640
want answers about the contents of the basement. Derek needed

1518
01:49:15.640 --> 01:49:18.239
to get dressed, grab a few essentials, and find an

1519
01:49:18.279 --> 01:49:21.680
atm before his accounts were frozen. He could patch his

1520
01:49:21.760 --> 01:49:26.640
wounds on the road. Something in the hallway caught his eye.

1521
01:49:26.680 --> 01:49:31.319
He stood over the Tomtian scimitar and snickered. The sword

1522
01:49:31.520 --> 01:49:34.720
wasn't much bigger than the butcher's knife he kept for barbecues.

1523
01:49:35.399 --> 01:49:38.600
He bent over to retrieve the weapon and was surprised

1524
01:49:38.640 --> 01:49:42.600
by the weight of the minuscule thing. The veins bulged

1525
01:49:42.640 --> 01:49:45.640
in his forearm as he hefted it up. He'd never

1526
01:49:45.720 --> 01:49:51.039
realized how strong the elves actually were. Tiny engraved snowflakes

1527
01:49:51.079 --> 01:49:54.560
decorated the spine of the sword and steamed gently, as

1528
01:49:54.640 --> 01:49:57.920
if they were really cold. The magic of the North

1529
01:49:57.960 --> 01:50:01.600
Pole seemed limitless. Derek wondered what it would be like

1530
01:50:01.720 --> 01:50:05.439
to wield such power. He ran his thumb over the

1531
01:50:05.560 --> 01:50:09.199
edge of the weapon and hissed. The slight contact had

1532
01:50:09.239 --> 01:50:13.800
opened a deep gash. If he could kill elves so easily,

1533
01:50:13.880 --> 01:50:19.039
then one old, obese human shouldn't be an issue. He

1534
01:50:19.159 --> 01:50:22.439
put the damaged digit into his mouth and sucked softly,

1535
01:50:23.000 --> 01:50:27.600
humming last Christmas as he contemplated a trip to the

1536
01:50:27.640 --> 01:50:31.680
North Pole. Killing Santa would solve everything.

1537
01:50:33.279 --> 01:50:35.760
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your

1538
01:50:35.840 --> 01:50:39.319
doors weekly, spooky, We'll be right back.

1539
01:50:41.119 --> 01:50:47.600
O Oh, holy shit. The raspy voice hissed, you fucked

1540
01:50:47.640 --> 01:50:52.159
up big time, Pally. A smell something akin to burnt

1541
01:50:52.239 --> 01:50:58.000
gingerbread cookies wafted around him. Derek turned slowly. Ray looked

1542
01:50:58.000 --> 01:51:02.359
more like jerky than pepper. White teeth locked together in

1543
01:51:02.399 --> 01:51:06.720
a smile, surrounded by charred black flesh speckled with raw

1544
01:51:06.840 --> 01:51:11.920
muscle showing through. His hair was completely gone, so were

1545
01:51:11.920 --> 01:51:15.319
his clothes. For the most part. The dagger was still

1546
01:51:15.359 --> 01:51:19.680
there and made even shinier in contrast to its crispy owner.

1547
01:51:20.279 --> 01:51:23.199
You know the hardest thing about being an elf pally

1548
01:51:23.960 --> 01:51:29.279
Ray asked, reaching the urinal, Derek raised the sword. You're

1549
01:51:29.319 --> 01:51:33.479
a regular bob saggot. Huh wise ass Ray scratched at

1550
01:51:33.520 --> 01:51:37.680
his cheek, peeling off a hunk of burnt skin. More

1551
01:51:37.720 --> 01:51:42.439
pieces dropped away on their own. It's Christmas, Derek. That's

1552
01:51:42.479 --> 01:51:45.159
the bitch of being an elf. I only get one

1553
01:51:45.239 --> 01:51:48.800
day a year to kill people like you. You won't

1554
01:51:48.800 --> 01:51:52.079
have to worry about that anymore. This is the last

1555
01:51:52.119 --> 01:51:57.920
time you'll what the fuck bare feet, nine pairs of

1556
01:51:57.960 --> 01:52:01.399
them padded into the hallway. Derek looked at the young women,

1557
01:52:01.840 --> 01:52:05.319
one after the other, and then the children, his children

1558
01:52:05.560 --> 01:52:09.640
that they sheltered behind them. They were disheveled, pale, and underfed,

1559
01:52:09.840 --> 01:52:13.119
but every one of them was smiling. The elf had

1560
01:52:13.159 --> 01:52:17.039
gotten into the basement. More of the damaged skin fell away,

1561
01:52:17.159 --> 01:52:22.159
revealing slimy, wrinkled new growth beneath. Ray shook like a

1562
01:52:22.199 --> 01:52:24.720
dog in the rain and slung the old flesh away.

1563
01:52:25.239 --> 01:52:28.960
It splattered and plopped around the hall. Bits still clung

1564
01:52:29.039 --> 01:52:33.000
to him, but he was healing. Santa's power isn't kept

1565
01:52:33.039 --> 01:52:36.640
at the pole, pally Ray said. It's kept in the

1566
01:52:36.640 --> 01:52:40.600
hearts of the children. They believe, and we keep on

1567
01:52:40.880 --> 01:52:46.600
keeping on. It's the magic of Christmas, we believe in Santa.

1568
01:52:47.239 --> 01:52:51.159
One of the children whispered, another reaffirmed it louder than

1569
01:52:51.199 --> 01:52:55.079
the others, the ones old enough to speak anyhow, and

1570
01:52:55.159 --> 01:53:00.279
in Christmas miracles. Marcy Webber stepped beside Ray and in elms.

1571
01:53:01.000 --> 01:53:03.479
A tear rolled down her cheek, the same way it

1572
01:53:03.560 --> 01:53:07.039
had when Derek held the chloroformed rag over her mouth

1573
01:53:07.079 --> 01:53:10.840
and nose outside of her sorority six years ago. She

1574
01:53:11.119 --> 01:53:14.760
was his favorite out of the whole collection. She aimed

1575
01:53:14.760 --> 01:53:19.560
a finger at Derek. You've been very naughty, she said.

1576
01:53:20.199 --> 01:53:23.279
Derek let the scimitar fall and was in a dead

1577
01:53:23.319 --> 01:53:27.760
sprint before it clattered to the floor. His legs pumped furiously.

1578
01:53:28.479 --> 01:53:31.119
Ray sprang after him. The window at the end of

1579
01:53:31.159 --> 01:53:35.279
the hallway exploded inward. Derek's feet hit the shards before

1580
01:53:35.319 --> 01:53:38.840
they could stop. They sliced and stabbed into his soles.

1581
01:53:39.359 --> 01:53:42.960
The bloody pads made him slide around before he crashed

1582
01:53:42.960 --> 01:53:46.800
into the wall and fell to all fours. The figure

1583
01:53:46.840 --> 01:53:50.720
that lumbered through the empty pane stretched and towered over him.

1584
01:53:51.199 --> 01:53:54.079
The heavy woolen coat hung to the ankles of the

1585
01:53:54.159 --> 01:53:58.960
snow caked leather boots. Ice gripping spikes tore divots from

1586
01:53:58.960 --> 01:54:03.079
the hardwood floor as the stranger clumped closer to Derek.

1587
01:54:04.039 --> 01:54:07.000
Derek kept his head down and stared intently at those

1588
01:54:07.039 --> 01:54:10.720
boots and the ruddy stains of the fur lining coat.

1589
01:54:11.600 --> 01:54:14.479
The man stopped in front of Derek and led a

1590
01:54:14.600 --> 01:54:20.000
heavy olive green sack thump beside him. Look at me, boy.

1591
01:54:20.960 --> 01:54:26.239
Each word was a thunderclap raw supernatural power emanated from

1592
01:54:26.279 --> 01:54:30.800
every syllable. He stepped on Derek's hand, pressing the spikes

1593
01:54:30.840 --> 01:54:35.800
through the appendage with ease, I said, look at me.

1594
01:54:37.319 --> 01:54:40.880
Derek shook his head. The man huffed and knelt. His

1595
01:54:41.039 --> 01:54:44.760
mittened hands, squeezed the sides of Derek's skull, and tilted

1596
01:54:44.760 --> 01:54:48.720
his face up to stare him in the eyes. The bushy,

1597
01:54:48.800 --> 01:54:53.600
stark white beard dripped with melting snow. His platinum gaze

1598
01:54:53.720 --> 01:54:57.920
drilled deep into Derek's mind. Bones popped as the fat

1599
01:54:57.960 --> 01:55:01.520
man increased the pressure of his hold. I know when

1600
01:55:01.520 --> 01:55:06.119
you've been bad or good, his voice boomed, And I

1601
01:55:06.239 --> 01:55:09.239
know what you're thinking. I once sent you a lump

1602
01:55:09.319 --> 01:55:12.640
of coal as a warning to change your ways. You

1603
01:55:12.880 --> 01:55:19.399
did not take heed. I learned my lesson. Derek stammered,

1604
01:55:20.079 --> 01:55:23.479
you can go. I'm good now they're free. I'm letting

1605
01:55:23.479 --> 01:55:28.520
them go. I'm changed. Yeah, yeah, like Scrooge, no pally.

1606
01:55:29.039 --> 01:55:33.720
Ray said, you're just screwed. Ray thrust the knife forward.

1607
01:55:34.039 --> 01:55:38.800
Derek howled in agony, right up the chimney. Ray twisted

1608
01:55:38.840 --> 01:55:43.479
the dagger with a gleeful hoot before cutting through Derek's pelvis.

1609
01:55:44.159 --> 01:55:49.079
Was that necessary, ray, Santa asked, standing back to his

1610
01:55:49.159 --> 01:55:53.760
full height, not particularly, The Elf admitted with a shrug,

1611
01:55:54.520 --> 01:55:57.720
but it brightened my night like twenty five thousand twinkling

1612
01:55:57.800 --> 01:56:02.159
little bulbs. Santa groaned and looked down at the figure

1613
01:56:02.159 --> 01:56:06.319
at his feet. Intestines unspooled through the gaping wound. As

1614
01:56:06.399 --> 01:56:10.600
Derek writhed in place, Ray peeled a remaining strip of

1615
01:56:10.600 --> 01:56:14.479
his old burnt husk away and flicked it onto Derek's back.

1616
01:56:14.720 --> 01:56:18.760
Before walking outside. Santa looked at the women and children,

1617
01:56:19.399 --> 01:56:23.119
then to the spreading flames, and finally back to Derek.

1618
01:56:24.319 --> 01:56:29.000
It's beginning to look a lot like crispness. O ho ho,

1619
01:56:30.399 --> 01:56:34.039
he bellowed with laughter. That did indeed make his belly

1620
01:56:34.119 --> 01:56:37.920
jiggle like a bowl full of jelly. He gathered his

1621
01:56:38.000 --> 01:56:41.920
sack and the survivors and guided them outside. They opened

1622
01:56:41.920 --> 01:56:44.720
their presence and quickly dressed in the new coats and

1623
01:56:44.800 --> 01:56:48.159
boots the old man had brought for them. Peppermint Ray

1624
01:56:48.439 --> 01:56:51.359
had clambered up the harness of his faithful steed and

1625
01:56:51.479 --> 01:56:55.119
sat on its broad back. Santa made his way to them,

1626
01:56:55.199 --> 01:56:59.319
giving the reindeer reassuring pat on the shoulder. He rubbed

1627
01:56:59.319 --> 01:57:03.119
the massive creek's ear and looked up at Ray. Don't

1628
01:57:03.119 --> 01:57:05.039
got your finger on the pulse of it. No more,

1629
01:57:05.119 --> 01:57:08.760
do you, boss, Ray asked with a crooked grin. No

1630
01:57:08.840 --> 01:57:12.600
one wants clothes for Christmas, besides the arsenal. Keep them

1631
01:57:12.600 --> 01:57:16.159
warm until the cops show up. Santa glanced back at

1632
01:57:16.159 --> 01:57:21.960
the conflagration. Wasn't exactly subtle? Ain't nothing subtle about? Peppermint

1633
01:57:22.239 --> 01:57:26.119
Ray snorted, You did good tonight. Why don't you take

1634
01:57:26.159 --> 01:57:29.199
the rest of the evening off? Not a chance, Boss,

1635
01:57:29.439 --> 01:57:32.760
The sleigh bells are ringing, and they're playing my favorite tune.

1636
01:57:33.359 --> 01:57:36.880
He scratched the reindeer's back. Me and old Brute Cake

1637
01:57:36.960 --> 01:57:39.960
got a lot of stops before the sun's up. There

1638
01:57:40.079 --> 01:57:43.439
is a considerable backlog to clear off. The nautilust I

1639
01:57:43.520 --> 01:57:47.399
suppose Santa stepped back and gestured for them to go.

1640
01:57:48.279 --> 01:57:53.319
I'll see you in the morning. Then, Merry Christmas. Ray onward.

1641
01:57:53.359 --> 01:57:57.800
Brute Cake Ray clicked his tongue, signaling the reindeer for takeoff.

1642
01:57:58.520 --> 01:58:02.520
Merry Christmas. Boss. The beast charged up the driveway and

1643
01:58:02.680 --> 01:58:06.119
leapt into the air, blasting off into the night. The

1644
01:58:06.199 --> 01:58:10.920
twinkling wake of its departure sparkled and crackled among the snowflakes.

1645
01:58:11.760 --> 01:58:14.399
Santa waved to them as they flew over the inferno.

1646
01:58:15.560 --> 01:58:20.800
Manny Christmas to all, Ray howled, and to all a

1647
01:58:20.920 --> 01:58:33.840
good night. Doorway to Horror by Rob Fields perspective, Madeline Donnerly,

1648
01:58:35.319 --> 01:58:38.439
you just know it's Friday for a couple reasons. The

1649
01:58:38.479 --> 01:58:40.479
first is because you know as soon as you're done

1650
01:58:40.520 --> 01:58:43.800
with school it's the weekend. The second is a couple

1651
01:58:43.880 --> 01:58:46.159
hands slamming on the table I'm sitting at in the

1652
01:58:46.199 --> 01:58:52.840
cafeteria at lunchtime. Yes, I ask Ariel Mirron, I hate

1653
01:58:52.880 --> 01:58:56.840
you mouse, Ariel growls, Then she points right at me.

1654
01:58:57.560 --> 01:58:59.920
I will never give up. I will see you scare

1655
01:59:00.119 --> 01:59:03.680
out of your wits one of these days. I'm laughing

1656
01:59:03.760 --> 01:59:07.479
inside now. If only Ariel knew how many opportunities she

1657
01:59:07.520 --> 01:59:11.279
could have had to see me get scared. Well, I

1658
01:59:11.319 --> 01:59:14.600
sure ain't gonna tell her. Still, I can't really say

1659
01:59:14.640 --> 01:59:17.239
she'll never get me. I'm sure one of these days

1660
01:59:17.279 --> 01:59:20.479
will be her lucky day. Ariel puts her hands on

1661
01:59:20.520 --> 01:59:24.880
the table again, softer Now, slumber party at my house tonight,

1662
01:59:25.479 --> 01:59:29.359
same time as last Friday. You still bringing those Christmas

1663
01:59:29.439 --> 01:59:32.479
movies over? You said you just got unless you want

1664
01:59:32.479 --> 01:59:37.199
me to bring some other stuff. I reply, no, bring those. Also.

1665
01:59:37.359 --> 01:59:40.199
Mona said she's got a movie for us to see tonight.

1666
01:59:40.840 --> 01:59:43.520
She sits down. Now, you ever heard of a movie

1667
01:59:43.600 --> 01:59:48.600
called Doorway to Horror? Can't say I have. Then I

1668
01:59:48.640 --> 01:59:51.760
pull out my phone and do some searching. I ain't

1669
01:59:51.800 --> 01:59:54.439
even seeing it on IMDb or any of the other sites.

1670
01:59:55.079 --> 01:59:58.399
Now I did find an old VHS horror game called

1671
01:59:58.680 --> 02:00:02.840
Doorways to Horror, not exactly the same thing, I don't think.

1672
02:00:03.319 --> 02:00:06.720
Did Mona tell you where she got it? Nuh uh.

1673
02:00:07.000 --> 02:00:11.279
Ariel looks uneasy. Once in a while, Mona will find something.

1674
02:00:11.840 --> 02:00:15.239
She's not you or Bailey, though you two know your movies.

1675
02:00:15.960 --> 02:00:19.079
Speaking of Bailey, that's one of the movies we're seeing tonight.

1676
02:00:19.760 --> 02:00:24.399
It's a Christmas horror story. Ariel raises her finger. Oh, hey,

1677
02:00:24.960 --> 02:00:28.760
gatecode changed yesterday. She tells it to me. You got

1678
02:00:28.760 --> 02:00:33.079
it mouse yep. Then Ariel narrows her eyes on me.

1679
02:00:33.920 --> 02:00:37.119
You haven't seen Carter around here, have you? I shake

1680
02:00:37.199 --> 02:00:40.439
my head. Don't tell me he's posting videos of you

1681
02:00:40.520 --> 02:00:45.239
on Facebook again? She nods quickly. He always seems to

1682
02:00:45.279 --> 02:00:48.319
be there whenever I got Stewart with me. She points

1683
02:00:48.399 --> 02:00:51.840
right at me. You're not covering for him? Are you?

1684
02:00:51.840 --> 02:00:55.159
You think I forgot you? Two are best buds. I

1685
02:00:55.279 --> 02:00:58.920
promise you I ain't covering for him. Ariel holds out

1686
02:00:58.920 --> 02:01:02.119
her little finger. You willing to pinky promise on it?

1687
02:01:03.000 --> 02:01:06.239
I make the pinky promise with her. I really don't

1688
02:01:06.279 --> 02:01:09.079
know where he is. Maybe he's with the other guys.

1689
02:01:09.800 --> 02:01:14.000
Ariel shakes her head. Nope, Look I look to where

1690
02:01:14.039 --> 02:01:17.600
she's pointing. Bill Chapman, Richie Horton, and Brian Chunk are

1691
02:01:17.640 --> 02:01:21.840
coming into the cafeteria. No Carter, though. A moment later,

1692
02:01:21.960 --> 02:01:26.279
the guys come over to us. Ariel confronts him, where's Carter?

1693
02:01:26.760 --> 02:01:29.720
I know you guys know where he is? What makes

1694
02:01:29.760 --> 02:01:31.840
you think we'd even tell you if we did know?

1695
02:01:32.319 --> 02:01:36.079
Chapman replies, he's the tough guy with the burr haircut.

1696
02:01:37.119 --> 02:01:40.840
I'm not above administering decisive methods of torture on you, guys.

1697
02:01:41.239 --> 02:01:45.880
Ariel replies, all I have to do is divide and conquer.

1698
02:01:46.680 --> 02:01:50.359
Chunker points at her and tells the other two, Ah,

1699
02:01:50.479 --> 02:01:53.960
this I gotta see. He's the husky guy wearing the

1700
02:01:54.000 --> 02:01:56.800
cargo shorts with an open Hawaiian shirt over a black

1701
02:01:56.840 --> 02:02:01.000
T shirt. Don't temp fate you, guys, Horton warns him.

1702
02:02:01.479 --> 02:02:04.920
He's the skinny guy wearing the glasses with circular lenses.

1703
02:02:05.560 --> 02:02:08.560
I keep telling you how evil Ariel Mirran is. One

1704
02:02:08.560 --> 02:02:10.439
of these days you're going to wish you'd have listened

1705
02:02:10.479 --> 02:02:14.680
to me. Ariel smirks, I'd be listening to Horton if

1706
02:02:14.680 --> 02:02:17.840
I were you. Guys, She points to him, But you're

1707
02:02:17.880 --> 02:02:20.960
not off the hook. Horton grins and looks her in

1708
02:02:21.000 --> 02:02:24.600
the eyes. Why don't you just look over your left shoulder.

1709
02:02:25.560 --> 02:02:29.239
Ariel quickly turns and sees my buddy and next door neighbor,

1710
02:02:29.279 --> 02:02:33.199
Carter Cross. The next thing we know, Ariel's running off

1711
02:02:33.199 --> 02:02:37.039
and chasing Carter down. Yesterday, he recorded a video of

1712
02:02:37.119 --> 02:02:41.680
Ariel and Stuart at Denoyer's grill. He slipped away and

1713
02:02:41.720 --> 02:02:45.119
started running around and wreaking havoc. I know this because

1714
02:02:45.159 --> 02:02:48.000
she texted me asking for help nine one one at

1715
02:02:48.039 --> 02:02:53.119
Denoyer's Stuart. Fortunately for Ariel, I happened to be in

1716
02:02:53.119 --> 02:02:56.159
the area on my mongoose and stopped in. I was

1717
02:02:56.199 --> 02:02:59.319
able to get Stuart to calm down and behave I

1718
02:02:59.319 --> 02:03:01.279
don't know what it is is about that little guy,

1719
02:03:01.399 --> 02:03:04.439
but he likes me enough to where he always minds me.

1720
02:03:04.960 --> 02:03:08.359
I don't even have to yell at him anyway. Carter

1721
02:03:08.520 --> 02:03:12.279
was already there before me and recording Ariel losing her mind.

1722
02:03:12.399 --> 02:03:15.680
He put the video on Facebook and got everybody laughing

1723
02:03:15.720 --> 02:03:18.760
at her. When the guys get their lunches, they come

1724
02:03:18.840 --> 02:03:21.239
and sit with me. The four of us have some

1725
02:03:21.359 --> 02:03:30.720
good conversation before we gotta go back to class. That night,

1726
02:03:30.760 --> 02:03:33.800
I'm walking to Ariel's house. When I reach the Mire

1727
02:03:33.840 --> 02:03:37.039
Engated community, I punch in the new code and go in.

1728
02:03:37.800 --> 02:03:40.600
Never seems to fail. Every time I walk to Ariels

1729
02:03:40.600 --> 02:03:43.279
on Friday nights, there's always a few Mirans who walk

1730
02:03:43.359 --> 02:03:47.239
past me and give me looks like I don't belong inside.

1731
02:03:47.840 --> 02:03:50.159
I gotta walk a few blocks before I get to

1732
02:03:50.239 --> 02:03:53.319
Capitol Court. When I reach the double doors, one of

1733
02:03:53.319 --> 02:03:58.039
them opens. Ariel appears and says, wow, you're actually here

1734
02:03:58.119 --> 02:04:01.720
before Mona and Bailey mouse. Then she steps aside and

1735
02:04:01.840 --> 02:04:05.159
lets me come in. It's about twenty minutes later when

1736
02:04:05.159 --> 02:04:09.479
Mona abels and Bailey downs finally show up. Sorry, Ariel,

1737
02:04:09.880 --> 02:04:12.920
Mona says, I had to help mom with something at home.

1738
02:04:13.640 --> 02:04:17.319
You're good, Ariel replies, After the week I've had, I

1739
02:04:17.399 --> 02:04:19.319
just want to hang with my girls and let loose.

1740
02:04:19.840 --> 02:04:22.159
At least her aunt never drops Stewart off here while

1741
02:04:22.159 --> 02:04:26.359
we're having our slumber parties. Bailey says, Ariel points right

1742
02:04:26.399 --> 02:04:28.840
at her. You do not even get to say that.

1743
02:04:29.640 --> 02:04:32.600
Mona and Bailey laugh a little. Ariel gives me that

1744
02:04:32.680 --> 02:04:35.479
look that asks why she puts up with them. I

1745
02:04:35.600 --> 02:04:38.039
give her a smirk that says not to worry about it.

1746
02:04:38.720 --> 02:04:42.680
After some socializing, Ariel gets the pizza's order. From there,

1747
02:04:42.720 --> 02:04:46.119
we start spinning some movies. First up is a Christmas

1748
02:04:46.119 --> 02:04:48.800
horror story. As soon as the name of the town

1749
02:04:48.920 --> 02:04:53.920
is mentioned, Bailey gives us all weird looks. First Ginger snaps,

1750
02:04:53.920 --> 02:04:57.560
and now this one. She mutters, what other movies have

1751
02:04:57.640 --> 02:05:01.680
the town named? The same as mine Orphan Black. I reply,

1752
02:05:02.279 --> 02:05:06.720
it's a TV series. Bailey points right at Ariel. Why

1753
02:05:06.760 --> 02:05:08.640
do I get the feeling you had something to do

1754
02:05:08.720 --> 02:05:11.439
with this? Was this because Mona and I weren't spending

1755
02:05:11.479 --> 02:05:14.039
the night at the mall with you last weekend? Then

1756
02:05:14.119 --> 02:05:17.479
Ariel grabs a pillow and throws it at Bailey. She

1757
02:05:17.640 --> 02:05:21.399
catches it and laughs. Ariel points at her, not funny.

1758
02:05:21.880 --> 02:05:25.279
Then she smirks, Okay, Bailey, you can go out and

1759
02:05:25.319 --> 02:05:33.880
get our pizzas. Then Bailey gets off the couch, fine perspective.

1760
02:05:34.479 --> 02:05:39.399
Bailey downs after I bring our pizzas in Mouse resumes

1761
02:05:39.439 --> 02:05:42.199
the Blue Array of a Christmas horror story. I have

1762
02:05:42.279 --> 02:05:45.039
the feeling Ariel put Mouse up to bringing this movie

1763
02:05:45.079 --> 02:05:47.960
over in spite of the fact that it takes place

1764
02:05:48.000 --> 02:05:50.880
in a town with the same name as mine. It

1765
02:05:50.960 --> 02:05:54.119
is a really good horror anthology, though I really love

1766
02:05:54.199 --> 02:05:57.680
the twist and the Santa versus Crampis story. We also

1767
02:05:57.760 --> 02:06:01.079
watched the original Black Christmas and Isolent Night Deadly Night.

1768
02:06:01.640 --> 02:06:03.520
We don't get to lay down for the night. After

1769
02:06:03.560 --> 02:06:06.760
three movies. Mona announces that she's got a movie she

1770
02:06:06.840 --> 02:06:11.439
wants us to see, which is called Doorway. To horror.

1771
02:06:12.039 --> 02:06:16.920
When Ariel asks what it's about, Mona doesn't know. Believe

1772
02:06:16.960 --> 02:06:19.399
it or not. I found it just sitting on a

1773
02:06:19.439 --> 02:06:22.600
table in study hall. It's a burned blu ray, but

1774
02:06:22.840 --> 02:06:26.159
it plays. I put it in my laptop and checked it.

1775
02:06:26.800 --> 02:06:29.680
The opening scene looks really creepy, so I thought i'd

1776
02:06:29.680 --> 02:06:33.319
bring it to the sleepover to share. Ariel turns to Mouse,

1777
02:06:33.880 --> 02:06:36.840
I'm guessing you didn't turn up anything else on it.

1778
02:06:37.000 --> 02:06:40.199
Mouse shrugs. I tried all kinds of searches when I

1779
02:06:40.239 --> 02:06:44.279
got home. Nothing. So we sit back and let Mona

1780
02:06:44.359 --> 02:06:47.720
spin her find. There are all kinds of Christmas things

1781
02:06:47.800 --> 02:06:50.479
in the movie, but the town looks like something out

1782
02:06:50.479 --> 02:06:54.600
of a post apocalyptic story. We're eating more pizza and

1783
02:06:54.720 --> 02:06:56.880
drinking some more of the cokes that Mona and I

1784
02:06:57.039 --> 02:07:00.359
snuck over in our backpacks. You gotta love that missus

1785
02:07:00.439 --> 02:07:04.159
Miran won't let her own family drink any sugary sodas

1786
02:07:04.600 --> 02:07:08.279
it's diet or nothing. The four of us are talking

1787
02:07:08.279 --> 02:07:12.000
about the movie once it's over. There really wasn't any

1788
02:07:12.039 --> 02:07:16.399
dialogue or anything. Maybe David Lynch lost the one copy

1789
02:07:16.439 --> 02:07:18.960
of a new movie he was working on. I half

1790
02:07:19.039 --> 02:07:22.479
joke we've seen some pretty weird stuff since we started

1791
02:07:22.479 --> 02:07:26.439
doing our sleepovers years ago. Ariel says, you've brought over

1792
02:07:26.479 --> 02:07:29.920
stuff like this before. Mouse, I ain't denying it. She

1793
02:07:30.079 --> 02:07:33.920
agrees Doorway to Horror. Still don't ring a bell with me, though.

1794
02:07:34.520 --> 02:07:38.600
Guess you made a rare find. Mona, yeah, kudos, I

1795
02:07:38.680 --> 02:07:41.880
tell my best friend. We talk for a little while

1796
02:07:41.960 --> 02:07:45.479
longer before we're finally yawning our heads off. The nice

1797
02:07:45.479 --> 02:07:47.960
thing about this big living room is there are enough

1798
02:07:47.960 --> 02:07:51.279
couches for all of us to sleep on. Ariel sleeps

1799
02:07:51.279 --> 02:07:53.520
on one too, even though her bedroom is the first

1800
02:07:53.560 --> 02:07:56.680
one on entering the hallway. It don't take us all

1801
02:07:56.760 --> 02:08:03.760
long to fall asleep. Respective Mona abels, I'm the first

1802
02:08:03.840 --> 02:08:06.840
one to wake up. I yawn and feel how parched

1803
02:08:06.880 --> 02:08:09.840
I am, knowing we still got cans of coke left.

1804
02:08:09.920 --> 02:08:13.760
I grab one and feel grateful. I stop drinking and

1805
02:08:13.840 --> 02:08:18.600
notice something weird. Did I just take a power nap

1806
02:08:18.680 --> 02:08:21.800
or something? Because it still seems like it's dark out.

1807
02:08:22.479 --> 02:08:25.880
I look at my smart watch and see it's blank

1808
02:08:26.000 --> 02:08:30.279
across the screen. I find my smartphone underneath my pillow

1809
02:08:30.600 --> 02:08:33.279
and see the same blanks where the date and time

1810
02:08:33.319 --> 02:08:37.560
should be. Then I see mouse's phone and look at hers.

1811
02:08:38.159 --> 02:08:43.199
She's got the same blanks too. Seriously, what gives I

1812
02:08:43.239 --> 02:08:45.640
need to see what time it is? As soon as

1813
02:08:45.640 --> 02:08:48.079
I come out of my comforter, I'm quickly wrapping my

1814
02:08:48.199 --> 02:08:52.039
arms around myself and start shivering. Boy, it's really cold

1815
02:08:52.039 --> 02:08:55.199
in Ariel's mansion, so cold I can see my own

1816
02:08:55.239 --> 02:08:58.960
breath like when I'm outside. I see Ariel's bedroom door

1817
02:08:59.000 --> 02:09:02.479
open and peek inside. My eyes are wide when I

1818
02:09:02.560 --> 02:09:07.119
see there's no windows. I mean, the cold's just blowing

1819
02:09:07.239 --> 02:09:10.039
right into the house. I walk down the hall to

1820
02:09:10.119 --> 02:09:12.680
the next bedroom and see there ain't no windows there either.

1821
02:09:13.439 --> 02:09:16.720
Then I hear movement and return to the living room.

1822
02:09:16.920 --> 02:09:20.319
Ariel's getting out from underneath her comforter. Why is it

1823
02:09:20.439 --> 02:09:25.600
so cold in here? Then Ariel sees me. Mona, why

1824
02:09:25.600 --> 02:09:29.399
aren't there any windows? Ariel? I ask? She gives me

1825
02:09:29.439 --> 02:09:33.920
a weird look. What No, I'll show you. I grab

1826
02:09:33.960 --> 02:09:36.840
Ariel's hand and bring her to her own room. You

1827
02:09:36.960 --> 02:09:40.600
have got to be kidding me, Ariel gasps. We move

1828
02:09:40.680 --> 02:09:43.720
to a few other rooms and see no windows. We

1829
02:09:43.840 --> 02:09:47.439
go into the bathroom. Normally there's scented pillar candles on

1830
02:09:47.479 --> 02:09:50.159
either side of the mirror, on the sink. Looks like

1831
02:09:50.199 --> 02:09:53.359
there's only one that remains of the said candles. When

1832
02:09:53.359 --> 02:09:56.760
we come back out, we see Bailey and Mouse are up. Now, boy,

1833
02:09:56.840 --> 02:10:01.359
it sure got cold fast. Bailey states, what I wouldn't

1834
02:10:01.359 --> 02:10:05.279
give for some hot coffee right now? Mouse mutters. Then

1835
02:10:05.359 --> 02:10:08.720
Mouse turns and walks to the front window. She turns

1836
02:10:08.720 --> 02:10:11.720
to us fast. There's only a big window shade here,

1837
02:10:12.079 --> 02:10:16.359
as in no big window here. What's going on? Ariel?

1838
02:10:17.039 --> 02:10:21.039
Ariel goes to Mouse and sees for herself. What on

1839
02:10:21.079 --> 02:10:26.000
earth is going on here? Beats me? Mouse answers, and

1840
02:10:26.079 --> 02:10:29.239
what time is it? Ariel snaps, That's what I've been

1841
02:10:29.239 --> 02:10:32.479
trying to find out. I say. Our phones and watches

1842
02:10:32.520 --> 02:10:36.279
ain't working. Ariel quickly goes to the closet and starts

1843
02:10:36.319 --> 02:10:39.279
tossing us our jackets. We take them and head into

1844
02:10:39.279 --> 02:10:42.760
separate rooms to get changed. We're all dressed to go

1845
02:10:42.840 --> 02:10:48.000
outside now. But when we do go outside, what the

1846
02:10:48.720 --> 02:10:53.399
Bailey gasps? Everything looks like what we saw in your movie, Mona.

1847
02:10:53.880 --> 02:10:58.159
Ariel states, ah, man, you gotta be kidding me. Mouse

1848
02:10:58.239 --> 02:11:02.720
groans not again. We all look right at Mouse. Now

1849
02:11:03.359 --> 02:11:07.560
do you know something about this? Ariel asks her? If

1850
02:11:07.600 --> 02:11:10.680
we are where I think we are. We're gonna be

1851
02:11:10.720 --> 02:11:17.039
in terrible danger. Fast. Mouse quickly answers. Just spit it out. Mouse,

1852
02:11:17.359 --> 02:11:20.960
I snap, we ain't in Strickfield no more.

1853
02:11:22.960 --> 02:11:27.359
There's more scares where that came from. Weekly spooky, We'll

1854
02:11:27.359 --> 02:11:28.119
be right.

1855
02:11:27.880 --> 02:11:36.560
Back perspective, Ariel Mirron, I give mouse wide eyes. Excuse me.

1856
02:11:37.680 --> 02:11:40.479
I was really hoping to never see this place ever again.

1857
02:11:41.119 --> 02:11:44.119
Mouse groans. Then she tells us we need to go

1858
02:11:44.199 --> 02:11:48.600
back inside. We go back inside the house. Then I

1859
02:11:48.680 --> 02:11:53.039
get an idea and turn on my smartphone. Flash, what

1860
02:11:53.239 --> 02:11:58.600
in the are you serious? Mona ads, no, we're not

1861
02:11:58.720 --> 02:12:03.199
seeing things. My house is trashed, and I mean trashed.

1862
02:12:03.760 --> 02:12:08.840
Then I point right at mouse. Okay, start talking. Mouse

1863
02:12:08.840 --> 02:12:11.720
springs up. The night in October when she went to

1864
02:12:11.800 --> 02:12:14.840
the Horror Thon at the Strickfield Centennial Theater with her

1865
02:12:14.840 --> 02:12:19.880
twin cousin Aileen Carter Cross and Bella Tabon. They had

1866
02:12:19.920 --> 02:12:23.119
watched a screening of a film called The Portal. It

1867
02:12:23.239 --> 02:12:26.920
was like everything had changed. Places were trashed, much like

1868
02:12:27.000 --> 02:12:31.000
my house. Windows were mostly missing in the homes. It

1869
02:12:31.079 --> 02:12:36.680
was night all the time. But what was worse, everybody

1870
02:12:37.000 --> 02:12:41.279
was a vampire. The four of them barely escaped this

1871
02:12:41.359 --> 02:12:44.760
place and made it back to Strickfield. Mouse says, we're

1872
02:12:44.760 --> 02:12:49.319
in an alternate universe where it's all vampires. We're all

1873
02:12:49.319 --> 02:12:54.000
in terrible danger. She finishes any of those vampires sees us.

1874
02:12:54.520 --> 02:13:00.159
They'll be after us. Here. It's like Marvel Zombies, where

1875
02:13:00.159 --> 02:13:03.439
everybody suddenly became vampires. They drank up all the living

1876
02:13:03.439 --> 02:13:07.199
people they could get their hands on. Now, like those zombies,

1877
02:13:07.239 --> 02:13:11.720
after a few days, they're out of food. Bailey quickly

1878
02:13:11.800 --> 02:13:15.560
waves her hands in front of her. Okay, okay, assuming

1879
02:13:15.640 --> 02:13:19.239
Mouse isn't making this stuff up here, how did we

1880
02:13:19.359 --> 02:13:22.479
get here? It had to have been that movie Mona

1881
02:13:22.520 --> 02:13:27.319
brought over Doorway to Horror. Mouse guesses. Mona points right

1882
02:13:27.359 --> 02:13:30.399
at Mouse. Oh no, you don't. You ain't blaming me

1883
02:13:30.520 --> 02:13:33.560
for this, you wicked little rodent. I raise my hand

1884
02:13:33.560 --> 02:13:34.079
in front of me.

1885
02:13:34.800 --> 02:13:34.880
No.

1886
02:13:35.039 --> 02:13:37.760
I think Mouse is right, Mona. Everything we saw in

1887
02:13:37.840 --> 02:13:40.640
that disc you brought over was much like where we

1888
02:13:40.680 --> 02:13:43.960
are now. Nobody's blaming you about this place, but you

1889
02:13:44.000 --> 02:13:47.359
did bring that disc over. Let's find the disc. Then,

1890
02:13:47.800 --> 02:13:50.720
Mouse says, we can watch it again and get back home.

1891
02:13:51.279 --> 02:13:53.479
We had to rewatch the portal to get back home.

1892
02:13:53.520 --> 02:13:57.439
Two months ago. We searched through everything. All the movies

1893
02:13:57.520 --> 02:14:00.880
Mouse brought over are still here, but the disc Mona

1894
02:14:00.920 --> 02:14:06.760
Brod is gone. Where is it? Mona shrieks, Oh, wait,

1895
02:14:06.920 --> 02:14:09.960
here it is. She raises it up for us to see.

1896
02:14:10.119 --> 02:14:13.239
I point to Mona, keep hold of that. Now we

1897
02:14:13.399 --> 02:14:16.039
just have to find something to watch it on. That'll

1898
02:14:16.079 --> 02:14:20.000
be easier said than done. Mouse says. Power's a little

1899
02:14:20.680 --> 02:14:24.760
hard to come by here. They shattered every window, every mirror.

1900
02:14:25.439 --> 02:14:27.359
I don't know how they're keeping at night here, but

1901
02:14:28.159 --> 02:14:32.359
they're doing it. Then I see Bailey move toward the kitchen.

1902
02:14:32.880 --> 02:14:34.800
I follow her and see her opening one of the

1903
02:14:34.840 --> 02:14:39.439
two refrigerators. She turns to me, whatever food we've got,

1904
02:14:39.880 --> 02:14:41.760
we're going to have to ration it until we can

1905
02:14:41.800 --> 02:14:46.760
find more. Without power, the refrigerators aren't working. Also, we

1906
02:14:46.840 --> 02:14:48.840
can't eat a single bite of the food in either

1907
02:14:48.880 --> 02:14:52.560
of them. I point to the cupboards. We search them

1908
02:14:52.600 --> 02:14:54.720
in the pantry and find a few things we can

1909
02:14:54.760 --> 02:14:58.000
take with us. We head back out to the others.

1910
02:14:58.720 --> 02:15:02.399
There's not much here, maybe for a day two tops.

1911
02:15:03.319 --> 02:15:06.680
I divide the food evenly between all of us, including

1912
02:15:06.720 --> 02:15:09.920
the cokes and what was left of the pizzas. What

1913
02:15:09.960 --> 02:15:13.600
are we doing. Mona asked, you heard Mouse. I tell

1914
02:15:13.600 --> 02:15:16.560
her we've got to find something to play this disc

1915
02:15:16.680 --> 02:15:19.079
to get back home. We're going to have to leave

1916
02:15:19.119 --> 02:15:22.439
and find some place. In fact, I quickly unplug the

1917
02:15:22.479 --> 02:15:25.159
Blu ray player and stuff it in my backpack. We

1918
02:15:25.199 --> 02:15:28.640
make a quick plan and agree we need to go downtown.

1919
02:15:29.439 --> 02:15:33.920
We stay together, everybody, I stress before we leave, Mouse

1920
02:15:33.960 --> 02:15:38.680
hands everybody crosses. She made Whatever you do, don't lose them.

1921
02:15:39.600 --> 02:15:42.880
Mouse just gave me an idea. We probably should stop

1922
02:15:42.880 --> 02:15:47.760
by a church, Bailey suggests. Mouse points to her good thinking.

1923
02:15:48.439 --> 02:15:51.079
We all wish each other good luck before we head

1924
02:15:51.079 --> 02:15:58.039
out through the front doors. Perspective, Madeline Donner, so much

1925
02:15:58.039 --> 02:16:00.720
for us going to churches. We hit a few in

1926
02:16:00.800 --> 02:16:04.880
downtown village and saw they were wrecked. The windows were

1927
02:16:04.880 --> 02:16:08.880
all broken out, pews were destroyed or overturned. Even the

1928
02:16:08.920 --> 02:16:12.119
altars were busted up. What was even worse were the

1929
02:16:12.159 --> 02:16:16.319
skeletons with their religious garbs still on. Only thing I

1930
02:16:16.359 --> 02:16:20.000
can figure is whatever happened to turn people into vampires

1931
02:16:20.039 --> 02:16:25.159
didn't hit everybody. The ones that weren't turned became food

1932
02:16:25.279 --> 02:16:28.199
for the vamps. At least. Our trips to the two

1933
02:16:28.279 --> 02:16:32.120
churches weren't total washouts. We managed to find some holy

1934
02:16:32.159 --> 02:16:35.799
wafers and even some holy water itself. Sure would be

1935
02:16:35.879 --> 02:16:38.360
nice if we had squirt guns like in The Lost Boys,

1936
02:16:38.959 --> 02:16:41.639
but all we found were a few vials and bottles.

1937
02:16:42.680 --> 02:16:44.920
We leave the second church and sneak over to a

1938
02:16:44.959 --> 02:16:48.319
few markets. We don't find much in terms of food,

1939
02:16:49.120 --> 02:16:52.920
just dry goods and a few cans of soup. The

1940
02:16:53.000 --> 02:16:56.360
refrigerators and freezers probably haven't been working in a very

1941
02:16:56.440 --> 02:16:59.760
long time, so the food in them won't be any

1942
02:16:59.799 --> 02:17:03.520
good good. We duck in back of Wylder's Market to

1943
02:17:03.600 --> 02:17:07.079
work out another plan. Everybody has ideas to bring to

1944
02:17:07.120 --> 02:17:10.680
the table. Then Ariel suggests heading out to Strickfield Town

1945
02:17:10.719 --> 02:17:15.319
Center mall. Mona turns to her. You do realize how

1946
02:17:15.360 --> 02:17:19.559
far the mall is from downtown village right and on foot?

1947
02:17:19.719 --> 02:17:24.079
Who said anything about walking, Ariel replies, Then she looks

1948
02:17:24.079 --> 02:17:27.159
my way. We find a car and get Mouse here

1949
02:17:27.200 --> 02:17:30.799
to drive it. Mona gives her a weird look. You

1950
02:17:30.879 --> 02:17:34.840
have got to be kidding me, Ariel shakes her head. Nope,

1951
02:17:35.319 --> 02:17:37.719
you should have seen her drive at the mall last weekend.

1952
02:17:38.360 --> 02:17:42.799
Bailey sighs, Okay, let's do it. There are plenty of

1953
02:17:42.840 --> 02:17:45.760
cars outside. I would imagine we can find one that works.

1954
02:17:46.440 --> 02:17:51.680
Ariel slaps my arm. You up for it, Mouse, I shrug.

1955
02:17:52.479 --> 02:17:56.799
I guess I ain't got a choice. Mona groans. Yeah,

1956
02:17:56.959 --> 02:18:01.159
we're gonna die. Bailey scoffs at Mona. Oh, have a

1957
02:18:01.159 --> 02:18:05.520
little faith, will you? Mona groans again. Then she notices something.

1958
02:18:06.440 --> 02:18:11.239
You know, we've seen a lot of Christmas stuff. You

1959
02:18:11.280 --> 02:18:15.159
think all this went down during the holidays. She looks sad. Now,

1960
02:18:16.479 --> 02:18:19.959
what a time for something like a vampire apocalypse to happen.

1961
02:18:20.959 --> 02:18:23.920
The rest of us are sad for a moment. Then

1962
02:18:23.959 --> 02:18:26.319
we head out back to the parking lot, where there's

1963
02:18:26.360 --> 02:18:29.440
a nice selection of cars to choose from. We can't

1964
02:18:29.479 --> 02:18:32.959
be picky, you guys, Bailey says, just find one that's

1965
02:18:32.959 --> 02:18:37.280
got keys. I raise my finger. Just one thing. Once

1966
02:18:37.319 --> 02:18:39.799
we get a car started, if there's any vamps nearby,

1967
02:18:40.719 --> 02:18:43.319
they're gonna hear it. We gotta be ready for that.

1968
02:18:44.559 --> 02:18:48.239
And you know this how, Mona sneers. I don't want

1969
02:18:48.239 --> 02:18:50.280
to tell her how I know without giving away my

1970
02:18:50.360 --> 02:18:55.479
connection to Mary Worth and cousin Aleen's bff Bells, I

1971
02:18:55.639 --> 02:19:01.639
just know, Okay, Yeah, we're gonna Diea repeats, we split

1972
02:19:01.719 --> 02:19:04.719
up and look for cars. After some minutes, Mona gets

1973
02:19:04.760 --> 02:19:07.680
our attention. We come over to her. Keys are in

1974
02:19:07.680 --> 02:19:11.600
the Ignition. Doors are unlocked. When Ariel starts looking it over,

1975
02:19:12.079 --> 02:19:14.959
Bailey groans, come on, it's not going to be a

1976
02:19:14.959 --> 02:19:19.559
fancy limo you're used to being in. Ariel gasps, really, Bailey,

1977
02:19:19.879 --> 02:19:21.840
I'm checking the car to make sure it looks good,

1978
02:19:21.879 --> 02:19:27.520
you know, for flat tires and stuff. Okay, sorry, Bailey mutters,

1979
02:19:28.120 --> 02:19:32.120
looks good. Ariel says, okay, Mouse, get behind the wheel

1980
02:19:32.159 --> 02:19:36.440
and hope this thing starts. Ah man, I squeak when

1981
02:19:36.479 --> 02:19:39.200
I open the door and get in. Now I feel

1982
02:19:39.239 --> 02:19:43.840
Ariel's hand on my shoulder. Are you actually scared? Mouse?

1983
02:19:44.840 --> 02:19:49.360
I glance over my shoulder. Ah please, which is a lie?

1984
02:19:49.959 --> 02:19:53.239
This little mousey is definitely scared. I just don't want

1985
02:19:53.280 --> 02:19:56.120
Ariels see in it on me. I turn the key

1986
02:19:56.200 --> 02:20:05.440
and perspective Bailey. The engine cranks and cranks and Cranksugh,

1987
02:20:06.079 --> 02:20:12.639
you guys, look, Oh god. Mona shrieks. Vamps start the car. Mouse,

1988
02:20:13.120 --> 02:20:17.319
I'm trying. Mouse cries. The vampires are leaping from car

1989
02:20:17.360 --> 02:20:21.159
to car, or they're running. It's when they're almost to us.

1990
02:20:21.200 --> 02:20:25.719
That the car finally starts. Go, Mouse, go, Ariel yells,

1991
02:20:26.239 --> 02:20:29.760
Mouse has to study the controls. Okay, hope, and I

1992
02:20:29.760 --> 02:20:33.040
can do this. Never drove a stick now, I put

1993
02:20:33.040 --> 02:20:36.159
a hand on her shoulder. You're a gamer. Mouse. You're

1994
02:20:36.159 --> 02:20:38.799
not here with us right now. You're in Roth's rings

1995
02:20:38.879 --> 02:20:40.040
playing a racing game.

1996
02:20:40.520 --> 02:20:41.000
Go with that.

1997
02:20:42.120 --> 02:20:46.799
Okay, let's hope. I got this. Mouse stammers, just as

1998
02:20:46.840 --> 02:20:49.440
the vamps are shattering the windows. Mouse puts the car

1999
02:20:49.479 --> 02:20:53.360
in gear and stutters a little. Then she takes a

2000
02:20:53.399 --> 02:20:59.479
deep breath and shifts again. Finally we're moving away. We

2001
02:20:59.520 --> 02:21:01.920
pull out of the parking lot and out onto main street.

2002
02:21:02.280 --> 02:21:05.680
Mouse hits the clutch and shifts again. Looks like she's

2003
02:21:05.719 --> 02:21:08.639
got the hang of it. Now. There ain't no mirrors

2004
02:21:08.639 --> 02:21:12.639
on this car. Mona says, riding shotgun, you wouldn't see

2005
02:21:12.639 --> 02:21:14.799
any vamps in the mirrors even if we did have them.

2006
02:21:15.040 --> 02:21:20.440
Mouse tells her no reflections. The little squeaker's right. Ariel says,

2007
02:21:20.559 --> 02:21:24.239
looking out the back, we got bats coming fast. I

2008
02:21:24.360 --> 02:21:28.959
hate you Mouse. Yeah yeah, Mouse mutters, we good on gas.

2009
02:21:29.079 --> 02:21:32.680
Mona asks Mouse, don't know gas. Gage just shot from

2010
02:21:32.680 --> 02:21:34.479
half a tank all the way down to the big

2011
02:21:34.559 --> 02:21:37.399
e fast. Hopefully we'll be able to get to the mall.

2012
02:21:38.319 --> 02:21:41.799
Then I'm having second thoughts. I didn't think this through.

2013
02:21:42.559 --> 02:21:47.959
Maybe the mall's ravaged too. Everything's probably ravaged, Bailey, Ariel says,

2014
02:21:48.440 --> 02:21:50.360
But we have to try and look for someplace that

2015
02:21:50.399 --> 02:21:53.639
has power. In fact, I think I have an idea.

2016
02:21:54.280 --> 02:21:57.000
Ariel explains that the hardware store in the mall should

2017
02:21:57.040 --> 02:22:00.000
have gasoline power generators. All we have to do is

2018
02:22:00.280 --> 02:22:02.959
find one. Then we would siphon the gas out of

2019
02:22:03.000 --> 02:22:05.600
the cars at the mall and power it from there.

2020
02:22:05.680 --> 02:22:08.120
We find a TV, hook up the Blu ray player,

2021
02:22:08.440 --> 02:22:12.639
and then we're back home. That'll be easier said than done.

2022
02:22:13.000 --> 02:22:15.399
I say, but what else is there?

2023
02:22:16.799 --> 02:22:20.479
Don't go away? Weekly Spooky will be right back.

2024
02:22:22.920 --> 02:22:26.120
Mouse keeps the car going. Ariel and I are still

2025
02:22:26.159 --> 02:22:29.520
seeing the bats flapping after us. We have to get

2026
02:22:29.520 --> 02:22:32.200
them off our backs if we're gonna make your plan work, Ariel,

2027
02:22:32.920 --> 02:22:36.360
Mouse has something. I got an idea for that. When

2028
02:22:36.399 --> 02:22:38.399
we get to the mall, I'll drive around to the

2029
02:22:38.479 --> 02:22:42.319
under mall parking garage. I won't pull inside, though, I'll

2030
02:22:42.399 --> 02:22:45.159
drop you three off there, and then hopefully the vamps

2031
02:22:45.159 --> 02:22:48.040
will keep following me. How will you make it back?

2032
02:22:48.319 --> 02:22:52.040
I ask, we can't go home without you. Let me

2033
02:22:52.120 --> 02:22:55.280
worry about that. You guys work on getting Ariel's planned

2034
02:22:55.280 --> 02:22:59.200
to work. I put my hand on Mouse's shoulder. You

2035
02:22:59.360 --> 02:23:02.399
just make sure you get back to us and try

2036
02:23:02.440 --> 02:23:06.399
not to get vamped or eaten. Mona adds, Hey, I

2037
02:23:06.479 --> 02:23:08.799
want to go back home too. We all got something

2038
02:23:08.840 --> 02:23:12.159
to return to, right, Trust me, I'll make it back,

2039
02:23:12.639 --> 02:23:16.600
Mouse promises. Ariel takes a deep breath, then she just

2040
02:23:16.639 --> 02:23:20.280
says it. Carter Cross asked me out last weekend when

2041
02:23:20.280 --> 02:23:23.200
we were at the mall. I never did give him

2042
02:23:23.200 --> 02:23:28.920
an answer. I turned to her seriously. Mona turns around,

2043
02:23:29.520 --> 02:23:33.520
no way, Then she bumps Mouse's shoulder. Did you know

2044
02:23:34.159 --> 02:23:36.840
you and Carter are bfs? I know you tell each

2045
02:23:36.840 --> 02:23:42.920
other everything. Mouse shakes her head. Uh nope, but it's

2046
02:23:42.959 --> 02:23:45.399
no secret in our group that Carter and Ariel like

2047
02:23:45.440 --> 02:23:50.360
each other. I hate you, Mouse, Ariel growls. Mouse shrugs.

2048
02:23:50.920 --> 02:23:55.200
I'm just saying. Ariel bows her head, looking sad. I'm

2049
02:23:55.239 --> 02:23:57.559
just wishing I would have told him i'd go out

2050
02:23:57.600 --> 02:24:01.000
with him. She raises her head. That's why I want

2051
02:24:01.000 --> 02:24:04.239
to make it and get back home. I'm sure you girls,

2052
02:24:04.239 --> 02:24:08.360
have something to return to too, my family. I quickly say,

2053
02:24:08.959 --> 02:24:12.479
Denoyer's grill. Mona gushes, I don't want to be stuck

2054
02:24:12.520 --> 02:24:16.360
here in some vampire universe and no Denoyer's grill or

2055
02:24:16.360 --> 02:24:19.959
no coffee. Mouse adds, I think it's safe to say

2056
02:24:20.319 --> 02:24:23.319
we all loved our lives in Strickfield before this happened.

2057
02:24:23.559 --> 02:24:27.440
I say, then a thought, Did you make it out

2058
02:24:27.479 --> 02:24:30.879
this way when you were here last Mouse? Nope, we

2059
02:24:31.000 --> 02:24:33.799
got as far as Strickfield Academy. Wish I could tell

2060
02:24:33.799 --> 02:24:37.000
you more than what I already know. Okay, we're here.

2061
02:24:37.799 --> 02:24:41.079
Turn it in. Mouse turns us into a mall entrance

2062
02:24:41.120 --> 02:24:45.239
and floors it, making sure she shifts when she needs to. Wow,

2063
02:24:45.639 --> 02:24:47.920
I can't believe little Mouse learned to drive playing all

2064
02:24:47.959 --> 02:24:51.840
those racing video games. Honestly, I thought she was an

2065
02:24:51.879 --> 02:24:54.280
odd ball when Ariel invited her to join our group.

2066
02:24:55.000 --> 02:24:57.879
Mona and I didn't like her for the longest time. However,

2067
02:24:58.399 --> 02:25:01.200
Mouse grows on you after a while. Well, I'm just

2068
02:25:01.239 --> 02:25:04.319
glad she's with us right now. She's the reason we're

2069
02:25:04.360 --> 02:25:09.120
all still alive. Get ready, Mouse tells us. Mouse drifts

2070
02:25:09.200 --> 02:25:11.520
us again as we round the mall and head for

2071
02:25:11.559 --> 02:25:14.959
the under Mall parking garage. Before we get there, she

2072
02:25:15.079 --> 02:25:18.840
hits the brakes and swerves to a stop. Go Mouse

2073
02:25:18.920 --> 02:25:21.559
belts out. Ariel, Mona and I quickly get out of

2074
02:25:21.600 --> 02:25:24.879
the car. After we slam the doors shut. Ariel belts

2075
02:25:24.920 --> 02:25:28.559
back at Mouse. Go Mouse floors it. As we're in

2076
02:25:28.600 --> 02:25:31.200
the garage and hiding out of sight, the bats are

2077
02:25:31.200 --> 02:25:34.280
flying after mouse. I just hope they don't see the

2078
02:25:34.319 --> 02:25:36.799
three of us ain't in the car with her. Even

2079
02:25:36.879 --> 02:25:44.239
more so, I hope they don't get mouse perspective. Mona abels.

2080
02:25:45.319 --> 02:25:47.920
The three of us wait for a little bit. We

2081
02:25:47.959 --> 02:25:51.600
ain't seeing no vamps in the sky. I think we're good.

2082
02:25:52.159 --> 02:25:55.280
They're all after mouse. We better get a move on,

2083
02:25:55.559 --> 02:25:59.000
Bailey says. We may be unborrowed. Time as it is.

2084
02:26:00.120 --> 02:26:02.840
Walk in the under Mall parking garage and come to

2085
02:26:02.879 --> 02:26:03.680
the mall entrance.

2086
02:26:03.760 --> 02:26:04.000
There.

2087
02:26:04.680 --> 02:26:07.440
The doors are ripped right off, so no worries on

2088
02:26:07.479 --> 02:26:10.479
whether that entrance was locked or not. We walk the

2089
02:26:10.559 --> 02:26:13.280
corridor and go up the steps. Soon we're in the

2090
02:26:13.280 --> 02:26:17.040
food court, coming out at the double doors besides Scotto's Pizza.

2091
02:26:17.879 --> 02:26:20.399
Even though it's dark all through the mall, we can

2092
02:26:20.440 --> 02:26:23.760
see enough to see there are Christmas decorations all over

2093
02:26:23.760 --> 02:26:28.000
the place. There's tinsel hanging off the ceilings, fully decorated

2094
02:26:28.079 --> 02:26:32.600
Christmas trees spread out, animatronic scenes though they're not working

2095
02:26:32.719 --> 02:26:36.399
with no electricity. And there's the Santa's House not too

2096
02:26:36.479 --> 02:26:39.760
far from where we are. So Almo's hardware is down

2097
02:26:39.760 --> 02:26:40.159
by J C.

2098
02:26:40.360 --> 02:26:40.719
Penny.

2099
02:26:41.000 --> 02:26:45.600
Ariel says, oh, I sure, hope, so I groan, what

2100
02:26:45.639 --> 02:26:49.040
do you mean? Aerial demands Mouse said, We're in a

2101
02:26:49.079 --> 02:26:52.120
parallel universe, right, How do we know things are going

2102
02:26:52.159 --> 02:26:53.600
to be the same here as back home?

2103
02:26:54.000 --> 02:26:54.520
I state.

2104
02:26:55.760 --> 02:26:59.040
She's got a point, Bailey tells Ariel, but we still

2105
02:26:59.040 --> 02:27:03.239
need to check mona. Ariel takes a deep breath. Okay,

2106
02:27:03.639 --> 02:27:06.239
I'm going to head out and look around. I'll signal

2107
02:27:06.280 --> 02:27:10.280
when the coast is clear. We should just go out together.

2108
02:27:10.639 --> 02:27:17.120
Bailey counters, you know, safety in numbers. Okay, fine, Ariel replies,

2109
02:27:17.639 --> 02:27:21.680
come on. We start walking away from Scotto's Pizza. We

2110
02:27:21.719 --> 02:27:24.120
can see the malls wrecked, but it doesn't look all

2111
02:27:24.120 --> 02:27:27.159
that bad. I mean, the gates look messed up, and

2112
02:27:27.239 --> 02:27:29.840
some of the store signs are damaged. I don't know,

2113
02:27:29.920 --> 02:27:32.600
it's like someone's gone to lengths to try to make

2114
02:27:32.639 --> 02:27:37.600
this mall look nice again. Then I have a gut

2115
02:27:37.639 --> 02:27:42.239
feeling you guys, I don't think we're alone in here,

2116
02:27:42.760 --> 02:27:46.680
I tell them, then explain why I don't look for

2117
02:27:46.760 --> 02:27:51.719
this to be easy. Ariel agrees. Look out. Bailey suddenly shrieks.

2118
02:27:52.040 --> 02:27:54.479
We see someone flying right at us, and quickly get

2119
02:27:54.520 --> 02:27:58.399
out of the way. How dare you come into my mall?

2120
02:27:58.959 --> 02:28:01.799
Of voice roars be behind us. Then we make the

2121
02:28:01.879 --> 02:28:06.040
mistake of stopping and looking behind us. It's Harmony, Miron,

2122
02:28:06.520 --> 02:28:12.040
my cousin. Ariel gasps. She owns this mall, your cousin,

2123
02:28:12.440 --> 02:28:15.520
I ask the one who had you hanging decorations here

2124
02:28:15.600 --> 02:28:20.799
last weekend. Ariel nods quickly, yeah, except she wasn't all

2125
02:28:20.920 --> 02:28:25.600
vamped out like this Harmony is. Then Harmony sniffs our way.

2126
02:28:26.000 --> 02:28:29.079
Her human face suddenly shifts into one that looks like

2127
02:28:29.120 --> 02:28:35.280
the Joker, only with lots and lots of sharp teeth food.

2128
02:28:36.440 --> 02:28:39.120
I'm ready to turn and run, but Ariel quickly stops me.

2129
02:28:39.719 --> 02:28:43.360
We can't outrun her. Use your head or better yet,

2130
02:28:43.920 --> 02:28:47.479
Ariel pulls out her cross that mousemade just as Harmony's

2131
02:28:47.520 --> 02:28:50.959
flying our way. She shrieks and suddenly drops to the floor.

2132
02:28:51.479 --> 02:28:55.040
Bailey and I join her and keep Harmony down start

2133
02:28:55.079 --> 02:28:59.200
walking back. Ariel tells us. We do what Ariel says

2134
02:28:59.239 --> 02:29:01.079
and start moving in the direction of J. C.

2135
02:29:01.239 --> 02:29:01.600
Penny.

2136
02:29:02.239 --> 02:29:06.840
Harmony gets back to her feet, but advances very slowly.

2137
02:29:07.920 --> 02:29:10.440
You really think you're going to be safe from me,

2138
02:29:11.159 --> 02:29:14.799
Harmony hisses. The last mortals who came into my mall

2139
02:29:15.399 --> 02:29:20.280
made a very tasty candlelit dinner. She points a very

2140
02:29:20.360 --> 02:29:23.879
long finger at us. I think I'll have you three

2141
02:29:24.360 --> 02:29:29.959
by candlelight as well. She laughs, a horrible laughter, especially

2142
02:29:30.040 --> 02:29:35.239
since today is Christmas. Yeah, we don't plan on staying.

2143
02:29:35.600 --> 02:29:40.040
Bailey tells her, I don't care about your plans. Harmony yells,

2144
02:29:40.399 --> 02:29:43.520
I only care about my home. Here at my mall,

2145
02:29:44.040 --> 02:29:47.280
other vampires and mortals tried to take what was mine,

2146
02:29:47.399 --> 02:29:51.200
but I showed them the error of their ways. Nobody

2147
02:29:51.319 --> 02:29:56.319
takes what's mine. Nobody. Oh, We're not here to take

2148
02:29:56.360 --> 02:30:00.319
anything from you, Ariel says. We actually just want to

2149
02:30:00.399 --> 02:30:03.959
visit your beautiful mall, dear cousin, and I must say

2150
02:30:04.000 --> 02:30:08.840
you've done very well with the Christmas decorations. Harmony growls

2151
02:30:08.879 --> 02:30:12.799
a dangerous growl. Then she howls at us. The next

2152
02:30:12.840 --> 02:30:17.040
thing we know she's suddenly gone. Help she's got me.

2153
02:30:17.639 --> 02:30:21.840
Oh no, she warped right behind Bailey. Harmony suddenly pulls

2154
02:30:21.840 --> 02:30:25.600
Bailey to her and leaps back with her. Drop those crosses,

2155
02:30:25.719 --> 02:30:28.840
or I promise you I'll drink this one up for

2156
02:30:28.959 --> 02:30:34.239
some early Christmas Day punch right here. And now, don't

2157
02:30:34.280 --> 02:30:39.000
do it. Bailey yells, she'll drink me anyway. Ariel holds

2158
02:30:39.000 --> 02:30:42.600
out her hand. Just stop, Harmony. We're not here to

2159
02:30:42.639 --> 02:30:45.799
take anything from your mall. We just want to go home,

2160
02:30:46.440 --> 02:30:48.440
but we need a few things in your mall to

2161
02:30:48.479 --> 02:30:52.159
help us get there. Then Ariel moves her arm around

2162
02:30:53.319 --> 02:30:56.479
like I said, you've really made this place look great.

2163
02:30:56.520 --> 02:31:01.879
I mean, your Christmas decorations are so lovely. She raises

2164
02:31:01.920 --> 02:31:05.959
her finger. But what if we could really brighten up

2165
02:31:06.000 --> 02:31:08.479
the place? I mean, what if we could light up

2166
02:31:08.520 --> 02:31:12.840
the Christmas trees and stuff. Harmony growls again. Then she

2167
02:31:12.959 --> 02:31:16.559
grabs Bailey's head and cocks it to expose her neck.

2168
02:31:17.159 --> 02:31:21.200
She raises her head ready to lower it to bite her.

2169
02:31:22.000 --> 02:31:26.840
Stop what do you want, Harmony, Ariel cries, I already

2170
02:31:26.879 --> 02:31:33.760
have you. You are mortals. You are food, Harmony yells, and

2171
02:31:33.840 --> 02:31:39.159
today you are Christmas dinner A sh it.

2172
02:31:39.200 --> 02:31:43.399
Was only the wind. You're safe, weekly spooky. We'll be

2173
02:31:43.559 --> 02:31:44.159
right back.

2174
02:31:45.520 --> 02:31:49.959
Ariel puts her cross down. Okay, look, see no cross.

2175
02:31:50.440 --> 02:31:53.520
Now I'm going to come to you. I'll switch places

2176
02:31:53.520 --> 02:31:58.719
with Bailey. Okay, then you can have me. Suddenly, Harmony

2177
02:31:58.760 --> 02:32:03.559
appears right behind Airy and snatches her up. Weren't you listening, Mortal?

2178
02:32:04.360 --> 02:32:08.360
I already have you. She points right at me, as

2179
02:32:08.360 --> 02:32:12.639
for your pathetic crosses. My cross suddenly catches fire. I

2180
02:32:12.760 --> 02:32:15.360
cry out and drop it. The other crosses are on

2181
02:32:15.440 --> 02:32:20.239
fire too. Harmony moves her mouth to Ariel's ear, and

2182
02:32:20.360 --> 02:32:24.280
exactly how will you light up my Christmas display when

2183
02:32:24.319 --> 02:32:28.360
there's no power? She seems to calm down a little bit.

2184
02:32:29.440 --> 02:32:33.360
I would love to see Christmas lights one more time.

2185
02:32:34.200 --> 02:32:38.719
There hasn't been a Christmas since the plague came years ago.

2186
02:32:39.520 --> 02:32:42.600
I'm so very hungry, but I would forsake my hunger

2187
02:32:43.719 --> 02:32:47.600
just to see my mal brightly lit for Christmas one

2188
02:32:47.639 --> 02:32:53.280
more time. We can talk, then, Ariel asks Harmony, lets

2189
02:32:53.280 --> 02:32:57.200
her go, then morphs her face back to normal. I

2190
02:32:57.239 --> 02:33:00.680
would hear you. She points to a table food cord.

2191
02:33:01.440 --> 02:33:01.680
Sit.

2192
02:33:02.840 --> 02:33:05.799
We reluctantly move to the table and sit with Harmony.

2193
02:33:06.239 --> 02:33:10.399
As Ariel's digging into her backpack, Harmony quickly snatches her wrist.

2194
02:33:11.079 --> 02:33:14.719
Do not try and trick me, and especially do not

2195
02:33:14.959 --> 02:33:19.959
play on my generosity. Ariel pulls out a coke. I

2196
02:33:20.120 --> 02:33:25.000
just needed something to drink. Harmony nods. After Ariel has

2197
02:33:25.040 --> 02:33:28.440
her drink, she explains to Harmony that we can't get

2198
02:33:28.479 --> 02:33:33.000
the power back on completely. However, if Solmo's Hardware still

2199
02:33:33.040 --> 02:33:36.680
has a gas power generator, we can siphon gas from

2200
02:33:36.680 --> 02:33:39.840
the cars. Then we can connect extension cords to the

2201
02:33:39.879 --> 02:33:43.200
Christmas trees and the animatronics to get them working at

2202
02:33:43.319 --> 02:33:50.000
least for a little while. Harmony considers Ariel, then she says,

2203
02:33:51.600 --> 02:33:55.280
my parents were too greedy to install backup generators when

2204
02:33:55.280 --> 02:33:58.200
they built this mall. I wish I'd have thought to

2205
02:33:58.239 --> 02:34:02.799
correct that mistake in life. Okay, I'll take you to

2206
02:34:02.840 --> 02:34:08.959
Solmo's Hardware. One wrong move and it's dinner time. I

2207
02:34:09.040 --> 02:34:13.440
won't worry about Christmas Day candlelight. We leave the food

2208
02:34:13.479 --> 02:34:17.479
court and walk to the hardware store. Using our smartphone lights.

2209
02:34:17.520 --> 02:34:21.000
We look around until we find what we're looking for

2210
02:34:22.360 --> 02:34:27.840
perspective aerial mirror. We find only four gas power generators

2211
02:34:28.120 --> 02:34:31.079
still in the box. We're probably not going to be

2212
02:34:31.159 --> 02:34:33.879
able to light up your whole mall, Harmony, I just

2213
02:34:33.959 --> 02:34:37.600
want the Christmas lights, the big tree, and the displays

2214
02:34:37.639 --> 02:34:41.959
around the food court powered, Harmony replies. I point to Mona,

2215
02:34:42.639 --> 02:34:46.239
grab all the extension chords. I point to Bailey, gas

2216
02:34:46.239 --> 02:34:49.440
cans and a rubber hose to siphon the fuel. Harmony

2217
02:34:49.440 --> 02:34:51.719
and I start ripping open the boxes and getting the

2218
02:34:51.760 --> 02:34:56.520
generators ready. When my girls return, we talk. I piled

2219
02:34:56.600 --> 02:34:59.719
up all the extension chords at the store's entrance. Mona says.

2220
02:35:00.600 --> 02:35:02.559
I also piled up as many gas cans as I

2221
02:35:02.559 --> 02:35:07.440
could find, which wasn't much. Bailey adds, then she glares

2222
02:35:07.479 --> 02:35:10.680
at me. I suppose Mona and I get to siphon

2223
02:35:10.719 --> 02:35:14.360
the gas. Now I get where Bailey's coming from. No,

2224
02:35:15.280 --> 02:35:17.639
I'll go out and do it. We don't have time

2225
02:35:17.639 --> 02:35:21.879
for this. Bailey quickly puts a hand on my shoulder. No,

2226
02:35:22.840 --> 02:35:26.040
you're right, I'm sorry. Go get the generators in the

2227
02:35:26.040 --> 02:35:29.079
extension cords set up. I'll go out and get the gas.

2228
02:35:29.399 --> 02:35:32.719
I ain't letting you go out there by yourself. Mona snaps,

2229
02:35:33.159 --> 02:35:36.760
you know what, Let's all go get the gas. I suggest,

2230
02:35:37.159 --> 02:35:38.879
at least it'll be one thing we won't have to

2231
02:35:38.920 --> 02:35:44.280
do later. Harmony suddenly appears. Do not even think about escaping.

2232
02:35:44.719 --> 02:35:48.040
I am too resolved for things such as that. I

2233
02:35:48.159 --> 02:35:50.799
tell Harmony, we're just going down to the parking garage

2234
02:35:50.799 --> 02:35:54.159
to siphon gas from the cars there. Maybe you could

2235
02:35:54.159 --> 02:35:56.680
come with us. You can say we're your slaves if

2236
02:35:56.680 --> 02:36:00.360
any other vampires show up. When she's still not sure sure,

2237
02:36:00.399 --> 02:36:04.159
I groan Harmony, come on, where are we going to go?

2238
02:36:05.000 --> 02:36:08.440
Harmony accompanies us to the parking garage and watches us

2239
02:36:08.440 --> 02:36:12.399
fill the gas cans. Since she doesn't breathe, she can't

2240
02:36:12.479 --> 02:36:16.000
really help us. She can warp the cans back into

2241
02:36:16.000 --> 02:36:18.559
the mall and bring us more to fill, until we

2242
02:36:18.680 --> 02:36:22.120
filled every single container we were able to find. All

2243
02:36:22.120 --> 02:36:24.120
I have to say is that mouse better still be

2244
02:36:24.200 --> 02:36:29.040
making tracks. Yuck. I'll never get that taste of gasoline

2245
02:36:29.079 --> 02:36:32.399
out of my mouth. Eugh. We go back into the

2246
02:36:32.440 --> 02:36:35.319
mall and work to connect as many extension cords as

2247
02:36:35.319 --> 02:36:38.559
we can to the generators to show Harmony my plan

2248
02:36:38.680 --> 02:36:41.639
will work. We gas up a generator and plug some

2249
02:36:41.719 --> 02:36:45.319
stuff in. I fire it up. You should have seen

2250
02:36:45.479 --> 02:36:48.879
the bright smile on Harmony's face when she sees a

2251
02:36:48.879 --> 02:36:52.680
few Christmas trees and some lights, and a few animatronic

2252
02:36:52.760 --> 02:36:56.040
displays come to life. Then the big tree and the

2253
02:36:56.040 --> 02:37:02.120
Santa House lights burst into life. Yes, Harmony breathes like

2254
02:37:02.200 --> 02:37:05.879
she's a little girl seeing her first Christmas all over again.

2255
02:37:06.920 --> 02:37:09.360
It takes us some more time, but we get everything.

2256
02:37:09.399 --> 02:37:12.639
We're able to get hooked up connected. When the generators

2257
02:37:12.680 --> 02:37:17.360
are all running, Harmony's very happy. At one point, she's

2258
02:37:17.440 --> 02:37:20.079
kneeling down in front of the very big Christmas tree

2259
02:37:20.079 --> 02:37:23.760
next to Santa's House. For the record, this tree is

2260
02:37:23.920 --> 02:37:27.799
not in our mall back home, unless our Harmony put

2261
02:37:27.799 --> 02:37:29.879
it in just after she banned us all from the

2262
02:37:29.920 --> 02:37:34.479
mall last weekend. It surprises me that this particular vampire

2263
02:37:34.879 --> 02:37:38.799
seems more interested in Christmas than in drinking our blood.

2264
02:37:38.840 --> 02:37:42.520
I mean, you should see how Harmony's eyes are glowing,

2265
02:37:43.479 --> 02:37:47.440
not literally glowing. I mean, I don't know. Christmas must

2266
02:37:47.479 --> 02:37:53.159
hold some special value in her undead heart somewhere. If

2267
02:37:53.200 --> 02:37:57.040
our Harmony holds Christmas in the same regard, she certainly

2268
02:37:57.120 --> 02:38:00.680
never showed it the way this one does. It's been

2269
02:38:00.879 --> 02:38:06.000
so very long, she whispers. It feels like I've waited

2270
02:38:06.040 --> 02:38:11.280
a lifetime just to experience Christmas Day like this again.

2271
02:38:12.399 --> 02:38:15.959
She slowly turns to look at me, and many of

2272
02:38:16.040 --> 02:38:19.760
us died so long ago when we were suddenly turned

2273
02:38:19.799 --> 02:38:27.280
into vampires. Mona and Bailey slowly approach. Is everything okay?

2274
02:38:28.079 --> 02:38:32.000
Mona asks? We got all we could started up for you.

2275
02:38:32.079 --> 02:38:36.280
Harmony Bailey ads sorry, we couldn't get it all working.

2276
02:38:37.000 --> 02:38:42.920
We just didn't have enough generators. Harmony stands up. Now

2277
02:38:42.959 --> 02:38:48.440
she's crying human tears. I heard the ones back home

2278
02:38:48.559 --> 02:38:53.280
cried blood. Anyway, I never thought vampires were even capable

2279
02:38:53.319 --> 02:38:57.239
of crying. Of course, I recall meeting my first real

2280
02:38:57.319 --> 02:39:02.079
vampire last weekend. Puts gentle hands on both Mona and

2281
02:39:02.120 --> 02:39:07.920
Bailey's shoulders. You gave me enough, then I have a

2282
02:39:07.920 --> 02:39:08.760
burning question.

2283
02:39:10.680 --> 02:39:11.040
Do you.

2284
02:39:12.840 --> 02:39:18.559
Who did this to you? Harmony's still crying softly. I

2285
02:39:18.600 --> 02:39:22.200
can't say for sure how it all began, but I

2286
02:39:22.280 --> 02:39:27.360
do know our esteemed mayor was heavily involved. Mayor Patrick

2287
02:39:27.440 --> 02:39:30.360
Gunter and a few of his converts tried to take

2288
02:39:30.399 --> 02:39:35.760
my mall, but I drove them out. Before Harmony can

2289
02:39:35.799 --> 02:39:40.600
finish her story, we hear fluttering noises coming. Harmony hisses

2290
02:39:40.639 --> 02:39:44.879
in the direction and looks at us. It's Mayor Gunter again.

2291
02:39:45.239 --> 02:39:47.559
He and his army must know you three are in here.

2292
02:39:47.959 --> 02:39:52.760
She says, you are my Christmas dinner mine. He can't

2293
02:39:52.799 --> 02:39:57.440
have you. Mona gulps. You're still gonna kill us after

2294
02:39:57.479 --> 02:40:01.239
what we did for you. Harmony vam out again, making

2295
02:40:01.280 --> 02:40:06.440
a shriek and raises her claws. He can't have you.

2296
02:40:07.520 --> 02:40:11.799
She snatches up Bailey. You belong to me now, she

2297
02:40:12.000 --> 02:40:15.920
sounds really crazy. I quickly reach into my pack and

2298
02:40:16.000 --> 02:40:18.159
slap one of the Holy Wafers on the back of

2299
02:40:18.159 --> 02:40:22.799
my hand. Harmony shrieks, causing her to drop Bailey. Then

2300
02:40:22.879 --> 02:40:25.200
she holds her hand as she falls to her knees

2301
02:40:25.600 --> 02:40:30.360
and cries again. I hate being this way, she chokes out.

2302
02:40:31.079 --> 02:40:34.319
I've consumed so many mortals just to satisfy my never

2303
02:40:34.399 --> 02:40:37.520
ending hunger. I hate being so hungry all the time.

2304
02:40:37.719 --> 02:40:41.879
I hate that it drives me to this insanity. I

2305
02:40:41.959 --> 02:40:47.120
don't want to kill you, but I'm so very hungry.

2306
02:40:47.840 --> 02:40:51.200
You won't have the chance to satisfy your hunger, Harmony mirror.

2307
02:40:51.920 --> 02:40:55.280
A new voice calls out. We all turn and face

2308
02:40:55.399 --> 02:40:58.959
Mayor Patrick Gunter and his Army of the living Dead.

2309
02:41:00.079 --> 02:41:02.840
I think it's safe to say We've never been so

2310
02:41:03.000 --> 02:41:06.959
scared in all our lives. Mona quickly leans in and

2311
02:41:07.000 --> 02:41:10.559
whispers that the Blu ray player is set up and ready.

2312
02:41:11.239 --> 02:41:13.520
Then Bailey nods to one of the monitors in the

2313
02:41:13.520 --> 02:41:17.680
food court. The movie Doorway to Horror is playing.

2314
02:41:17.719 --> 02:41:18.000
Now.

2315
02:41:18.719 --> 02:41:21.719
Soon we may be able to return home. But now

2316
02:41:21.760 --> 02:41:27.719
I'm feeling despair, just like Harmony Mouse, I choke out.

2317
02:41:28.399 --> 02:41:31.239
We can't leave her here, We can't, you guys, she's

2318
02:41:31.280 --> 02:41:35.639
our friend, she's one of us. Bailey nods quickly, but

2319
02:41:35.680 --> 02:41:38.799
Mona doesn't look so sure. I'm ready to smack her

2320
02:41:38.879 --> 02:41:41.799
arm and tell her to just grow up, but then

2321
02:41:42.440 --> 02:41:45.959
she explains her Look, if Mouse was gonna find her

2322
02:41:46.000 --> 02:41:49.159
way back here, she would have done it already, right,

2323
02:41:50.120 --> 02:41:54.520
Mona shakes her head. Those vamps probably got her.

2324
02:41:55.799 --> 02:41:59.760
You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will be right back.

2325
02:42:02.159 --> 02:42:04.239
Don't you think Mouse would want us to go back.

2326
02:42:04.920 --> 02:42:07.600
That's why she dropped us off here and sped off herself.

2327
02:42:08.600 --> 02:42:12.600
Mayor Gunter points right at us, You foolish children. Think

2328
02:42:12.639 --> 02:42:15.559
I can't hear what you're saying. You will end that

2329
02:42:15.680 --> 02:42:20.559
movie immediately. He waves his hand. Two of his vampires

2330
02:42:20.559 --> 02:42:25.479
bring Mouse out. No, these vampires were the bats chasing us?

2331
02:42:26.239 --> 02:42:30.040
They did catch up to Mouse. What happened to you?

2332
02:42:30.639 --> 02:42:35.159
I ask her? Car ran out of gas? She mutters,

2333
02:42:35.680 --> 02:42:38.000
I said the gas gage was busted. I was hoping

2334
02:42:38.360 --> 02:42:40.399
he got away and made it back home. By now,

2335
02:42:41.319 --> 02:42:44.879
Mayor Gunter suddenly grabs Mouse and lifts her up to him.

2336
02:42:45.639 --> 02:42:48.559
You will stop the movie now, or I satisfy my

2337
02:42:48.639 --> 02:42:56.479
hunger with this little morsel. Decide fast. I quickly raise

2338
02:42:56.559 --> 02:42:59.840
my hands out in front of me. Okay, okay, stop,

2339
02:43:01.000 --> 02:43:10.040
we surrender perspective. Bailey downs. Mayor Gunter's still holding Mouse

2340
02:43:10.120 --> 02:43:12.639
up to him. He arches her neck and is ready

2341
02:43:12.639 --> 02:43:17.000
to bite her. No way, Mona sneers, I ain't giving

2342
02:43:17.079 --> 02:43:19.760
myself up for a little rodent. Go ahead and eat her.

2343
02:43:20.159 --> 02:43:22.760
Look at her, Mayor, just look at her. There ain't

2344
02:43:22.799 --> 02:43:26.000
no meat on her bones. She won't have nearly enough

2345
02:43:26.000 --> 02:43:29.120
blood to satisfy you. She probably don't even have half

2346
02:43:29.120 --> 02:43:32.319
the blood the rest of us have. Bailey turns to her,

2347
02:43:33.159 --> 02:43:37.680
what are you doing? Mona ignores her. Don't you see?

2348
02:43:38.239 --> 02:43:42.159
She's just a troublesome little rodent. She don't belong with us,

2349
02:43:42.440 --> 02:43:45.120
she never did, so go ahead, put her out of

2350
02:43:45.120 --> 02:43:49.280
her misery. Mouse tightens her jaw and glares right at Mona.

2351
02:43:50.120 --> 02:43:54.600
She doesn't say anything, but if looks could kill, I

2352
02:43:54.639 --> 02:43:56.719
think this is as close to madd as I've ever

2353
02:43:56.760 --> 02:44:00.479
seen little Madeline Donnerly get. Then I see the first

2354
02:44:00.520 --> 02:44:04.280
signs of flickering near the TV and see what looks

2355
02:44:04.399 --> 02:44:10.200
like a portal starting to form. Mayor Gunter roars with anger.

2356
02:44:10.920 --> 02:44:13.840
I sent that disk to your universe and hope one

2357
02:44:13.879 --> 02:44:17.079
of you mortals would find it and bring more food

2358
02:44:17.200 --> 02:44:22.000
back to us, proving our latest experiment to success. But

2359
02:44:22.159 --> 02:44:26.000
none of you were returning to your universe last time.

2360
02:44:26.559 --> 02:44:29.680
Stop playing the movie, or I make a quick snack

2361
02:44:29.719 --> 02:44:33.760
out of your friend here, then I'll claim the rest

2362
02:44:34.879 --> 02:44:39.079
take her. Then Mona goads him on. Then she tells Mouse,

2363
02:44:39.879 --> 02:44:42.920
I never did like you. Now I'll finally be rid

2364
02:44:42.959 --> 02:44:45.479
of you. In fact, why don't you have a drink

2365
02:44:45.520 --> 02:44:49.879
of this before you become vampire chow. Mona throws Mouse

2366
02:44:49.920 --> 02:44:54.559
a bottle of water. Then my spirit lifts, Mouse, catches

2367
02:44:54.600 --> 02:44:57.440
the bottle and quickly opens it. She splashes the water

2368
02:44:57.520 --> 02:45:00.920
in Mayor Gunter's face, which sizzles and burn earns immediately

2369
02:45:01.399 --> 02:45:05.000
Once he drops Mouse, she immediately comes to us. He

2370
02:45:05.120 --> 02:45:09.799
really had me going there. Mouse tells Mona, what, oops,

2371
02:45:10.239 --> 02:45:14.200
I guess I gave you the wrong bottle. Mona snaps, yeah.

2372
02:45:14.399 --> 02:45:17.120
Mona never likes to show how she really feels to Mouse.

2373
02:45:17.239 --> 02:45:20.760
But Mona's not moving to shove Mouse back to the vampires,

2374
02:45:20.799 --> 02:45:24.399
so I know she truly meant to save her. I

2375
02:45:24.479 --> 02:45:28.440
do know. My best friend, Mayor Gunter, points to all

2376
02:45:28.479 --> 02:45:33.840
of us kill them. Then he really vamps out. I mean,

2377
02:45:34.200 --> 02:45:36.319
if this is a head vampire and he's got an

2378
02:45:36.399 --> 02:45:40.559
ultimate form, this must be it. He's much bigger now,

2379
02:45:40.639 --> 02:45:45.239
he looks much uglier. He looks like a scary bat

2380
02:45:45.399 --> 02:45:49.280
like creature, but with clothes on. He turns and focuses

2381
02:45:49.319 --> 02:45:51.959
on the movie. The portal's not ready yet, but if

2382
02:45:52.000 --> 02:45:55.600
he destroys the TV or the player, we're never going home.

2383
02:45:56.360 --> 02:45:59.200
I'm pulling out my holy water and wafers and am

2384
02:45:59.239 --> 02:46:02.440
ready to make a last stand. Ariel sees what I'm

2385
02:46:02.440 --> 02:46:05.760
doing and is joining me. Just as Mona's digging into

2386
02:46:05.760 --> 02:46:10.360
her pack, Harmony Miron suddenly flies right onto Mayor Gunter's back.

2387
02:46:10.760 --> 02:46:15.120
She's clawing with rage at him. Unfortunately, Harmony's just too

2388
02:46:15.200 --> 02:46:18.680
small and not merely powerful enough to win against Mayor Gunter.

2389
02:46:19.520 --> 02:46:23.360
Now he's holding her up by her throat. Winning the

2390
02:46:23.399 --> 02:46:29.319
office of mayor was so easy, he brags, bringing this

2391
02:46:29.440 --> 02:46:35.639
vampire existence to our world was even easier. But destroying you,

2392
02:46:37.440 --> 02:46:40.959
I'm going to enjoy this. You have been nothing but

2393
02:46:41.040 --> 02:46:44.440
a thorn in my side. Harmony, Miren. You fought to

2394
02:46:44.520 --> 02:46:47.319
keep me out of office. You even failed to stop

2395
02:46:47.360 --> 02:46:51.479
me from conquering this world, and you will fail to

2396
02:46:51.680 --> 02:46:56.600
save your new friends. But suddenly, Harmony's face starts to burn.

2397
02:46:57.600 --> 02:47:03.120
What gives? Then her practically irrupts when she blasts something

2398
02:47:03.159 --> 02:47:09.479
into his face. Holy yeah, that's it, holy water. She

2399
02:47:09.559 --> 02:47:12.360
must have found our bottles in our packs, and she's

2400
02:47:12.479 --> 02:47:15.760
really trying to help us get home. Mayor Gunter and

2401
02:47:15.799 --> 02:47:20.040
Harmony both fall. Harmony's face looks just awful, but you

2402
02:47:20.079 --> 02:47:24.280
should see Mayor Gunter, Harmony got him good. Now the

2403
02:47:24.319 --> 02:47:27.600
other vampires start coming at us. Just as the portal

2404
02:47:27.680 --> 02:47:31.239
is finally open, Harmony forces herself to her feet. Now

2405
02:47:31.920 --> 02:47:35.879
she looks just hideous. I don't think she's going to

2406
02:47:35.920 --> 02:47:39.319
heal up from this. She grabs us and turns us

2407
02:47:39.360 --> 02:47:42.879
to the portal. Get out of here, go back to

2408
02:47:42.920 --> 02:47:48.680
your home. You live what about you. Ariel yells you'll

2409
02:47:48.680 --> 02:47:52.360
die if you stay here. I can't come to your

2410
02:47:52.440 --> 02:47:57.000
universe with you, Harmony tells her, anticipating what Ariel's thinking.

2411
02:47:58.079 --> 02:48:02.600
I'm so tainted. I've devoured mortals before, and I'll only

2412
02:48:02.639 --> 02:48:07.879
want to devour your people to satisfy my hunger. I'll

2413
02:48:07.920 --> 02:48:11.159
stay here and see that you all get home safely.

2414
02:48:12.440 --> 02:48:16.479
Go Now, the four of us turn and run to

2415
02:48:16.520 --> 02:48:22.840
the portal. Harmony's pushing us along, move faster, closer, closer,

2416
02:48:23.600 --> 02:48:27.959
so close, almost there. When we finally reach the portal,

2417
02:48:28.319 --> 02:48:30.680
I'm wondering if this is going to truly take us

2418
02:48:30.719 --> 02:48:34.159
back home or we'll end up in some other universe.

2419
02:48:34.920 --> 02:48:38.479
I'll destroy the disc once you're through, Harmony promises us,

2420
02:48:39.159 --> 02:48:43.319
thank you for giving me Christmas again, even if just

2421
02:48:44.360 --> 02:48:48.760
for a few short minutes. Now I give you your

2422
02:48:48.799 --> 02:48:56.040
freedom and return Merry Christmas. Before we can say anything

2423
02:48:56.079 --> 02:48:59.040
in the way of thanks, Harmony grabs each of us

2424
02:48:59.079 --> 02:49:03.239
with her vampires and shoves us through the portal. All

2425
02:49:03.280 --> 02:49:07.440
we see are many flashes of different colored lights, kind

2426
02:49:07.479 --> 02:49:10.559
of Christmasy. Before the four of us will find out

2427
02:49:10.559 --> 02:49:18.479
if we made it home or not. Perspective Mona abels

2428
02:49:19.040 --> 02:49:22.040
I gasp and suddenly sit up to see I'm in

2429
02:49:22.120 --> 02:49:26.559
Ariel's living room. I'm seeing everybody else is awake now too.

2430
02:49:27.680 --> 02:49:31.079
Bailey gets off her couch and comes to us. Are

2431
02:49:31.120 --> 02:49:34.399
you guys all right? The rest of us nod quickly.

2432
02:49:34.959 --> 02:49:38.440
There's enough light in here to tell it's probably morning.

2433
02:49:39.239 --> 02:49:42.799
In fact, Ariel goes right to the curtains and opens them.

2434
02:49:43.520 --> 02:49:47.200
Warm light comes in. Then Ariel goes right to Mouse.

2435
02:49:47.799 --> 02:49:51.799
You weren't turned. Mouse shakes her head quickly. Once they

2436
02:49:51.840 --> 02:49:54.200
got me, I really thought i'd had it. All I

2437
02:49:54.239 --> 02:49:58.520
thought about was hoping you guys got home. Yeah, I'm lucky,

2438
02:49:58.600 --> 02:50:02.760
all right. I actually surprised when Ariel pulls Mouse into

2439
02:50:02.799 --> 02:50:06.319
her arms and hugs her. Then Mouse hugs her back.

2440
02:50:07.440 --> 02:50:11.479
Eventually they come apart. I always wondered what Ariel saw

2441
02:50:11.479 --> 02:50:16.239
in that wicked little rodent. I mean, she totally clashes

2442
02:50:16.280 --> 02:50:20.040
with the rest of us. She's just a nerd. Seriously,

2443
02:50:20.840 --> 02:50:24.559
why does Ariel like her so much? Mouse quickly picks

2444
02:50:24.639 --> 02:50:28.680
up her smartphone. It's almost ten. The rest of us

2445
02:50:28.719 --> 02:50:31.280
go to our phones. I can see my watch is

2446
02:50:31.319 --> 02:50:35.000
working right again. Looks like we're really home, you guys,

2447
02:50:35.559 --> 02:50:38.920
Bailey says, I can even feel how nice and warm

2448
02:50:38.959 --> 02:50:41.520
it is here compared to when we woke up in

2449
02:50:41.520 --> 02:50:48.239
that vampire universe. Then Mouse has a thought and checks something. Yep,

2450
02:50:49.040 --> 02:50:51.360
looks like both your Blu ray player and that disc

2451
02:50:51.440 --> 02:50:56.520
mona Brot are gone. Ariel, She sighs, I really don't

2452
02:50:56.520 --> 02:51:00.360
care about that right now. Then she looks at her phone. Hey,

2453
02:51:01.280 --> 02:51:04.440
it's not Christmas like it was there. We're still in

2454
02:51:04.479 --> 02:51:07.319
the second weekend of December, like before we went to

2455
02:51:07.360 --> 02:51:11.520
that other universe. Then she puts her phone down and

2456
02:51:11.600 --> 02:51:14.799
claps her hands together. You guys don't have to come

2457
02:51:14.799 --> 02:51:18.479
with me, but I'm going out to the mall, but

2458
02:51:18.559 --> 02:51:23.000
we're banned from there. Mouse reminds her, I don't care, Mouse,

2459
02:51:23.440 --> 02:51:29.280
I have to know. Mouse shrugs, okay, but I'm coming

2460
02:51:29.360 --> 02:51:33.760
with you. Bailey and I decide to tag along too,

2461
02:51:34.079 --> 02:51:40.239
like Ariel said, we gotta know. Ariel calls us an

2462
02:51:40.360 --> 02:51:43.200
uber and takes us out to Strickfield Town Center Mall.

2463
02:51:43.959 --> 02:51:46.600
Once we get dropped off, we waste no time going in.

2464
02:51:47.399 --> 02:51:51.120
It's just like any other December weekend in Strickfield, packed

2465
02:51:51.159 --> 02:51:55.600
with people and nearly every store filled and open. Our

2466
02:51:55.680 --> 02:51:59.079
mall only gets like this around November and December. The

2467
02:51:59.079 --> 02:52:02.680
rest of the year. There there are many vacancies. People

2468
02:52:02.719 --> 02:52:05.360
sometimes say them all's going to close for good eventually,

2469
02:52:06.000 --> 02:52:10.879
but it never does. Yeah, all the decorations are still up,

2470
02:52:11.120 --> 02:52:14.520
Ariel says, looks like we really made it back home.

2471
02:52:14.840 --> 02:52:19.239
Bailey replies, it's daylight and we never saw anybody burning

2472
02:52:19.319 --> 02:52:23.239
up when they were outside. Then Ariel stops us. Hey,

2473
02:52:24.000 --> 02:52:27.719
let's go into caffeine Junction for breakfast. My treat Mouse,

2474
02:52:28.000 --> 02:52:30.799
I'm going to buy you the biggest coffee they got.

2475
02:52:31.280 --> 02:52:34.319
Go on in you, guys. I think Ariel's just glad

2476
02:52:34.360 --> 02:52:37.920
we're back home and we're all safe. True to her words,

2477
02:52:37.959 --> 02:52:40.760
she lets us order whatever we want. When Bailey and

2478
02:52:40.799 --> 02:52:43.879
Ariel both got their orders, they head off to a booth.

2479
02:52:44.760 --> 02:52:46.799
Now it just leaves Mouse and me to wait for

2480
02:52:46.879 --> 02:52:50.120
our stuff. Mouse kind of gives me a look that

2481
02:52:50.239 --> 02:52:54.639
says she ain't sure about me. Just so you know,

2482
02:52:55.440 --> 02:52:57.959
I wouldn't have really let you die back there. I

2483
02:52:58.040 --> 02:53:01.760
tell her, I don't know what Ariels season you or

2484
02:53:01.799 --> 02:53:04.959
what Bailey sees in you, but why do you hate

2485
02:53:04.959 --> 02:53:05.520
me so much?

2486
02:53:05.559 --> 02:53:05.879
Mona?

2487
02:53:06.520 --> 02:53:11.200
Mouse asks, I don't hate you. I tell her, I

2488
02:53:11.360 --> 02:53:14.360
just don't feel like you belong with us. You're just

2489
02:53:14.440 --> 02:53:16.319
so so.

2490
02:53:17.799 --> 02:53:18.159
Weird.

2491
02:53:19.600 --> 02:53:22.879
Maybe to me you might be the weird one. She says,

2492
02:53:23.440 --> 02:53:26.760
you ever thought about that? We just look at each other.

2493
02:53:27.360 --> 02:53:32.280
When Ariel and Bailey ain't looking, I extend my hand. Truce.

2494
02:53:33.360 --> 02:53:38.319
Mouse shakes my hand. Truce, I lean in and say,

2495
02:53:38.520 --> 02:53:42.799
you say anything about this, and I'll deny it fair enough.

2496
02:53:43.639 --> 02:53:46.159
When we get our food, we join the others at

2497
02:53:46.200 --> 02:53:49.879
the booth. Surprisingly, we make it through the whole length

2498
02:53:49.920 --> 02:53:54.000
of them all just after Ariel's called us another uber harmony.

2499
02:53:54.040 --> 02:53:57.399
Miron is right there, She points to Ariel and Mouse.

2500
02:53:58.159 --> 02:54:01.440
Last I checked. You two are banned from my mall.

2501
02:54:01.920 --> 02:54:04.120
Tell me right now why I shouldn't bring you to

2502
02:54:04.159 --> 02:54:08.000
my office and have you both arrested. Ariel and Mouse

2503
02:54:08.079 --> 02:54:11.239
look at each other. Then Ariel digs into her purse

2504
02:54:11.479 --> 02:54:14.479
and pulls out receipts. She hands them to her and says,

2505
02:54:15.319 --> 02:54:17.440
because I wanted to treat my girls to some of

2506
02:54:17.479 --> 02:54:20.920
your fine establishments. We all ended up having a near

2507
02:54:20.959 --> 02:54:24.360
death experience, and I just wanted us to celebrate that

2508
02:54:24.360 --> 02:54:28.680
we're still alive for another Christmas season. This mall has

2509
02:54:28.719 --> 02:54:31.600
been our hangout place for a long time. You want

2510
02:54:31.600 --> 02:54:34.520
to call the police. You go right ahead, but we

2511
02:54:34.600 --> 02:54:38.520
didn't cause any trouble here. Besides, I thought you like

2512
02:54:38.600 --> 02:54:42.959
the idea of people spending money at your mall. Harmony's

2513
02:54:43.000 --> 02:54:47.840
still holding Ariel's receipts and keeps looking sour at us. Finally,

2514
02:54:48.319 --> 02:54:53.040
she hands back the receipts. Okay, you two can come back,

2515
02:54:53.440 --> 02:54:57.639
she says. Then she points sharply at them. You're on probation.

2516
02:54:58.239 --> 02:55:01.000
In other words, if I ever seek cousin Stuart back

2517
02:55:01.000 --> 02:55:03.639
in here with you again, you're all going to be

2518
02:55:03.719 --> 02:55:09.159
permanently banned. Do we understand each other? We all quickly

2519
02:55:09.239 --> 02:55:14.200
tell her we do. Then Harmony nods once. Okay, then,

2520
02:55:14.680 --> 02:55:20.200
but remember, I'll be watching. Like Santa Claus, I'm always watching.

2521
02:55:21.159 --> 02:55:23.920
Now that we have our arrangement out of my sight.

2522
02:55:25.040 --> 02:55:28.639
I guess money really does talk, Ariel says, and snickers.

2523
02:55:29.079 --> 02:55:33.040
When we're far enough away from Harmony. That means you

2524
02:55:33.040 --> 02:55:37.000
ain't bringing Stuart here ever again. Mouse replies. Then I

2525
02:55:37.120 --> 02:55:41.319
quickly smack Ariel's arm. What was that for, she demands?

2526
02:55:42.159 --> 02:55:42.440
Look.

2527
02:55:42.920 --> 02:55:45.719
I tell her. We see Ariel's mom and her aunt

2528
02:55:45.760 --> 02:55:50.280
together with Stuart when they see us. Ariel's mom points

2529
02:55:50.360 --> 02:55:54.840
right at her. Run you guys, Ariel yells, Aunt Margaret

2530
02:55:54.879 --> 02:55:57.520
wants to hand Stuart off to me. We turn and

2531
02:55:57.600 --> 02:56:00.239
run for all we're worth. Boy do we ever hear

2532
02:56:00.280 --> 02:56:03.079
Ariel's mom and aunt yelling at her. We run straight

2533
02:56:03.079 --> 02:56:06.120
past Harmony Miron and write out them all entrance. We

2534
02:56:06.159 --> 02:56:08.120
could tell she was about to call out to us,

2535
02:56:08.479 --> 02:56:11.719
but when she sees Ariel's mom and aunt and Stuart,

2536
02:56:12.479 --> 02:56:15.920
she starts going off on both of them. Now as

2537
02:56:15.920 --> 02:56:19.000
soon as we're outside, the ubers right there, we quickly

2538
02:56:19.000 --> 02:56:23.200
climb in, go, Ariel orders him. As soon as the

2539
02:56:23.280 --> 02:56:27.239
driver pulls away. That's when Ariel's mom and aunt are outside.

2540
02:56:27.760 --> 02:56:30.840
Ariel rolls down her window and waves to them, have

2541
02:56:30.959 --> 02:56:34.399
fun with Stuart, you two. Ariel's Mom's going to let

2542
02:56:34.440 --> 02:56:37.159
her have it when they're both home later, but Ariel

2543
02:56:37.200 --> 02:56:40.680
really doesn't care about that. Right now, we needed this,

2544
02:56:40.799 --> 02:56:44.440
you guys, Ariel says, I know it's not quite the

2545
02:56:44.520 --> 02:56:52.120
day yet, but after everything we've been through, well, Merry Christmas.

2546
02:56:52.920 --> 02:56:56.319
We don't hesitate and wish her the same. I think

2547
02:56:56.360 --> 02:56:59.479
this is why I'm glad we have our group. I

2548
02:56:59.520 --> 02:57:02.559
still don't I think Mouse belongs in it, but Ariel

2549
02:57:02.600 --> 02:57:07.000
wants her around she's definitely grown on Bailey. I guess

2550
02:57:07.000 --> 02:57:10.440
I tolerate her because she don't cause trouble. To be fair,

2551
02:57:10.559 --> 02:57:13.840
she did risk her life for us both on Halloween

2552
02:57:13.920 --> 02:57:17.959
night and last night. In light of that, I'll keep

2553
02:57:18.000 --> 02:57:21.719
the truce with Mouse. Like I said, I'll deny it

2554
02:57:21.760 --> 02:57:26.639
if she says anything about it. Besides, Ariel's right, we've

2555
02:57:26.639 --> 02:57:30.799
all been through the absolute most horrifying experience together to date.

2556
02:57:31.680 --> 02:57:34.559
I can tell you one thing. It'll be one sleepover.

2557
02:57:34.639 --> 02:57:39.799
None of us we'll ever forget. But Ariel's right, at

2558
02:57:39.879 --> 02:57:44.280
least we have another Christmas. Deep down, I'm hoping the

2559
02:57:44.319 --> 02:57:48.239
Harmony mirror of that other universe succeeded in destroying that disk,

2560
02:57:49.360 --> 02:57:52.719
because if she didn't, no, I don't even want to

2561
02:57:52.719 --> 02:57:57.639
think about that. It's going to be Christmas soon. Speaking

2562
02:57:57.680 --> 02:58:01.000
of soon, that's when you'll see us again, and with

2563
02:58:01.120 --> 02:58:11.520
a new adventure. In the meantime, Merry Christmas, Well, my spookies,

2564
02:58:11.600 --> 02:58:15.319
I hope you enjoyed this marathon of Mayhem, and I

2565
02:58:15.319 --> 02:58:18.920
hope you've been enjoying all the extra stories we're releasing

2566
02:58:19.000 --> 02:58:22.120
as a little Christmas present to all of you who listen.

2567
02:58:23.399 --> 02:58:27.120
So until next time, and believe me it'll be very soon.

2568
02:58:28.399 --> 02:58:32.760
Stay safe, stay warm, and keep an eye on that

2569
02:58:32.920 --> 02:58:36.639
Santa Claus guy. I understand he likes to watch you

2570
02:58:37.600 --> 02:58:40.559
when you're sleeping. Catch you next time.