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"But I thought you said you had all the Christmas presents for the kids already," Freddie said as him and Sam made their way through the packed mall.

"I have most of them," Sam said. "I just need one more thing for each of them and then we're good."
"Sam, baby, I know you've been real busy with Christmas planning, especially since we're hosting the Christmas dinner this year," Freddie said, narrowly avoiding running into an elderly woman in a wheelchair. "But in case you've forgotten, it's Christmas Eve! How do you expect us to find anything in this mall? There's so many people here I'm surprised it's not a fire hazard. Besides, the place closes in a couple of hours, are we even gonna have time to get everything we need?"

"Relax, we'll be here for an hour, tops," Sam assured him. "We just need to go to a few stores. I already know exactly what we need to get. We're gonna pick Ashton up those sandals she's been asking for, then we'll go over to the sporting goods store and buy one of those mini soccer goals for Emma and a new football for Tyler, and then on the way out we'll swing by the game store and get Jason that video game he's been wanting."
"Wait, are you talking about Mortal Combat Quest IV: Plunge into Flames?" Freddie frowned.
"Yeah, that's it," Sam nodded. "Anyway, the shoe store is right around the corner and-"

"Sam, that game is literally the hottest new game on the market right now," Freddie said. "It's been sold out all over the place for weeks."

"What? Pfft, that's stupid," Sam scoffed, almost bumping into a crowd of women gazing into a shop window. "It's a game, not a kidney. How many people are even into it?"

"A lot!" Freddie said. "I heard one guy almost traded his son for an advanced copy."

"You don't know what you're talking about, we'll be fine," Sam said dismissively. "Now let's move. I have a tray of Christmas cookies with my name on them at home and-"

"I don't know what I'm talking about?" Freddie repeated. "Sam, this is video games we're talking about here; they're my thing, remember?"
"Yes, and thank you for passing that nubby trait down to our son," Sam said, rolling her eyes. "But believe it or not, the rest of the world isn't as obsessed over geeky things like that like you two are. Trust me, we'll get the game with no problem."

Freddie opened his mouth to argue, but quickly shut it again. "You know what? I'm gonna let you deal with this one. I put all the Christmas lights on the house and spent six hours in the freezing cold setting up the other decorations. I've done my part for Christmas. I'm not gonna stress out about this."

"Good, then zip it," Sam said. "Now lets go already!"

The shoe store was a nightmare. The sandals that Ashton wanted were apparently the same sandals that every other eleven-year old girl wanted, meaning that there was a huge sea of shoppers pushing their way through the same aisle. It was all Freddie could do to avoid having his ear yanked off as he finally grabbed a pair in Ashton's size.

The sporting goods store was no better. It was such a mad house that Freddie could've sworn he saw two women pelting each other with golf balls over who got the last hockey stick.

By the time the couple finally made their way into the gaming shop, both Sam and Freddie were out of breath and dripping tiny beads of sweat.

"Never again!" Sam said firmly. "I'm never stepping foot in a mall on Christmas Eve ever again!"

"It's like some sort of nut bin in the place!" Freddie agreed. "Let's just grab the game and get out of here. That is…if they have it."
Sam glared at him before turning around. "Ha! There it is!"

Freddie looked over his shoulder and saw a huge display case surrounded by large cut-out characters from the game. The case was empty, though, except for a single game.

"I'll rub it in about how wrong you were later," Sam said, making towards the case. "But right now I just want to get out of this mall and-hey!"

Sam had been just about to grab the game when suddenly another hand swooped in and took it instead.

Sam looked up and saw another woman holding the game her hand had been mere inches from.

"Um, hi?" Sam frowned. "I was just about to get that game, you know."

"Oh I know," the woman said, smiling coldly. "Which is why I ran over to get to it before you did."

Oh no…Freddie thought as he stepped over to Sam just as another man stepped over to the woman.

"Listen," Sam said, clenching her fists together. "I'll give you ten seconds to hand me back that game before I take it from you."

"I'd like to see you try," the woman retorted, glaring back at Sam.

"Er, Delia, honey? She-She did see the game first," the woman's husband said hesitantly. "Maybe you should just-"

"Stay out of his, Larry!" Delia snapped.

"Sam, just forget about the game," Freddie said. "There are plenty of other things Jason would want for Christmas around here that-"

"Shut it, Freddie!" Sam cut him off.

Freddie sighed and stepped back, standing next to Larry.

"You the husband?" Larry asked knowingly.

"Yup, you?" Freddie nodded.

"Yup," Larry sighed. "You stupid enough to try and stop this?"

"No I am not," Freddie said at once. "I've learned."
"Same here," Larry said heavily. "Same here…"

"Give me the game!" Sam said through her clenched teeth.

"No." Delia said, crossing her arms. "Why don't you go try to find some other game? There's not much left, but maybe your kid would like one of those educational video games over there."
Sam gasped. "How dare you! I would never give my kid something educational on Christmas!"

"Well you're not gonna have much choice," Delia said triumphantly. "Because once I pay for this game, it's mine, and you won't be able to do a thing-"

"Alright, I didn't want to do this," Sam said, reaching into her purse.

Freddie moaned as Sam pulled out her infamous butter sock.

"Sam…" he said. "Please don't-"

"What is that?" Delia scoffed. "Is it a sock?"

"Filled with four sticks of hard butter," Sam grinned, casually tossing the sock from side to side. "Now hand over the game, and I won't use this thing to give you a new tattoo."
"What? You expect me to be afraid of butter?" Delia laughed. "Please!"

Sam raised an eyebrow before swinging her butter sock into the nearby character cut-out. The figure was cut clear in half, and the top torso flew all the way across the store.

"Well," Freddie said as Delia and Larry's eyes widened in surprise. "I guess Heculton's special armor isn't enough to protect against that."

"You were saying?" Sam asked sweetly.

Delia contemplated for a moment, looking at the butter sock, before letting out a frustrated groan and thrusting the game into Sam's hand. "There!" she snapped. "Take the stupid game. Come on, Larry! Now we've got to find a new present."
"Good luck, man," Freddie mumbled under his breath.

"Thanks," Larry sighed as he followed his wife out of the store.

"Well, well, well," Sam said, staring proudly down at the game. "Looks like somebody was wrong about us not being able to find this game after all."

"Yes, but in the process of getting that game, you destroyed the display and cost some poor couple at least another hour in this mall," Freddie pointed out.

"Yeah, well…" Sam shrugged. "Point is I got the game. Now let's go pay and get out of this place for good."