Dark December [A Holiday Filled Horror Anthology]

Making A HUGE Deal Out of Christmas by @KristineInchausti

Making a HUGE Deal Out of Christmas by KristineInchausti 

Author's note: Hi! Um, this isn't exactly a horror story. Some might say it is more in the speculative fiction range. But I do feel it is horrific. And Santa, so there you go. I hope you enjoy (or at the very least have some sort of visceral reaction). Click that little star to help add more kids to the Nice List, keep the Arctic Circle frozen, and Mrs. Claus far, FAR away from...well, you'll see. - Kristine

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in, come in!"

A red cap, followed by rosy cheeks and a button nose came across the threshold.

"Nick! Right on time! How you like my office? Incredible, right?"

Santa nodded slowly. "Yes. It's...big. Very gold."

"You're right about that – the best there is! Come sit down. I've got a plan to talk about. The best plan. It's just fantastic. You're gonna love it."

Santa approached the chair in front of the huge desk the other man was sitting behind. He did not take his eyes off his host, who seemed to be glowing like an ember in the gold reflected light.

"You've got quite a distribution system, Nick. Best in the world. Runs on time, like clockwork. Really something to be proud of."

"Thank you."

"But I have to wonder if you've been dropping your standards lately. So many kids getting toys these days. So many. Not much coal going out. Not much coal."

"Well, kindness has been making great strides recently and it really shows on the Nice List."

"Nice? Nice?! Whiney is more like it. Needy. They want everything handed to them these days. Have you ever seen a nine-year-old really work for what they're getting in the last 30-40 years? They gotta start working again."

The man leaned forward, punctuating his words with finger jabs. "And you can help them get back to that."

"But the world is different than it was 30-40 years – "

"I don't like this negativity, Nick. I'm trying to do great things here. Great things. Don't you want to be a part of that? Don't you want to be a part?"

"For centuries, I have – "

"I don't need to hear your resume, Nick. I know what you've done. And what you've done is help kill the coal industry. Your buys are down, year after year. And who is that hurting, Nick? Miners. Families. Children. An entire industry full of people you claim to help. Friends of mine. Terrible, Nicky – just terrible."

"Now hold on just a minute. Our distribution has never been a significant amount – "

"And that's why you're gonna bump them up. WAY up. You're gonna distribute coal like you've never done before. And it'll be good for everybody. Jobs for workers, fuel for families, lessons for kids, and the industry – amazing! Coal's gonna come roaring back – it'll be great again! It'll make you a hero."

"But I've always been – "

"We could even do a TV show! Some kind of Christmas special – showing you going down to the mines, bringing the coal back to the North Pole. Maybe even a subplot where some of your elves love the mines so much they decide to stay and work there! Say – they work pretty cheap, right? Free, even? Could save the industry a ton of cash on labor. Go ahead and pick a hundred or so to send in advance – get 'em learning the ropes."

"This has gone far enough!" Santa stood up angrily.

The lights went out, save a single lamp shining down on the man's swept-back hair. Darkness flooded behind him, over his shoulders and filled his eyes as he stood up, and leaned over the desk.

"I don't think so, Nicky. 'Cause we could go a lot further. Sit. Down."

Shaking, Santa took his seat.

"Say, how 'bout those reindeer of yours? They like to fight sometimes, right? We could stage some cage matches, call it The Reindeer Games. What do they eat? Any chance one might, you know, take a bite out of another one? People love that stuff, love a little blood. They eat it up! Ratings'll go through the roof! Big League!"

He let his last words hang in the air between them.

"I have to get back to my shop." Santa pushed his chair back again, determined to leave. My magic, the magic of the North Pole should protect us...as long as the ice around us holds he thought.

Santa walked sideways toward the door, not wanting to take his eyes completely off the person behind the desk. He reached out for the doorknob, felt its solid brass surface, and twisted. Almost there, almost there...

"Hey Nicky – one more thing." Santa froze.

"Next time, why don't you bring your lovely wife? I'd loooove to meet her."