Christmas Eve in the quiet town of Green Hollow was usually a time of joy and warmth. The snow blanketed the streets, lights twinkled from every home, and the smell of pine and gingerbread wafted through the air. This year, however, an uneasy silence hung over the neighborhood. The cheerful carols seemed strained, and the snow felt heavy, almost suffocating.
In the Walker household, siblings Ellie and James, aged 10 and 8 respectively, were too excited to sleep. They had been waiting for Santa Claus all month and couldn't resist sneaking downstairs to catch a glimpse of him. Their parents, exhausted from wrapping gifts and sipping eggnog, had gone to bed early, leaving the children in their shared bedroom.
"Do you hear that?" Ellie whispered, clutching her blanket tightly.
James, wide-eyed, nodded. "It sounds like... bells. But not happy ones."
From downstairs came a faint jingling, almost like sleigh bells, but it was off-key, discordant. There was also a soft scraping noise, like something heavy being dragged across the floor.
"Maybe it's Santa!" James said, his voice trembling with both excitement and fear.
Ellie frowned. "Mom and Dad said he's quiet. That doesn't sound quiet."
Curiosity won over caution, and the siblings tiptoed to the top of the staircase. The house was dark except for the glowing Christmas tree in the living room. Its lights blinked in a slow, steady rhythm, casting eerie shadows on the walls.
"See anything?" James whispered.
Ellie shook her head. "Not yet. Let's go closer."
They crept down the stairs, careful not to make a sound. The closer they got to the living room, the stronger the smell became. It was metallic, sour, and thick, making Ellie gag.
As they reached the bottom step, they saw it: a trail of red smeared across the hardwood floor, leading to the base of the Christmas tree.
"What... is that?" James stammered, his voice barely audible.
The lights on the tree blinked again, illuminating the horror beneath it.
A man dressed as Santa Claus sat slumped against the tree. His face was pale, his eyes wide open but lifeless. A gaping wound in his chest oozed dark blood, staining his red suit. His hands, covered in dried gore, clutched a sack that writhed as if something alive was inside.
Ellie screamed, and the figure's head snapped toward them.
"No!" she gasped. But Santa didn't move again. His head remained tilted, his dead eyes staring at them.
"Ellie..." James whispered, tugging at her sleeve. "The bag. It's moving."
They both watched in frozen terror as the sack twitched violently. From inside came muffled thuds and wet, squelching noises.
Suddenly, the sack split open, and a hand clawed its way out. The fingers were long, bony, and tipped with blackened nails. A grotesque creature emerged, its skin a sickly gray-green, its face a hideous blend of sharp teeth and empty, hollow sockets. It let out a low growl, sniffing the air.
"Run!" Ellie shouted, grabbing James's arm.
They bolted back up the stairs, the creature's growls turning into guttural snarls as it followed. Its claws scraped against the walls, leaving deep gouges in the plaster.
The children dashed into their bedroom and slammed the door shut, locking it behind them. Ellie pushed a dresser against the door as James hid under the bed.
"What is that thing?" he cried, his voice muffled.
"I don't know!" Ellie hissed, trying to stay calm. "We just have to wait until morning. Mom and Dad will-"
Her words were cut off by a deafening crash. The door splintered as the creature rammed into it. Its growls grew louder, more menacing.
"Ellie!" James screamed.
The dresser slid back as the door burst open. The creature crawled into the room, its limbs bending in unnatural angles. It sniffed the air again, its head jerking toward the bed.
James whimpered, but Ellie stepped in front of him, holding a lamp like a weapon.
"Stay away!" she shouted, though her voice shook.
The creature tilted its head, as if amused, before lunging at her. Ellie swung the lamp, shattering it against the monster's head. It let out an ear-piercing screech but didn't stop. Its claws slashed at her arm, drawing blood.
James screamed and crawled out from under the bed, grabbing a heavy snow globe from the nightstand. He hurled it at the creature, hitting it square in the face.
The monster recoiled, shrieking, and backed toward the door. It seemed to hesitate for a moment, its eyeless face fixed on the children, before scuttling away into the dark hallway.
The siblings didn't move, their breaths ragged and their bodies trembling.
"What was that thing?" James whispered after what felt like an eternity.
Ellie shook her head. "I don't know. But it's not over."
From downstairs came the sound of more bells, louder this time, accompanied by the creak of heavy footsteps.
"James," Ellie said, her voice barely above a whisper. "We need to get out of here."
But before they could move, the lights in the house went out, plunging them into complete darkness. And then they heard it: a deep, guttural laugh that echoed through the house, followed by the dragging of chains.
The last thing they saw before the bedroom door slammed shut was a figure in the hallway, cloaked in shadow, holding a rusted hook.
Outside, the snow continued to fall, covering Green Hollow in a blanket of white. But inside the Walker house, Christmas Eve was anything but silent.
The End
On Christmas Eve, the air grows cold,
And shadows creep, both young and old.
The trees are bare, the stars are bright,
But something stirs in the silent night.
Beneath the snow, beneath the earth,
Are creatures waiting, longing for birth.
With eyes that glow like burning coal,
They crawl from caves to claim your soul.
The old ones rise from buried graves,
Their voices rasp like wind-swept waves.
They speak in whispers, harsh and low,
Their frozen breath will steal your glow.
The wind it howls, a beast untamed,
And in the dark, the shadows claimed.
They slither close, they slip, they slide,
And through your house, they softly glide.
With chains that rattle, claws that scratch,
They slip inside through every latch.
The old ones known by few who live,
Who in the dark, their secrets give.
A Santa's sleigh, but twisted, cracked,
Full of lost souls who never came back.
The reindeer's eyes are hollowed out,
And with each hoofbeat, a soul will shout.
The Yule Cat prowls in silence deep,
Through snow-bound streets where children sleep.
With claws that tear, it hunts with grace,
No one escapes its hollow chase.
In the hearth, the embers fade,
And from the dark, the shadows invade.
They dance with joy in twisted glee,
And soon, the whispers speak to thee.
"Do you believe in Christmas cheer?
Do you fear what's drawing near?"
The ground beneath begins to churn,
As ancient spirits start to yearn.
The Krampus, foul and full of rage,
Creeps slowly forth from his dark cage.
With horns that curl and chains that clink,
He's coming now, too fast to think.
The children hide beneath the bed,
But no safe place is left ahead.
The creatures feast, the old ones cry,
And from the night, no one can fly.
The bells will ring, but not in joy,
They toll for every lost and destroyed.
On this cold and cursed night,
The earth will swallow those in fright.
So pray to gods, and pray to kings,
But none can stop the terror that clings.
For on this Christmas, dark and deep,
The ancient ones will wake from sleep.