Chapter 31

As she takes a deep breath and begins telling her story, wrestling out the words with a thick accent. "It started with the wind... On a cold winter night, much like this."

Flickering shadows on the walls become more animated, transforming into gnarled trees... then a dark forest...

The war was over. But times were still difficult for my village...

The story comes to life via ornate animated shadow puppets as it descends onto a small town, in 1946 that night. Snow falls on the skeletal remains of the once quaint town. Shattered buildings shiver and creak in the cold winter wind.

It was almost Christmas. But unlike years past, this Christmas was darker. Less cheerful...

Through the fog and rubble to the town square where we see what seems to be the silhouette of a large demon: two red glowing eyes and a long tongue twisting from an open mouth. Through the mist, the eyes are the tail lights of a Red Cross truck, and the long black tongue is a line of starving people awaiting their rations. Down the line of somber faces, a little girl is holding a tattered Santa doll and a young man next to her walking together. It was Omi and Alexander when they were children.

But I and my Alexander still believed in Santa. In magic and miracles. And the hope that we could find joy again...

Young Omi was handed the last loaf of bread and Alex was handed a last large bottle of water by a Red Cross worker. For a moment it's the perfect Christmas image until—Omi and Alexander were violently knocked to the ground. Omi Santa doll and bread were sent flying into the air and the bottle broke on the ground...

But our village had given up. On miracles... and each other.

Realizing the rations have run out, the crowd has turned into a mob. An old man is knocked over. A Red Cross worker is attacked. Two starving men fight over a bag of grain while their angry wives scream at each other. The bag rips and grain flies everywhere. Falling to the ground around Young Omi and Young Alexander, who looks up at the scene in shock.

They had forgotten the spirit of Christmas. The sacrifice of giving.

The crowd clears and Omi picks herself up. There's no food left, but Young Alexander manages to find her Satan doll and gave it to her. Its face was now trampled into a twisted mask, eyes glaring.

And our family was no different...

Back in the house, the children's parents were screaming at the children for coming home empty-handed. Omi offers up all that she has in consolation - her Santa doll.

We tried to help them believe again, but we were no longer the loving family I remembered...

But Omi's mother snatches the doll from her hands and rips it in half, tossing the pieces to the ground.

They had given up. And eventually, so did I.

Heartbroken, Omi throws the torn doll into the fireplace before Alexander could stop her.

And for the first time, I didn't wish for a miracle... I wished for them to go away.

And as the doll is swallowed by flames, and the smoke up the chimney and into the night sky. Twisting into rumbling black clouds, choking out the stars and moon. Below, one by one, the lights of the town follow suit until we only see black and hear the sounds of roaring wind.

And that night, in the darkness of a howling blizzard, I got my wish.

Suddenly, there are distant thuds on the roof. Again and again. Closer and closer until they're right above us like a heartbeat racing in the dark - BOOOOM! The children's eyes burst open as the two looked at the bedroom down and heard something horrible. The 2 shiver in the shared bed. Listening.

We knew Santa was not coming this year.

The 2 listen to the horrors happening in the rest of the house but never see them.

Instead, it was a much darker, more ancient spirit.

Hooves clomping. Rusty bells jingle. The dull thud of something heavy hit the floor. The deranged giggles and pitter-patter of tiny feet racing through the cottage.

The Shadow of St. Nicholas... It was Krampus.

And then... THE SCREAMS.

And as he had for thousands of years, Krampus came not to reward, but to punish. Not to give, but to take.

The two heard the shrieks of their parents as they were ripped from their beds. Unbearably loud. Walls cracked as someone smashes into the other side, followed by chittering laughter.

He and his helpers.

Tears stream down Omi's face as she covers her ears and Alexander hugs her close trying to protect her. But the screams continue building to a deafening crescendo. Her eyes dart around the dark room, when, through the crack of her door, the two catch a breath, a fleeting glimpse of tiny figures darting through the halls, snickering. They are followed by their leader, the dark silhouette of Krampus. A lanky figure clad in dark ragged robes, huge twisted horns, and a matted beard framing his gleaming eyes.

Krampus is about to leave when he suddenly stops. Sensing something, the demon turns and peers through the door crack, staring right at Omi - trembling. Terrified.

But Krampus didn't take me that night...because he saved me.

Krampus walked into the children's room and just as he was about to snatch the 2, Alexander stopped him.

My Alexander confronted Krampus and spoke to him in Old Norse yet somehow I can understand him. He made him a promise, a deal...a blood oath.

Alexander stepped up on the bed, in front of Omi, glaring at him.

He said, "As long as I'm alive you will not lay a hand on my family. Only when I'm gone, you'll have your share if one loses the Christmas spirit again. Only spare the purest, especially the one chosen by the one true king. Your God and my God."

Krampus was intrigued. No one in a very long time since the times of the Vikings has anyone spoken the Old Norse. "You know my family, you know my grandfather. Has any Engel broken their vow?" asked Alexander.

So Krampus agreed to the deal and took something from Alexander as a reminder of this promise.

Krampus then raised his claw as Alexander closed his eyes and Omi hid under the covers. Then with one swoosh, cuts, and blood spatter on the walls, Krampus had torn Alexander's ear nearly raw which is why Alexander couldn't hear and why he was spared from the wars growing up. Omi opened her eyes and saw Krampus was gone and Alexander was mending his wound on the side of his head. He turned back at her and smiled though he was in terrible pain.

That very morning, still shaking, the children enter the living room, gawking at a horrible sight.

He left me as a reminder of what happens when hope is lost...and wounded my Alexander as a reminder of the promise.

The charred rubble of the fireplace.

When belief is forgotten...

Then from the fireplace, a rusty jingle bell inscribed with Gruss Vom Krampus which means 'Greetings from Krampus'.

...and the Christmas spirit dies. And now with my husband gone, the promise has been broken.

As Young Omi picks up the bell and Alexander holds her hand, the light of Christmas morning washes over them.

In the present day in the living room, the same rusty jingle bell was now clutched in Omi's wrinkled hands. Exhausted by the memory, Omi collapses into a chair crying as she kissed her wedding ring. "I'm so sorry Alexander."

Max and Mary move to her side and console her while—the rest of the family stares in silence, unsure of what to make of her story. The kids seem to believe it, but...here comes Howard. "And here I thought I was the one losing it."

Linda sighs at her husband. "Howard!"

Uncle Howard was being an ass again. "WHAT? You gonna believe this pile of senile horseshit? Evil Santa Claus - Jesus H. Almighty... Suppose she'll be yammering about rabid Easter Bunnies come Spring."

Tom had enough. "That's enough."

Howard yelled, "DAMN RIGHT IT'S ENOUGH! Whoever the hell's messing with us just took my boy and your daughter and we're sittin' here listening to some twisted bedtime story?! Screw that!" Howard grabs his shotgun and limps for the door. Tom moves to stop him but Howard cocks the gun. "Don't, Tommy. I'm starting to like you. I am. But this is my choice." Howard starts removing the 2x4 barricade over the door.

Linda tried to stop him. "Oh God Howard, please don't go out there! Just calm down, we can figure this out!"

His daughters tried to stop him. "Daddy don't go! Stay with us please!"

Howard said, "This is how I figure things out." He throws open the door- WIND POURS IN - but when Howard turns to leave, he FREEZES in his tracks, gawking. "No..." The rest of the family gathers around him, staring at dozens of snowmen covering the yard. Twisted, obscene faces glared at the family, all covered in long sharp icicles. Howard's lip starts to quiver when he spots a fat little snowman wearing Howie's varsity jacket, positioned right up front for all of them to see. "Oh God..." Howard is about to step outside when they notice tiny glistening eyes watching them from the darkness.

Dozens of strange silhouettes scurry across rooftops while a chorus of snickers and whispers fills the air. Tom yelled, "Shut the door, SHUT IT!"

Sarah slams the door shut. "Don't open the door." Tom re-barricades the door.

Max asked, "Dad... what are we gonna do?"

Tom stares at Omi, unable to shake the feeling that the old woman might be right about everything. "We keep the fire hot." Off the petrified faces of the family and shrieking wind.

After a while, Mary came down with the wrapped present in her hands as she sat next to Omi. Then Stevie got an idea. "What if the wish was taken back?"

Linda asked, "What do you mean?"

Jordan got the idea. "This whole thing started when we made fun of Max's stupid letter and I'm guessing he got rid of it?" She looked at Max.

Max nodded remembering. "Right. I ripped it and threw it out the window."

Stevie said, "And all we have to do is convince that monster that Max takes back the wish."

Tom said, "There's no way I'm letting Max out there in the snow looking for a Christmas demon."

Jordan said, "He doesn't." Then she looks at Mary. "But we have a spare."

Mary didn't like this idea. "What do you mean?"

Stevie said, "You got out there pose as Max and tell Krampus that you took back the wish."

Mary glared at her. "You're crazy! There's no way in hell am I going out there posing as my twin brother."

Howard then said, "That might work."

Aunt Dorothy looked at him confused. "Have you inhaled too much of the log ash idiot?"

Linda said, "No the girls make some sense." She walked up to Mary. "Mary this is the only way to stop all of this and to have a normal Christmas."

Mary asked, "When on God's green Earth have we ever had a normal Christmas? Not even when Grandpa was alive did we ever have a normal Christmas?" She stood up. "I'm not doing this."

Stevie then snatched the wrapped present. "You have no choice in the matter." Then she took the present and smashed it and then threw it into the fire.

Mary was surprised. "NOOOOO!" She tried to go after it but Jordan held her back as Mary watch the present burn. Finally, she broke away from Jordan's grasp and went to the fireplace and pulled out the present with a poker, and picked up trying to put the flames out. She inspected the present but then felt a terrible pain in her feet. "AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHH!" She turned her head and got a sledgehammer and saw that Jordan just banged up her feet.

Jordan took a huff and said, "You're gonna pose at Max or you'll never dance again. What's your choice?"

Mary was in tears as she looked at her bloody feet. "Go to hell you dirty, stuck up, sadistic, shit-eating, cocksucking, butt-fucking, penis-smelling, crotch-grabbing, ball-licking, semen drinking, dog raping, Nazi loving, child touching, cow-humping perverted, spineless, heartless, mindless, dickless, testicle-choking, urine-gargling, jerk-offing, horse-faced, sheep fondling, toilet kissing, self-centered, feces puking, dildo shoving, snot-spitting, crap gathering, big-nosed, monkey slapping, bastard screwing, bean shitting, fart knocking, sack busting, splooge tasting, bear blowing, head swallowing, bitch snatching, hand-jobbing, doggie caressing, mucus spewing, anal plugging, hole grabbing, uncircumcised, sewer sipping, whore mongering, piss swimming, midget munching, douchebag, hoe biting, carnivorous mail-order prostituting, redneck, Republican, homophobic, butch, ASSHOLE! AND BY HAPPY I CENSOR MYSELF!" She yelled at them as she looks at her and Stevie with hateful eyes. Once she got her voice back, she asked, "What are you gonna do?"

Jordan and Stevie were fuming. Then Stevie held Mary down hard on the ground as Jordan started to destroy the hell out of Mary's feet with the hammer and whatever weapon she can use as Mary screamed in pain. Aunt Dorothy, Max, and Omi tried to stop them but Howard and surprisingly Tom held a gun to them. "This is the only way, Mom." Said Tom.

Howard turned to the wives. "This is the only way to end this nightmare!"

Sarah said, "To hell with this. At least she doesn't have to dance again and I can finally save up on gas. I'll get Max's clothes, Linda, get one of his coats." The two quickly got to work looking for those items, and when they did they pulled the girls off of Mary and put the clothes, coat, and shoes on her while Mary was crying and struggling. "You are gonna do this Mary. Earn your place in this family for once!" said her mother.

Then Linda picked her up and took Mary to the door. "NO! LET ME GO! LET ME GO! OMI! MAX! AUNT DOROTHY, HELP ME!" But the three were still being held at gunpoint. Sarah removed the boards, open the door and Linda threw her out. Mary tried to get up but the pain in her feet wouldn't let her move. She tried banging on the door. "LET ME IN! LET ME IN PLEASE! PLEASE!" All she had with her, other than her brother's clothes, was her broken present from her grandfather. The door was locked, the boards went back up, and the lights instead of the fireplace were out.

At the other side of the door, everyone stood there and recollect what they just did. "HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND?!" yelled Max.

Howard said, "It's the only way to end this nightmare, and if that just doesn't work then oh well. Those guys did us a favor if this doesn't work. Who loved her anyway?"

Aunt Dorothy yelled, "Well obviously not you, your wife, children, Sarah, or Tom if you used her like that!" Aunt Dorothy heard Mary's knocking. "I'm getting her back."

Then she felt the gun pointed behind her head. "I think not." She stopped and turned around to see Tom. "Don't you make me do this. If this works and she doesn't come back, we'll at least have Beth and Howie back. This will be an easy trade-off."

Omi looked at her son. "You shame us." She said.

Tom looked at his mother and put the gun away. "This is no different from what you did to your parents, Mom. I can live with the shame, how about you? Dad was foolish into making that promise." That shut her up.

Stevie and Jordan put the weapons away and cleaned up. "You know," said Stevie. "The fire looks weak. I think it needs something stronger."

Jordan got the idea and smirked. She quickly got the book and the Baby-Bop doll. Then they tossed them into the fire and watched as those items burned as well as the rest of the family saw what they just did. Howard asked, "What did you do?"

Jordan answered, "We need a strong fire and a book and a stuffed doll works best." Howard got the idea and nodded. "Good work girls."

Back outside, Mary was on the porch crying still in pain with the box in her hands. She turned around to see the snowman and saw the small one. It didn't take a genius to know that was how. She slowly crawled down and hugged the snow boy. "I'm sorry Howie! I'm so sorry!" She started to cry as she hugged her cousin. Then she felt the wind pick up and went it went down, she saw the 2 big snowmen putting their branch arms on Howie and Mary. Mary said to the one on the left, "Please take good care of him!" Then she asked, "Where's Krampus?!" Then heavy wind happened again and when it went away, Mary looked to her right and saw all the snowmen pointing down the blocks. Mary looked back at the snow boy. "I'll try my best to fix this Howie! I promise!" She let go of the snow boy and tried to walk her way in the direction which wasn't easy because of her feet. As she made her way, she passed the last snowman and lost her balance, and went to the ground. Then she turned a thud and saw a wooden branch staff, being offered to her by the snowman. She took it and said, "Thank you!" She stood up and used the staff to help her walk. It didn't help that she left bloody footprints in the snow. "KRAMPUS!" She started to call for him. "KRAMPUS WHERE ARE YOU?!" She continued long ways about nearly 2 miles on those feet until she couldn't keep up anymore and had to stop. She went to her knees as she tried to catch her breath, but the cold was getting too much for her. She looked back at her feet and was scared to move them because she was in so much pain though the cold tried its best to make them numb enough to bare it. She looked ahead and saw a figure with 2 great big horns. She knew who it was. "KRAMPUS! THE WISH IS TAKEN BACK!" Then she saw him walking toward her. Stomp after stomp, inch by inch, he got closer to her. Finally, he was in front of her as she was huffing and puffing. She was getting tired. "The wish is taken back." She dropped the staff, the broken music box, and went forward losing her strength. She looked at his hoof and put a hand on it. "No more Krampus. Please no more." She looked at him. She can tell that he can see that she wasn't Max but was posing as him. "This wasn't my idea. They wanted to sacrifice me to save themselves." She turned to her feet. "They even hurt my feet." She turned back to him. "My promise to Grandpa is broken." She was getting tired. "If not for me, then at least for Alexander Engel." He looked at her. "Please. Remember your promise to him." She started to close her eyes as Krampus put his hand in his cloak to get out an item to end her when a break of the storm happened. The clouds opened revealing a beautiful full moon leaning a gleaming glow around the 2. Mary felt the light and turned to her back and saw the moon. Krampus looked up and saw the moon too. Soon the moonlight aimed at her garden fairies and all 12 of them broke out of their doll prisons and danced/flew to where Mary was. Mary soon heard music and smiled. "The Waltz of the Snowflakes." She said. "How I would give anything to dance to that ballet again."

Soon the fairies found them. Rosie told the others, "Quickly sisters! We need to get her out of here! This is the day we've been told!" She flew around her and with their magic, made a beautiful white and light blue net around her out of snow to lift her off the ground.

Mary turned to Krampus and gently grabbed his arm. "If you can please spare Chrissy, Omi, Dorothy, and Rosie." She used her other hand to take hold of him. "Please. I beg of you Krampus. Spare them or at least save them." Krampus looked at the little girl, picked up the staff and music box, put them with her in the net, and then pulled out a warm blanket for her and gently wrapped her in it. Then he put his hand on hers and nodded at Mary. Mary smiled. "Thank you, Krampus." She gently let him go as the fairies started to fly away. As they flew, Mary looked at the moon and saw a face. "I see the moon and the moon sees me, The moon sees somebody I wanna see God bless the moon and God bless me: And God bless that somebody I wanna see." By the end of the Waltz, the fairies and Mary were gone, and Krampus continued on the Engel's house. Now he has more than one reason to punish the Engels.