A/N: You have no idea how happy I am you guys are enjoying the story. It means a lot to me when I get feedback and see how much you guys like it. So here's another chapter, and quite an action packed one at that. So I've gone ahead and outlined the entire story, and it's going to be about 9 chapters long wrapping up on Christmas Eve. I hope you guys will stay along for the ride! Expect updates every three to four days! Enjoy! Oh and beware this is the first of three rather long chapters!


A Very Whitechapel Christmas

Chapter 3: Weekend Warriors

8th December 2012

No matter how many times Ethan went to the mall during the holidays it never failed to astound him how crazy it got. He watched with a strange sense of fascination as people seemed to fill the mall to the brim, each one going about their own business not even stopping to acknowledge the others around them. The thoughts were shattered as he noticed Sarah heading in their direction.

"Hey guys," said Sarah as she walked up to them.

"Hi Sarah!" said Rory before Ethan could respond. Sarah looked at him, and then at Ethan.

"Ethan told me how you guys were going on a date to see Santa, and I figured what better way to start my quest for truth than with friends?"

"Aren't you a little old to be seeing Santa?" asked Jane.

"You're brother says Santa doesn't exist and I'm determined to prove him wrong."

"You do realize that the Santa here is fake right?"

Rory looked offended. "No wonder your brother has no faith, if the younger sibling doesn't believe then the whole family falls apart."

"Sorry," said Ethan refusing to meet Sarah's eyes. "I know it's not exactly what we planned but-"

"It's ok," said Sarah as she took his hand. "What are we waiting for? Let's get in line."

"Finally someone with some brains," said Jane. She ran over to Sarah and pulled her free from Ethan's grip and ran off towards the center of the mall. Ethan sighed, he was too distracted to notice the feather in his pocket was beginning to feel heavy. He felt slightly dejected, but this was only the beginning of the date, it could only get better from here on out.

Upon arriving at the center of the mall they were greeted with a giant tree that towered over everything. Tinsel ran from all different heights and connected to several different guardrails, banisters, and even some pillars. At the base sat none other than Santa. Once they were in line Rory turned to Ethan.

"Sort of a lame place for a date."

"I said the same thing," said Jane.

"It's the thought that counts," said Sarah as she grabbed Ethan's hand and pulled him close to her. Both Rory and Jane giggled. "Besides it could be worse."

"Yeah Erica could be here, or Benny," said Ethan with a laugh.

"Or him." Rory pointed towards Santa, standing behind him was the boy in the black scarf. In his hand were two black feathers.

"Oh no," whispered Ethan as the boy smiled."Rory take Jane and get out of here."

"Why?" asked Jane. "I want to see Santa."

"Me too!" whined Rory

"Just do it!" said Sarah and Ethan together. In one fluid motion the boy slid a feather into the back of Santa's head. The man slumped forward; the other went into the tree. Ethan felt Sarah's grip tighten on his hand, for a moment nothing happened.

Then all hell broke loose. The towering Christmas tree in front of them began to shake. The tinsel unhinged itself from the surrounding building and began to swing through the air. The center of the tree bent back revealing a mouth filled with broken ornaments. The tinsel began to grab people.

On the ground Santa let out a bloodcurdling roar. Ethan caught one last glance of the boy before he vanished into the panic. All around them people were screaming as they tried to get as far away from the creatures as possible.

"Whatever you do don't let Jane out of your sight!" screamed Ethan as he went against the current of people. Rory nodded and pulled Jane close to him before disappearing into the crowd. Despite Rory's goofy antics and personality he knew his sister would be in safe hands. The tree's tinsel tentacles came crashing down on the second story's banister sending debris in all directions.

Santa was looking from person to person like an animal on the prowl. Ethan took a moment to examine the Santa Beast: razor sharp teeth, long pointed claws, glowing green eyes, yeah this wasn't going to be easy.

"What do we do?" whispered Sarah as they darted for cover behind a pillar. "I don't want to hurt him."

"I'd worry more about us, that tree's going to bring this whole place down unless we do something."

A branch came crashing down next to them and swung through the pillar. Dust filled the air; both Ethan and Sarah ran for a new hiding place. The Santa Beast saw them and a moment later was jumping through the air. Sarah pushed Ethan out of the way as it crashed down onto her. Ethan hit the ground hard, with blurry vision he looked over his shoulder to see Sarah struggling to hold the beast at bay. Forcing himself up Ethan ran over and kicked the thing as hard as he could in the face. Sarah took advantage of the opening and sent it flying into the nearest shop display.

"Thanks," said Sarah as she stood up.

"I should've known he was here when the feather started feeling heavy," said Ethan as they ran for another source of cover.

"I thought you said you were gonna toss it out," hissed Sarah as a tentacle of tinsel came surging after them. Sarah caught it and pulled as hard as she could. It ripped at the base, and the tree let out a howl of pain.

"I never said I was," responded Ethan as he unsheathed the knife Benny's Grandma had given him. "Besides we have bigger problems to worry about."

The Santa Beast was coming after them again. Ethan waited until the last possible moment before moving to the side, as he did Sarah delivered a kick to the creatures face. It went flying backwards. They heard people screaming, looking up they watched as the tentacles pulled several civilians into the tree.

"We have to save them," yelled Ethan. "I'm going to cut them free, see if you can find anything to stop it."

Sarah nodded and went in the opposite direction. Dodging several tentacles Ethan made his way to the base of the tree. Grabbing into the lowest branch he hoisted himself up.

Sarah found what she was looking for in the first shop-a fire extinguisher. She ripped it loose and ran back towards the chaos. Ethan was halfway up when he encountered the first victim. A single child was wrapped tightly in the tree's pines. Using his knife he was able to cut the kid free.

"Climb down carefully, there's a girl on the ground who will help you ok?"

The kid nodded, and Ethan made his way up further.

From her vantage point Sarah could make out Ethan freeing people, and then the civilians as they made their way down. She pointed the fire extinguisher only to be knocked to the ground as the Santa Beast stood above her. The world was spinning, she couldn't focus.

"Sarah!" screamed Ethan from within the tree.

The Santa Beast was about to bite her when something knocked it forwards. Ethan looked around for the source of the attack; Benny stood a good distance away from the fight, his spell book in hand. He said another incantation and a blue orb shot forward freezing Santa to the floor. Ethan made his way up further freeing two more prisoners.

Sarah slowly got up and ran over to the tree, attacking any tinsel or branch with the fire extinguisher. Benny ran over and ushered the fleeing civilians away from danger. The tree was starting to slow down. Finally Ethan himself appeared.

"Are you ok?" asked Sarah.

"Let's finish this first before we start asking that!"

She nodded and together they ran. The tree struggled to attack them in its half frozen state. Benny chanted another spell. The ice on the tree expanded freezing the entire thing over. A large piece broke off and shattered as it hit the ground. It was the feather, or what was left of it.

"Why did mom have to go away? I thought she loved us," the little girl was crying as she spoke.

Ethan ran over to Santa and grabbed its head in his hands. A moment later he was within the man's mind. He located the source of the transformation-a feather and crushed it.

"Santa doesn't come for kids like us." The teenage boy was looking down at his brother."He doesn't come for the ones who have nothing."

When he joined his friends in the real world he fell backwards onto the ground. The mall Santa was still frozen in place, but the fangs and claws were gone.

"Thanks for the save," said Sarah. "That was way to close."

"I'm just glad I was here spying on your date," said Benny with a smile. "How ya doin E?"

Ethan said nothing and just lay there trying to understand what had just happened. Did Benny or Sarah hear those voices?

"That was some date," said Sarah as she laughed. "We seem to have some kind of track record with these things."

"What happened?" asked Benny. "One minute everything's fine and the next trees and Santas are attacking people."

"It was that boy again," managed Ethan as he stood up. "He put a feather inside of the tree and another inside the mall Santa."

"I told you those things were dangerous!" yelled Benny as he stamped his foot. "Please tell me you got rid of that feather."

"Hand it over," said Sarah as she held out her hand. Ethan reached into his pocket, but found it was missing.

"I don't have it, I swear." Said Ethan as he flipped his pockets inside out. "See?"

"Let's get out of here before security arrives," said Benny. "Knowing my luck this will somehow end up being my fault."

Ethan said nothing as they ran out of the mall. Once outside he gave Sarah a look of sadness.

"I'm sorry this wasn't the best date you've have but-"

"It's ok," said Sarah as she gave him a hug. "It's defiantly one of the more memorable ones; besides it was kind of fun."

"Really?" asked Ethan. He felt a little bit up hope rise up within him.

"Yeah, good job climbing up that tree." She kissed his cheek. "I'll call you later."

She disappeared at the speed of vampire. Benny patted Ethan on the shoulder.

"Dude way to go."

"She had fun," said Ethan as he held his cheek. "She really had fun."

He then proceeded to pass out. Benny sighed, just another day in Whitechapel.

That night the news was filled with reports on the mysterious attack in the mall. The officials were calling it a prank gone horribly wrong. Several officials appeared and they all said the same thing: 'people should consider the consequences of their actions before doing something so stupid'.

Ethan stuffed his hands into his pockets still not believing that in less than twenty-four hours he had fought off two monsters and gotten a kiss from Sarah, sure crazier things had happened- but still a kiss! His thoughts shifted to the strange voices, should he tell his friends? Ethan shook his head, he wasn't even sure he had heard them. He pulled his hands free and touched his cheek again, it was then he noticed that something had fallen out of his pocket. It was the feather.


9th December 2012

Ethan had no trouble falling asleep when hit the bed the previous night, after his encounter with the carnivorous Santa and living Christmas tree he didn't think he'd ever wake up, that is until his mom knocked on the door.

"Ethan honey," said Samantha as sat on her son's bed and rubbed his back. "Benny wants to know if you're going to the city's annual statue festival today."

Ethan mumbled something that resembled a yes.

"He'll see you there Benny." She hung up the phone and then patted her son's head. "I just want to say that I'm so proud of you for making sure your sister was safe yesterday."

Ethan mumbled.

"And that I think it's time to end your annual Santa photo with Jane. I think it's time for a new family tradition."

Another mumble.

She kissed him on the forehead and was gone. Ethan slept another half hour before he finally got up, and when he did pain greeted his every movement. He pulled off his pajama shirt and looked himself in the mirror; he was covered in small bruises and scratches. Taking in a deep breath Ethan measured his mobility before getting ready for the day.

As was his daily habit he stuck the feather into his pocket. He met with Benny, who was surprisingly with Sarah, outside of city hall. A large crowd was already gathering.

"I love this ceremony," said Benny. "Something about a large bronze reindeer is just so amazing."

Sarah rolled her eyes and gave Ethan a concerned look.

"How are you feeling?"

"Sore, but I'll live," said Ethan as leaned against a lamppost. "We have to stop that kid before he does something like that again."

"Agreed," said Benny and Sarah in unison.

"But we don't know where he'll attack next. There has to be some kind of method to his madness."

"Any luck on Erica's bad mood?" asked Sarah as they waited for the ceremony to start.

"Well, I was tracking her," said Benny. "But she's good at escaping my tracking spells, like really good, other that that nothing."

They stood in silence, a few moments later the Mayor appeared.

"I know how you all feel after the horrid prank on our beloved mall yesterday," announced the Mayor from behind the podium. "And we will find the hooligans responsible for it, and when we do they'll think twice about doing such a thing again."

The crowd murmured in agreement.

"We will address this incident again in due time, for now we celebrate our annual statue unveiling!"

The crowd roared with excitement. As silly as it sounded the holidays didn't really start until they replaced the statue of Reverend Black, Ethan, Sarah, and Benny all scoffed at the name, with the Whitechapel Reindeer. They cheered as the mayor approached the stature to unveil it, they cheered as he pulled the white cover away, then they gasped. The statue was missing, in it's place was a regular reindeer lawn ornament. Who dared to steal something as sacred as the bronze reindeer statue?

On the top of the lawn ornament was a single black feather. The trio looked at one another.

That night when everyone was asleep the boy in the black scarf walked slowly down the street. Next to him the large bronze reindeer was keeping pace, its eyes glowing dark red.