Dark December [A Holiday Filled Horror Anthology]

Merry Christmas! By @ShaunAllan

Merry Christmas

ShaunAllan

"Can you believe people have already got their decorations up?"

"I know! There's some down the road. You know, near the bus stop? It's too early!"

"Christmas Eve is too early for you, Mr. Humbug."

Jonathan Merry poked his wife in the ribs and laughed. She knew he loved Christmas. It was his favourite holiday and he thoroughly enjoyed the manic atmosphere of presents, family and fun. He would often dress up as Santa for no reason other than to put a smile on the faces of his wife and children. More than once he'd donned the red outfit and black boots and entertained at the local hospital, visiting on Christmas morning between gift opening and lunch eating.

"Humbug," he grumbled in his best Scrooge voice.

His wife, Lily, smiled and went to kiss him. As he moved in to reciprocate, she licked his nose and scampered off laughing. Jonathan ran after her, catching up in the living room and sweeping her up to collapse in each other's arms on the sofa, giggling.

"You guys!"

Jonathan and Lily stopped their sudden passionate embrace to look up at Ness, their eldest daughter. At thirteen, Vanessa was doing her best to be eighteen but occasionally slipped into acting the same age as her eight year old brother Oscar.

"Sorry, mum," said Lily looking guilty. She then jumped up and ran after her daughter, cornering the girl in the kitchen and starting to tickle her.

"Get off," shouted Ness, trying to fight off her mother's attack. She failed and fought back by trying to tickle her mum's ribs, the woman's known weak spot.

"No fair!" exclaimed Lily, breaking off to run and hide behind her husband.

"Children! Don't drag me into this!"

Lily and Ness exchanged a glance and both dived onto Jonathan, tackling him to the floor and ensuring he was laughing so much from their hands on his feet and in his ribs that he found it difficult to breath. Once he was completely debilitated, they stood and hi-fived each other.

"Good job, mum."

"Next time, you can take his feet."

"No chance."

They laughed. Even Oscar couldn't suppress a smile as he entered the kitchen for a snack before returning to murdering zombies. Gaming was his life, he'd say. He couldn't wait for Christmas, hoping Father Christmas would bring him the latest model console. He'd been a good boy. He always was.

***

Rain.

He hated the rain. He especially hated the driving rain which ignored the multiple layers of clothing he'd worn. It had soaked through to his skin and caused the clothes to stick and weigh him down with the water they'd devoured. His hair, what little there was, had plastered itself to his skull and the product he'd applied to style it that morning was running into his eyes. It stung no matter how much he tried to wipe it away.