Christmas Fear

• Ainara Fantossi, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2022

Legend says that every year on Christmas Eve when the clock strikes midnight a foul creature named Silver-Tongue appears in a random location in the world. Not knowing where it is only knows its sole purpose on that night is to capture as many children it can find who adore Christmas. The only one to escape from the revolting, red-eyed creature was a boy from Adelaide. However, he did not come back the same instead of hope and delight he was filled with anger and rage. His family described him as emotionless, wildfires in his eyes and hate coursing through his body. Fortunately, the pale creature never entered my village, so I always thought it was nothing more than a story to scare people on Christmas Eve. But one night all my believes changed to something I never would’ve thought before. As the full moon shined as bright as the sun on Christmas Eve, I decided to spend the night at my family’s warehouse. So, I wouldn’t have to endure the cocky selfish laughs of drunk lunatics on the streets but mostly because I rather not want to be in the presence of the people, I must call family. The family that sends guilt to every nerve in my body and the so-called family that stares at me with disappointment every waking minute of every day. As I stepped foot in the gloomy building, I could hear nothing but my footsteps echoing through the walls almost like life was silence by deaf in this very building. As I scanned the building, I could see every speck of dust on the artefacts my parents have collected over the years most of the artefacts even looked like grey sand, but something seemed wrong. It was almost like another soul was with me, my eyes touched every inch of the place but there was nothing just me and my mind but all of the sudden I heard a laugh. Not a laugh that makes you feel loved and appreciated it was a laugh that would have made anyone want to cut their ears off. After checking in every corner of every room there was nothing just dust, dust and more dust. The second I exited the room my body froze, and my heart started beating like a drum. As I stared into its bloody red eyes, I realized it held a sack but not just any sack it was screaming as if a million children were in there. The snow coloured body suddenly walked forward in my direction I had nowhere to run or hide. It quickly grabbed me by the neck, not being able to speak or breathe for what felt an eternity and it stuffed me in its sack. As I cried myself to sleep knowing I would never see the warm light just the cold darkness I felt rage and I started whispering in anger:
“Silver-Tongue will pay.”
“Silver-Tongue will pay.”
“Silver-Tongue will pay.”