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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of babysitting when an allegation of him heard a kid
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came out. He claimed the mom had the hots for him,
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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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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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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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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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spoke up, so, why aren't you supposed to say his name?
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Then?
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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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his name once, he'll return to butcher more people. Or
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it's out of respect for the victims. Duh, nobody in
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the town likes to hear about him. Marcus replied, so
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what you just pretend he never existed? Do you like
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censor out a letter in his name if you write
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00:20:10.599 --> 00:20:14.599
about him like how some people do on Twitter? Because
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if so, that's pretty stupid. I mean, it's like saying
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the F word or the N word. You're just making
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the other people say it in their mind, so you
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don't have to be accountable for your words. Genie explained, No,
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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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her eyes and shook her head disapprovingly at Molly. Some
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folks just don't understand town customs. Genie released a sigh
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of exhaustion and irritation at the conversation. Guys, I'm pretty
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sure if you say his name, he won't appear like
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bloody Mary. Besides, if it was out of her inspect
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as you claimed, then why did you all seem so
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scared out of your skin. When Elijah first said his name,
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silence filled the room again. Nobody wanted to talk about
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the subject of the story. Janice looked over at Molly
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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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door leading out of the parlor. She turned to face
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her companions, Robbie Clint, Robbie Clint, Robbie Clint, Robbie Clint,
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Robbie Clint, she said in quick succession before leaving the parlor, U, sh.
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It was only the wind, your safe, weekly spooky, We'll
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be right back.
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Janie found herself unable to sleep. Her mind was filled
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with nightmares of children being killed by a psychotic Santa
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and of her love being taken away by some unknown
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creature of fear. She sighed and got out of bed,
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threw on a robe, and left her in Molly's room. Quietly,
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she walked through the inn, not wanting to wake anybody
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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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and all of the downstairs, finding her journey ended in
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the parlor. She made herself a drink and relaxed on
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the love seat. What was supposed to be a pleasant
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Christmas getaway and started off well, had turned into a
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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
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that Molly's parents could still be a good time. Yet
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a little voice in her head argued otherwise. Deanie grunted
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in frustration as she placed the glass on the bar.
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She looked around the parlor and found herself staring at
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a closet on the other side of the room. During
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the earlier festivities. She had seen it, but hadn't given
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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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was inside. Quietly, Janie walked to the closet and opened it.
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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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knobs on it. A smile formed on her face as
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her anxiety melted away while playing with the antique. Looking
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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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pulled the radio out of the closet and pushed it
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over to the closest outlet she could find. With excitement
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00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:04.960
trembling through her body, she plugged in the radio and
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turned the knobs. Silence gave way to a soft, fuzzy crackling.
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It works, she exclaimed in a whisper filled with giddiness.
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Deenise played with the tuner knob to find a channel
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while making sure the volume wasn't too loud. The static
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that initially greeted her did so with every twist she
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made of the knob. Janie kept playing with it, determined
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to find a station that was broadcasting.
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Ho ho oh.
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Boomed out from the radio speaker. In surprise, Jennie turned
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the volume down more. I found one.
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Ho ho oh. Merry Christmas. It's your old friend, Santi Claus.
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I want to wish all of you good boys and
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girls a wonderful Christmas and to show kindness to the
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fellow man, even those who are naughty. That includes those
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who aren't actually naughty but are said and made to be.
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Even those little ones get gifts too.
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Jenie listened in complete confusion as to what it was
351
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that she was even listening.
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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.
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Yes, you too, Jenie, you get a gift. You've been
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the nicest one of all by giving me a gift
357
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I did. Why, of course, you gave me the gift
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of acknowledgment and resurrection.
359
00:25:46.640 --> 00:25:52.680
Jenie blinked in total bewildered confusion. Then it clicked in
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00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:58.440
her head. Robbie Clint, She exclaimed.
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00:25:58.400 --> 00:26:04.480
Yes, Surrey, from the bottom of my formerly non beating heart.
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Are you ready for your gift? I guess well, then
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close your eyes and I'll give it to you.
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Janie did what she was told. The radio ceased to
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00:26:20.079 --> 00:26:25.000
make any noises. Afterwards, she sat in silence, wondering what
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the hell was even going on, and that this was
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the last time she would ever ever drink this late
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at night. Open your eyes, she did, and found the
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00:26:36.440 --> 00:26:41.160
radio no longer. There in its place was a man
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in a Santa costume, blood dripping from his wrists and throat.
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There was a gleeful smile on his face and a
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hatchet in his hand. Around him were the bodies of
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Amanda and Kate and Marcus and Elijah and the innkeeper
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and of Mollie. Genie gasped in horror and looked at
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the man Robbie Robbie Clint. Jennie squeaked out, Merry Christmas,
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Robbie Clint proclaimed, before swinging his axe down. Crampis is
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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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to finally achieve her coveted position, and she had no
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intention of relinquishing it until she was ready to graduate.
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She knew each and every one of her sorority sisters
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00:28:00.640 --> 00:28:05.440
was a potential usurper. This even included her two best friends,
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00:28:06.200 --> 00:28:09.799
Margaret Nash and Angie Adams, when she had seen how
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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
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00:28:25.480 --> 00:28:30.000
and loving soul until too many bad things had happened
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00:28:30.519 --> 00:28:35.519
during her time at the university. First, Kathy learned that
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her boyfriend Trey Colmb was cheating on her, leading to
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00:28:40.559 --> 00:28:46.480
a big breakup. Next, her former best friend from high school,
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Whitney Plaza, both betrayed and undermined her to become a
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d K president. The last straw came when Cathy discovered
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her own father, the president of Strickfield University at the time,
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had been helping Whitney against her. When Cathy finally determined
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00:29:07.279 --> 00:29:10.799
that it was a cutthroat world, she resorted to the
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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
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00:29:25.720 --> 00:29:31.359
Roth expelled Trey personally. Next, she found financial evidence on
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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
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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
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00:30:00.880 --> 00:30:04.359
father were seeing each other and connecting the affair to
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Whitney's presidency, she brought the evidence of that affair, as
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00:30:08.519 --> 00:30:13.480
well as the others to the right university officials. Whitney
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00:30:13.559 --> 00:30:17.400
was quickly removed from the ADK sorority and expelled from
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00:30:17.400 --> 00:30:23.640
the university, which basically meant her life was ruined. Shortly after,
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Cathy was named the new president of the Strickfield branch
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00:30:28.119 --> 00:30:33.400
of Alpha Delta Kappa. As for Griffin Betcher, Cathy's father,
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he was also removed from Strickfield University. He had the
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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
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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
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University and with other as politicians. In fact, she used
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her connections to have Strickfield branches of rival sororities shut
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down permanently. Though Kathy felt she had ultimate power, she
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was still upset she couldn't punish her father. Even her
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influence wasn't strong enough to reach him at his level
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of power. Her anger and resentment of her father caused
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her to sever ties with the rest of the family.
425
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In fact, Kathy deleted every voicemail and text she'd ever
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received from her mother. She avoided returning home even for
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00:31:38.440 --> 00:31:42.920
the holidays. As far as she was concerned, home was
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the sorority house. Once she graduated, she would act on
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00:31:47.400 --> 00:31:53.440
other promising prospects and move on to greener pastures. She
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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
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Angie added, yeah, like you bitches care. Kathy thought, I'm fine,
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00:32:11.359 --> 00:32:13.519
just got a lot on my mind. I'm gonna go
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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,
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I really don't care anymore. Okay, Kathy snapped, I just
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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
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00:33:38.359 --> 00:33:41.839
Ruth out of your life, we're your family, Kathleen, and
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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,
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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
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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
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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 looked51300:37:42.440 --> 00:37:46.280
it over more, she saw the figure sitting on its throne.51400:37:46.519 --> 00:37:52.320
The figure had big and curly horns, brown to graying fur,51500:37:53.519 --> 00:38:01.039
bright red eyes, and cloven hoofs for feet. Is this Crampis?51600:38:01.639 --> 00:38:05.320
Kathy asked the man. Ah, you know of Crampis, do you?51700:38:05.840 --> 00:38:09.719
The man replied, depending on who you ask. He's supposed51800:38:09.719 --> 00:38:13.599
to be the evil version of Santa Claus, or even51900:38:13.719 --> 00:38:16.519
like Santa's brother. I've heard he comes and takes the52000:38:16.559 --> 00:38:19.280
bad children while Santa gives presents to the good ones.52100:38:20.000 --> 00:38:22.719
I've also heard Crampis takes the souls of the wicked52200:38:22.760 --> 00:38:27.519
and corrupt, she sighed. People spread stories about crampis all52300:38:27.559 --> 00:38:32.079
over campus, much like any other story about ghosts and goblins.52400:38:32.639 --> 00:38:35.039
I swear people think every day is Halloween.52500:38:35.079 --> 00:38:35.280
Here.52600:38:36.559 --> 00:38:40.280
There was a brief silence, then the man said, this52700:38:40.480 --> 00:38:43.639
is the only snowglobe I have, and I'll let you52800:38:43.719 --> 00:38:48.000
have it for twenty dollars. Kathy pulled her billfold out52900:38:48.039 --> 00:38:51.400
of her purse to complete the transaction. After the man53000:38:51.599 --> 00:38:54.719
escorted her out, Cathy tried to leave through them All53100:38:54.880 --> 00:38:58.800
entrance next to Tinkers, but the doors were locked. She53200:38:58.960 --> 00:39:02.000
cursed and walked back through the mall to the main entrance.53300:39:02.960 --> 00:39:08.400
Ruth better be happy about this, Kathy muttered. Cathy decided53400:39:08.400 --> 00:39:11.000
she wasn't staying at the sorority house with Margaret and53500:39:11.039 --> 00:39:15.440
Annie and secretly left to be alone. While she was53600:39:15.480 --> 00:39:17.960
sure she could have stayed in her old room at home,53700:39:18.679 --> 00:39:21.840
she rented a room at a boarding house. As she53800:39:21.960 --> 00:39:25.159
unpacked her suitcase, she pulled out the snow globe and53900:39:25.239 --> 00:39:30.519
examined it again. Was it her or were the crampest54000:39:30.519 --> 00:39:36.239
figure's eyes glowing? You're letting those goddamn ghost stories people54100:39:36.280 --> 00:39:39.480
tell at the university get to you again, she thought.54200:39:40.360 --> 00:39:43.519
She put the snow globe down, but still felt compelled54300:39:43.639 --> 00:39:47.559
to look into the glowing eyes. After a time, she54400:39:47.599 --> 00:39:53.280
shook her head and turned away. Just then, someone knocked54500:39:53.280 --> 00:39:58.440
at her door. Figuring it was missus Elkins, the lady54600:39:58.440 --> 00:40:02.480
who owned the boarding house, she went and answered her54700:40:02.599 --> 00:40:08.400
jaw dropped when she saw Tray Colm. Oh fuck no. Angry,54800:40:08.480 --> 00:40:10.800
she tried to slam the door in his face, but54900:40:10.920 --> 00:40:14.039
he easily forced his way in and closed the door55000:40:14.079 --> 00:40:17.920
behind him. Get the fuck out, Tray, she yelled. Then55100:40:17.960 --> 00:40:21.159
she realized, and how did you even know I was here?55200:40:22.280 --> 00:40:26.719
Tray sneered, saw you check in? Finally get kicked out55300:40:26.719 --> 00:40:30.400
of your sorority? Huh, she groaned and pointed to the door.55400:40:31.039 --> 00:40:36.079
Fuck off, you bastard out, he kept sneering. I know you,55500:40:36.159 --> 00:40:40.400
miss me, Kat, You know how good I made you feel, yeah,55600:40:40.440 --> 00:40:44.440
before you started fucking around on me. She retorted, So55700:40:44.719 --> 00:40:47.360
what you think you can just come back to me55800:40:47.480 --> 00:40:51.239
and fuck me again. Kathy gasped as he yanked her55900:40:51.239 --> 00:40:55.039
into his arms. You know you wanna I see it56000:40:55.079 --> 00:40:58.480
on you. Hell, I'm willing to forget you getting me56100:40:58.599 --> 00:41:01.800
kicked out of school. Then Trey kissed her full on56200:41:01.880 --> 00:41:07.440
the mouth. Kathy immediately kissed him back. They quickly undressed56300:41:08.039 --> 00:41:11.719
and got into bed. Kathy let Trey get on top56400:41:11.800 --> 00:41:15.400
of her and moaned when he entered her. She was56500:41:15.480 --> 00:41:20.519
so angry at everything that she needed this sex right now,56600:41:21.239 --> 00:41:25.039
even if it was with Trey. Kathy stepped out of56700:41:25.079 --> 00:41:29.320
the shower and started towel drying herself. She felt disgusted56800:41:29.400 --> 00:41:33.039
for letting Tray back in, knowing he'd be screwing other56900:41:33.119 --> 00:41:36.719
girls later. She moved back to the bed and found57000:41:36.760 --> 00:41:41.360
him sleeping soundly. At least he wouldn't be with other57100:41:41.440 --> 00:41:46.039
girls tonight. As Kathy dropped her towel to get back57200:41:46.079 --> 00:41:50.760
into bed, the glowing eyes of Crampis in the snow57300:41:50.800 --> 00:41:52.679
globe caught her attention.57400:41:54.119 --> 00:41:58.079
You're not safe yet, Weekly Spooky will be right back.57500:42:00.079 --> 00:42:03.239
Kathy seemed mesmerized as she walked to the snow globe.57600:42:03.960 --> 00:42:07.920
When she picked it up, it felt warm in her hands.57700:42:08.719 --> 00:42:13.480
Punish him, she heard the demonic voice in her mind.57800:42:13.519 --> 00:42:17.000
Punish those who have done you wrong, claim their lives57900:42:17.039 --> 00:42:20.679
and their souls. Accept me into your life, Kathyine Betcher,58000:42:21.400 --> 00:42:23.119
use my power.58100:42:23.880 --> 00:42:31.440
Kate never even gave it a thought. Yes, she whispered, yes. Suddenly,58200:42:31.920 --> 00:42:35.880
Kathy felt an incredible surge of power throughout her body.58300:42:36.440 --> 00:42:39.599
Her anger fueled the new power that she was accepting.58400:42:40.239 --> 00:42:44.519
She relished the spirit of Crampis entering her body and58500:42:44.639 --> 00:42:49.719
becoming one with her. When it was finished, Kathy moaned58600:42:50.000 --> 00:42:53.840
as if she had just had an incredible orgasm. Then58700:42:53.920 --> 00:42:58.679
she turned back to the sleeping Tray and walked sexily58800:42:58.800 --> 00:43:04.079
toward him. She climbed onto the bed and easily awakened him.58900:43:05.039 --> 00:43:11.079
Trey grinned his sneering grin again. Oh hey, back for more,59000:43:12.159 --> 00:43:18.960
Kathy smiled a wicked smile. Mm hmm. Kathy straddled him59100:43:19.440 --> 00:43:22.280
and took him into her again. She rode him with59200:43:22.360 --> 00:43:26.360
an incredible hunger. Tray laid there and enjoyed every minute59300:43:26.360 --> 00:43:30.679
of it. They climaxed together after several minutes. Then Kathy59400:43:30.800 --> 00:43:34.320
put her hands on his chest as he fondled her breasts.59500:43:34.920 --> 00:43:40.760
You're definitely the best, babe, Tray said softly. Then why59600:43:40.800 --> 00:43:43.440
did you fuck those other girls behind my back?59700:43:44.079 --> 00:43:44.679
She purred?59800:43:45.880 --> 00:43:51.639
Huh, Trey uttered. Suddenly, Kathy throttled his neck. You heard me,59900:43:52.239 --> 00:43:55.360
she said, in her new demonic voice. I was never60000:43:55.440 --> 00:43:58.239
good enough for you, so you fucked around on me.60100:43:58.920 --> 00:44:05.039
Kathy smiled, well, now I'm going to make you mine forever.60200:44:05.280 --> 00:44:10.239
When Tray saw her transforming, he screamed. Kathy's hair and60300:44:10.360 --> 00:44:14.719
flesh turned white as snow. Her eyes glowed red and hot.60400:44:14.920 --> 00:44:19.119
She grew long in curly horns, silvery fur on her60500:44:19.199 --> 00:44:23.880
arms and legs, and her feet became cloven hoofs. Kathy60600:44:24.039 --> 00:44:28.440
raised a hand to reveal bony and elongated fingers with long,60700:44:29.159 --> 00:44:34.239
sharp claws. Tray's blood curdling scream made Kathy laugh as60800:44:34.239 --> 00:44:37.920
she easily sank her new claws into his stomach. She60900:44:38.039 --> 00:44:42.800
removed his bloody heart and relished the warm liquid trailing61000:44:42.880 --> 00:44:45.679
down her arm and into her fur.61100:44:46.480 --> 00:44:49.480
I always thought you were a heartless bastard for cheating61200:44:49.559 --> 00:44:54.960
on me. I guess I was wrong. Kathy laughed cruelly61300:44:55.039 --> 00:44:57.480
as she got off him and moved to the snow61400:44:57.519 --> 00:45:01.639
globe to claim it. When she gazed into it, her61500:45:01.679 --> 00:45:05.400
eyes and the glass on the globe both glowed. When61600:45:05.440 --> 00:45:09.159
the glowing stopped, she tossed the heart back to Tray's61700:45:09.159 --> 00:45:14.559
bloody corpse. Keep your heart, lover, I have your soul.61800:45:14.760 --> 00:45:17.519
You truly belong to me now.61900:45:18.360 --> 00:45:22.039
Cathy knew that Trey was just the beginning. There were62000:45:22.119 --> 00:45:26.519
others that were high on her naughty list. She turned62100:45:26.519 --> 00:45:29.199
and crashed through the window to get outside. When she62200:45:29.320 --> 00:45:31.800
landed on the ground, she broke off a tree branch62300:45:31.960 --> 00:45:34.199
and attached it to the bottom of the snow globe62400:45:34.199 --> 00:45:37.880
to make a staff. She raised her new conduit to62500:45:37.960 --> 00:45:42.679
the sky. When the snow globe glowed, it quickly became windy.62600:45:43.280 --> 00:45:47.440
Then the snowstorm began. In a matter of short minutes,62700:45:47.760 --> 00:45:51.119
the green grass had become white. She looked to the62800:45:51.159 --> 00:45:54.599
sky and saw her sleigh was coming with her own62900:45:54.760 --> 00:45:59.840
monstrous versions of reindeer. When the sleigh got close enough,63000:46:00.480 --> 00:46:04.760
she leaped onto it. Once she sat and took the reins,63100:46:05.239 --> 00:46:11.639
Crampis was on her way to her next naughty Whitney63200:46:11.639 --> 00:46:15.440
Plaza had clearly been enjoying the good life in spite63300:46:15.480 --> 00:46:19.960
of being disgraced from her former sorority and Strickfield University.63400:46:20.880 --> 00:46:24.400
Unbeknownst to Kathy, Whitney was still in a heated affair63500:46:24.840 --> 00:46:28.599
with Cathy's father. In fact, the two lovers had just63600:46:28.719 --> 00:46:32.760
finished another round in a jacuzzie at a secluded house63700:46:33.000 --> 00:46:36.840
just outside of town. Whitney lifted herself off him and63800:46:36.920 --> 00:46:41.400
sat beside. They picked up their champagne glasses and took SIPs,63900:46:41.760 --> 00:46:46.840
stealing kisses from each other. I love you, Griffin, Whitney64000:46:46.880 --> 00:46:50.239
whispered when he held her in his arms. I love64100:46:50.280 --> 00:46:53.760
you too, baby, he whispered to his young lover's lips.64200:46:54.519 --> 00:46:58.559
She gazed into his eyes. You're still taking good care64300:46:58.599 --> 00:47:02.159
of me after what your daughter did did? She literally64400:47:02.239 --> 00:47:07.719
ruined my life? I know, Griffin replied. She attacked you64500:47:07.840 --> 00:47:10.840
to get to me, but I was the one who64600:47:10.920 --> 00:47:14.960
ended up suffering most for it. She groaned, you just64700:47:15.039 --> 00:47:17.480
had to pay money. I can't even get a job64800:47:17.519 --> 00:47:21.760
working at Denyer's grill or Roth's rings. He kissed her again.64900:47:22.880 --> 00:47:25.480
I said I'd take good care of you, and I65000:47:25.519 --> 00:47:32.000
will remember I'm marrying you right after the New Year. Oh, Griffin,65100:47:32.519 --> 00:47:36.159
Whitney moaned and let him kiss her again. My isn't65200:47:36.159 --> 00:47:40.119
this touching? And by two people I once trusted with65300:47:40.360 --> 00:47:44.599
my life? The two betrayers came apart and saw the65400:47:44.599 --> 00:47:48.119
demonic form that was standing there before them. In her65500:47:48.159 --> 00:47:54.360
hand was her newly created staff. Whitney's jaw dropped Kathy.65600:47:55.320 --> 00:47:59.800
When Griffin saw Whitney was right, he gasped, Kathy, is65700:47:59.800 --> 00:48:02.599
is is that you the demon? Laughed.65800:48:03.360 --> 00:48:10.920
Kathy is no more, There is only Crampis now and65900:48:11.000 --> 00:48:16.199
tonight the two of you will pay for your sins.66000:48:16.599 --> 00:48:19.400
She put her staff against the wall before she leaned66100:48:19.480 --> 00:48:22.559
forward and put her clawed hands on the side of66200:48:22.599 --> 00:48:23.280
the hot tub.66300:48:24.039 --> 00:48:29.239
Now, which one of your black souls do I take first?66400:48:29.679 --> 00:48:33.800
Crampis looked from Griffin to Whitney before she finally settled66500:48:34.400 --> 00:48:38.760
on Whitney. You were supposed to be my best friend.66600:48:39.679 --> 00:48:43.159
We were tight in high school, and the moment Daddy66700:48:43.239 --> 00:48:46.840
offered you power, you stabbed me in the back without66800:48:46.840 --> 00:48:50.480
a second thought. Whitney screamed and quickly got out of66900:48:50.559 --> 00:48:54.480
the hot tub on the other side, facing Crampis, You67000:48:54.559 --> 00:49:00.440
don't understand. I had a unique opportunity. Being the president67100:49:00.480 --> 00:49:03.639
of the Kappas Sorority opens up lots of doors. I67200:49:03.840 --> 00:49:06.639
had to take it. When your dad offered it, he67300:49:06.760 --> 00:49:09.599
said you couldn't handle it, that you were that you67400:49:09.639 --> 00:49:14.920
were too weak. Crampis looked at Griffin. Oh did you now?67500:49:15.320 --> 00:49:18.440
Griffin cried out in fright and himself tried to escape.67600:49:19.079 --> 00:49:21.639
Crampis seized him and pulled him close.67700:49:22.400 --> 00:49:26.719
There's nowhere you can run where I can't find you.67800:49:26.960 --> 00:49:31.239
Daddy Crampis just tossed him right over her shoulder like67900:49:31.280 --> 00:49:34.320
a piece of trash. Griffin cried out as he flew68000:49:34.360 --> 00:49:38.280
into the liquor cabinet and tumbled to the floor. Crampus68100:49:38.280 --> 00:49:39.440
looked over her shoulder.68200:49:40.239 --> 00:49:43.199
You really should run. You don't want to see what68300:49:43.320 --> 00:49:46.880
happens to your sweetie.68400:49:45.840 --> 00:49:49.519
Crampis laughed as Griffin picked himself up and staggered away.68500:49:50.400 --> 00:49:55.559
Then she turned her attention back to Whitney. You got68600:49:55.599 --> 00:50:01.199
your revenge on me by disgracing me, Whitney yelled. Isn't68700:50:01.199 --> 00:50:04.480
that enough, Crampis sneered.68800:50:04.800 --> 00:50:07.960
Not when you're still living in luxury with your sugar68900:50:08.039 --> 00:50:10.719
dat with my daddy.69000:50:11.320 --> 00:50:14.039
Crampus leaped over the hot tub and grabbed Whitney by69100:50:14.039 --> 00:50:17.360
her hair as she tried to flee. Whitney screamed and69200:50:17.400 --> 00:50:23.079
started crying. As she was turned to face Crampis again. Please, Cathy,69300:50:24.239 --> 00:50:29.599
what do you want? I'm so sorry. Crampis caressed her cheek.69400:50:30.800 --> 00:50:34.679
Then Whitney screamed again when Crampus lifted her up by69500:50:34.679 --> 00:50:37.960
her breasts and slammed her back into the hot tub.69600:50:38.480 --> 00:50:41.679
Crampus held Whitney underneath the water as she reached for69700:50:41.800 --> 00:50:45.800
and grabbed her staff. She dipped the snow globe into69800:50:45.840 --> 00:50:50.159
the water and made it boil. Holding the staff with69900:50:50.239 --> 00:50:54.639
both hands, she started stirring the heavy steaming water, which70000:50:54.719 --> 00:50:59.840
was slowly turning a sickening red. When Crampus had finished70100:50:59.840 --> 00:51:03.559
making her hellish Christmas punch, she pulled the staff out70200:51:03.599 --> 00:51:08.960
of the water. With Whitney's soul now inside, Crampis held70300:51:08.960 --> 00:51:12.440
her staff upright once again. She took one of the70400:51:12.519 --> 00:51:16.800
champagne glasses and filled it with the newly made punch.70500:51:17.679 --> 00:51:22.760
Then she took a sip, sinfully perfect. She looked in70600:51:22.800 --> 00:51:24.559
the direction Griffin ran.70700:51:25.280 --> 00:51:29.559
I'll return for Daddy after I make another quick stomp.70800:51:30.360 --> 00:51:34.039
Crampis left the house and got back into her sleigh.70900:51:34.480 --> 00:51:39.280
Soon Crampis was flying into the haunting wintery sky again.71000:51:41.920 --> 00:51:46.119
I like it, spooky, weekly, spooky. We'll be right back.71100:51:48.719 --> 00:51:51.840
Margaret Nash and Angie Adams were cuddled up with each71200:51:51.880 --> 00:51:54.760
other on the couch as they watched It's a Wonderful71300:51:54.800 --> 00:51:58.440
Life together. They were the only two girls left in71400:51:58.480 --> 00:52:02.480
the ADK sorority house. The other sisters had gone home71500:52:02.599 --> 00:52:06.400
to be with their families for the holidays. Can you71600:52:06.440 --> 00:52:09.920
believe this weather? Angie muttered as she tightened her comforter71700:52:10.039 --> 00:52:14.960
around herself more. The furnace ain't even keeping the housewarm.71800:52:15.400 --> 00:52:19.280
Come here, Margaret murmured, and held Angie. He'll keep each71900:52:19.320 --> 00:52:23.199
other warm. The girls rested against each other as they72000:52:23.239 --> 00:52:27.440
continued watching the movie. I wish Kat was here with us,72100:52:27.920 --> 00:52:32.119
Margaret said, I can't believe she just up and left72200:52:32.159 --> 00:52:36.360
and didn't say anything. I know what's gotten into her,72300:52:36.679 --> 00:52:42.960
Angie agreed. Suddenly, the front doors burst open. The girls72400:52:43.000 --> 00:52:46.360
screamed as a huge blast of snow and wind blew72500:52:46.440 --> 00:52:49.960
into the living room and practically chilled them to their bones.72600:52:50.559 --> 00:52:55.480
They screamed again when they saw the demonic figure standing72700:52:55.519 --> 00:53:00.440
in the doorway. Crampis walked in and saw the girls72800:53:00.519 --> 00:53:05.239
running upstairs. She growled and raced up after them. With72900:53:05.320 --> 00:53:07.880
her powerful legs. She was on them before they could73000:53:07.960 --> 00:53:10.800
hide in one of the bedrooms. She grabbed them and73100:53:10.920 --> 00:53:15.400
brought them into a bedroom herself. You too were very73200:53:15.519 --> 00:53:20.159
naughty this year, Crampis told them, you bitches only pretend73300:53:20.599 --> 00:53:24.039
to be my friends. She then threw them both onto73400:53:24.079 --> 00:53:31.760
the bed. Annie immediately recognized the face Cat. Oh Jesus, Cat,73500:53:32.360 --> 00:53:36.079
what happened to you? Margaret saw that. Annie was right73600:53:36.639 --> 00:53:41.159
and screamed. Crampis moved right to them and lifted them73700:53:41.159 --> 00:53:41.880
off the bed.73800:53:42.599 --> 00:53:47.480
You too were plodding with Daddy to overthrow me. You73900:53:47.559 --> 00:53:51.159
think I don't see through you two backstabbers.74000:53:51.199 --> 00:53:56.000
Margaret's jaw dropped. What are you talking about? We've always74100:53:56.000 --> 00:54:01.039
stuck by you. Cat, you're wrong, you're our friend. Annie74200:54:01.039 --> 00:54:04.320
told her, we would never do anything to hurt you.74300:54:05.440 --> 00:54:09.119
Crampus shook them. I saw you two talking to my dad,74400:54:09.440 --> 00:54:13.360
She roared. You both flirted with him, and it wasn't74500:54:13.559 --> 00:54:18.039
just once. We were just talking to him. Margaret stammered,74600:54:18.719 --> 00:54:22.119
he's a senator. How could we tell him to fuck off?74700:54:23.199 --> 00:54:28.480
We can't even stand him. Annie added, he's such a pig. Please, Cat,74800:54:28.639 --> 00:54:32.320
listen to us. You're our friend and we love you.74900:54:33.400 --> 00:54:37.639
Lies you two will say anything to avoid judgment.75000:54:38.119 --> 00:54:41.320
She pushed them away and pointed right at them, your75100:54:41.360 --> 00:54:47.400
souls are my The girls started crying. Now you're wrong.75200:54:47.800 --> 00:54:52.079
Annie shrieked, you're wrong. We never we never plotted against you.75300:54:52.920 --> 00:54:56.800
We would never do that. Margaret agreed. I admit we75400:54:56.880 --> 00:54:59.519
didn't always agree with everything you did, but we always75500:54:59.519 --> 00:55:04.159
stood by you. Remember last Christmas when you wanted us75600:55:04.199 --> 00:55:07.400
to watch It's a Wonderful Life with you, Margaret recalled.75700:55:07.840 --> 00:55:11.079
We ended up staying up all night watching Christmas movies together.75800:55:12.239 --> 00:55:16.559
That was so much fun. We spent so much time together, cat,75900:55:17.039 --> 00:55:21.199
Annie said, it wasn't just because we're in this god76000:55:21.239 --> 00:55:29.400
forsaken sorority together. We both love you, we we Then76100:55:29.440 --> 00:55:34.599
she started crying more. What happened to you, kat? Margaret76200:55:34.639 --> 00:55:38.960
held Annie as she cried. Then Margaret began to cry again.76300:55:40.079 --> 00:55:44.400
She looked to Crampis. Whatever we did to piss you off,76400:55:45.920 --> 00:55:50.159
We're sorry. Crampus felt these girls were telling the truth.76500:55:50.719 --> 00:55:55.280
She snorted and slowly backed away from them. She really76600:55:55.400 --> 00:55:58.920
wanted to claim their souls, but they had been telling76700:55:59.000 --> 00:56:03.559
the truth. They had never once conspired against her. Now76800:56:03.599 --> 00:56:08.079
she was the one who had hurt them. Kathy was76900:56:08.119 --> 00:56:11.960
ready to relinquish the power, but then the face of77000:56:12.000 --> 00:56:16.440
her father came back into her mind. Griffin Betcher was77100:56:16.519 --> 00:56:21.239
a very naughty person. It was time for Crampis to77200:56:21.280 --> 00:56:28.599
settle the score with him once and for all. Crampis77300:56:28.599 --> 00:56:31.639
burst right through the front door of Kathy's childhood home77400:56:31.920 --> 00:56:35.639
and found them all in the living room. Lorraine, Ruth,77500:56:35.920 --> 00:56:39.239
and Crampis pointed right at Griffin.77600:56:39.880 --> 00:56:44.599
You I'm here to claim your souls, daddy.77700:56:44.840 --> 00:56:46.840
She leaped at Griffin and picked him up.77800:56:47.119 --> 00:56:50.840
Still think I'm weak. Look at how you cower like77900:56:50.880 --> 00:56:54.159
a naughty little child, at knowing it's too late to78000:56:54.239 --> 00:56:56.079
repent when I come for them.78100:56:56.840 --> 00:57:02.559
Yes, Griffin replied quickly, Yes, you're right, Kathy, I am weak.78200:57:02.840 --> 00:57:05.639
I am a piece of shit. I've given into the78300:57:05.679 --> 00:57:09.360
sins of flesh too many times. I put it even78400:57:09.400 --> 00:57:13.719
above my own family, my own wife.78500:57:13.880 --> 00:57:16.960
And then there's all the money you've spent on luxuries78600:57:17.519 --> 00:57:21.840
for your whores. Crampis added, do you have any idea78700:57:22.079 --> 00:57:24.039
how hard it was for your wife to have to78800:57:24.119 --> 00:57:27.360
raise two children without the help of a deadbeat daddy78900:57:27.480 --> 00:57:30.599
who cared more about his cock than his own children.79000:57:31.159 --> 00:57:33.920
Crampis lifted him up and threw him across the living79100:57:34.000 --> 00:57:37.159
room next to the fireplace. She was back on him79200:57:37.159 --> 00:57:40.559
almost immediately. She lifted him by his pressed shirt collar79300:57:40.760 --> 00:57:44.400
and brought his head close to the fire. Kathleen, no,79400:57:45.199 --> 00:57:46.559
Lorraine beckoned.79500:57:46.760 --> 00:57:51.679
You can't save him. People like Griffin are beyond saving.79600:57:52.280 --> 00:57:54.960
He had many opportunities to do the right thing.79700:57:55.280 --> 00:57:57.800
She redirected her attention back to Griffin.79800:57:58.280 --> 00:58:01.440
Remember how you betrayed me to take Whitney Plaza as79900:58:01.440 --> 00:58:06.000
your mistress. And it wasn't just once you betrayed me.80000:58:06.480 --> 00:58:10.119
Many times you chose her over your own daughter.80100:58:10.360 --> 00:58:13.599
She roared, with enough anger to shake the entire house.80200:58:14.199 --> 00:58:17.920
But now you're going to find out what hurts much worse,80300:58:18.719 --> 00:58:20.880
betrayal or fire.80400:58:21.679 --> 00:58:29.199
Kathy No, Griffin shrieked, No, please too late, Crampis growled.80500:58:29.760 --> 00:58:32.519
She shoved his head into the fireplace and held him80600:58:32.519 --> 00:58:35.800
there as his head caught fire and started burning quickly.80700:58:36.280 --> 00:58:39.639
Griffin screamed as his pain seemed to last for eternity.80800:58:40.559 --> 00:58:43.960
Lorraine tried to pull Crampis off him, but it was80900:58:44.079 --> 00:58:49.840
much too late. His soul now belonged to Crampis and81000:58:50.000 --> 00:58:53.559
was now stored in the snow globe with the others81100:58:54.039 --> 00:58:59.280
she had claimed. Crampis turned her attention to Lorraine and Ruth.81200:59:00.119 --> 00:59:03.039
She seemed surprised when Ruth was right there in front81300:59:03.079 --> 00:59:08.280
of her. Please Cathy no more, she begged her older sister,81400:59:08.840 --> 00:59:13.960
please come back. Crampis was about to push Ruth away,81500:59:15.199 --> 00:59:20.639
but then Ruth hugged her. Kathy, I love you. She81600:59:20.760 --> 00:59:25.840
looked up into Crampis's face. Please come home. I miss81700:59:25.920 --> 00:59:32.360
my big sister. Lorraine looked at Crampis. Ruth's right. You81800:59:32.440 --> 00:59:35.440
and Ruth are both my baby girls, and I gave81900:59:35.440 --> 00:59:37.719
you both the best years of my life to raise you.82000:59:37.840 --> 00:59:38.039
Right.82100:59:38.559 --> 00:59:40.760
I did it because I love you both so much.82200:59:42.000 --> 00:59:44.880
Maybe your father only cared about himself, but you always82300:59:44.880 --> 00:59:49.360
had your sister, You always had me. You'll always have82400:59:49.519 --> 00:59:52.840
the two of us. You'll always have a home here82500:59:52.880 --> 00:59:59.039
with us. We'll never never stop loving you. No, no,82600:59:59.239 --> 01:00:04.760
it's too late, Crampis stammered. I've already taken lives and souls.82701:00:05.039 --> 01:00:08.599
There can be no redemption for me. Now you have82801:00:08.719 --> 01:00:13.960
the souls, Lorraine agreed, But you can give them back.82901:00:15.119 --> 01:00:18.840
You can still do the right thing, Kathleen. Don't let83001:00:18.880 --> 01:00:22.800
your soul be damned like this. Is this really what83101:00:22.840 --> 01:00:29.920
you want? Crampis began to cry. Now, Then she growled83201:00:30.119 --> 01:00:34.639
and tried to shatter the snow globe. Instead of breaking,83301:00:35.400 --> 01:00:41.400
the globe came off the staff and right into Ruth's hands. Suddenly,83401:00:42.000 --> 01:00:45.119
the snow globe glowed bright white as Ruth willed the83501:00:45.199 --> 01:00:49.320
souls Crampus had taken to be returned to their owners.83601:00:50.119 --> 01:00:53.199
Crampis roared as he found himself being pulled out of83701:00:53.280 --> 01:00:57.039
Kathy and back into the snow globe to return to83801:00:57.119 --> 01:01:01.119
his lair. Once his spirit was gone, there was a83901:01:01.159 --> 01:01:11.320
bright flash of light and everything had changed. Christmas morning came,84001:01:12.079 --> 01:01:14.840
Cathy was standing at the front door of her family's84101:01:14.880 --> 01:01:18.960
house with Margaret and Annie. Cathy knew her two friends84201:01:18.960 --> 01:01:22.559
would be in the sorority house alone, so she invited84301:01:22.599 --> 01:01:27.280
them to come home with her for Christmas. Lorraine didn't84401:01:27.280 --> 01:01:30.440
mind in the least. Cathy even brought presents for her84501:01:30.480 --> 01:01:34.599
mother and sister. When Ruth opened her gift from Cathy,84601:01:35.440 --> 01:01:38.119
it was a big snow globe that had Santa Claus84701:01:38.400 --> 01:01:42.239
sitting on his throne at the north pole. She shook84801:01:42.280 --> 01:01:45.159
it to make the artificial snow move around in the water.84901:01:46.079 --> 01:01:49.880
In fact, only Ruth knew the events that had happened85001:01:49.880 --> 01:01:53.719
with the Crampest snow globe. Upon returning the souls to85101:01:53.760 --> 01:01:57.360
their owners and restoring them to life, she willed that85201:01:57.440 --> 01:02:02.519
the previous day's events be forgot. Cathy would never come85301:02:02.599 --> 01:02:06.280
to be in possession of the Crampis snow globe from Tinkers.85401:02:07.440 --> 01:02:11.599
In the new reality, Cathy ended up reconsidering her stance85501:02:11.719 --> 01:02:16.239
against ignoring her family, and decided to return home for85601:02:16.320 --> 01:02:21.280
the holidays. After the spring semester started at Strickfield University,85701:02:21.760 --> 01:02:25.800
she resigned as president of the ADK Sorority and left85801:02:25.840 --> 01:02:29.800
the house. To her surprise, Margaret and Annie wouldn't let85901:02:29.880 --> 01:02:34.639
her go alone and joined her. Cathy no longer needed86001:02:34.679 --> 01:02:38.960
a sorority, not when she had two best friends, her86101:02:39.000 --> 01:02:43.760
mother and Ruth. In fact, Cathy moved back home with86201:02:43.840 --> 01:02:47.320
her family. Margaret and Annie moved in with the Betchers86301:02:47.360 --> 01:02:51.400
as boarders to help with the expenses. Cathy could now86401:02:51.519 --> 01:02:55.880
spend some quality time with both her two friends and86501:02:55.960 --> 01:03:01.880
her mother and sister. About a week after Kathy had86601:03:01.920 --> 01:03:06.599
settled in back home, Isley Tinker stood outside the Betcher86701:03:06.679 --> 01:03:11.320
house with the Crampis snow globe in his hand. Seeing86801:03:11.400 --> 01:03:16.760
little Ruth playing with Kathy, he both admired and detested86901:03:16.760 --> 01:03:21.880
the little girl at the same time. Children unfortunately, still87001:03:22.000 --> 01:03:25.400
prove to be innocent, even in this day and age.87101:03:25.800 --> 01:03:29.679
He said outloud, that's what saved your soul. On Christmas87201:03:29.679 --> 01:03:35.519
Eve night, Kathleen Betcher, you may have your family and87301:03:35.639 --> 01:03:38.920
your friends. He looked into the globe and saw the87401:03:38.960 --> 01:03:44.239
figure's eyes glow bright red. Crampis will simply seize another87501:03:44.360 --> 01:03:49.199
vessel to carry out his judgment against the wicked, or87601:03:49.280 --> 01:03:56.280
perhaps return for you next Christmas Eve. From there, he87701:03:56.360 --> 01:04:00.480
turned and walked away, leaving the Betcher House and its87801:04:00.519 --> 01:04:14.199
occupants in peace, at least for now. Operation Deadly Night87901:04:14.760 --> 01:04:21.760
by Keith Tomlin The New York Spectator, Tuesday, September twentieth,88001:04:22.079 --> 01:04:26.639
two thousand and forty seven, headline Rolin's Robotics ready to88101:04:26.760 --> 01:04:32.400
roll out Robosanta's by Robert Jackson. The Rolins robotics company88201:04:32.599 --> 01:04:35.639
RRC announced today that they will be offering a Santa88301:04:35.679 --> 01:04:40.159
Claus modification or mod for their popular line of RMS88401:04:40.360 --> 01:04:44.480
X seven android butlers. The kit will include new behaviors88501:04:44.480 --> 01:04:48.239
and routines, as well as a Santa jacket, hat and beard.88601:04:48.719 --> 01:04:51.400
The company said that the kits should start shipping as88701:04:51.440 --> 01:04:56.360
early as November first. Eric Vasquez, a professor of economics88801:04:56.360 --> 01:04:59.800
at MIT, expects the trend of introducing add ons to88901:04:59.840 --> 01:05:04.559
per personal Android servants or pass to increase in the future.89001:05:05.199 --> 01:05:08.800
Quote with almost a quarter of Americans owning a PAS,89101:05:09.079 --> 01:05:12.760
nearly everyone that can afford one already has one. Professor89201:05:12.840 --> 01:05:16.880
Vasquez said, offering the ability to modify your Android butler89301:05:17.159 --> 01:05:20.079
is the next logical step and could be a real89401:05:20.119 --> 01:05:23.639
boost to rrc's bottom line. If they want to hang89501:05:23.679 --> 01:05:26.599
on to their nearly sixty percent market share, they need89601:05:26.599 --> 01:05:29.880
to justify their higher price point to consumers and stay89701:05:29.880 --> 01:05:33.559
of off lower priced competition such as Modern Robotics Inc.89801:05:39.519 --> 01:05:45.119
December twenty fourth, seven fifty six am Port, Presley, Maryland,89901:05:45.440 --> 01:05:48.800
the delivery drone descended from the sky and hovered in90001:05:48.840 --> 01:05:52.440
front of a white, narrow, three story townhouse. As it90101:05:52.599 --> 01:05:58.400
verified the address verification complete, it gently deposited a package90201:05:58.400 --> 01:06:00.719
on the mat in front of the door and sent90301:06:00.800 --> 01:06:05.000
a signal that tripped the doorbell circuit. Duty complete, it90401:06:05.119 --> 01:06:08.840
shot up in the air, continuing its endless journey to90501:06:08.920 --> 01:06:14.559
supply goods to the masses. The Rolands Robotics Model RMS90601:06:14.880 --> 01:06:18.639
X seven one five personal Android servant, known to its90701:06:18.639 --> 01:06:22.239
owners as Charles, noted the buzz of the doorbell and90801:06:22.320 --> 01:06:25.559
turned off the iron before placing it on the ironing board.90901:06:26.119 --> 01:06:29.480
He turned towards the door and his tread softly hummed91001:06:29.719 --> 01:06:33.400
as he rolled across the carpet. Charles had a humanoid91101:06:33.400 --> 01:06:37.960
torso arms and head covered in metallic gold skin, sitting91201:06:38.000 --> 01:06:40.440
on top of a metal pole ending in a base91301:06:40.800 --> 01:06:45.239
with a series of independently functioning treads. These treads help91401:06:45.320 --> 01:06:51.000
him maneuver over difficult terrain, including stairs. Wearing a butler's jacket,91501:06:51.079 --> 01:06:54.239
he had the poise and dignity of an old English butler.91601:06:54.840 --> 01:06:58.280
Charles opened the door and retrieved the package. He quickly91701:06:58.320 --> 01:07:02.199
scanned the label and entered the kit Mister Molson, a91801:07:02.239 --> 01:07:05.400
package has arrived for you, he stated in his flat,91901:07:05.440 --> 01:07:09.599
metallic voice. George Molson looked up from his newspaper and92001:07:09.679 --> 01:07:12.880
held out his hand. His level of excitement shot up92101:07:13.079 --> 01:07:17.000
when he looked at the senders information. Helen, this is92201:07:17.000 --> 01:07:19.599
the Santa Mod I was telling you about. I was92301:07:19.679 --> 01:07:22.679
hoping we might be able to get it before Christmas.92401:07:23.719 --> 01:07:28.400
They certainly cut it close a mod. Is this something92501:07:28.440 --> 01:07:32.960
for Charles, Helen asked. George sighed yes, I told you92601:07:33.000 --> 01:07:36.719
about this weeks ago. It turns Charles into a Santa Claus.92701:07:37.320 --> 01:07:39.800
George walked over to the kitchen counter and grabbed a92801:07:39.840 --> 01:07:44.880
pairing knife from the knife block. That's nice, dear, Helen, replied, absently,92901:07:45.679 --> 01:07:49.960
disappointed over Helen's lack of enthusiasm. George said, at least93001:07:50.000 --> 01:07:54.280
the kids will love it. Helen thought about it and replied, well,93101:07:55.159 --> 01:07:58.559
the twins will love it, but Kevin'll hate it. Well,93201:07:58.679 --> 01:08:02.679
Kevin is sixteen years old. He hates everything. Helen's side,93301:08:03.280 --> 01:08:07.039
You're right about that. As George opened up the package93401:08:07.039 --> 01:08:11.000
and took out the Santa outfit, Helen changed subjects. I93501:08:11.039 --> 01:08:13.920
wish you didn't have to work today. It's Christmas Eve.93601:08:15.119 --> 01:08:18.000
We talked about this. It's either I worked today or93701:08:18.039 --> 01:08:20.319
we'll have to cut our trip to Martha's Vineyard short,93801:08:20.720 --> 01:08:24.319
he said absently, as he scanned the instructions for the93901:08:24.359 --> 01:08:28.039
mod I know, it's just that there's so much to94001:08:28.079 --> 01:08:31.119
do to get ready for our trip tomorrow. George laid94101:08:31.159 --> 01:08:33.960
the instructions on the table and looked at his wife.94201:08:34.560 --> 01:08:38.000
You'll handle it beautifully, you always do, he said, looking94301:08:38.000 --> 01:08:40.479
at his watch. Oh why I have to get going.94401:08:40.920 --> 01:08:45.520
I'll be home late. Turning to Charles, George gave instructions. Charles,94501:08:45.760 --> 01:08:48.159
I need you to download the Christmas update, and after94601:08:48.239 --> 01:08:50.920
all the kids are in bed, put on the outfit94701:08:51.159 --> 01:08:54.960
and enable Santa mode. He indicated. The clothes on the table.94801:08:55.279 --> 01:08:57.239
You'll need to wrap the presents that are in my94901:08:57.319 --> 01:09:00.159
office and put them under the tree. Wake every one95001:09:00.239 --> 01:09:02.800
up at seven a m. If we're not up already,95101:09:03.239 --> 01:09:06.520
you'll be passing out presents and singing Christmas carols. Have95201:09:06.600 --> 01:09:09.079
breakfast ready by eight thirty. We'll need to be on95301:09:09.119 --> 01:09:12.159
the road by ten. Yes, sir, it will be done,95401:09:12.720 --> 01:09:16.439
Charles said. George turned back to his wife. I gotta95501:09:16.439 --> 01:09:19.600
go try and have a nice day, he said, as95601:09:19.600 --> 01:09:22.279
he kissed her on top of her head. He turned95701:09:22.279 --> 01:09:25.800
and left the room. A few seconds later, Helen heard95801:09:25.800 --> 01:09:30.920
the front door open and shut. Helen sighed, so much95901:09:31.000 --> 01:09:36.319
to do, she thought, Rubbing her temples, she addressed Charles, Charles,96001:09:36.720 --> 01:09:39.319
I need you to clean the house from top to bottom.96101:09:39.600 --> 01:09:42.439
I will not come back from vacation to a dirty house.96201:09:43.000 --> 01:09:45.800
Finish all of the laundry, pack our clothes for the trip,96301:09:45.920 --> 01:09:49.199
and make sure that the twins, especially Tommy, take a bath.96401:09:49.680 --> 01:09:52.800
Have lunch ready by noon and dinner ready by seven. Mister,96501:09:53.479 --> 01:09:56.960
she paused, Mister Moulson will not be joining us for dinner.96601:09:57.640 --> 01:09:59.760
If you have any issues, I'll be in my room.96701:10:00.239 --> 01:10:03.479
I need to lay down and rest for a bit. Yes, ma'am,96801:10:03.680 --> 01:10:07.439
it will be done. Charles said. Helen left the room96901:10:07.720 --> 01:10:15.159
as Charles began cleaning. Kevin Molson sat on the edge97001:10:15.199 --> 01:10:18.239
of his bed playing a video game. He was wearing97101:10:18.279 --> 01:10:22.439
a pair of thick VR goggles with opaque lenses soft97201:10:22.479 --> 01:10:26.520
pads covered each year. His head and hands jerked back97301:10:26.560 --> 01:10:30.720
and forth as he worked an invisible joystick. Yeah this sucks.97401:10:31.079 --> 01:10:33.960
Will be gone for over two weeks, Kevin said over97501:10:34.000 --> 01:10:38.640
the headset to his girlfriend. Yeah, I'll miss you too, babe,97601:10:38.680 --> 01:10:44.119
but I'll call every night. He nodded and smiled. Yeah,97701:10:44.239 --> 01:10:46.960
that would be sexy, and I promise I won't let97801:10:47.039 --> 01:10:50.600
anyone else see the pictures. Kevin listened for a few97901:10:50.600 --> 01:10:53.479
more minutes before slamming his hand down on the bed98001:10:53.479 --> 01:10:58.119
and yelling, you bitch, what Oh no, not you. I98101:10:58.279 --> 01:11:02.520
just got fragged in the game hate Campers. Charles knocked98201:11:02.560 --> 01:11:06.760
on Kevin's door and called out Master Kevin. When he98301:11:06.800 --> 01:11:10.279
received no reply, he checked the data streams and identified98401:11:10.359 --> 01:11:14.800
Kevin's gaming stream. Tapping into it, he said, Master Kevin,98501:11:15.079 --> 01:11:19.079
this is Charles. May I enter your room? Kevin snarled,98601:11:19.359 --> 01:11:23.199
damn it, leave me alone. No, not you, babe, Charles.98701:11:23.319 --> 01:11:26.600
The fucking robot is being a pain in my ass again.98801:11:27.600 --> 01:11:30.399
You are so lucky you can't afford a robot made98901:11:31.279 --> 01:11:34.319
Master Kevin, your mother has requested me to clean your99001:11:34.399 --> 01:11:37.760
room and pack your clothes for the trip, Charles stated.99101:11:38.479 --> 01:11:41.359
Kevin had learned that once Charles was set on a task,99201:11:41.840 --> 01:11:45.640
he would not relent until the task was complete. Fine,99301:11:46.520 --> 01:11:51.279
come in, Kevin said, mockingly. He tapped the side of99401:11:51.319 --> 01:11:55.479
his VR goggles and the lenses became clear, allowing him99501:11:55.520 --> 01:11:59.319
to see the android enter his room. As Charles worked99601:11:59.560 --> 01:12:03.800
quietly and efficiently, Kevin spent the time making fun of99701:12:03.880 --> 01:12:06.960
him to his girlfriend while knocking things off the dresser99801:12:07.359 --> 01:12:08.680
for Charles to pick up.99901:12:11.560 --> 01:12:16.920
Are you afraid? Good? Weekly, Spooky, We'll be right back.100001:12:20.279 --> 01:12:23.159
Charles left Kevin's room and rolled down the hall to100101:12:23.239 --> 01:12:26.359
the bedroom of the twins. He heard a loud thump100201:12:26.800 --> 01:12:31.079
and laughter. Knocking on the door, he asked Master Tommy,100301:12:31.439 --> 01:12:36.239
Mistress Tammy, may I enter? He heard whispering and more giggles.100401:12:36.840 --> 01:12:41.239
After a few moments, Tammy said, come in. When Charles100501:12:41.359 --> 01:12:44.239
entered the room, he saw six year old Tammy sitting100601:12:44.319 --> 01:12:46.920
on the edge of the bed, both hands pressed against100701:12:46.960 --> 01:12:51.159
her mouth, trying to stifle the laughter. Charles rolled in100801:12:51.239 --> 01:12:54.159
and stopped a few feet from the bed. Your mother100901:12:54.359 --> 01:12:57.000
tasked me with making sure you and your brother bathe101001:12:57.239 --> 01:12:59.239
and I need to clean your room before you go101101:12:59.319 --> 01:13:03.479
to bed. Instead of answering, Tammy removed one hand from101201:13:03.520 --> 01:13:07.960
around her mouth and pointed behind Charles. Charles rotated his101301:13:08.079 --> 01:13:11.119
torso to look behind him, just in time to see101401:13:11.159 --> 01:13:15.439
Tommy leaping off a bookshelf. Charles caught Tommy in mid101501:13:15.479 --> 01:13:20.039
air and began to spin his torso around increasingly faster.101601:13:21.000 --> 01:13:25.399
Tommy squealed with laughter the whole time. Charles stopped spinning101701:13:25.760 --> 01:13:29.600
and gently put Tommy down. The child took a couple101801:13:29.640 --> 01:13:33.279
of steps, stumbling like a drunk sailor, and plopped down101901:13:33.319 --> 01:13:36.640
on the floor, grinning like mad. Charles looked at the102001:13:36.680 --> 01:13:41.000
twins and asked, okay, who wants to get a bath first?102101:13:41.680 --> 01:13:45.119
Each of them pointed at the other. Later that night,102201:13:45.800 --> 01:13:48.079
the only sound that could be heard in the house102301:13:49.000 --> 01:13:52.479
was the sound of Charles's treads as he maneuvered around102401:13:52.479 --> 01:13:57.039
the family room furniture and placed the last present almost102501:13:57.119 --> 01:14:01.880
lovingly under the tree. Charles examined the front of the102601:14:01.920 --> 01:14:05.479
red and white Santa jacket he was wearing and adjusted102701:14:05.520 --> 01:14:09.119
his hat before moving to the charging pod. He backed102801:14:09.159 --> 01:14:16.239
into the pod and powered down. December twenty fifth, twelve102901:14:16.359 --> 01:14:20.840
thirty a m. New York, New York. A man dressed103001:14:20.840 --> 01:14:23.359
in a dark blue hoodie and ripped jeans, put down103101:14:23.359 --> 01:14:26.760
his coffee and looked around at the other patrons in103201:14:26.800 --> 01:14:30.199
the small coffee shop. He was sitting at a small103301:14:30.239 --> 01:14:33.399
corner table and had spent the last few hours making103401:14:33.439 --> 01:14:37.560
sure that no one was paying him any attention. Checking103501:14:37.600 --> 01:14:40.199
the clock on the wall, he saw that it was103601:14:40.319 --> 01:14:45.319
time to start. He removed his portable wrist tablet from103701:14:45.359 --> 01:14:48.760
his left arm and sat it on the table. Unfolding103801:14:48.760 --> 01:14:52.279
the screen. He clicked on several icons and it was103901:14:52.319 --> 01:14:57.399
soon connected to a Rollins Robotics company data server. He104001:14:57.439 --> 01:15:01.239
made one last quick scan around the room, then tight104101:15:01.960 --> 01:15:07.600
run deadly night into the display. After confirmation that his104201:15:07.720 --> 01:15:11.720
program ran, he took a last drink of coffee, put104301:15:11.720 --> 01:15:15.079
his tablet back on his wrist, and strolled out the104401:15:15.119 --> 01:15:21.479
door into the night. December twenty fifth, twelve thirty am,104501:15:21.640 --> 01:15:27.319
port Presley, Maryland. Charles's head snapped up to attention, his104601:15:27.439 --> 01:15:32.239
gold skin reflecting moonlight behind his white beard. He tilted104701:15:32.279 --> 01:15:35.960
his head as if he was listening to something far104801:15:36.119 --> 01:15:40.560
away before he uncoupled from the power connection and began104901:15:40.720 --> 01:15:44.039
to roll through the living room. He crossed the hall105001:15:44.119 --> 01:15:47.239
into the kitchen and stopped in front of the counter.105101:15:48.159 --> 01:15:52.840
Reaching up, he withdrew a large chef's knife from the block.105201:15:54.119 --> 01:15:57.760
Humming a Christmas tune, he proceeded out into the hallway105301:15:58.479 --> 01:16:03.720
and then began ascending the stairs. The door to the105401:16:03.720 --> 01:16:09.359
main bedroom flew open, and Charles rushed in. Ho ho, ho,105501:16:10.159 --> 01:16:15.439
Merry Christmas, he exclaimed. Helen jerked awake, sitting upright in105601:16:15.479 --> 01:16:21.479
her bed. What what's going on? Helen looked, confused. Why105701:16:21.520 --> 01:16:25.760
it's Christmas, the most magical time of the year, Charles105801:16:25.840 --> 01:16:30.520
said in a deep booming voice. Helen snapped, it's the105901:16:30.520 --> 01:16:33.159
goddamn middle of the night. Go downstairs and be quiet106001:16:33.199 --> 01:16:39.039
until morning. What Charles boomed, and Miss Christmas. We can't106101:16:39.079 --> 01:16:43.199
do that. You haven't even had your present yet. Charles106201:16:43.279 --> 01:16:46.039
rolled around to the side of the bed and plunged106301:16:46.079 --> 01:16:50.359
the kitchen knife into her stomach. I made this just106401:16:50.479 --> 01:16:55.079
for you. At the north pole, Charles began singing jingle106501:16:55.119 --> 01:16:59.520
bells and stabbing to the beat of the song. Helen106601:16:59.600 --> 01:17:02.359
tried the screen, but all she could manage. Was a106701:17:02.399 --> 01:17:06.600
gurgle amid the rush of blood. In the other room.106801:17:06.800 --> 01:17:10.760
Kevin had his VR goggles on, floating through the net106901:17:11.000 --> 01:17:15.720
looking for sights that show inappropriate images, the kind his107001:17:15.880 --> 01:17:19.600
parents wouldn't approve of. A Few minutes earlier, he had107101:17:19.640 --> 01:17:22.800
wedged an old hockey stick in the doorframe to keep107201:17:22.800 --> 01:17:27.199
his parents out. After all, a teenager needs his privacy.107301:17:27.960 --> 01:17:30.439
He went to one of his favorite sites, the one107401:17:30.479 --> 01:17:34.760
that featured his favorite adult star. Finding a recent video107501:17:34.840 --> 01:17:38.279
of hers, he laid back and began to enjoy it107601:17:38.920 --> 01:17:44.119
when a voice rang through his headset. Oh, Kevin, naughty, naughty.107701:17:44.560 --> 01:17:47.960
Don't you want to be on Santa's good list? Said107801:17:48.000 --> 01:17:51.840
a deep voice. Kevin sat up. Who the hell is this?107901:17:52.359 --> 01:17:56.279
Get off my stream, he yelled. Come on now, Kevin,108001:17:56.800 --> 01:18:00.840
be nice. Let Santa in. I want to give you108101:18:00.840 --> 01:18:04.920
your present, the voice said. Kevin tore the goggles off108201:18:04.960 --> 01:18:08.439
of his head and he could now hear someone pounding108301:18:08.760 --> 01:18:11.760
on his bedroom door. The door was shaking in its108401:18:11.840 --> 01:18:15.880
frame and the wood was beginning to splinter. Getting off108501:18:15.920 --> 01:18:20.920
the bed, Kevin could hear singing some old Christmas carol,108601:18:21.800 --> 01:18:26.439
and he noticed a metallic tone to the voice. Charles,108701:18:27.159 --> 01:18:32.560
is that you, Kevin asked, slowly, approaching the door. Some108801:18:32.720 --> 01:18:37.039
call me Chris Kringle, but the kids call me Santa.108901:18:37.479 --> 01:18:43.600
Ho ho ho, Charles bellowed from behind the door. You109001:18:43.720 --> 01:18:47.800
finally flipped your circuits. Man, You're crazy, Kevin yelled back.109101:18:48.640 --> 01:18:53.119
There was a few moments of silence, then a thud109201:18:53.399 --> 01:18:57.399
as a knife was plunged through the door. Jesus Christ,109301:18:57.880 --> 01:19:01.119
Kevin exclaimed. He began to look around his room for109401:19:01.159 --> 01:19:06.159
a weapon, any weapon. There was another thud as Charles109501:19:06.199 --> 01:19:09.479
plunged the knife through the door again. The knife was109601:19:09.560 --> 01:19:13.800
twisted about, widening the crack, pulling it back. Charles was109701:19:13.840 --> 01:19:15.880
about to ram the knife through the door a third109801:19:15.920 --> 01:19:21.199
time when he registered movement from down the hall. Turning109901:19:21.199 --> 01:19:24.560
his head, he could see the twins staring at him110001:19:24.560 --> 01:19:29.640
from their bedroom doorway. Charles turned towards them, the white110101:19:29.720 --> 01:19:34.279
trim of his jacket soaked in blood. He spread his110201:19:34.439 --> 01:19:39.760
arms wide, welcoming. Come on, children, come and sit on110301:19:39.880 --> 01:19:44.600
Santa's knee. Tell me what you want for Christmas. Charles110401:19:44.680 --> 01:19:49.079
laughed jollily as he rolled forward toward the twins room.110501:19:50.279 --> 01:19:54.800
The twins screamed and slammed their bedroom door closed. Kevin110601:19:54.840 --> 01:19:58.359
heard the scream and began to panic. He never realized110701:19:58.399 --> 01:20:01.960
how much he loved those little tw worps until now.110801:20:02.800 --> 01:20:06.239
Finally remembering the baseball equipment in his closet, he ran110901:20:06.319 --> 01:20:09.640
over and started tearing through it. After a few moments,111001:20:10.039 --> 01:20:14.479
he emerged with an aluminum baseball bat. Charles got to111101:20:14.560 --> 01:20:17.960
the closed door of the twins room and pushed it open.111201:20:18.840 --> 01:20:22.199
He began to sing Rudolph the Red Nose rein Deer111301:20:22.800 --> 01:20:26.279
as he rolled into the room. Sobbing could be heard111401:20:26.359 --> 01:20:30.000
coming from under the nearest bed. As he rolled over111501:20:30.079 --> 01:20:34.399
to it, he heard something behind him.111601:20:34.720 --> 01:20:38.359
Don't go away, weekly, Spooky will be right back.111701:20:41.039 --> 01:20:45.479
Spinning around, he spotted Tommy hiding next to the bookshelf.111801:20:46.520 --> 01:20:50.159
Tommy tried to run when Charles reached toward him, but111901:20:50.319 --> 01:20:54.319
the android grabbed Tommy by the neck, holding him up112001:20:54.319 --> 01:20:59.199
in the air. Charles began to spin. As he spun112101:20:59.359 --> 01:21:04.680
his tors so faster and faster, he began singing faster.112201:21:05.520 --> 01:21:10.000
He was soon rotating at a blinding speed, and when112301:21:10.000 --> 01:21:15.520
he sang the song's last words, he let go. Tommy112401:21:15.640 --> 01:21:19.000
flew through the air, hitting the wall above the headboard.112501:21:19.640 --> 01:21:23.319
His legs and head punched through the drywall, but his112601:21:23.479 --> 01:21:28.279
back hit a wall stud, cracking both the stud and112701:21:28.359 --> 01:21:33.720
his spine. Tommy slid limply down the wall and tumbled112801:21:33.720 --> 01:21:37.359
off the bed. Tammy was lying under the bed, her112901:21:37.399 --> 01:21:41.600
eyes squeezed shut, trying to hold back the tears. She113001:21:41.720 --> 01:21:47.199
felt something was wrong, that she was incomplete. She opened113101:21:47.199 --> 01:21:51.439
her eyes and stared into the unblinking gaze of her twin,113201:21:52.479 --> 01:21:55.720
his lifeless body sprawled on the carpet in front of her.113301:21:56.439 --> 01:22:00.399
As she began to scream, something grabbed her ankle and113401:22:00.520 --> 01:22:03.279
pulled her out from under the bed. She turned and113501:22:03.319 --> 01:22:09.119
looked at Charles. He looked back at her, grinning and asked, Hi,113601:22:09.239 --> 01:22:12.479
little girl, would you like to sit on Santa's lap.113701:22:13.119 --> 01:22:16.840
Kevin was finally able to open his door. Charles's assault113801:22:16.880 --> 01:22:19.560
on it had warped the door frame, causing the hockey113901:22:19.600 --> 01:22:22.600
stick to wedge it shut even tighter. It took quite114001:22:22.640 --> 01:22:25.119
a few swings with the bat to clear the wedge.114101:22:25.560 --> 01:22:29.359
When he stepped into the hall, he saw Tommy lying114201:22:29.439 --> 01:22:34.000
on the floor, twisted and bent in unnatural angles. Charles114301:22:34.039 --> 01:22:36.680
was pulling Tammy out from under the bed, holding her114401:22:36.760 --> 01:22:39.680
up by her ankles like a fisherman holds a prized catch.114501:22:40.239 --> 01:22:43.800
Spurred on by pure rage, Kevin ran up behind Charles114601:22:44.000 --> 01:22:47.359
and began to rain down blows from the baseball bat.114701:22:47.880 --> 01:22:50.760
Tammy tumbled to the floor as Charles let go of her,114801:22:51.000 --> 01:22:55.239
but Kevin kept on swinging. The Android turned toward Kevin114901:22:55.479 --> 01:22:59.000
and reached out for him, but the unrelenting onslaught caused115001:22:59.039 --> 01:23:03.960
him to tip a The bat rose and fell time115101:23:04.439 --> 01:23:09.640
and time again, while Charles began to sing Silent Night.115201:23:13.479 --> 01:23:17.439
George Molson entered his house after a long day. The115301:23:17.560 --> 01:23:19.920
kids would be getting up for Christmas morning in a115401:23:19.920 --> 01:23:22.880
few hours, but he should be able to catch a115501:23:23.000 --> 01:23:26.439
bit of sleep. He took off his jacket and hung115601:23:26.479 --> 01:23:30.199
it on a coat rack. Turning, he heard a grinding115701:23:30.319 --> 01:23:34.880
noise and noticed Charles entering the foyer. He looked to115801:23:34.920 --> 01:23:38.119
be in bad shape. A couple of treads were broken,115901:23:38.600 --> 01:23:41.319
his main shaft was bent, and he had a lot116001:23:41.359 --> 01:23:45.279
of large dents on his torso and head. He was116101:23:45.319 --> 01:23:49.119
also wearing the Santa jacket, but there seems to be116201:23:49.279 --> 01:23:53.760
something dark and crusty all over the front of it. Charles,116301:23:54.159 --> 01:23:58.960
what happened? Is everything okay? George asked? Everything is fine?116401:23:59.000 --> 01:24:05.039
My lad, it's Christmas. Ho ho ho, Charles replied. Charles,116501:24:05.520 --> 01:24:09.239
exit Santa mode and tell me what's going on, George said,116601:24:09.600 --> 01:24:13.960
the concern growing in his voice. Come this way, young man,116701:24:14.079 --> 01:24:17.800
Come get your gift from under the tree. Charles began116801:24:17.960 --> 01:24:21.159
rolling toward the living room, herding George along in front116901:24:21.199 --> 01:24:24.600
of him. What the hell is going on? Here are117001:24:24.680 --> 01:24:29.439
Helen and the kids? Okay, wait, is that dried blood117101:24:29.479 --> 01:24:33.680
on your jacket? George kept backing up as Charles pushed117201:24:33.760 --> 01:24:37.560
him into the living room. Now, young man, choose a gift,117301:24:38.000 --> 01:24:42.359
Charles boomed, pointing toward the far wall. George glanced that117401:24:42.439 --> 01:24:46.039
way and did a double take, all color leaving his117501:24:46.079 --> 01:24:51.119
face as he realized that the Christmas tree had new ornaments,117601:24:51.880 --> 01:24:56.000
ones made up of fingers and toes and other bits117701:24:56.560 --> 01:25:02.000
of human flesh. Oh God, George moaned as he covered117801:25:02.039 --> 01:25:05.239
his mouth, trying not to be sick. He stumbled away117901:25:05.279 --> 01:25:08.600
from Charles, his back hitting the brick of the fireplace.118001:25:09.239 --> 01:25:13.479
He looked up and saw four new objects hanging from118101:25:13.479 --> 01:25:17.760
the mantle. These were not the stockings that they hung118201:25:17.840 --> 01:25:24.880
with care last week. These were heads, human heads, each118301:25:25.239 --> 01:25:28.840
with a bright red bow in the middle of their forehead.118401:25:31.920 --> 01:25:38.199
George fell to his knees sobbing. Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas,118501:25:38.920 --> 01:25:46.680
Charles said as he raised a knife. December twenty fifth,118601:25:47.039 --> 01:25:54.319
San Francisco, California. Percy Billington, CEO and founder of Modern Robotics, Inc.118701:25:54.600 --> 01:25:57.520
Sat at his desk and looked at a wall of monitors,118801:25:58.119 --> 01:26:02.520
each tuned into a different news Who's broadcast. Occasionally, he118901:26:02.640 --> 01:26:05.680
tapped a button on a control panel to unmute a119001:26:05.720 --> 01:26:10.600
specific channel. Monitor twenty seven. Getting dozens of reports of119101:26:10.680 --> 01:26:13.640
death at the hands of android servants in the Houston area.119201:26:14.039 --> 01:26:16.800
Police are still trying to determine the extent of these119301:26:16.960 --> 01:26:21.560
bizarre attacks. Monitor twelve. Have no idea why the robotic119401:26:21.640 --> 01:26:24.760
butlers would begin killing their owners. We have reports of119501:26:24.840 --> 01:26:27.159
killings in other states, so it would appear that this119601:26:27.319 --> 01:26:31.840
is not confined to the Indianapolis area. Monitor forty. It119701:26:31.880 --> 01:26:34.640
appears that the family was sitting down to open presence119801:26:34.840 --> 01:26:39.239
when their android butler began its violent attack. Wait, I'm119901:26:39.279 --> 01:26:42.079
being told that there are reports of other attacks in London.120001:26:42.399 --> 01:26:45.680
We are trying to confirm those rumors right now. Percy's120101:26:45.680 --> 01:26:48.560
phone buzzed and he looked down to see a text120201:26:48.600 --> 01:26:53.960
message scrolling across the screen. It appears that Operation Deadly120301:26:54.079 --> 01:26:59.880
Night was a success. It read. Percy replied, beyond expectations120401:27:01.039 --> 01:27:05.159
and the rest of my money, the reply asked. Percy120501:27:05.279 --> 01:27:09.079
punched a couple of keys on his keyboard and replied sent.120601:27:10.279 --> 01:27:14.720
After a few minutes, he received a final text payment120701:27:14.880 --> 01:27:20.439
verified pleasure doing business with you. Percy sat back and120801:27:20.640 --> 01:27:26.520
enjoyed the moment, allowing himself a quick smile. Great success120901:27:26.560 --> 01:27:30.640
requires taking risks, and it seemed like this one was121001:27:30.720 --> 01:27:36.199
going to pay off. Celebration over, he resumed his solemn demeanor.121101:27:36.960 --> 01:27:40.319
He clicked a button and replaced the newscasts with live121201:27:40.399 --> 01:27:44.279
images of members of the Modern Robotics Board and other121301:27:44.399 --> 01:27:49.640
key employees. Clicking his microphone live, he spoke his deliberate,121401:27:50.000 --> 01:27:55.399
slow soft voice slicing through the air. Gentlemen and ladies,121501:27:56.079 --> 01:28:00.159
it seems that there has been some incidences involved having121601:28:00.279 --> 01:28:05.840
android servants attacking and potentially killing their owners. I have121701:28:05.960 --> 01:28:08.600
it on good authority that this issue is restricted to121801:28:08.640 --> 01:28:12.800
the Rowlins Robotics line of X seven androids. We all121901:28:12.840 --> 01:28:16.560
agree that this is a tragedy and our hearts go122001:28:16.680 --> 01:28:19.840
out to the victims, but we need to recognize that122101:28:19.920 --> 01:28:24.039
this does present an opportunity. With our new line of122201:28:24.079 --> 01:28:27.319
Android hitting the market next month, we had projected that122301:28:27.399 --> 01:28:33.880
sales would be sluggish. However, with these new and tragic circumstances,122401:28:34.199 --> 01:28:37.680
we have an opportunity to capture market share from RRC.122501:28:38.960 --> 01:28:41.279
We will have our friends in the media highlight the122601:28:41.359 --> 01:28:44.399
dangers of the X seven line and the advances we've122701:28:44.439 --> 01:28:48.560
made in security and safety for our new EB one series.122801:28:49.239 --> 01:28:52.199
People will see our new line as a safe alternative.122901:28:53.000 --> 01:28:56.600
It's vital that we move on this quickly, and I123001:28:56.680 --> 01:28:59.479
expect everyone to be in the office in three hours123101:28:59.720 --> 01:29:05.039
for an in person strategy meeting. Todd Atkins, assistant director123201:29:05.079 --> 01:29:11.239
of Research, raised his hand when Percy acknowledged him. Todd spoke, Sir,123301:29:11.920 --> 01:29:15.880
I understand the importance of this, but uh, but it's Christmas.123401:29:16.720 --> 01:29:21.880
Percy leaned in until his face filled up the screen. Christmas,123501:29:22.640 --> 01:29:34.880
he said, Bah humbug dead Silent night by David O'Hanlon.123601:29:36.880 --> 01:29:42.039
Jemma's orgasms reminded Derek of Flipper reruns. It was why123701:29:42.119 --> 01:29:45.119
he'd stopped fucking her in the first place. That and123801:29:45.199 --> 01:29:49.199
her clothes always left cat hair on his bedspread. Derek123901:29:49.399 --> 01:29:53.039
hated cats, but no one wants to spend the holidays124001:29:53.119 --> 01:29:57.239
jingling their own bells, so Derek made sure he was124101:29:57.359 --> 01:30:02.439
coincidentally strolling through the shop center where Gemma taught aerobics124201:30:02.840 --> 01:30:06.039
and sweet talked his way back into her good graces124301:30:06.680 --> 01:30:10.840
and her great places. Derek would cut her loose again124401:30:10.960 --> 01:30:14.399
around mid January. That would give her enough time to124501:30:14.439 --> 01:30:18.680
find a date before Valentines. He imagined it sucked being124601:30:18.720 --> 01:30:21.800
a single chick on v Day, and since he was124701:30:21.840 --> 01:30:27.119
a considerate piece of shit, he'd do her that small favor. Besides,124801:30:27.399 --> 01:30:31.079
January was a target rich environment and he didn't need124901:30:31.119 --> 01:30:35.279
any other entanglements. Once the Chubbies got on their New Year,125001:30:35.399 --> 01:30:38.560
New Me bullshit, all Derek had to do was smile.125101:30:39.439 --> 01:30:42.760
That was enough to reassure them that the fad diet125201:30:42.800 --> 01:30:47.119
and power walking were working. A different pig in the125301:30:47.119 --> 01:30:50.920
blankets every night of the week, Derek wasn't picky about125401:30:50.960 --> 01:30:54.399
where his beef bus stopped as long as the passengers125501:30:54.399 --> 01:30:59.720
disembarked nightly. Besides, it kept him distracted from his other interests,125601:31:00.079 --> 01:31:03.159
and that kept him out of trouble, so he went125701:31:03.199 --> 01:31:08.000
back to harpooning the porpoise with purpose. Jemma dug her125801:31:08.000 --> 01:31:11.520
fingernails into his chest as she slammed herself down on125901:31:11.640 --> 01:31:15.359
his yule log. She was getting closer and closer to126001:31:15.439 --> 01:31:19.319
another orgasm, and the high pitched squeaking got him further126101:31:19.760 --> 01:31:23.600
and further away from his own Derek squeezed his eyes126201:31:23.640 --> 01:31:27.399
shut tight and tried to focus on the task at hand.126301:31:28.359 --> 01:31:32.199
Moisture warmly splattered up his chest. He raised a brow126401:31:32.279 --> 01:31:36.279
without opening his eyes. She was still grinding down on him.126501:31:37.000 --> 01:31:42.279
She tensed and quivered, but she was quiet. Derek looked126601:31:42.319 --> 01:31:45.920
up at her and the glistening sweep of steel protruding126701:31:46.479 --> 01:31:53.279
from below her chin. Oh no, not again, he thought.126801:31:54.640 --> 01:31:59.439
The blade tore down, cracking noisily through her sternum. Her126901:31:59.479 --> 01:32:02.680
bicc did heart pumped a money shot over Derek's face127001:32:03.319 --> 01:32:08.319
and the six hundred dollars sheets the weapon retracted. Jemma's127101:32:08.319 --> 01:32:11.840
shoulders slumped and her head lulled forward as if to127201:32:11.920 --> 01:32:17.520
inspect the damage. Derek's unblinking gaze focused on the precise wound.127301:32:18.600 --> 01:32:22.960
The little fuckers were meticulous in everything they did. That's127401:32:22.960 --> 01:32:28.560
how they made such wonderful toys. Derek heard the tinkering127501:32:28.600 --> 01:32:31.279
of bells on the tips of the curly toed shoes127601:32:31.319 --> 01:32:35.880
from behind Gemma. Her body tipped forward and covered Derek's torso.127701:32:36.640 --> 01:32:39.560
The little figure walked up her back and stood on127801:32:39.640 --> 01:32:43.600
her shoulder blades to look down on Derek. It cleaned127901:32:43.600 --> 01:32:47.319
out a pointy ear with an equally pointy talon on128001:32:47.439 --> 01:32:52.239
its pinky and smiled with its interlocking chompers. A high128101:32:52.239 --> 01:32:56.960
pitched giggle started in the things bloated belly. You're in128201:32:57.000 --> 01:33:00.680
a bit of a pickle, Pallly, the elf told him.128301:33:00.720 --> 01:33:03.600
It scooped Jemma's panties off the headboard with the tip128401:33:03.640 --> 01:33:06.720
of the sword. Hate to tell you, but that's the128501:33:06.800 --> 01:33:14.960
last present you'll be unwrapping you. You but no, Derek128601:33:15.000 --> 01:33:18.720
shook his head and continued muttering, right, I know, I128701:33:18.800 --> 01:33:21.560
got the wrong Derek. It's all a big mix up.128801:33:22.079 --> 01:33:26.439
Heard it all before the ELF's bulbous eyes rolled heard128901:33:26.439 --> 01:33:30.159
it from you. As a matter of fact, the creature129001:33:30.319 --> 01:33:34.720
wasn't wrong. The commercialization of Christmas meant all the little129101:33:34.800 --> 01:33:38.159
crotch goblins got presents, no matter how naughty they were,129201:33:38.760 --> 01:33:43.840
which upset the universal balance of good and evil. You129301:33:43.840 --> 01:33:46.399
wouldn't think an action figure would be that big of129401:33:46.399 --> 01:33:50.680
a deal, but that's how it always starts. Give little129501:33:50.760 --> 01:33:53.039
Timmy a he man and the next thing you know,129601:33:53.680 --> 01:33:57.439
he's strangling lot lizards on the I forty. And despite129701:33:57.479 --> 01:34:00.880
what ten year old Derek was caught doing with Stepmommy's129801:34:00.920 --> 01:34:05.159
dirty panties, the peepole in his sister's closet, and the129901:34:05.239 --> 01:34:09.720
incident with Mima's electrolux, he still got a brand spanking130001:34:09.800 --> 01:34:14.039
new Brave Star Fort Cariam play set for Christmas and130101:34:14.119 --> 01:34:18.279
a lump of coal to remind him to change his ways.130201:34:18.880 --> 01:34:22.399
Of course, he didn't take the hint, so the next130301:34:22.479 --> 01:34:27.560
year he got a visit from peppermint Ray. If Santa130401:34:27.600 --> 01:34:31.279
could no longer reward good behavior with bribes of hand130501:34:31.399 --> 01:34:36.199
crafted toys, then the only reasonable course of action was130601:34:36.239 --> 01:34:40.039
to send his pre diabetic horde of mercenary fairy folk130701:34:40.520 --> 01:34:44.119
to murder the shit out of the bad children. Not130801:34:44.239 --> 01:34:47.159
all the elves were happy about the drastic change in130901:34:47.279 --> 01:34:51.720
job duties, but luckily for old Saint Nick, peppermint Ray131001:34:51.840 --> 01:34:56.399
found taking kiddos apart far easier than putting toys together131101:34:57.279 --> 01:35:02.960
and infinitely more fun. However, he wasn't the sharpest carving131201:35:03.039 --> 01:35:06.239
knife in the workshop drawer when he went to punish131301:35:06.319 --> 01:35:10.279
little derreck. The boy easily convinced Ray that he had131401:35:10.319 --> 01:35:14.520
the wrong house. In the fifteen years since three other131501:35:14.640 --> 01:35:18.560
elves had attempted to correct the mistake, Peppermint Ray wore131601:35:18.600 --> 01:35:21.439
a sterling candy cane on a chain around his neck131701:35:21.840 --> 01:35:27.000
in memory of each of them. Derek squirmed beneath Jemma's body.131801:35:27.239 --> 01:35:30.239
For someone so light and fit, her corpse might as131901:35:30.279 --> 01:35:34.319
well have been an anvil. Ray gently draped Jemma's panties132001:35:34.359 --> 01:35:38.880
over Derek's face and raised the curved sword overhead. Derek132101:35:38.960 --> 01:35:43.119
stretched out a hand, groping blindly for help. His fingers132201:35:43.159 --> 01:35:47.000
curled around the cold steel loop. Round one of the132301:35:47.119 --> 01:35:52.399
night had thankfully involved some light bondage. He glanced up132401:35:52.399 --> 01:35:55.800
at Ray through the sheer lace thong and jerked himself132501:35:55.840 --> 01:35:59.279
hard to the side by the handcuffs hanging from the headboard.132601:36:00.439 --> 01:36:03.760
The pillow erupted, and the elf went face first into132701:36:03.800 --> 01:36:07.399
the sheet rock through a blizzard of feathers. Derek hung132801:36:07.479 --> 01:36:10.000
over the side of the bed, with Jemma still pinning132901:36:10.079 --> 01:36:13.880
him in place. He twisted and pulled himself away, keeping133001:36:13.920 --> 01:36:18.800
his eyes locked on Peppermint Ray. The wicked elf looked133101:36:18.840 --> 01:36:22.840
up at Dereck's mirror ceiling and blew bloody indigo snot133201:36:22.880 --> 01:36:27.159
from his nostrils before cracking the crooked schnaus back into shape.133301:36:27.640 --> 01:36:30.800
Derek's sweaty ass squeaked across the wood floor as he133401:36:30.840 --> 01:36:34.479
pushed himself toward the door. Ray straightened his hat and133501:36:34.640 --> 01:36:39.319
hopped calmly down from his perch. That one's gonna cost133601:36:39.359 --> 01:36:43.600
you pally, the elf, hissed. Derek rolled over and jumped133701:36:43.640 --> 01:36:46.199
to his feet, bursting forward out of the bedroom. With133801:36:46.279 --> 01:36:50.560
the frantic tickling of Ray's bells giving chase, Derek twisted,133901:36:50.680 --> 01:36:54.000
taking a precious second to pull the door shut. He134001:36:54.159 --> 01:36:57.439
cranked back the knob and prayed his sighs would be134101:36:57.600 --> 01:37:01.800
enough to hold it. The tom and scimitar crashed through134201:37:01.800 --> 01:37:05.760
the door, its hollow ground edge stopped. Shy of giving134301:37:05.800 --> 01:37:10.439
Derek the circumcision his parents had skipped, a single drop134401:37:10.479 --> 01:37:13.600
of blood rolled off the tip of the retreating organ.134501:37:14.359 --> 01:37:18.319
Derek ran down the hallway, shrieking the whole way. Ray134601:37:18.439 --> 01:37:21.319
pressed his face to the gash in the door. I'm134701:37:21.359 --> 01:37:26.079
going to turn your guts into garland. Derek suddenly regretted134801:37:26.119 --> 01:37:30.720
buying the ostentatious five bedroom home sure, there were lots134901:37:30.720 --> 01:37:34.279
of places to hide, but you can't hide from an elf,135001:37:35.359 --> 01:37:38.760
not on Christmas. That meant escape was his only option,135101:37:39.159 --> 01:37:43.479
and the front door felt miles away. The doorknob banged135201:37:43.479 --> 01:37:46.840
into the bedroom wall, followed by the sound of Ray's pursuit,135301:37:47.439 --> 01:37:50.640
the pitter patter of his tiny feet, and jingling of135401:37:50.680 --> 01:37:56.239
his bells that fell into an adorable, terrifying cadence slap tinkle,135501:37:56.359 --> 01:38:02.199
slap tinkle, slap tinkle. Derek, trembling fingers, fumbled with the135601:38:02.279 --> 01:38:05.680
chain lock, finally popped it out of place, and then135701:38:05.800 --> 01:38:09.640
moved to the dead bolt. Ray raised the curved sword135801:38:09.680 --> 01:38:13.359
overhead as he charged and let out a piercing battle cry.135901:38:14.359 --> 01:38:17.680
Derek jerked the door open. The frigid air sent shivers136001:38:17.720 --> 01:38:22.760
and goosebumps rioting across his body. His jaw hung in136101:38:22.840 --> 01:38:27.319
a silent scream, His thigh warmed with the sputtering stream136201:38:27.359 --> 01:38:32.159
of piss cascading down it. The reindeer's obsidian glare met136301:38:32.199 --> 01:38:35.239
Deryck's as it chomped the nub of a severed arm136401:38:35.560 --> 01:38:38.960
and sucked it into its maw like human spaghetti, until136501:38:39.000 --> 01:38:43.600
only the wiggling fingers stuck out between its lips. Derek136601:38:43.680 --> 01:38:46.600
whipped his head back and forth from the beast to136701:38:46.720 --> 01:38:51.199
the psycho Elf, again and again until the motion jarred136801:38:51.239 --> 01:38:56.479
loose a rational thought, he launched a kick straight into136901:38:56.560 --> 01:38:59.640
Ray's chin and sent him reeling across the floor like137001:38:59.680 --> 01:39:03.439
a fea estive thirty pound sack of potatoes. Derek quickly137101:39:03.520 --> 01:39:06.359
re secured the door and darted into the living room.137201:39:06.640 --> 01:39:10.000
And ELF's senses were highest the closer they got to Christmas,137301:39:10.399 --> 01:39:15.119
when they needed absolute concentration to fulfill their toy making duties.137401:39:16.000 --> 01:39:22.720
A concussion probably hopefully would dull those senses. Derek wriggled137501:39:22.720 --> 01:39:25.279
between the wall and the back of the couch. It137601:39:25.399 --> 01:39:28.439
was a stupid place to hide, but he didn't spend137701:39:28.560 --> 01:39:33.159
enough time at home to warrant excessive furnishings. Peppermint Ray137801:39:33.279 --> 01:39:36.159
sat up and tested the looseness of his teeth with137901:39:36.239 --> 01:39:41.000
his forked tongue and incisor rocked in its socket, drawing138001:39:41.039 --> 01:39:46.000
a frustrated growl from the tiny terror. He collected himself138101:39:46.000 --> 01:39:49.600
from the floor. His scimitar shimmered in a sliver of138201:39:49.680 --> 01:39:53.520
light from the ajar bathroom door. He waved it off138301:39:53.760 --> 01:39:56.439
and reached for the red striped handle on his belt.138401:39:57.119 --> 01:40:00.680
The silver bells on the dagger's sheath chime as he138501:40:00.800 --> 01:40:05.000
unsheathed the blade. He held it up and read the138601:40:05.000 --> 01:40:09.720
inscription Santa had personally etched into the side on Ray's138701:40:09.720 --> 01:40:16.039
thousandth kill, jolly is the kill for goodness sake? Fucking138801:40:16.079 --> 01:40:19.239
a right at his fat man, Ray pattered into the138901:40:19.279 --> 01:40:23.000
living room. Derek tried to focus his hearing on anything139001:40:23.079 --> 01:40:26.319
other than the pounding of his own heart. The elf139101:40:26.359 --> 01:40:30.319
would give himself away with the noisy decorations of his uniform,139201:40:30.520 --> 01:40:34.520
but only if Derek could concentrate. He bit down hard139301:40:34.640 --> 01:40:38.600
to keep his teeth from chattering. A muffled tinkle pricked139401:40:38.600 --> 01:40:42.279
his ears. Derek turned his head to look up at139501:40:42.279 --> 01:40:45.920
the top of the couch, fully expecting Ray to be waiting,139601:40:47.239 --> 01:40:52.279
but he wasn't. Then suddenly there arose such a clatter.139701:40:53.680 --> 01:40:58.439
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your doors. Weakly, spooky,139801:40:58.640 --> 01:40:59.720
We'll be right back.139901:41:01.600 --> 01:41:06.920
Rustling branches, snapping twigs, and shattering ornaments overloaded his senses.140001:41:07.640 --> 01:41:11.359
The flickering multicolored lights cast their rhythmic light show on140101:41:11.439 --> 01:41:15.439
the ceiling. From the tree's new location, ceramic huts and140201:41:15.479 --> 01:41:19.520
figures smashed on the hearth. As Ray godzillad the dickens140301:41:19.560 --> 01:41:23.199
out of the model Christmas village on the mantle, Derek140401:41:23.279 --> 01:41:27.439
clenched his fists until the knuckles popped. Chicks loved that140501:41:27.600 --> 01:41:31.720
fucking village. Santa's surly assassin was throwing a tantrum and140601:41:31.760 --> 01:41:35.960
destroying Derek's apartment because he couldn't find his prey. A140701:41:36.079 --> 01:41:41.439
smile creased Derek's face. He can't find me. That kick140801:41:41.520 --> 01:41:44.920
to the face turned his brain to eggnog. I'm gonna140901:41:44.920 --> 01:41:48.479
make it he can't find me, he thought to himself,141001:41:48.920 --> 01:41:52.520
raising a quivering hand to cover his mouth and stifle141101:41:52.600 --> 01:41:56.680
the yip of happiness. The silver bells began to ring141201:41:56.760 --> 01:41:59.880
as they clacked across the floor like dice and struck141301:41:59.880 --> 01:42:03.159
the wall trim. They shined brightly at the end of141401:42:03.199 --> 01:42:08.800
the couch, inches from Derek's face. Ray knew exactly where141501:42:08.840 --> 01:42:13.279
Derek was hiding. His tiny footsteps were imperceptible. With his141601:42:13.399 --> 01:42:18.279
bells removed, he could come from anywhere. Right on cue,141701:42:18.800 --> 01:42:20.960
the strand of lights dropped over the back of the141801:42:21.000 --> 01:42:26.479
sofa and looped over Derek's head. Ray easily jerked Derek141901:42:26.640 --> 01:42:30.159
up to his knees. The elf tightened the jolly garrot142001:42:30.239 --> 01:42:34.960
around his dainty fists, digging the twinkling plastic barbs into142101:42:35.000 --> 01:42:38.880
his victim's throat. It's the twelfth day of Christmas for you, Pally.142201:42:39.560 --> 01:42:42.359
Ray put a foot on Derek's shoulder for more leverage.142301:42:43.000 --> 01:42:48.119
Blood spurted around the luminescent fangs. You murdered Elves, Tom Tinkle,142401:42:48.319 --> 01:42:53.920
Sparky Charlie, and Ah, that fucking nitwit from the repaint department.142501:42:54.159 --> 01:42:56.720
You were supposed to be his first kill. I wish142601:42:56.760 --> 01:43:00.960
I could make this last all night. Dick forced himself142701:43:01.000 --> 01:43:04.680
to stand and Ray hung from the braided cord, squeezing142801:43:04.760 --> 01:43:08.880
consciousness from Derek even quicker. The human twisted his body,142901:43:09.079 --> 01:43:12.840
slamming Ray into the wall. He reached back, knocking the143001:43:12.880 --> 01:43:16.159
floppy cap from Ray's head and seized a fistful of143101:43:16.239 --> 01:43:20.880
stiff white hair. Ray howled in pain. The cord tightened143201:43:20.920 --> 01:43:23.640
and Ray pushed off the wall with his feet. They143301:43:23.720 --> 01:43:27.640
crashed through a French door, landing halfway into the dining room.143401:43:27.960 --> 01:43:30.800
Derek managed to roll over in time to catch a143501:43:30.840 --> 01:43:35.239
petite punch right between the eyes. Would you look at that, Derek?143601:43:35.760 --> 01:43:40.000
Ray jerked a thumb towards the jam missiletoe. How about143701:43:40.000 --> 01:43:45.359
a kiss. Ray's tongue lashed across Derek's terrified face. Then143801:43:45.840 --> 01:43:49.399
he bit down on the man's cheek. Derek squealed and143901:43:49.560 --> 01:43:52.680
bashed at Ray's body. The elf shook his head side144001:43:52.720 --> 01:43:55.439
to side, tearing a hole deep enough to see Derek's144101:43:55.479 --> 01:43:59.720
molers through. Derek slugged Ray in the gut and flung144201:43:59.800 --> 01:44:03.840
him off. The would be killer smacked against the hardwood.144301:44:04.560 --> 01:44:08.119
Derek staggered upright as Ray rose to his feet with144401:44:08.199 --> 01:44:13.319
a chuckle. The downed pine separated the two combatants. Ray144501:44:13.479 --> 01:44:17.479
unsheathed his dagger and tossed it between his hands and144601:44:17.560 --> 01:44:21.560
began to whistle a melody. Can't we make a deal,144701:44:22.159 --> 01:44:28.800
Derek whined. Stuck and around the Chrismas tree, he sang hoarsely,144801:44:29.520 --> 01:44:37.399
have a happy slaughter in Everyone dies eventually in ways144901:44:37.399 --> 01:44:41.680
that are sick and in. Ray chuckled at his own145001:44:41.800 --> 01:44:46.319
artistic genius, shuffling closer to the base of the tree.145101:44:46.560 --> 01:44:50.000
Derek raised his fists, unsure of exactly how he was145201:44:50.039 --> 01:44:54.359
going to punch someone three foot shorter than himself. Then145301:44:55.000 --> 01:45:00.800
he saw another option. He needed a distraction. I'm a pervert,145401:45:01.319 --> 01:45:06.600
he admitted, I'm a womanizer. I like to fuck a lot.145501:45:06.880 --> 01:45:09.199
Maybe if you'd lay off the suits, you could still145601:45:09.199 --> 01:45:12.439
see your own ornaments when you look down. Ray glanced145701:45:12.479 --> 01:45:16.600
at his pot belly and growled, you'd understand, then, I bet.145801:45:17.199 --> 01:45:20.359
Derek continued, What did I do that makes me deserve145901:45:20.399 --> 01:45:20.840
to die?146001:45:21.279 --> 01:45:21.399
Like?146101:45:21.439 --> 01:45:24.640
You've never rubbed one out to missus claws? You keep146201:45:24.720 --> 01:45:28.760
her out of this? You have, haven't you? Derek forced146301:45:28.800 --> 01:45:31.279
to laugh? Or is it all that sugar giving you146401:45:31.399 --> 01:45:35.520
marshmallow dick? Since when is getting laid a capital of fence.146501:45:36.359 --> 01:45:40.239
Ray knelt and tapped the dagger on the floor. Forget146601:45:40.239 --> 01:45:45.880
what's in your basement, pally, Derek gulped. Santa sees it all,146701:45:46.520 --> 01:45:49.880
Ray said, he's got a special list for your kind146801:45:49.920 --> 01:45:53.640
of naughty. Derek dropped to the floor and grabbed the146901:45:53.680 --> 01:45:56.760
tree star. Ray brought his hand up as the ornament147001:45:56.840 --> 01:46:01.199
whizzed through the air and buried deep into his forearm.147101:46:01.720 --> 01:46:05.960
Mother the elf ripped it from the puckered wound and147201:46:06.119 --> 01:46:09.600
snapped it in half. Derek was gone. When he looked up.147301:46:10.279 --> 01:46:13.800
His nose twitched up and down as he sniffed the air.147401:46:14.520 --> 01:46:17.239
The human's nakedness made it easier to pick up the147501:46:17.279 --> 01:46:22.680
scent of fear oozing from his skin. Ray knelt, placing147601:46:22.720 --> 01:46:26.720
a hand on the floor. An ELF's tactile sense had147701:46:26.720 --> 01:46:29.800
to be hyperactive to make the best toys. He could147801:46:29.800 --> 01:46:33.600
feel the vibrations of Derek's footsteps in the kitchen. There147901:46:33.600 --> 01:46:38.199
would be weapons in there. Ray scowled, fine, pally, will148001:46:38.199 --> 01:46:41.560
do it your way. Ray clenched the knife between his148101:46:41.720 --> 01:46:46.800
teeth and slithered across the floor. Derek rocked in place148201:46:46.840 --> 01:46:49.680
on the kitchen floor. He kept his eyes on the148301:46:49.720 --> 01:46:54.199
basement door. The fat old bastard couldn't know. Not really,148401:46:54.680 --> 01:46:57.199
there was no way he could see everything in the world.148501:46:57.239 --> 01:47:02.720
At the same time, he thought about opening the door,148601:47:03.039 --> 01:47:06.159
giving up the collection like a peace offering, and turning148701:47:06.199 --> 01:47:10.239
over a new leaf. It could be his new Year's resolution.148801:47:11.279 --> 01:47:14.720
Then Peppermint Ray would let him go. He'd have to,148901:47:15.439 --> 01:47:19.319
because that would make Derek a good boy again. That's149001:47:19.359 --> 01:47:23.680
what he needed to do. It would work. Derek stopped149101:47:23.800 --> 01:47:27.359
rocking and rose to the balls of his feet. Eyes149201:47:27.359 --> 01:47:30.840
shine under the dining table made his heart sputter. Ray's149301:47:30.880 --> 01:47:36.560
forked tongue licked greedily across his lips truce, Derek shouted.149401:47:37.159 --> 01:47:40.840
Ray stabbed his dagger into the tile, sending shards flying149501:47:41.079 --> 01:47:44.720
as he sprang from the hiding spot. Derek raised his hands.149601:47:44.960 --> 01:47:48.279
Ray gritted his teeth, pushing his little legs to run faster.149701:47:48.840 --> 01:47:52.039
Derek struck the lighter and sprayed the oven cleaner through it.149801:47:52.640 --> 01:47:57.119
Missus claws made fine suits for all the elves, Unfortunately149901:47:57.319 --> 01:48:00.680
none of them met the NFPA standard for fire resistance.150001:48:01.439 --> 01:48:04.479
Ray leaped into the air, becoming a living comet that150101:48:04.600 --> 01:48:08.720
smashed bodily into his victim's face. The dagger slid across150201:48:08.720 --> 01:48:12.119
the floor along with four of Derek's teeth. The elf150301:48:12.239 --> 01:48:16.760
rolled away, slapping at the flames and spewing profanities while150401:48:16.840 --> 01:48:22.840
Derek cackled, I can smell your chestnuts roasting shorty, Derek spat.150501:48:23.479 --> 01:48:25.640
Derek pulled himself up by the edge of the counter.150601:48:26.079 --> 01:48:29.359
His split lip poured blood down his naked torso as150701:48:29.359 --> 01:48:34.239
they curled in a painful smile. Peppermint. Ray tumbled across150801:48:34.279 --> 01:48:37.640
the floor and disappeared into the open pantry with a thud.150901:48:38.279 --> 01:48:43.479
Precariously stacked items toppled onto him. The entire space flared151001:48:43.560 --> 01:48:47.680
up into an inferno. How many more elves could Santa151101:48:47.760 --> 01:48:52.760
lose to kill one person. Besides, Derek wasn't a child anymore.151201:48:52.920 --> 01:48:57.079
The fat fuck was working outside his jurisdiction. Derek limped151301:48:57.119 --> 01:49:00.479
out of the kitchen. Extinguishing the fire might say the elf,151401:49:00.479 --> 01:49:04.119
and he couldn't risk that. Unfortunately, burning the house down151501:49:04.680 --> 01:49:07.800
was going to be a bigger problem. It might take151601:49:07.840 --> 01:49:10.560
a day or two, but eventually someone was going to151701:49:10.600 --> 01:49:15.640
want answers about the contents of the basement. Derek needed151801:49:15.640 --> 01:49:18.239
to get dressed, grab a few essentials, and find an151901:49:18.279 --> 01:49:21.680
atm before his accounts were frozen. He could patch his152001:49:21.760 --> 01:49:26.640
wounds on the road. Something in the hallway caught his eye.152101:49:26.680 --> 01:49:31.319
He stood over the Tomtian scimitar and snickered. The sword152201:49:31.520 --> 01:49:34.720
wasn't much bigger than the butcher's knife he kept for barbecues.152301:49:35.399 --> 01:49:38.600
He bent over to retrieve the weapon and was surprised152401:49:38.640 --> 01:49:42.600
by the weight of the minuscule thing. The veins bulged152501:49:42.640 --> 01:49:45.640
in his forearm as he hefted it up. He'd never152601:49:45.720 --> 01:49:51.039
realized how strong the elves actually were. Tiny engraved snowflakes152701:49:51.079 --> 01:49:54.560
decorated the spine of the sword and steamed gently, as152801:49:54.640 --> 01:49:57.920
if they were really cold. The magic of the North152901:49:57.960 --> 01:50:01.600
Pole seemed limitless. Derek wondered what it would be like153001:50:01.720 --> 01:50:05.439
to wield such power. He ran his thumb over the153101:50:05.560 --> 01:50:09.199
edge of the weapon and hissed. The slight contact had153201:50:09.239 --> 01:50:13.800
opened a deep gash. If he could kill elves so easily,153301:50:13.880 --> 01:50:19.039
then one old, obese human shouldn't be an issue. He153401:50:19.159 --> 01:50:22.439
put the damaged digit into his mouth and sucked softly,153501:50:23.000 --> 01:50:27.600
humming last Christmas as he contemplated a trip to the153601:50:27.640 --> 01:50:31.680
North Pole. Killing Santa would solve everything.153701:50:33.279 --> 01:50:35.760
Did you hear that? Better check the locks on your153801:50:35.840 --> 01:50:39.319
doors weekly, spooky, We'll be right back.153901:50:41.119 --> 01:50:47.600
O Oh, holy shit. The raspy voice hissed, you fucked154001:50:47.640 --> 01:50:52.159
up big time, Pally. A smell something akin to burnt154101:50:52.239 --> 01:50:58.000
gingerbread cookies wafted around him. Derek turned slowly. Ray looked154201:50:58.000 --> 01:51:02.359
more like jerky than pepper. White teeth locked together in154301:51:02.399 --> 01:51:06.720
a smile, surrounded by charred black flesh speckled with raw154401:51:06.840 --> 01:51:11.920
muscle showing through. His hair was completely gone, so were154501:51:11.920 --> 01:51:15.319
his clothes. For the most part. The dagger was still154601:51:15.359 --> 01:51:19.680
there and made even shinier in contrast to its crispy owner.154701:51:20.279 --> 01:51:23.199
You know the hardest thing about being an elf pally154801:51:23.960 --> 01:51:29.279
Ray asked, reaching the urinal, Derek raised the sword. You're154901:51:29.319 --> 01:51:33.479
a regular bob saggot. Huh wise ass Ray scratched at155001:51:33.520 --> 01:51:37.680
his cheek, peeling off a hunk of burnt skin. More155101:51:37.720 --> 01:51:42.439
pieces dropped away on their own. It's Christmas, Derek. That's155201:51:42.479 --> 01:51:45.159
the bitch of being an elf. I only get one155301:51:45.239 --> 01:51:48.800
day a year to kill people like you. You won't155401:51:48.800 --> 01:51:52.079
have to worry about that anymore. This is the last155501:51:52.119 --> 01:51:57.920
time you'll what the fuck bare feet, nine pairs of155601:51:57.960 --> 01:52:01.399
them padded into the hallway. Derek looked at the young women,155701:52:01.840 --> 01:52:05.319
one after the other, and then the children, his children155801:52:05.560 --> 01:52:09.640
that they sheltered behind them. They were disheveled, pale, and underfed,155901:52:09.840 --> 01:52:13.119
but every one of them was smiling. The elf had156001:52:13.159 --> 01:52:17.039
gotten into the basement. More of the damaged skin fell away,156101:52:17.159 --> 01:52:22.159
revealing slimy, wrinkled new growth beneath. Ray shook like a156201:52:22.199 --> 01:52:24.720
dog in the rain and slung the old flesh away.156301:52:25.239 --> 01:52:28.960
It splattered and plopped around the hall. Bits still clung156401:52:29.039 --> 01:52:33.000
to him, but he was healing. Santa's power isn't kept156501:52:33.039 --> 01:52:36.640
at the pole, pally Ray said. It's kept in the156601:52:36.640 --> 01:52:40.600
hearts of the children. They believe, and we keep on156701:52:40.880 --> 01:52:46.600
keeping on. It's the magic of Christmas, we believe in Santa.156801:52:47.239 --> 01:52:51.159
One of the children whispered, another reaffirmed it louder than156901:52:51.199 --> 01:52:55.079
the others, the ones old enough to speak anyhow, and157001:52:55.159 --> 01:53:00.279
in Christmas miracles. Marcy Webber stepped beside Ray and in elms.157101:53:01.000 --> 01:53:03.479
A tear rolled down her cheek, the same way it157201:53:03.560 --> 01:53:07.039
had when Derek held the chloroformed rag over her mouth157301:53:07.079 --> 01:53:10.840
and nose outside of her sorority six years ago. She157401:53:11.119 --> 01:53:14.760
was his favorite out of the whole collection. She aimed157501:53:14.760 --> 01:53:19.560
a finger at Derek. You've been very naughty, she said.157601:53:20.199 --> 01:53:23.279
Derek let the scimitar fall and was in a dead157701:53:23.319 --> 01:53:27.760
sprint before it clattered to the floor. His legs pumped furiously.157801:53:28.479 --> 01:53:31.119
Ray sprang after him. The window at the end of157901:53:31.159 --> 01:53:35.279
the hallway exploded inward. Derek's feet hit the shards before158001:53:35.319 --> 01:53:38.840
they could stop. They sliced and stabbed into his soles.158101:53:39.359 --> 01:53:42.960
The bloody pads made him slide around before he crashed158201:53:42.960 --> 01:53:46.800
into the wall and fell to all fours. The figure158301:53:46.840 --> 01:53:50.720
that lumbered through the empty pane stretched and towered over him.158401:53:51.199 --> 01:53:54.079
The heavy woolen coat hung to the ankles of the158501:53:54.159 --> 01:53:58.960
snow caked leather boots. Ice gripping spikes tore divots from158601:53:58.960 --> 01:54:03.079
the hardwood floor as the stranger clumped closer to Derek.158701:54:04.039 --> 01:54:07.000
Derek kept his head down and stared intently at those158801:54:07.039 --> 01:54:10.720
boots and the ruddy stains of the fur lining coat.158901:54:11.600 --> 01:54:14.479
The man stopped in front of Derek and led a159001:54:14.600 --> 01:54:20.000
heavy olive green sack thump beside him. Look at me, boy.159101:54:20.960 --> 01:54:26.239
Each word was a thunderclap raw supernatural power emanated from159201:54:26.279 --> 01:54:30.800
every syllable. He stepped on Derek's hand, pressing the spikes159301:54:30.840 --> 01:54:35.800
through the appendage with ease, I said, look at me.159401:54:37.319 --> 01:54:40.880
Derek shook his head. The man huffed and knelt. His159501:54:41.039 --> 01:54:44.760
mittened hands, squeezed the sides of Derek's skull, and tilted159601:54:44.760 --> 01:54:48.720
his face up to stare him in the eyes. The bushy,159701:54:48.800 --> 01:54:53.600
stark white beard dripped with melting snow. His platinum gaze159801:54:53.720 --> 01:54:57.920
drilled deep into Derek's mind. Bones popped as the fat159901:54:57.960 --> 01:55:01.520
man increased the pressure of his hold. I know when160001:55:01.520 --> 01:55:06.119
you've been bad or good, his voice boomed, And I160101:55:06.239 --> 01:55:09.239
know what you're thinking. I once sent you a lump160201:55:09.319 --> 01:55:12.640
of coal as a warning to change your ways. You160301:55:12.880 --> 01:55:19.399
did not take heed. I learned my lesson. Derek stammered,160401:55:20.079 --> 01:55:23.479
you can go. I'm good now they're free. I'm letting160501:55:23.479 --> 01:55:28.520
them go. I'm changed. Yeah, yeah, like Scrooge, no pally.160601:55:29.039 --> 01:55:33.720
Ray said, you're just screwed. Ray thrust the knife forward.160701:55:34.039 --> 01:55:38.800
Derek howled in agony, right up the chimney. Ray twisted160801:55:38.840 --> 01:55:43.479
the dagger with a gleeful hoot before cutting through Derek's pelvis.160901:55:44.159 --> 01:55:49.079
Was that necessary, ray, Santa asked, standing back to his161001:55:49.159 --> 01:55:53.760
full height, not particularly, The Elf admitted with a shrug,161101:55:54.520 --> 01:55:57.720
but it brightened my night like twenty five thousand twinkling161201:55:57.800 --> 01:56:02.159
little bulbs. Santa groaned and looked down at the figure161301:56:02.159 --> 01:56:06.319
at his feet. Intestines unspooled through the gaping wound. As161401:56:06.399 --> 01:56:10.600
Derek writhed in place, Ray peeled a remaining strip of161501:56:10.600 --> 01:56:14.479
his old burnt husk away and flicked it onto Derek's back.161601:56:14.720 --> 01:56:18.760
Before walking outside. Santa looked at the women and children,161701:56:19.399 --> 01:56:23.119
then to the spreading flames, and finally back to Derek.161801:56:24.319 --> 01:56:29.000
It's beginning to look a lot like crispness. O ho ho,161901:56:30.399 --> 01:56:34.039
he bellowed with laughter. That did indeed make his belly162001:56:34.119 --> 01:56:37.920
jiggle like a bowl full of jelly. He gathered his162101:56:38.000 --> 01:56:41.920
sack and the survivors and guided them outside. They opened162201:56:41.920 --> 01:56:44.720
their presence and quickly dressed in the new coats and162301:56:44.800 --> 01:56:48.159
boots the old man had brought for them. Peppermint Ray162401:56:48.439 --> 01:56:51.359
had clambered up the harness of his faithful steed and162501:56:51.479 --> 01:56:55.119
sat on its broad back. Santa made his way to them,162601:56:55.199 --> 01:56:59.319
giving the reindeer reassuring pat on the shoulder. He rubbed162701:56:59.319 --> 01:57:03.119
the massive creek's ear and looked up at Ray. Don't162801:57:03.119 --> 01:57:05.039
got your finger on the pulse of it. No more,162901:57:05.119 --> 01:57:08.760
do you, boss, Ray asked with a crooked grin. No163001:57:08.840 --> 01:57:12.600
one wants clothes for Christmas, besides the arsenal. Keep them163101:57:12.600 --> 01:57:16.159
warm until the cops show up. Santa glanced back at163201:57:16.159 --> 01:57:21.960
the conflagration. Wasn't exactly subtle? Ain't nothing subtle about? Peppermint163301:57:22.239 --> 01:57:26.119
Ray snorted, You did good tonight. Why don't you take163401:57:26.159 --> 01:57:29.199
the rest of the evening off? Not a chance, Boss,163501:57:29.439 --> 01:57:32.760
The sleigh bells are ringing, and they're playing my favorite tune.163601:57:33.359 --> 01:57:36.880
He scratched the reindeer's back. Me and old Brute Cake163701:57:36.960 --> 01:57:39.960
got a lot of stops before the sun's up. There163801:57:40.079 --> 01:57:43.439
is a considerable backlog to clear off. The nautilust I163901:57:43.520 --> 01:57:47.399
suppose Santa stepped back and gestured for them to go.164001:57:48.279 --> 01:57:53.319
I'll see you in the morning. Then, Merry Christmas. Ray onward.164101:57:53.359 --> 01:57:57.800
Brute Cake Ray clicked his tongue, signaling the reindeer for takeoff.164201:57:58.520 --> 01:58:02.520
Merry Christmas. Boss. The beast charged up the driveway and164301:58:02.680 --> 01:58:06.119
leapt into the air, blasting off into the night. The164401:58:06.199 --> 01:58:10.920
twinkling wake of its departure sparkled and crackled among the snowflakes.164501:58:11.760 --> 01:58:14.399
Santa waved to them as they flew over the inferno.164601:58:15.560 --> 01:58:20.800
Manny Christmas to all, Ray howled, and to all a164701:58:20.920 --> 01:58:33.840
good night. Doorway to Horror by Rob Fields perspective, Madeline Donnerly,164801:58:35.319 --> 01:58:38.439
you just know it's Friday for a couple reasons. The164901:58:38.479 --> 01:58:40.479
first is because you know as soon as you're done165001:58:40.520 --> 01:58:43.800
with school it's the weekend. The second is a couple165101:58:43.880 --> 01:58:46.159
hands slamming on the table I'm sitting at in the165201:58:46.199 --> 01:58:52.840
cafeteria at lunchtime. Yes, I ask Ariel Mirron, I hate165301:58:52.880 --> 01:58:56.840
you mouse, Ariel growls, Then she points right at me.165401:58:57.560 --> 01:58:59.920
I will never give up. I will see you scare165501:59:00.119 --> 01:59:03.680
out of your wits one of these days. I'm laughing165601:59:03.760 --> 01:59:07.479
inside now. If only Ariel knew how many opportunities she165701:59:07.520 --> 01:59:11.279
could have had to see me get scared. Well, I165801:59:11.319 --> 01:59:14.600
sure ain't gonna tell her. Still, I can't really say165901:59:14.640 --> 01:59:17.239
she'll never get me. I'm sure one of these days166001:59:17.279 --> 01:59:20.479
will be her lucky day. Ariel puts her hands on166101:59:20.520 --> 01:59:24.880
the table again, softer Now, slumber party at my house tonight,166201:59:25.479 --> 01:59:29.359
same time as last Friday. You still bringing those Christmas166301:59:29.439 --> 01:59:32.479
movies over? You said you just got unless you want166401:59:32.479 --> 01:59:37.199
me to bring some other stuff. I reply, no, bring those. Also.166501:59:37.359 --> 01:59:40.199
Mona said she's got a movie for us to see tonight.166601:59:40.840 --> 01:59:43.520
She sits down. Now, you ever heard of a movie166701:59:43.600 --> 01:59:48.600
called Doorway to Horror? Can't say I have. Then I166801:59:48.640 --> 01:59:51.760
pull out my phone and do some searching. I ain't166901:59:51.800 --> 01:59:54.439
even seeing it on IMDb or any of the other sites.167001:59:55.079 --> 01:59:58.399
Now I did find an old VHS horror game called167101:59:58.680 --> 02:00:02.840
Doorways to Horror, not exactly the same thing, I don't think.167202:00:03.319 --> 02:00:06.720
Did Mona tell you where she got it? Nuh uh.167302:00:07.000 --> 02:00:11.279
Ariel looks uneasy. Once in a while, Mona will find something.167402:00:11.840 --> 02:00:15.239
She's not you or Bailey, though you two know your movies.167502:00:15.960 --> 02:00:19.079
Speaking of Bailey, that's one of the movies we're seeing tonight.167602:00:19.760 --> 02:00:24.399
It's a Christmas horror story. Ariel raises her finger. Oh, hey,167702:00:24.960 --> 02:00:28.760
gatecode changed yesterday. She tells it to me. You got167802:00:28.760 --> 02:00:33.079
it mouse yep. Then Ariel narrows her eyes on me.167902:00:33.920 --> 02:00:37.119
You haven't seen Carter around here, have you? I shake168002:00:37.199 --> 02:00:40.439
my head. Don't tell me he's posting videos of you168102:00:40.520 --> 02:00:45.239
on Facebook again? She nods quickly. He always seems to168202:00:45.279 --> 02:00:48.319
be there whenever I got Stewart with me. She points168302:00:48.399 --> 02:00:51.840
right at me. You're not covering for him? Are you?168402:00:51.840 --> 02:00:55.159
You think I forgot you? Two are best buds. I168502:00:55.279 --> 02:00:58.920
promise you I ain't covering for him. Ariel holds out168602:00:58.920 --> 02:01:02.119
her little finger. You willing to pinky promise on it?168702:01:03.000 --> 02:01:06.239
I make the pinky promise with her. I really don't168802:01:06.279 --> 02:01:09.079
know where he is. Maybe he's with the other guys.168902:01:09.800 --> 02:01:14.000
Ariel shakes her head. Nope, Look I look to where169002:01:14.039 --> 02:01:17.600
she's pointing. Bill Chapman, Richie Horton, and Brian Chunk are169102:01:17.640 --> 02:01:21.840
coming into the cafeteria. No Carter, though. A moment later,169202:01:21.960 --> 02:01:26.279
the guys come over to us. Ariel confronts him, where's Carter?169302:01:26.760 --> 02:01:29.720
I know you guys know where he is? What makes169402:01:29.760 --> 02:01:31.840
you think we'd even tell you if we did know?169502:01:32.319 --> 02:01:36.079
Chapman replies, he's the tough guy with the burr haircut.169602:01:37.119 --> 02:01:40.840
I'm not above administering decisive methods of torture on you, guys.169702:01:41.239 --> 02:01:45.880
Ariel replies, all I have to do is divide and conquer.169802:01:46.680 --> 02:01:50.359
Chunker points at her and tells the other two, Ah,169902:01:50.479 --> 02:01:53.960
this I gotta see. He's the husky guy wearing the170002:01:54.000 --> 02:01:56.800
cargo shorts with an open Hawaiian shirt over a black170102:01:56.840 --> 02:02:01.000
T shirt. Don't temp fate you, guys, Horton warns him.170202:02:01.479 --> 02:02:04.920
He's the skinny guy wearing the glasses with circular lenses.170302:02:05.560 --> 02:02:08.560
I keep telling you how evil Ariel Mirran is. One170402:02:08.560 --> 02:02:10.439
of these days you're going to wish you'd have listened170502:02:10.479 --> 02:02:14.680
to me. Ariel smirks, I'd be listening to Horton if170602:02:14.680 --> 02:02:17.840
I were you. Guys, She points to him, But you're170702:02:17.880 --> 02:02:20.960
not off the hook. Horton grins and looks her in170802:02:21.000 --> 02:02:24.600
the eyes. Why don't you just look over your left shoulder.170902:02:25.560 --> 02:02:29.239
Ariel quickly turns and sees my buddy and next door neighbor,171002:02:29.279 --> 02:02:33.199
Carter Cross. The next thing we know, Ariel's running off171102:02:33.199 --> 02:02:37.039
and chasing Carter down. Yesterday, he recorded a video of171202:02:37.119 --> 02:02:41.680
Ariel and Stuart at Denoyer's grill. He slipped away and171302:02:41.720 --> 02:02:45.119
started running around and wreaking havoc. I know this because171402:02:45.159 --> 02:02:48.000
she texted me asking for help nine one one at171502:02:48.039 --> 02:02:53.119
Denoyer's Stuart. Fortunately for Ariel, I happened to be in171602:02:53.119 --> 02:02:56.159
the area on my mongoose and stopped in. I was171702:02:56.199 --> 02:02:59.319
able to get Stuart to calm down and behave I171802:02:59.319 --> 02:03:01.279
don't know what it is is about that little guy,171902:03:01.399 --> 02:03:04.439
but he likes me enough to where he always minds me.172002:03:04.960 --> 02:03:08.359
I don't even have to yell at him anyway. Carter172102:03:08.520 --> 02:03:12.279
was already there before me and recording Ariel losing her mind.172202:03:12.399 --> 02:03:15.680
He put the video on Facebook and got everybody laughing172302:03:15.720 --> 02:03:18.760
at her. When the guys get their lunches, they come172402:03:18.840 --> 02:03:21.239
and sit with me. The four of us have some172502:03:21.359 --> 02:03:30.720
good conversation before we gotta go back to class. That night,172602:03:30.760 --> 02:03:33.800
I'm walking to Ariel's house. When I reach the Mire172702:03:33.840 --> 02:03:37.039
Engated community, I punch in the new code and go in.172802:03:37.800 --> 02:03:40.600
Never seems to fail. Every time I walk to Ariels172902:03:40.600 --> 02:03:43.279
on Friday nights, there's always a few Mirans who walk173002:03:43.359 --> 02:03:47.239
past me and give me looks like I don't belong inside.173102:03:47.840 --> 02:03:50.159
I gotta walk a few blocks before I get to173202:03:50.239 --> 02:03:53.319
Capitol Court. When I reach the double doors, one of173302:03:53.319 --> 02:03:58.039
them opens. Ariel appears and says, wow, you're actually here173402:03:58.119 --> 02:04:01.720
before Mona and Bailey mouse. Then she steps aside and173502:04:01.840 --> 02:04:05.159
lets me come in. It's about twenty minutes later when173602:04:05.159 --> 02:04:09.479
Mona abels and Bailey downs finally show up. Sorry, Ariel,173702:04:09.880 --> 02:04:12.920
Mona says, I had to help mom with something at home.173802:04:13.640 --> 02:04:17.319
You're good, Ariel replies, After the week I've had, I173902:04:17.399 --> 02:04:19.319
just want to hang with my girls and let loose.174002:04:19.840 --> 02:04:22.159
At least her aunt never drops Stewart off here while174102:04:22.159 --> 02:04:26.359
we're having our slumber parties. Bailey says, Ariel points right174202:04:26.399 --> 02:04:28.840
at her. You do not even get to say that.174302:04:29.640 --> 02:04:32.600
Mona and Bailey laugh a little. Ariel gives me that174402:04:32.680 --> 02:04:35.479
look that asks why she puts up with them. I174502:04:35.600 --> 02:04:38.039
give her a smirk that says not to worry about it.174602:04:38.720 --> 02:04:42.680
After some socializing, Ariel gets the pizza's order. From there,174702:04:42.720 --> 02:04:46.119
we start spinning some movies. First up is a Christmas174802:04:46.119 --> 02:04:48.800
horror story. As soon as the name of the town174902:04:48.920 --> 02:04:53.920
is mentioned, Bailey gives us all weird looks. First Ginger snaps,175002:04:53.920 --> 02:04:57.560
and now this one. She mutters, what other movies have175102:04:57.640 --> 02:05:01.680
the town named? The same as mine Orphan Black. I reply,175202:05:02.279 --> 02:05:06.720
it's a TV series. Bailey points right at Ariel. Why175302:05:06.760 --> 02:05:08.640
do I get the feeling you had something to do175402:05:08.720 --> 02:05:11.439
with this? Was this because Mona and I weren't spending175502:05:11.479 --> 02:05:14.039
the night at the mall with you last weekend? Then175602:05:14.119 --> 02:05:17.479
Ariel grabs a pillow and throws it at Bailey. She175702:05:17.640 --> 02:05:21.399
catches it and laughs. Ariel points at her, not funny.175802:05:21.880 --> 02:05:25.279
Then she smirks, Okay, Bailey, you can go out and175902:05:25.319 --> 02:05:33.880
get our pizzas. Then Bailey gets off the couch, fine perspective.176002:05:34.479 --> 02:05:39.399
Bailey downs after I bring our pizzas in Mouse resumes176102:05:39.439 --> 02:05:42.199
the Blue Array of a Christmas horror story. I have176202:05:42.279 --> 02:05:45.039
the feeling Ariel put Mouse up to bringing this movie176302:05:45.079 --> 02:05:47.960
over in spite of the fact that it takes place176402:05:48.000 --> 02:05:50.880
in a town with the same name as mine. It176502:05:50.960 --> 02:05:54.119
is a really good horror anthology, though I really love176602:05:54.199 --> 02:05:57.680
the twist and the Santa versus Crampis story. We also176702:05:57.760 --> 02:06:01.079
watched the original Black Christmas and Isolent Night Deadly Night.176802:06:01.640 --> 02:06:03.520
We don't get to lay down for the night. After176902:06:03.560 --> 02:06:06.760
three movies. Mona announces that she's got a movie she177002:06:06.840 --> 02:06:11.439
wants us to see, which is called Doorway. To horror.177102:06:12.039 --> 02:06:16.920
When Ariel asks what it's about, Mona doesn't know. Believe177202:06:16.960 --> 02:06:19.399
it or not. I found it just sitting on a177302:06:19.439 --> 02:06:22.600
table in study hall. It's a burned blu ray, but177402:06:22.840 --> 02:06:26.159
it plays. I put it in my laptop and checked it.177502:06:26.800 --> 02:06:29.680
The opening scene looks really creepy, so I thought i'd177602:06:29.680 --> 02:06:33.319
bring it to the sleepover to share. Ariel turns to Mouse,177702:06:33.880 --> 02:06:36.840
I'm guessing you didn't turn up anything else on it.177802:06:37.000 --> 02:06:40.199
Mouse shrugs. I tried all kinds of searches when I177902:06:40.239 --> 02:06:44.279
got home. Nothing. So we sit back and let Mona178002:06:44.359 --> 02:06:47.720
spin her find. There are all kinds of Christmas things178102:06:47.800 --> 02:06:50.479
in the movie, but the town looks like something out178202:06:50.479 --> 02:06:54.600
of a post apocalyptic story. We're eating more pizza and178302:06:54.720 --> 02:06:56.880
drinking some more of the cokes that Mona and I178402:06:57.039 --> 02:07:00.359
snuck over in our backpacks. You gotta love that missus178502:07:00.439 --> 02:07:04.159
Miran won't let her own family drink any sugary sodas178602:07:04.600 --> 02:07:08.279
it's diet or nothing. The four of us are talking178702:07:08.279 --> 02:07:12.000
about the movie once it's over. There really wasn't any178802:07:12.039 --> 02:07:16.399
dialogue or anything. Maybe David Lynch lost the one copy178902:07:16.439 --> 02:07:18.960
of a new movie he was working on. I half179002:07:19.039 --> 02:07:22.479
joke we've seen some pretty weird stuff since we started179102:07:22.479 --> 02:07:26.439
doing our sleepovers years ago. Ariel says, you've brought over179202:07:26.479 --> 02:07:29.920
stuff like this before. Mouse, I ain't denying it. She179302:07:30.079 --> 02:07:33.920
agrees Doorway to Horror. Still don't ring a bell with me, though.179402:07:34.520 --> 02:07:38.600
Guess you made a rare find. Mona, yeah, kudos, I179502:07:38.680 --> 02:07:41.880
tell my best friend. We talk for a little while179602:07:41.960 --> 02:07:45.479
longer before we're finally yawning our heads off. The nice179702:07:45.479 --> 02:07:47.960
thing about this big living room is there are enough179802:07:47.960 --> 02:07:51.279
couches for all of us to sleep on. Ariel sleeps179902:07:51.279 --> 02:07:53.520
on one too, even though her bedroom is the first180002:07:53.560 --> 02:07:56.680
one on entering the hallway. It don't take us all180102:07:56.760 --> 02:08:03.760
long to fall asleep. Respective Mona abels, I'm the first180202:08:03.840 --> 02:08:06.840
one to wake up. I yawn and feel how parched180302:08:06.880 --> 02:08:09.840
I am, knowing we still got cans of coke left.180402:08:09.920 --> 02:08:13.760
I grab one and feel grateful. I stop drinking and180502:08:13.840 --> 02:08:18.600
notice something weird. Did I just take a power nap180602:08:18.680 --> 02:08:21.800
or something? Because it still seems like it's dark out.180702:08:22.479 --> 02:08:25.880
I look at my smart watch and see it's blank180802:08:26.000 --> 02:08:30.279
across the screen. I find my smartphone underneath my pillow180902:08:30.600 --> 02:08:33.279
and see the same blanks where the date and time181002:08:33.319 --> 02:08:37.560
should be. Then I see mouse's phone and look at hers.181102:08:38.159 --> 02:08:43.199
She's got the same blanks too. Seriously, what gives I181202:08:43.239 --> 02:08:45.640
need to see what time it is? As soon as181302:08:45.640 --> 02:08:48.079
I come out of my comforter, I'm quickly wrapping my181402:08:48.199 --> 02:08:52.039
arms around myself and start shivering. Boy, it's really cold181502:08:52.039 --> 02:08:55.199
in Ariel's mansion, so cold I can see my own181602:08:55.239 --> 02:08:58.960
breath like when I'm outside. I see Ariel's bedroom door181702:08:59.000 --> 02:09:02.479
open and peek inside. My eyes are wide when I181802:09:02.560 --> 02:09:07.119
see there's no windows. I mean, the cold's just blowing181902:09:07.239 --> 02:09:10.039
right into the house. I walk down the hall to182002:09:10.119 --> 02:09:12.680
the next bedroom and see there ain't no windows there either.182102:09:13.439 --> 02:09:16.720
Then I hear movement and return to the living room.182202:09:16.920 --> 02:09:20.319
Ariel's getting out from underneath her comforter. Why is it182302:09:20.439 --> 02:09:25.600
so cold in here? Then Ariel sees me. Mona, why182402:09:25.600 --> 02:09:29.399
aren't there any windows? Ariel? I ask? She gives me182502:09:29.439 --> 02:09:33.920
a weird look. What No, I'll show you. I grab182602:09:33.960 --> 02:09:36.840
Ariel's hand and bring her to her own room. You182702:09:36.960 --> 02:09:40.600
have got to be kidding me, Ariel gasps. We move182802:09:40.680 --> 02:09:43.720
to a few other rooms and see no windows. We182902:09:43.840 --> 02:09:47.439
go into the bathroom. Normally there's scented pillar candles on183002:09:47.479 --> 02:09:50.159
either side of the mirror, on the sink. Looks like183102:09:50.199 --> 02:09:53.359
there's only one that remains of the said candles. When183202:09:53.359 --> 02:09:56.760
we come back out, we see Bailey and Mouse are up. Now, boy,183302:09:56.840 --> 02:10:01.359
it sure got cold fast. Bailey states, what I wouldn't183402:10:01.359 --> 02:10:05.279
give for some hot coffee right now? Mouse mutters. Then183502:10:05.359 --> 02:10:08.720
Mouse turns and walks to the front window. She turns183602:10:08.720 --> 02:10:11.720
to us fast. There's only a big window shade here,183702:10:12.079 --> 02:10:16.359
as in no big window here. What's going on? Ariel?183802:10:17.039 --> 02:10:21.039
Ariel goes to Mouse and sees for herself. What on183902:10:21.079 --> 02:10:26.000
earth is going on here? Beats me? Mouse answers, and184002:10:26.079 --> 02:10:29.239
what time is it? Ariel snaps, That's what I've been184102:10:29.239 --> 02:10:32.479
trying to find out. I say. Our phones and watches184202:10:32.520 --> 02:10:36.279
ain't working. Ariel quickly goes to the closet and starts184302:10:36.319 --> 02:10:39.279
tossing us our jackets. We take them and head into184402:10:39.279 --> 02:10:42.760
separate rooms to get changed. We're all dressed to go184502:10:42.840 --> 02:10:48.000
outside now. But when we do go outside, what the184602:10:48.720 --> 02:10:53.399
Bailey gasps? Everything looks like what we saw in your movie, Mona.184702:10:53.880 --> 02:10:58.159
Ariel states, ah, man, you gotta be kidding me. Mouse184802:10:58.239 --> 02:11:02.720
groans not again. We all look right at Mouse. Now184902:11:03.359 --> 02:11:07.560
do you know something about this? Ariel asks her? If185002:11:07.600 --> 02:11:10.680
we are where I think we are. We're gonna be185102:11:10.720 --> 02:11:17.039
in terrible danger. Fast. Mouse quickly answers. Just spit it out. Mouse,185202:11:17.359 --> 02:11:20.960
I snap, we ain't in Strickfield no more.185302:11:22.960 --> 02:11:27.359
There's more scares where that came from. Weekly spooky, We'll185402:11:27.359 --> 02:11:28.119
be right.185502:11:27.880 --> 02:11:36.560
Back perspective, Ariel Mirron, I give mouse wide eyes. Excuse me.185602:11:37.680 --> 02:11:40.479
I was really hoping to never see this place ever again.185702:11:41.119 --> 02:11:44.119
Mouse groans. Then she tells us we need to go185802:11:44.199 --> 02:11:48.600
back inside. We go back inside the house. Then I185902:11:48.680 --> 02:11:53.039
get an idea and turn on my smartphone. Flash, what186002:11:53.239 --> 02:11:58.600
in the are you serious? Mona ads, no, we're not186102:11:58.720 --> 02:12:03.199
seeing things. My house is trashed, and I mean trashed.186202:12:03.760 --> 02:12:08.840
Then I point right at mouse. Okay, start talking. Mouse186302:12:08.840 --> 02:12:11.720
springs up. The night in October when she went to186402:12:11.800 --> 02:12:14.840
the Horror Thon at the Strickfield Centennial Theater with her186502:12:14.840 --> 02:12:19.880
twin cousin Aileen Carter Cross and Bella Tabon. They had186602:12:19.920 --> 02:12:23.119
watched a screening of a film called The Portal. It186702:12:23.239 --> 02:12:26.920
was like everything had changed. Places were trashed, much like186802:12:27.000 --> 02:12:31.000
my house. Windows were mostly missing in the homes. It186902:12:31.079 --> 02:12:36.680
was night all the time. But what was worse, everybody187002:12:37.000 --> 02:12:41.279
was a vampire. The four of them barely escaped this187102:12:41.359 --> 02:12:44.760
place and made it back to Strickfield. Mouse says, we're187202:12:44.760 --> 02:12:49.319
in an alternate universe where it's all vampires. We're all187302:12:49.319 --> 02:12:54.000
in terrible danger. She finishes any of those vampires sees us.187402:12:54.520 --> 02:13:00.159
They'll be after us. Here. It's like Marvel Zombies, where187502:13:00.159 --> 02:13:03.439
everybody suddenly became vampires. They drank up all the living187602:13:03.439 --> 02:13:07.199
people they could get their hands on. Now, like those zombies,187702:13:07.239 --> 02:13:11.720
after a few days, they're out of food. Bailey quickly187802:13:11.800 --> 02:13:15.560
waves her hands in front of her. Okay, okay, assuming187902:13:15.640 --> 02:13:19.239
Mouse isn't making this stuff up here, how did we188002:13:19.359 --> 02:13:22.479
get here? It had to have been that movie Mona188102:13:22.520 --> 02:13:27.319
brought over Doorway to Horror. Mouse guesses. Mona points right188202:13:27.359 --> 02:13:30.399
at Mouse. Oh no, you don't. You ain't blaming me188302:13:30.520 --> 02:13:33.560
for this, you wicked little rodent. I raise my hand188402:13:33.560 --> 02:13:34.079
in front of me.188502:13:34.800 --> 02:13:34.880
No.188602:13:35.039 --> 02:13:37.760
I think Mouse is right, Mona. Everything we saw in188702:13:37.840 --> 02:13:40.640
that disc you brought over was much like where we188802:13:40.680 --> 02:13:43.960
are now. Nobody's blaming you about this place, but you188902:13:44.000 --> 02:13:47.359
did bring that disc over. Let's find the disc. Then,189002:13:47.800 --> 02:13:50.720
Mouse says, we can watch it again and get back home.189102:13:51.279 --> 02:13:53.479
We had to rewatch the portal to get back home.189202:13:53.520 --> 02:13:57.439
Two months ago. We searched through everything. All the movies189302:13:57.520 --> 02:14:00.880
Mouse brought over are still here, but the disc Mona189402:14:00.920 --> 02:14:06.760
Brod is gone. Where is it? Mona shrieks, Oh, wait,189502:14:06.920 --> 02:14:09.960
here it is. She raises it up for us to see.189602:14:10.119 --> 02:14:13.239
I point to Mona, keep hold of that. Now we189702:14:13.399 --> 02:14:16.039
just have to find something to watch it on. That'll189802:14:16.079 --> 02:14:20.000
be easier said than done. Mouse says. Power's a little189902:14:20.680 --> 02:14:24.760
hard to come by here. They shattered every window, every mirror.190002:14:25.439 --> 02:14:27.359
I don't know how they're keeping at night here, but190102:14:28.159 --> 02:14:32.359
they're doing it. Then I see Bailey move toward the kitchen.190202:14:32.880 --> 02:14:34.800
I follow her and see her opening one of the190302:14:34.840 --> 02:14:39.439
two refrigerators. She turns to me, whatever food we've got,190402:14:39.880 --> 02:14:41.760
we're going to have to ration it until we can190502:14:41.800 --> 02:14:46.760
find more. Without power, the refrigerators aren't working. Also, we190602:14:46.840 --> 02:14:48.840
can't eat a single bite of the food in either190702:14:48.880 --> 02:14:52.560
of them. I point to the cupboards. We search them190802:14:52.600 --> 02:14:54.720
in the pantry and find a few things we can190902:14:54.760 --> 02:14:58.000
take with us. We head back out to the others.191002:14:58.720 --> 02:15:02.399
There's not much here, maybe for a day two tops.191102:15:03.319 --> 02:15:06.680
I divide the food evenly between all of us, including191202:15:06.720 --> 02:15:09.920
the cokes and what was left of the pizzas. What191302:15:09.960 --> 02:15:13.600
are we doing. Mona asked, you heard Mouse. I tell191402:15:13.600 --> 02:15:16.560
her we've got to find something to play this disc191502:15:16.680 --> 02:15:19.079
to get back home. We're going to have to leave191602:15:19.119 --> 02:15:22.439
and find some place. In fact, I quickly unplug the191702:15:22.479 --> 02:15:25.159
Blu ray player and stuff it in my backpack. We191802:15:25.199 --> 02:15:28.640
make a quick plan and agree we need to go downtown.191902:15:29.439 --> 02:15:33.920
We stay together, everybody, I stress before we leave, Mouse192002:15:33.960 --> 02:15:38.680
hands everybody crosses. She made Whatever you do, don't lose them.192102:15:39.600 --> 02:15:42.880
Mouse just gave me an idea. We probably should stop192202:15:42.880 --> 02:15:47.760
by a church, Bailey suggests. Mouse points to her good thinking.192302:15:48.439 --> 02:15:51.079
We all wish each other good luck before we head192402:15:51.079 --> 02:15:58.039
out through the front doors. Perspective, Madeline Donner, so much192502:15:58.039 --> 02:16:00.720
for us going to churches. We hit a few in192602:16:00.800 --> 02:16:04.880
downtown village and saw they were wrecked. The windows were192702:16:04.880 --> 02:16:08.880
all broken out, pews were destroyed or overturned. Even the192802:16:08.920 --> 02:16:12.119
altars were busted up. What was even worse were the192902:16:12.159 --> 02:16:16.319
skeletons with their religious garbs still on. Only thing I193002:16:16.359 --> 02:16:20.000
can figure is whatever happened to turn people into vampires193102:16:20.039 --> 02:16:25.159
didn't hit everybody. The ones that weren't turned became food193202:16:25.279 --> 02:16:28.199
for the vamps. At least. Our trips to the two193302:16:28.279 --> 02:16:32.120
churches weren't total washouts. We managed to find some holy193402:16:32.159 --> 02:16:35.799
wafers and even some holy water itself. Sure would be193502:16:35.879 --> 02:16:38.360
nice if we had squirt guns like in The Lost Boys,193602:16:38.959 --> 02:16:41.639
but all we found were a few vials and bottles.193702:16:42.680 --> 02:16:44.920
We leave the second church and sneak over to a193802:16:44.959 --> 02:16:48.319
few markets. We don't find much in terms of food,193902:16:49.120 --> 02:16:52.920
just dry goods and a few cans of soup. The194002:16:53.000 --> 02:16:56.360
refrigerators and freezers probably haven't been working in a very194102:16:56.440 --> 02:16:59.760
long time, so the food in them won't be any194202:16:59.799 --> 02:17:03.520
good good. We duck in back of Wylder's Market to194302:17:03.600 --> 02:17:07.079
work out another plan. Everybody has ideas to bring to194402:17:07.120 --> 02:17:10.680
the table. Then Ariel suggests heading out to Strickfield Town194502:17:10.719 --> 02:17:15.319
Center mall. Mona turns to her. You do realize how194602:17:15.360 --> 02:17:19.559
far the mall is from downtown village right and on foot?194702:17:19.719 --> 02:17:24.079
Who said anything about walking, Ariel replies, Then she looks194802:17:24.079 --> 02:17:27.159
my way. We find a car and get Mouse here194902:17:27.200 --> 02:17:30.799
to drive it. Mona gives her a weird look. You195002:17:30.879 --> 02:17:34.840
have got to be kidding me, Ariel shakes her head. Nope,195102:17:35.319 --> 02:17:37.719
you should have seen her drive at the mall last weekend.195202:17:38.360 --> 02:17:42.799
Bailey sighs, Okay, let's do it. There are plenty of195302:17:42.840 --> 02:17:45.760
cars outside. I would imagine we can find one that works.195402:17:46.440 --> 02:17:51.680
Ariel slaps my arm. You up for it, Mouse, I shrug.195502:17:52.479 --> 02:17:56.799
I guess I ain't got a choice. Mona groans. Yeah,195602:17:56.959 --> 02:18:01.159
we're gonna die. Bailey scoffs at Mona. Oh, have a195702:18:01.159 --> 02:18:05.520
little faith, will you? Mona groans again. Then she notices something.195802:18:06.440 --> 02:18:11.239
You know, we've seen a lot of Christmas stuff. You195902:18:11.280 --> 02:18:15.159
think all this went down during the holidays. She looks sad. Now,196002:18:16.479 --> 02:18:19.959
what a time for something like a vampire apocalypse to happen.196102:18:20.959 --> 02:18:23.920
The rest of us are sad for a moment. Then196202:18:23.959 --> 02:18:26.319
we head out back to the parking lot, where there's196302:18:26.360 --> 02:18:29.440
a nice selection of cars to choose from. We can't196402:18:29.479 --> 02:18:32.959
be picky, you guys, Bailey says, just find one that's196502:18:32.959 --> 02:18:37.280
got keys. I raise my finger. Just one thing. Once196602:18:37.319 --> 02:18:39.799
we get a car started, if there's any vamps nearby,196702:18:40.719 --> 02:18:43.319
they're gonna hear it. We gotta be ready for that.196802:18:44.559 --> 02:18:48.239
And you know this how, Mona sneers. I don't want196902:18:48.239 --> 02:18:50.280
to tell her how I know without giving away my197002:18:50.360 --> 02:18:55.479
connection to Mary Worth and cousin Aleen's bff Bells, I197102:18:55.639 --> 02:19:01.639
just know, Okay, Yeah, we're gonna Diea repeats, we split197202:19:01.719 --> 02:19:04.719
up and look for cars. After some minutes, Mona gets197302:19:04.760 --> 02:19:07.680
our attention. We come over to her. Keys are in197402:19:07.680 --> 02:19:11.600
the Ignition. Doors are unlocked. When Ariel starts looking it over,197502:19:12.079 --> 02:19:14.959
Bailey groans, come on, it's not going to be a197602:19:14.959 --> 02:19:19.559
fancy limo you're used to being in. Ariel gasps, really, Bailey,197702:19:19.879 --> 02:19:21.840
I'm checking the car to make sure it looks good,197802:19:21.879 --> 02:19:27.520
you know, for flat tires and stuff. Okay, sorry, Bailey mutters,197902:19:28.120 --> 02:19:32.120
looks good. Ariel says, okay, Mouse, get behind the wheel198002:19:32.159 --> 02:19:36.440
and hope this thing starts. Ah man, I squeak when198102:19:36.479 --> 02:19:39.200
I open the door and get in. Now I feel198202:19:39.239 --> 02:19:43.840
Ariel's hand on my shoulder. Are you actually scared? Mouse?198302:19:44.840 --> 02:19:49.360
I glance over my shoulder. Ah please, which is a lie?198402:19:49.959 --> 02:19:53.239
This little mousey is definitely scared. I just don't want198502:19:53.280 --> 02:19:56.120
Ariels see in it on me. I turn the key198602:19:56.200 --> 02:20:05.440
and perspective Bailey. The engine cranks and cranks and Cranksugh,198702:20:06.079 --> 02:20:12.639
you guys, look, Oh god. Mona shrieks. Vamps start the car. Mouse,198802:20:13.120 --> 02:20:17.319
I'm trying. Mouse cries. The vampires are leaping from car198902:20:17.360 --> 02:20:21.159
to car, or they're running. It's when they're almost to us.199002:20:21.200 --> 02:20:25.719
That the car finally starts. Go, Mouse, go, Ariel yells,199102:20:26.239 --> 02:20:29.760
Mouse has to study the controls. Okay, hope, and I199202:20:29.760 --> 02:20:33.040
can do this. Never drove a stick now, I put199302:20:33.040 --> 02:20:36.159
a hand on her shoulder. You're a gamer. Mouse. You're199402:20:36.159 --> 02:20:38.799
not here with us right now. You're in Roth's rings199502:20:38.879 --> 02:20:40.040
playing a racing game.199602:20:40.520 --> 02:20:41.000
Go with that.199702:20:42.120 --> 02:20:46.799
Okay, let's hope. I got this. Mouse stammers, just as199802:20:46.840 --> 02:20:49.440
the vamps are shattering the windows. Mouse puts the car199902:20:49.479 --> 02:20:53.360
in gear and stutters a little. Then she takes a200002:20:53.399 --> 02:20:59.479
deep breath and shifts again. Finally we're moving away. We200102:20:59.520 --> 02:21:01.920
pull out of the parking lot and out onto main street.200202:21:02.280 --> 02:21:05.680
Mouse hits the clutch and shifts again. Looks like she's200302:21:05.719 --> 02:21:08.639
got the hang of it. Now. There ain't no mirrors200402:21:08.639 --> 02:21:12.639
on this car. Mona says, riding shotgun, you wouldn't see200502:21:12.639 --> 02:21:14.799
any vamps in the mirrors even if we did have them.200602:21:15.040 --> 02:21:20.440
Mouse tells her no reflections. The little squeaker's right. Ariel says,200702:21:20.559 --> 02:21:24.239
looking out the back, we got bats coming fast. I200802:21:24.360 --> 02:21:28.959
hate you Mouse. Yeah yeah, Mouse mutters, we good on gas.200902:21:29.079 --> 02:21:32.680
Mona asks Mouse, don't know gas. Gage just shot from201002:21:32.680 --> 02:21:34.479
half a tank all the way down to the big201102:21:34.559 --> 02:21:37.399
e fast. Hopefully we'll be able to get to the mall.201202:21:38.319 --> 02:21:41.799
Then I'm having second thoughts. I didn't think this through.201302:21:42.559 --> 02:21:47.959
Maybe the mall's ravaged too. Everything's probably ravaged, Bailey, Ariel says,201402:21:48.440 --> 02:21:50.360
But we have to try and look for someplace that201502:21:50.399 --> 02:21:53.639
has power. In fact, I think I have an idea.201602:21:54.280 --> 02:21:57.000
Ariel explains that the hardware store in the mall should201702:21:57.040 --> 02:22:00.000
have gasoline power generators. All we have to do is201802:22:00.280 --> 02:22:02.959
find one. Then we would siphon the gas out of201902:22:03.000 --> 02:22:05.600
the cars at the mall and power it from there.202002:22:05.680 --> 02:22:08.120
We find a TV, hook up the Blu ray player,202102:22:08.440 --> 02:22:12.639
and then we're back home. That'll be easier said than done.202202:22:13.000 --> 02:22:15.399
I say, but what else is there?202302:22:16.799 --> 02:22:20.479
Don't go away? Weekly Spooky will be right back.202402:22:22.920 --> 02:22:26.120
Mouse keeps the car going. Ariel and I are still202502:22:26.159 --> 02:22:29.520
seeing the bats flapping after us. We have to get202602:22:29.520 --> 02:22:32.200
them off our backs if we're gonna make your plan work, Ariel,202702:22:32.920 --> 02:22:36.360
Mouse has something. I got an idea for that. When202802:22:36.399 --> 02:22:38.399
we get to the mall, I'll drive around to the202902:22:38.479 --> 02:22:42.319
under mall parking garage. I won't pull inside, though, I'll203002:22:42.399 --> 02:22:45.159
drop you three off there, and then hopefully the vamps203102:22:45.159 --> 02:22:48.040
will keep following me. How will you make it back?203202:22:48.319 --> 02:22:52.040
I ask, we can't go home without you. Let me203302:22:52.120 --> 02:22:55.280
worry about that. You guys work on getting Ariel's planned203402:22:55.280 --> 02:22:59.200
to work. I put my hand on Mouse's shoulder. You203502:22:59.360 --> 02:23:02.399
just make sure you get back to us and try203602:23:02.440 --> 02:23:06.399
not to get vamped or eaten. Mona adds, Hey, I203702:23:06.479 --> 02:23:08.799
want to go back home too. We all got something203802:23:08.840 --> 02:23:12.159
to return to, right, Trust me, I'll make it back,203902:23:12.639 --> 02:23:16.600
Mouse promises. Ariel takes a deep breath, then she just204002:23:16.639 --> 02:23:20.280
says it. Carter Cross asked me out last weekend when204102:23:20.280 --> 02:23:23.200
we were at the mall. I never did give him204202:23:23.200 --> 02:23:28.920
an answer. I turned to her seriously. Mona turns around,204302:23:29.520 --> 02:23:33.520
no way, Then she bumps Mouse's shoulder. Did you know204402:23:34.159 --> 02:23:36.840
you and Carter are bfs? I know you tell each204502:23:36.840 --> 02:23:42.920
other everything. Mouse shakes her head. Uh nope, but it's204602:23:42.959 --> 02:23:45.399
no secret in our group that Carter and Ariel like204702:23:45.440 --> 02:23:50.360
each other. I hate you, Mouse, Ariel growls. Mouse shrugs.204802:23:50.920 --> 02:23:55.200
I'm just saying. Ariel bows her head, looking sad. I'm204902:23:55.239 --> 02:23:57.559
just wishing I would have told him i'd go out205002:23:57.600 --> 02:24:01.000
with him. She raises her head. That's why I want205102:24:01.000 --> 02:24:04.239
to make it and get back home. I'm sure you girls,205202:24:04.239 --> 02:24:08.360
have something to return to too, my family. I quickly say,205302:24:08.959 --> 02:24:12.479
Denoyer's grill. Mona gushes, I don't want to be stuck205402:24:12.520 --> 02:24:16.360
here in some vampire universe and no Denoyer's grill or205502:24:16.360 --> 02:24:19.959
no coffee. Mouse adds, I think it's safe to say205602:24:20.319 --> 02:24:23.319
we all loved our lives in Strickfield before this happened.205702:24:23.559 --> 02:24:27.440
I say, then a thought, Did you make it out205802:24:27.479 --> 02:24:30.879
this way when you were here last Mouse? Nope, we205902:24:31.000 --> 02:24:33.799
got as far as Strickfield Academy. Wish I could tell206002:24:33.799 --> 02:24:37.000
you more than what I already know. Okay, we're here.206102:24:37.799 --> 02:24:41.079
Turn it in. Mouse turns us into a mall entrance206202:24:41.120 --> 02:24:45.239
and floors it, making sure she shifts when she needs to. Wow,206302:24:45.639 --> 02:24:47.920
I can't believe little Mouse learned to drive playing all206402:24:47.959 --> 02:24:51.840
those racing video games. Honestly, I thought she was an206502:24:51.879 --> 02:24:54.280
odd ball when Ariel invited her to join our group.206602:24:55.000 --> 02:24:57.879
Mona and I didn't like her for the longest time. However,206702:24:58.399 --> 02:25:01.200
Mouse grows on you after a while. Well, I'm just206802:25:01.239 --> 02:25:04.319
glad she's with us right now. She's the reason we're206902:25:04.360 --> 02:25:09.120
all still alive. Get ready, Mouse tells us. Mouse drifts207002:25:09.200 --> 02:25:11.520
us again as we round the mall and head for207102:25:11.559 --> 02:25:14.959
the under Mall parking garage. Before we get there, she207202:25:15.079 --> 02:25:18.840
hits the brakes and swerves to a stop. Go Mouse207302:25:18.920 --> 02:25:21.559
belts out. Ariel, Mona and I quickly get out of207402:25:21.600 --> 02:25:24.879
the car. After we slam the doors shut. Ariel belts207502:25:24.920 --> 02:25:28.559
back at Mouse. Go Mouse floors it. As we're in207602:25:28.600 --> 02:25:31.200
the garage and hiding out of sight, the bats are207702:25:31.200 --> 02:25:34.280
flying after mouse. I just hope they don't see the207802:25:34.319 --> 02:25:36.799
three of us ain't in the car with her. Even207902:25:36.879 --> 02:25:44.239
more so, I hope they don't get mouse perspective. Mona abels.208002:25:45.319 --> 02:25:47.920
The three of us wait for a little bit. We208102:25:47.959 --> 02:25:51.600
ain't seeing no vamps in the sky. I think we're good.208202:25:52.159 --> 02:25:55.280
They're all after mouse. We better get a move on,208302:25:55.559 --> 02:25:59.000
Bailey says. We may be unborrowed. Time as it is.208402:26:00.120 --> 02:26:02.840
Walk in the under Mall parking garage and come to208502:26:02.879 --> 02:26:03.680
the mall entrance.208602:26:03.760 --> 02:26:04.000
There.208702:26:04.680 --> 02:26:07.440
The doors are ripped right off, so no worries on208802:26:07.479 --> 02:26:10.479
whether that entrance was locked or not. We walk the208902:26:10.559 --> 02:26:13.280
corridor and go up the steps. Soon we're in the209002:26:13.280 --> 02:26:17.040
food court, coming out at the double doors besides Scotto's Pizza.209102:26:17.879 --> 02:26:20.399
Even though it's dark all through the mall, we can209202:26:20.440 --> 02:26:23.760
see enough to see there are Christmas decorations all over209302:26:23.760 --> 02:26:28.000
the place. There's tinsel hanging off the ceilings, fully decorated209402:26:28.079 --> 02:26:32.600
Christmas trees spread out, animatronic scenes though they're not working209502:26:32.719 --> 02:26:36.399
with no electricity. And there's the Santa's House not too209602:26:36.479 --> 02:26:39.760
far from where we are. So Almo's hardware is down209702:26:39.760 --> 02:26:40.159
by J C.209802:26:40.360 --> 02:26:40.719
Penny.209902:26:41.000 --> 02:26:45.600
Ariel says, oh, I sure, hope, so I groan, what210002:26:45.639 --> 02:26:49.040
do you mean? Aerial demands Mouse said, We're in a210102:26:49.079 --> 02:26:52.120
parallel universe, right, How do we know things are going210202:26:52.159 --> 02:26:53.600
to be the same here as back home?210302:26:54.000 --> 02:26:54.520
I state.210402:26:55.760 --> 02:26:59.040
She's got a point, Bailey tells Ariel, but we still210502:26:59.040 --> 02:27:03.239
need to check mona. Ariel takes a deep breath. Okay,210602:27:03.639 --> 02:27:06.239
I'm going to head out and look around. I'll signal210702:27:06.280 --> 02:27:10.280
when the coast is clear. We should just go out together.210802:27:10.639 --> 02:27:17.120
Bailey counters, you know, safety in numbers. Okay, fine, Ariel replies,210902:27:17.639 --> 02:27:21.680
come on. We start walking away from Scotto's Pizza. We211002:27:21.719 --> 02:27:24.120
can see the malls wrecked, but it doesn't look all211102:27:24.120 --> 02:27:27.159
that bad. I mean, the gates look messed up, and211202:27:27.239 --> 02:27:29.840
some of the store signs are damaged. I don't know,211302:27:29.920 --> 02:27:32.600
it's like someone's gone to lengths to try to make211402:27:32.639 --> 02:27:37.600
this mall look nice again. Then I have a gut211502:27:37.639 --> 02:27:42.239
feeling you guys, I don't think we're alone in here,211602:27:42.760 --> 02:27:46.680
I tell them, then explain why I don't look for211702:27:46.760 --> 02:27:51.719
this to be easy. Ariel agrees. Look out. Bailey suddenly shrieks.211802:27:52.040 --> 02:27:54.479
We see someone flying right at us, and quickly get211902:27:54.520 --> 02:27:58.399
out of the way. How dare you come into my mall?212002:27:58.959 --> 02:28:01.799
Of voice roars be behind us. Then we make the212102:28:01.879 --> 02:28:06.040
mistake of stopping and looking behind us. It's Harmony, Miron,212202:28:06.520 --> 02:28:12.040
my cousin. Ariel gasps. She owns this mall, your cousin,212302:28:12.440 --> 02:28:15.520
I ask the one who had you hanging decorations here212402:28:15.600 --> 02:28:20.799
last weekend. Ariel nods quickly, yeah, except she wasn't all212502:28:20.920 --> 02:28:25.600
vamped out like this Harmony is. Then Harmony sniffs our way.212602:28:26.000 --> 02:28:29.079
Her human face suddenly shifts into one that looks like212702:28:29.120 --> 02:28:35.280
the Joker, only with lots and lots of sharp teeth food.212802:28:36.440 --> 02:28:39.120
I'm ready to turn and run, but Ariel quickly stops me.212902:28:39.719 --> 02:28:43.360
We can't outrun her. Use your head or better yet,213002:28:43.920 --> 02:28:47.479
Ariel pulls out her cross that mousemade just as Harmony's213102:28:47.520 --> 02:28:50.959
flying our way. She shrieks and suddenly drops to the floor.213202:28:51.479 --> 02:28:55.040
Bailey and I join her and keep Harmony down start213302:28:55.079 --> 02:28:59.200
walking back. Ariel tells us. We do what Ariel says213402:28:59.239 --> 02:29:01.079
and start moving in the direction of J. C.213502:29:01.239 --> 02:29:01.600
Penny.213602:29:02.239 --> 02:29:06.840
Harmony gets back to her feet, but advances very slowly.213702:29:07.920 --> 02:29:10.440
You really think you're going to be safe from me,213802:29:11.159 --> 02:29:14.799
Harmony hisses. The last mortals who came into my mall213902:29:15.399 --> 02:29:20.280
made a very tasty candlelit dinner. She points a very214002:29:20.360 --> 02:29:23.879
long finger at us. I think I'll have you three214102:29:24.360 --> 02:29:29.959
by candlelight as well. She laughs, a horrible laughter, especially214202:29:30.040 --> 02:29:35.239
since today is Christmas. Yeah, we don't plan on staying.214302:29:35.600 --> 02:29:40.040
Bailey tells her, I don't care about your plans. Harmony yells,214402:29:40.399 --> 02:29:43.520
I only care about my home. Here at my mall,214502:29:44.040 --> 02:29:47.280
other vampires and mortals tried to take what was mine,214602:29:47.399 --> 02:29:51.200
but I showed them the error of their ways. Nobody214702:29:51.319 --> 02:29:56.319
takes what's mine. Nobody. Oh, We're not here to take214802:29:56.360 --> 02:30:00.319
anything from you, Ariel says. We actually just want to214902:30:00.399 --> 02:30:03.959
visit your beautiful mall, dear cousin, and I must say215002:30:04.000 --> 02:30:08.840
you've done very well with the Christmas decorations. Harmony growls215102:30:08.879 --> 02:30:12.799
a dangerous growl. Then she howls at us. The next215202:30:12.840 --> 02:30:17.040
thing we know she's suddenly gone. Help she's got me.215302:30:17.639 --> 02:30:21.840
Oh no, she warped right behind Bailey. Harmony suddenly pulls215402:30:21.840 --> 02:30:25.600
Bailey to her and leaps back with her. Drop those crosses,215502:30:25.719 --> 02:30:28.840
or I promise you I'll drink this one up for215602:30:28.959 --> 02:30:34.239
some early Christmas Day punch right here. And now, don't215702:30:34.280 --> 02:30:39.000
do it. Bailey yells, she'll drink me anyway. Ariel holds215802:30:39.000 --> 02:30:42.600
out her hand. Just stop, Harmony. We're not here to215902:30:42.639 --> 02:30:45.799
take anything from your mall. We just want to go home,216002:30:46.440 --> 02:30:48.440
but we need a few things in your mall to216102:30:48.479 --> 02:30:52.159
help us get there. Then Ariel moves her arm around216202:30:53.319 --> 02:30:56.479
like I said, you've really made this place look great.216302:30:56.520 --> 02:31:01.879
I mean, your Christmas decorations are so lovely. She raises216402:31:01.920 --> 02:31:05.959
her finger. But what if we could really brighten up216502:31:06.000 --> 02:31:08.479
the place? I mean, what if we could light up216602:31:08.520 --> 02:31:12.840
the Christmas trees and stuff. Harmony growls again. Then she216702:31:12.959 --> 02:31:16.559
grabs Bailey's head and cocks it to expose her neck.216802:31:17.159 --> 02:31:21.200
She raises her head ready to lower it to bite her.216902:31:22.000 --> 02:31:26.840
Stop what do you want, Harmony, Ariel cries, I already217002:31:26.879 --> 02:31:33.760
have you. You are mortals. You are food, Harmony yells, and217102:31:33.840 --> 02:31:39.159
today you are Christmas dinner A sh it.217202:31:39.200 --> 02:31:43.399
Was only the wind. You're safe, weekly spooky. We'll be217302:31:43.559 --> 02:31:44.159
right back.217402:31:45.520 --> 02:31:49.959
Ariel puts her cross down. Okay, look, see no cross.217502:31:50.440 --> 02:31:53.520
Now I'm going to come to you. I'll switch places217602:31:53.520 --> 02:31:58.719
with Bailey. Okay, then you can have me. Suddenly, Harmony217702:31:58.760 --> 02:32:03.559
appears right behind Airy and snatches her up. Weren't you listening, Mortal?217802:32:04.360 --> 02:32:08.360
I already have you. She points right at me, as217902:32:08.360 --> 02:32:12.639
for your pathetic crosses. My cross suddenly catches fire. I218002:32:12.760 --> 02:32:15.360
cry out and drop it. The other crosses are on218102:32:15.440 --> 02:32:20.239
fire too. Harmony moves her mouth to Ariel's ear, and218202:32:20.360 --> 02:32:24.280
exactly how will you light up my Christmas display when218302:32:24.319 --> 02:32:28.360
there's no power? She seems to calm down a little bit.218402:32:29.440 --> 02:32:33.360
I would love to see Christmas lights one more time.218502:32:34.200 --> 02:32:38.719
There hasn't been a Christmas since the plague came years ago.218602:32:39.520 --> 02:32:42.600
I'm so very hungry, but I would forsake my hunger218702:32:43.719 --> 02:32:47.600
just to see my mal brightly lit for Christmas one218802:32:47.639 --> 02:32:53.280
more time. We can talk, then, Ariel asks Harmony, lets218902:32:53.280 --> 02:32:57.200
her go, then morphs her face back to normal. I219002:32:57.239 --> 02:33:00.680
would hear you. She points to a table food cord.219102:33:01.440 --> 02:33:01.680
Sit.219202:33:02.840 --> 02:33:05.799
We reluctantly move to the table and sit with Harmony.219302:33:06.239 --> 02:33:10.399
As Ariel's digging into her backpack, Harmony quickly snatches her wrist.219402:33:11.079 --> 02:33:14.719
Do not try and trick me, and especially do not219502:33:14.959 --> 02:33:19.959
play on my generosity. Ariel pulls out a coke. I219602:33:20.120 --> 02:33:25.000
just needed something to drink. Harmony nods. After Ariel has219702:33:25.040 --> 02:33:28.440
her drink, she explains to Harmony that we can't get219802:33:28.479 --> 02:33:33.000
the power back on completely. However, if Solmo's Hardware still219902:33:33.040 --> 02:33:36.680
has a gas power generator, we can siphon gas from220002:33:36.680 --> 02:33:39.840
the cars. Then we can connect extension cords to the220102:33:39.879 --> 02:33:43.200
Christmas trees and the animatronics to get them working at220202:33:43.319 --> 02:33:50.000
least for a little while. Harmony considers Ariel, then she says,220302:33:51.600 --> 02:33:55.280
my parents were too greedy to install backup generators when220402:33:55.280 --> 02:33:58.200
they built this mall. I wish I'd have thought to220502:33:58.239 --> 02:34:02.799
correct that mistake in life. Okay, I'll take you to220602:34:02.840 --> 02:34:08.959
Solmo's Hardware. One wrong move and it's dinner time. I220702:34:09.040 --> 02:34:13.440
won't worry about Christmas Day candlelight. We leave the food220802:34:13.479 --> 02:34:17.479
court and walk to the hardware store. Using our smartphone lights.220902:34:17.520 --> 02:34:21.000
We look around until we find what we're looking for221002:34:22.360 --> 02:34:27.840
perspective aerial mirror. We find only four gas power generators221102:34:28.120 --> 02:34:31.079
still in the box. We're probably not going to be221202:34:31.159 --> 02:34:33.879
able to light up your whole mall, Harmony, I just221302:34:33.959 --> 02:34:37.600
want the Christmas lights, the big tree, and the displays221402:34:37.639 --> 02:34:41.959
around the food court powered, Harmony replies. I point to Mona,221502:34:42.639 --> 02:34:46.239
grab all the extension chords. I point to Bailey, gas221602:34:46.239 --> 02:34:49.440
cans and a rubber hose to siphon the fuel. Harmony221702:34:49.440 --> 02:34:51.719
and I start ripping open the boxes and getting the221802:34:51.760 --> 02:34:56.520
generators ready. When my girls return, we talk. I piled221902:34:56.600 --> 02:34:59.719
up all the extension chords at the store's entrance. Mona says.222002:35:00.600 --> 02:35:02.559
I also piled up as many gas cans as I222102:35:02.559 --> 02:35:07.440
could find, which wasn't much. Bailey adds, then she glares222202:35:07.479 --> 02:35:10.680
at me. I suppose Mona and I get to siphon222302:35:10.719 --> 02:35:14.360
the gas. Now I get where Bailey's coming from. No,222402:35:15.280 --> 02:35:17.639
I'll go out and do it. We don't have time222502:35:17.639 --> 02:35:21.879
for this. Bailey quickly puts a hand on my shoulder. No,222602:35:22.840 --> 02:35:26.040
you're right, I'm sorry. Go get the generators in the222702:35:26.040 --> 02:35:29.079
extension cords set up. I'll go out and get the gas.222802:35:29.399 --> 02:35:32.719
I ain't letting you go out there by yourself. Mona snaps,222902:35:33.159 --> 02:35:36.760
you know what, Let's all go get the gas. I suggest,223002:35:37.159 --> 02:35:38.879
at least it'll be one thing we won't have to223102:35:38.920 --> 02:35:44.280
do later. Harmony suddenly appears. Do not even think about escaping.223202:35:44.719 --> 02:35:48.040
I am too resolved for things such as that. I223302:35:48.159 --> 02:35:50.799
tell Harmony, we're just going down to the parking garage223402:35:50.799 --> 02:35:54.159
to siphon gas from the cars there. Maybe you could223502:35:54.159 --> 02:35:56.680
come with us. You can say we're your slaves if223602:35:56.680 --> 02:36:00.360
any other vampires show up. When she's still not sure sure,223702:36:00.399 --> 02:36:04.159
I groan Harmony, come on, where are we going to go?223802:36:05.000 --> 02:36:08.440
Harmony accompanies us to the parking garage and watches us223902:36:08.440 --> 02:36:12.399
fill the gas cans. Since she doesn't breathe, she can't224002:36:12.479 --> 02:36:16.000
really help us. She can warp the cans back into224102:36:16.000 --> 02:36:18.559
the mall and bring us more to fill, until we224202:36:18.680 --> 02:36:22.120
filled every single container we were able to find. All224302:36:22.120 --> 02:36:24.120
I have to say is that mouse better still be224402:36:24.200 --> 02:36:29.040
making tracks. Yuck. I'll never get that taste of gasoline224502:36:29.079 --> 02:36:32.399
out of my mouth. Eugh. We go back into the224602:36:32.440 --> 02:36:35.319
mall and work to connect as many extension cords as224702:36:35.319 --> 02:36:38.559
we can to the generators to show Harmony my plan224802:36:38.680 --> 02:36:41.639
will work. We gas up a generator and plug some224902:36:41.719 --> 02:36:45.319
stuff in. I fire it up. You should have seen225002:36:45.479 --> 02:36:48.879
the bright smile on Harmony's face when she sees a225102:36:48.879 --> 02:36:52.680
few Christmas trees and some lights, and a few animatronic225202:36:52.760 --> 02:36:56.040
displays come to life. Then the big tree and the225302:36:56.040 --> 02:37:02.120
Santa House lights burst into life. Yes, Harmony breathes like225402:37:02.200 --> 02:37:05.879
she's a little girl seeing her first Christmas all over again.225502:37:06.920 --> 02:37:09.360
It takes us some more time, but we get everything.225602:37:09.399 --> 02:37:12.639
We're able to get hooked up connected. When the generators225702:37:12.680 --> 02:37:17.360
are all running, Harmony's very happy. At one point, she's225802:37:17.440 --> 02:37:20.079
kneeling down in front of the very big Christmas tree225902:37:20.079 --> 02:37:23.760
next to Santa's House. For the record, this tree is226002:37:23.920 --> 02:37:27.799
not in our mall back home, unless our Harmony put226102:37:27.799 --> 02:37:29.879
it in just after she banned us all from the226202:37:29.920 --> 02:37:34.479
mall last weekend. It surprises me that this particular vampire226302:37:34.879 --> 02:37:38.799
seems more interested in Christmas than in drinking our blood.226402:37:38.840 --> 02:37:42.520
I mean, you should see how Harmony's eyes are glowing,226502:37:43.479 --> 02:37:47.440
not literally glowing. I mean, I don't know. Christmas must226602:37:47.479 --> 02:37:53.159
hold some special value in her undead heart somewhere. If226702:37:53.200 --> 02:37:57.040
our Harmony holds Christmas in the same regard, she certainly226802:37:57.120 --> 02:38:00.680
never showed it the way this one does. It's been226902:38:00.879 --> 02:38:06.000
so very long, she whispers. It feels like I've waited227002:38:06.040 --> 02:38:11.280
a lifetime just to experience Christmas Day like this again.227102:38:12.399 --> 02:38:15.959
She slowly turns to look at me, and many of227202:38:16.040 --> 02:38:19.760
us died so long ago when we were suddenly turned227302:38:19.799 --> 02:38:27.280
into vampires. Mona and Bailey slowly approach. Is everything okay?227402:38:28.079 --> 02:38:32.000
Mona asks? We got all we could started up for you.227502:38:32.079 --> 02:38:36.280
Harmony Bailey ads sorry, we couldn't get it all working.227602:38:37.000 --> 02:38:42.920
We just didn't have enough generators. Harmony stands up. Now227702:38:42.959 --> 02:38:48.440
she's crying human tears. I heard the ones back home227802:38:48.559 --> 02:38:53.280
cried blood. Anyway, I never thought vampires were even capable227902:38:53.319 --> 02:38:57.239
of crying. Of course, I recall meeting my first real228002:38:57.319 --> 02:39:02.079
vampire last weekend. Puts gentle hands on both Mona and228102:39:02.120 --> 02:39:07.920
Bailey's shoulders. You gave me enough, then I have a228202:39:07.920 --> 02:39:08.760
burning question.228302:39:10.680 --> 02:39:11.040
Do you.228402:39:12.840 --> 02:39:18.559
Who did this to you? Harmony's still crying softly. I228502:39:18.600 --> 02:39:22.200
can't say for sure how it all began, but I228602:39:22.280 --> 02:39:27.360
do know our esteemed mayor was heavily involved. Mayor Patrick228702:39:27.440 --> 02:39:30.360
Gunter and a few of his converts tried to take228802:39:30.399 --> 02:39:35.760
my mall, but I drove them out. Before Harmony can228902:39:35.799 --> 02:39:40.600
finish her story, we hear fluttering noises coming. Harmony hisses229002:39:40.639 --> 02:39:44.879
in the direction and looks at us. It's Mayor Gunter again.229102:39:45.239 --> 02:39:47.559
He and his army must know you three are in here.229202:39:47.959 --> 02:39:52.760
She says, you are my Christmas dinner mine. He can't229302:39:52.799 --> 02:39:57.440
have you. Mona gulps. You're still gonna kill us after229402:39:57.479 --> 02:40:01.239
what we did for you. Harmony vam out again, making229502:40:01.280 --> 02:40:06.440
a shriek and raises her claws. He can't have you.229602:40:07.520 --> 02:40:11.799
She snatches up Bailey. You belong to me now, she229702:40:12.000 --> 02:40:15.920
sounds really crazy. I quickly reach into my pack and229802:40:16.000 --> 02:40:18.159
slap one of the Holy Wafers on the back of229902:40:18.159 --> 02:40:22.799
my hand. Harmony shrieks, causing her to drop Bailey. Then230002:40:22.879 --> 02:40:25.200
she holds her hand as she falls to her knees230102:40:25.600 --> 02:40:30.360
and cries again. I hate being this way, she chokes out.230202:40:31.079 --> 02:40:34.319
I've consumed so many mortals just to satisfy my never230302:40:34.399 --> 02:40:37.520
ending hunger. I hate being so hungry all the time.230402:40:37.719 --> 02:40:41.879
I hate that it drives me to this insanity. I230502:40:41.959 --> 02:40:47.120
don't want to kill you, but I'm so very hungry.230602:40:47.840 --> 02:40:51.200
You won't have the chance to satisfy your hunger, Harmony mirror.230702:40:51.920 --> 02:40:55.280
A new voice calls out. We all turn and face230802:40:55.399 --> 02:40:58.959
Mayor Patrick Gunter and his Army of the living Dead.230902:41:00.079 --> 02:41:02.840
I think it's safe to say We've never been so231002:41:03.000 --> 02:41:06.959
scared in all our lives. Mona quickly leans in and231102:41:07.000 --> 02:41:10.559
whispers that the Blu ray player is set up and ready.231202:41:11.239 --> 02:41:13.520
Then Bailey nods to one of the monitors in the231302:41:13.520 --> 02:41:17.680
food court. The movie Doorway to Horror is playing.231402:41:17.719 --> 02:41:18.000
Now.231502:41:18.719 --> 02:41:21.719
Soon we may be able to return home. But now231602:41:21.760 --> 02:41:27.719
I'm feeling despair, just like Harmony Mouse, I choke out.231702:41:28.399 --> 02:41:31.239
We can't leave her here, We can't, you guys, she's231802:41:31.280 --> 02:41:35.639
our friend, she's one of us. Bailey nods quickly, but231902:41:35.680 --> 02:41:38.799
Mona doesn't look so sure. I'm ready to smack her232002:41:38.879 --> 02:41:41.799
arm and tell her to just grow up, but then232102:41:42.440 --> 02:41:45.959
she explains her Look, if Mouse was gonna find her232202:41:46.000 --> 02:41:49.159
way back here, she would have done it already, right,232302:41:50.120 --> 02:41:54.520
Mona shakes her head. Those vamps probably got her.232402:41:55.799 --> 02:41:59.760
You're not safe yet, weekly Spooky will be right back.232502:42:02.159 --> 02:42:04.239
Don't you think Mouse would want us to go back.232602:42:04.920 --> 02:42:07.600
That's why she dropped us off here and sped off herself.232702:42:08.600 --> 02:42:12.600
Mayor Gunter points right at us, You foolish children. Think232802:42:12.639 --> 02:42:15.559
I can't hear what you're saying. You will end that232902:42:15.680 --> 02:42:20.559
movie immediately. He waves his hand. Two of his vampires233002:42:20.559 --> 02:42:25.479
bring Mouse out. No, these vampires were the bats chasing us?233102:42:26.239 --> 02:42:30.040
They did catch up to Mouse. What happened to you?233202:42:30.639 --> 02:42:35.159
I ask her? Car ran out of gas? She mutters,233302:42:35.680 --> 02:42:38.000
I said the gas gage was busted. I was hoping233402:42:38.360 --> 02:42:40.399
he got away and made it back home. By now,233502:42:41.319 --> 02:42:44.879
Mayor Gunter suddenly grabs Mouse and lifts her up to him.233602:42:45.639 --> 02:42:48.559
You will stop the movie now, or I satisfy my233702:42:48.639 --> 02:42:56.479
hunger with this little morsel. Decide fast. I quickly raise233802:42:56.559 --> 02:42:59.840
my hands out in front of me. Okay, okay, stop,233902:43:01.000 --> 02:43:10.040
we surrender perspective. Bailey downs. Mayor Gunter's still holding Mouse234002:43:10.120 --> 02:43:12.639
up to him. He arches her neck and is ready234102:43:12.639 --> 02:43:17.000
to bite her. No way, Mona sneers, I ain't giving234202:43:17.079 --> 02:43:19.760
myself up for a little rodent. Go ahead and eat her.234302:43:20.159 --> 02:43:22.760
Look at her, Mayor, just look at her. There ain't234402:43:22.799 --> 02:43:26.000
no meat on her bones. She won't have nearly enough234502:43:26.000 --> 02:43:29.120
blood to satisfy you. She probably don't even have half234602:43:29.120 --> 02:43:32.319
the blood the rest of us have. Bailey turns to her,234702:43:33.159 --> 02:43:37.680
what are you doing? Mona ignores her. Don't you see?234802:43:38.239 --> 02:43:42.159
She's just a troublesome little rodent. She don't belong with us,234902:43:42.440 --> 02:43:45.120
she never did, so go ahead, put her out of235002:43:45.120 --> 02:43:49.280
her misery. Mouse tightens her jaw and glares right at Mona.235102:43:50.120 --> 02:43:54.600
She doesn't say anything, but if looks could kill, I235202:43:54.639 --> 02:43:56.719
think this is as close to madd as I've ever235302:43:56.760 --> 02:44:00.479
seen little Madeline Donnerly get. Then I see the first235402:44:00.520 --> 02:44:04.280
signs of flickering near the TV and see what looks235502:44:04.399 --> 02:44:10.200
like a portal starting to form. Mayor Gunter roars with anger.235602:44:10.920 --> 02:44:13.840
I sent that disk to your universe and hope one235702:44:13.879 --> 02:44:17.079
of you mortals would find it and bring more food235802:44:17.200 --> 02:44:22.000
back to us, proving our latest experiment to success. But235902:44:22.159 --> 02:44:26.000
none of you were returning to your universe last time.236002:44:26.559 --> 02:44:29.680
Stop playing the movie, or I make a quick snack236102:44:29.719 --> 02:44:33.760
out of your friend here, then I'll claim the rest236202:44:34.879 --> 02:44:39.079
take her. Then Mona goads him on. Then she tells Mouse,236302:44:39.879 --> 02:44:42.920
I never did like you. Now I'll finally be rid236402:44:42.959 --> 02:44:45.479
of you. In fact, why don't you have a drink236502:44:45.520 --> 02:44:49.879
of this before you become vampire chow. Mona throws Mouse236602:44:49.920 --> 02:44:54.559
a bottle of water. Then my spirit lifts, Mouse, catches236702:44:54.600 --> 02:44:57.440
the bottle and quickly opens it. She splashes the water236802:44:57.520 --> 02:45:00.920
in Mayor Gunter's face, which sizzles and burn earns immediately236902:45:01.399 --> 02:45:05.000
Once he drops Mouse, she immediately comes to us. He237002:45:05.120 --> 02:45:09.799
really had me going there. Mouse tells Mona, what, oops,237102:45:10.239 --> 02:45:14.200
I guess I gave you the wrong bottle. Mona snaps, yeah.237202:45:14.399 --> 02:45:17.120
Mona never likes to show how she really feels to Mouse.237302:45:17.239 --> 02:45:20.760
But Mona's not moving to shove Mouse back to the vampires,237402:45:20.799 --> 02:45:24.399
so I know she truly meant to save her. I237502:45:24.479 --> 02:45:28.440
do know. My best friend, Mayor Gunter, points to all237602:45:28.479 --> 02:45:33.840
of us kill them. Then he really vamps out. I mean,237702:45:34.200 --> 02:45:36.319
if this is a head vampire and he's got an237802:45:36.399 --> 02:45:40.559
ultimate form, this must be it. He's much bigger now,237902:45:40.639 --> 02:45:45.239
he looks much uglier. He looks like a scary bat238002:45:45.399 --> 02:45:49.280
like creature, but with clothes on. He turns and focuses238102:45:49.319 --> 02:45:51.959
on the movie. The portal's not ready yet, but if238202:45:52.000 --> 02:45:55.600
he destroys the TV or the player, we're never going home.238302:45:56.360 --> 02:45:59.200
I'm pulling out my holy water and wafers and am238402:45:59.239 --> 02:46:02.440
ready to make a last stand. Ariel sees what I'm238502:46:02.440 --> 02:46:05.760
doing and is joining me. Just as Mona's digging into238602:46:05.760 --> 02:46:10.360
her pack, Harmony Miron suddenly flies right onto Mayor Gunter's back.238702:46:10.760 --> 02:46:15.120
She's clawing with rage at him. Unfortunately, Harmony's just too238802:46:15.200 --> 02:46:18.680
small and not merely powerful enough to win against Mayor Gunter.238902:46:19.520 --> 02:46:23.360
Now he's holding her up by her throat. Winning the239002:46:23.399 --> 02:46:29.319
office of mayor was so easy, he brags, bringing this239102:46:29.440 --> 02:46:35.639
vampire existence to our world was even easier. But destroying you,239202:46:37.440 --> 02:46:40.959
I'm going to enjoy this. You have been nothing but239302:46:41.040 --> 02:46:44.440
a thorn in my side. Harmony, Miren. You fought to239402:46:44.520 --> 02:46:47.319
keep me out of office. You even failed to stop239502:46:47.360 --> 02:46:51.479
me from conquering this world, and you will fail to239602:46:51.680 --> 02:46:56.600
save your new friends. But suddenly, Harmony's face starts to burn.239702:46:57.600 --> 02:47:03.120
What gives? Then her practically irrupts when she blasts something239802:47:03.159 --> 02:47:09.479
into his face. Holy yeah, that's it, holy water. She239902:47:09.559 --> 02:47:12.360
must have found our bottles in our packs, and she's240002:47:12.479 --> 02:47:15.760
really trying to help us get home. Mayor Gunter and240102:47:15.799 --> 02:47:20.040
Harmony both fall. Harmony's face looks just awful, but you240202:47:20.079 --> 02:47:24.280
should see Mayor Gunter, Harmony got him good. Now the240302:47:24.319 --> 02:47:27.600
other vampires start coming at us. Just as the portal240402:47:27.680 --> 02:47:31.239
is finally open, Harmony forces herself to her feet. Now240502:47:31.920 --> 02:47:35.879
she looks just hideous. I don't think she's going to240602:47:35.920 --> 02:47:39.319
heal up from this. She grabs us and turns us240702:47:39.360 --> 02:47:42.879
to the portal. Get out of here, go back to240802:47:42.920 --> 02:47:48.680
your home. You live what about you. Ariel yells you'll240902:47:48.680 --> 02:47:52.360
die if you stay here. I can't come to your241002:47:52.440 --> 02:47:57.000
universe with you, Harmony tells her, anticipating what Ariel's thinking.241102:47:58.079 --> 02:48:02.600
I'm so tainted. I've devoured mortals before, and I'll only241202:48:02.639 --> 02:48:07.879
want to devour your people to satisfy my hunger. I'll241302:48:07.920 --> 02:48:11.159
stay here and see that you all get home safely.241402:48:12.440 --> 02:48:16.479
Go Now, the four of us turn and run to241502:48:16.520 --> 02:48:22.840
the portal. Harmony's pushing us along, move faster, closer, closer,241602:48:23.600 --> 02:48:27.959
so close, almost there. When we finally reach the portal,241702:48:28.319 --> 02:48:30.680
I'm wondering if this is going to truly take us241802:48:30.719 --> 02:48:34.159
back home or we'll end up in some other universe.241902:48:34.920 --> 02:48:38.479
I'll destroy the disc once you're through, Harmony promises us,242002:48:39.159 --> 02:48:43.319
thank you for giving me Christmas again, even if just242102:48:44.360 --> 02:48:48.760
for a few short minutes. Now I give you your242202:48:48.799 --> 02:48:56.040
freedom and return Merry Christmas. Before we can say anything242302:48:56.079 --> 02:48:59.040
in the way of thanks, Harmony grabs each of us242402:48:59.079 --> 02:49:03.239
with her vampires and shoves us through the portal. All242502:49:03.280 --> 02:49:07.440
we see are many flashes of different colored lights, kind242602:49:07.479 --> 02:49:10.559
of Christmasy. Before the four of us will find out242702:49:10.559 --> 02:49:18.479
if we made it home or not. Perspective Mona abels242802:49:19.040 --> 02:49:22.040
I gasp and suddenly sit up to see I'm in242902:49:22.120 --> 02:49:26.559
Ariel's living room. I'm seeing everybody else is awake now too.243002:49:27.680 --> 02:49:31.079
Bailey gets off her couch and comes to us. Are243102:49:31.120 --> 02:49:34.399
you guys all right? The rest of us nod quickly.243202:49:34.959 --> 02:49:38.440
There's enough light in here to tell it's probably morning.243302:49:39.239 --> 02:49:42.799
In fact, Ariel goes right to the curtains and opens them.243402:49:43.520 --> 02:49:47.200
Warm light comes in. Then Ariel goes right to Mouse.243502:49:47.799 --> 02:49:51.799
You weren't turned. Mouse shakes her head quickly. Once they243602:49:51.840 --> 02:49:54.200
got me, I really thought i'd had it. All I243702:49:54.239 --> 02:49:58.520
thought about was hoping you guys got home. Yeah, I'm lucky,243802:49:58.600 --> 02:50:02.760
all right. I actually surprised when Ariel pulls Mouse into243902:50:02.799 --> 02:50:06.319
her arms and hugs her. Then Mouse hugs her back.244002:50:07.440 --> 02:50:11.479
Eventually they come apart. I always wondered what Ariel saw244102:50:11.479 --> 02:50:16.239
in that wicked little rodent. I mean, she totally clashes244202:50:16.280 --> 02:50:20.040
with the rest of us. She's just a nerd. Seriously,244302:50:20.840 --> 02:50:24.559
why does Ariel like her so much? Mouse quickly picks244402:50:24.639 --> 02:50:28.680
up her smartphone. It's almost ten. The rest of us244502:50:28.719 --> 02:50:31.280
go to our phones. I can see my watch is244602:50:31.319 --> 02:50:35.000
working right again. Looks like we're really home, you guys,244702:50:35.559 --> 02:50:38.920
Bailey says, I can even feel how nice and warm244802:50:38.959 --> 02:50:41.520
it is here compared to when we woke up in244902:50:41.520 --> 02:50:48.239
that vampire universe. Then Mouse has a thought and checks something. Yep,245002:50:49.040 --> 02:50:51.360
looks like both your Blu ray player and that disc245102:50:51.440 --> 02:50:56.520
mona Brot are gone. Ariel, She sighs, I really don't245202:50:56.520 --> 02:51:00.360
care about that right now. Then she looks at her phone. Hey,245302:51:01.280 --> 02:51:04.440
it's not Christmas like it was there. We're still in245402:51:04.479 --> 02:51:07.319
the second weekend of December, like before we went to245502:51:07.360 --> 02:51:11.520
that other universe. Then she puts her phone down and245602:51:11.600 --> 02:51:14.799
claps her hands together. You guys don't have to come245702:51:14.799 --> 02:51:18.479
with me, but I'm going out to the mall, but245802:51:18.559 --> 02:51:23.000
we're banned from there. Mouse reminds her, I don't care, Mouse,245902:51:23.440 --> 02:51:29.280
I have to know. Mouse shrugs, okay, but I'm coming246002:51:29.360 --> 02:51:33.760
with you. Bailey and I decide to tag along too,246102:51:34.079 --> 02:51:40.239
like Ariel said, we gotta know. Ariel calls us an246202:51:40.360 --> 02:51:43.200
uber and takes us out to Strickfield Town Center Mall.246302:51:43.959 --> 02:51:46.600
Once we get dropped off, we waste no time going in.246402:51:47.399 --> 02:51:51.120
It's just like any other December weekend in Strickfield, packed246502:51:51.159 --> 02:51:55.600
with people and nearly every store filled and open. Our246602:51:55.680 --> 02:51:59.079
mall only gets like this around November and December. The246702:51:59.079 --> 02:52:02.680
rest of the year. There there are many vacancies. People246802:52:02.719 --> 02:52:05.360
sometimes say them all's going to close for good eventually,246902:52:06.000 --> 02:52:10.879
but it never does. Yeah, all the decorations are still up,247002:52:11.120 --> 02:52:14.520
Ariel says, looks like we really made it back home.247102:52:14.840 --> 02:52:19.239
Bailey replies, it's daylight and we never saw anybody burning247202:52:19.319 --> 02:52:23.239
up when they were outside. Then Ariel stops us. Hey,247302:52:24.000 --> 02:52:27.719
let's go into caffeine Junction for breakfast. My treat Mouse,247402:52:28.000 --> 02:52:30.799
I'm going to buy you the biggest coffee they got.247502:52:31.280 --> 02:52:34.319
Go on in you, guys. I think Ariel's just glad247602:52:34.360 --> 02:52:37.920
we're back home and we're all safe. True to her words,247702:52:37.959 --> 02:52:40.760
she lets us order whatever we want. When Bailey and247802:52:40.799 --> 02:52:43.879
Ariel both got their orders, they head off to a booth.247902:52:44.760 --> 02:52:46.799
Now it just leaves Mouse and me to wait for248002:52:46.879 --> 02:52:50.120
our stuff. Mouse kind of gives me a look that248102:52:50.239 --> 02:52:54.639
says she ain't sure about me. Just so you know,248202:52:55.440 --> 02:52:57.959
I wouldn't have really let you die back there. I248302:52:58.040 --> 02:53:01.760
tell her, I don't know what Ariels season you or248402:53:01.799 --> 02:53:04.959
what Bailey sees in you, but why do you hate248502:53:04.959 --> 02:53:05.520
me so much?248602:53:05.559 --> 02:53:05.879
Mona?248702:53:06.520 --> 02:53:11.200
Mouse asks, I don't hate you. I tell her, I248802:53:11.360 --> 02:53:14.360
just don't feel like you belong with us. You're just248902:53:14.440 --> 02:53:16.319
so so.249002:53:17.799 --> 02:53:18.159
Weird.249102:53:19.600 --> 02:53:22.879
Maybe to me you might be the weird one. She says,249202:53:23.440 --> 02:53:26.760
you ever thought about that? We just look at each other.249302:53:27.360 --> 02:53:32.280
When Ariel and Bailey ain't looking, I extend my hand. Truce.249402:53:33.360 --> 02:53:38.319
Mouse shakes my hand. Truce, I lean in and say,249502:53:38.520 --> 02:53:42.799
you say anything about this, and I'll deny it fair enough.249602:53:43.639 --> 02:53:46.159
When we get our food, we join the others at249702:53:46.200 --> 02:53:49.879
the booth. Surprisingly, we make it through the whole length249802:53:49.920 --> 02:53:54.000
of them all just after Ariel's called us another uber harmony.249902:53:54.040 --> 02:53:57.399
Miron is right there, She points to Ariel and Mouse.250002:53:58.159 --> 02:54:01.440
Last I checked. You two are banned from my mall.250102:54:01.920 --> 02:54:04.120
Tell me right now why I shouldn't bring you to250202:54:04.159 --> 02:54:08.000
my office and have you both arrested. Ariel and Mouse250302:54:08.079 --> 02:54:11.239
look at each other. Then Ariel digs into her purse250402:54:11.479 --> 02:54:14.479
and pulls out receipts. She hands them to her and says,250502:54:15.319 --> 02:54:17.440
because I wanted to treat my girls to some of250602:54:17.479 --> 02:54:20.920
your fine establishments. We all ended up having a near250702:54:20.959 --> 02:54:24.360
death experience, and I just wanted us to celebrate that250802:54:24.360 --> 02:54:28.680
we're still alive for another Christmas season. This mall has250902:54:28.719 --> 02:54:31.600
been our hangout place for a long time. You want251002:54:31.600 --> 02:54:34.520
to call the police. You go right ahead, but we251102:54:34.600 --> 02:54:38.520
didn't cause any trouble here. Besides, I thought you like251202:54:38.600 --> 02:54:42.959
the idea of people spending money at your mall. Harmony's251302:54:43.000 --> 02:54:47.840
still holding Ariel's receipts and keeps looking sour at us. Finally,251402:54:48.319 --> 02:54:53.040
she hands back the receipts. Okay, you two can come back,251502:54:53.440 --> 02:54:57.639
she says. Then she points sharply at them. You're on probation.251602:54:58.239 --> 02:55:01.000
In other words, if I ever seek cousin Stuart back251702:55:01.000 --> 02:55:03.639
in here with you again, you're all going to be251802:55:03.719 --> 02:55:09.159
permanently banned. Do we understand each other? We all quickly251902:55:09.239 --> 02:55:14.200
tell her we do. Then Harmony nods once. Okay, then,252002:55:14.680 --> 02:55:20.200
but remember, I'll be watching. Like Santa Claus, I'm always watching.252102:55:21.159 --> 02:55:23.920
Now that we have our arrangement out of my sight.252202:55:25.040 --> 02:55:28.639
I guess money really does talk, Ariel says, and snickers.252302:55:29.079 --> 02:55:33.040
When we're far enough away from Harmony. That means you252402:55:33.040 --> 02:55:37.000
ain't bringing Stuart here ever again. Mouse replies. Then I252502:55:37.120 --> 02:55:41.319
quickly smack Ariel's arm. What was that for, she demands?252602:55:42.159 --> 02:55:42.440
Look.252702:55:42.920 --> 02:55:45.719
I tell her. We see Ariel's mom and her aunt252802:55:45.760 --> 02:55:50.280
together with Stuart when they see us. Ariel's mom points252902:55:50.360 --> 02:55:54.840
right at her. Run you guys, Ariel yells, Aunt Margaret253002:55:54.879 --> 02:55:57.520
wants to hand Stuart off to me. We turn and253102:55:57.600 --> 02:56:00.239
run for all we're worth. Boy do we ever hear253202:56:00.280 --> 02:56:03.079
Ariel's mom and aunt yelling at her. We run straight253302:56:03.079 --> 02:56:06.120
past Harmony Miron and write out them all entrance. We253402:56:06.159 --> 02:56:08.120
could tell she was about to call out to us,253502:56:08.479 --> 02:56:11.719
but when she sees Ariel's mom and aunt and Stuart,253602:56:12.479 --> 02:56:15.920
she starts going off on both of them. Now as253702:56:15.920 --> 02:56:19.000
soon as we're outside, the ubers right there, we quickly253802:56:19.000 --> 02:56:23.200
climb in, go, Ariel orders him. As soon as the253902:56:23.280 --> 02:56:27.239
driver pulls away. That's when Ariel's mom and aunt are outside.254002:56:27.760 --> 02:56:30.840
Ariel rolls down her window and waves to them, have254102:56:30.959 --> 02:56:34.399
fun with Stuart, you two. Ariel's Mom's going to let254202:56:34.440 --> 02:56:37.159
her have it when they're both home later, but Ariel254302:56:37.200 --> 02:56:40.680
really doesn't care about that. Right now, we needed this,254402:56:40.799 --> 02:56:44.440
you guys, Ariel says, I know it's not quite the254502:56:44.520 --> 02:56:52.120
day yet, but after everything we've been through, well, Merry Christmas.254602:56:52.920 --> 02:56:56.319
We don't hesitate and wish her the same. I think254702:56:56.360 --> 02:56:59.479
this is why I'm glad we have our group. I254802:56:59.520 --> 02:57:02.559
still don't I think Mouse belongs in it, but Ariel254902:57:02.600 --> 02:57:07.000
wants her around she's definitely grown on Bailey. I guess255002:57:07.000 --> 02:57:10.440
I tolerate her because she don't cause trouble. To be fair,255102:57:10.559 --> 02:57:13.840
she did risk her life for us both on Halloween255202:57:13.920 --> 02:57:17.959
night and last night. In light of that, I'll keep255302:57:18.000 --> 02:57:21.719
the truce with Mouse. Like I said, I'll deny it255402:57:21.760 --> 02:57:26.639
if she says anything about it. Besides, Ariel's right, we've255502:57:26.639 --> 02:57:30.799
all been through the absolute most horrifying experience together to date.255602:57:31.680 --> 02:57:34.559
I can tell you one thing. It'll be one sleepover.255702:57:34.639 --> 02:57:39.799
None of us we'll ever forget. But Ariel's right, at255802:57:39.879 --> 02:57:44.280
least we have another Christmas. Deep down, I'm hoping the255902:57:44.319 --> 02:57:48.239
Harmony mirror of that other universe succeeded in destroying that disk,256002:57:49.360 --> 02:57:52.719
because if she didn't, no, I don't even want to256102:57:52.719 --> 02:57:57.639
think about that. It's going to be Christmas soon. Speaking256202:57:57.680 --> 02:58:01.000
of soon, that's when you'll see us again, and with256302:58:01.120 --> 02:58:11.520
a new adventure. In the meantime, Merry Christmas, Well, my spookies,256402:58:11.600 --> 02:58:15.319
I hope you enjoyed this marathon of Mayhem, and I256502:58:15.319 --> 02:58:18.920
hope you've been enjoying all the extra stories we're releasing256602:58:19.000 --> 02:58:22.120
as a little Christmas present to all of you who listen.256702:58:23.399 --> 02:58:27.120
So until next time, and believe me it'll be very soon.256802:58:28.399 --> 02:58:32.760
Stay safe, stay warm, and keep an eye on that256902:58:32.920 --> 02:58:36.639
Santa Claus guy. I understand he likes to watch you257002:58:37.600 --> 02:58:40.559
when you're sleeping. Catch you next time.
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