Come Selahway With Me…

It has been a long long LONG time coming, right? I’m finally (FINALLY, I know) getting back into Tuesday Tales, and I’m very happy to be doing so!

This week was a picture prompt with a max word count of 300 words. It’s such a peaceful, glorious scene, yet I couldn’t help but feel that I’d missed out on a lot of holiday-themed prompts. And there was something I’ve been wanting to do…someone I’ve been wanting to write about. So, since I like to shake things up, I decided to go with my first instinct and write a short about who might be looking down at such a glorious view and the villages that might be waiting at the bottom of the mountains. Obviously this would be Krampus, Saint Nicholas’ demonic henchman helper whose job it is to punish the naughty children. (Nope, totally not making that up. For a complete head trip and some educational information, you can learn about Krampus HERE

You know you missed me. Heh.

Krampus Waits

The snow was crisp and the air cold, giving a pleasant tint to the scenic view. Trees sloped downward to the valley and mountain after mountain rose on its other side.

Soon.

Everyone in the tiny villages below was readying themselves for December sixth, for the feast of Saint Nicholas and all the good things that would bring. Somewhere, though, there were also those who shuddered, knowing that to get to those pleasant times, they had to get through December fifth.

The creature smiled at the thought. The cold couldn’t touch him through his heavy, dark fur. His claws twitched in anticipation and tendrils of saliva trickled off of sharp teeth.

Soon.

Wood smoke and pine curled his nostrils, but his keen sense of smell could pick up other smells, too. The smells of hot blood and young meat, the scent of youth and innocence just slightly tainted with disobedience. Children.  Naughty children.

The demon smiled, his long tongue lolling out of his mouth in anticipation. It had been a whole year and he’d worked up an appetite.

Very soon.

He could just make out the worried cries.

“He won’t get me, will he, Mama?”

“Is he real?”

“Have I been good?”

The innocent pleas of children. Parents reassured them, but they were nervous, too.  Terrified of the one who came down and helped the good saint. The one who would judge their children. The one who would drag them to Hell if he found them lacking.

Soon the old one will come for me. Soon it will be time to deliver gifts and good cheer…and other things.

It’s my favorite time of year.

Krampus cackled and went back to his den to wait. Far below in the village, for  no apparent reason at all, little children began to cry.

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For more awesome stories written around prompts, check out the Tuesday Tales Blog!