As I flip through the pages, Sadie abruptly walks into the room wearing a sexy blue party dress.
“I’m glad to see that you’re reading the Bible,” she says.
I gently put the book on the counter. “I saw it here and well… I thought I’d look at it while I wait.”
She places her arms around my hips and pulls herself against my body. “Are you sure you want to do this, college boy?” she whispers.
I lower my head, staring into her eyes while she rubs herself against me. “Yeah, it’s what I do.”
She smiles. “Then you’re lucky, not many men can have me.”
“I know.”
She lets go of me and points at the closet next to the hallway. “You will hide in there.”
“If that’s what you want.”
She licks her upper lip and adds, “You’re my Christmas gift.”
“Are you sure you can pay me?”
She reaches for me. “Yes and here it is.” She takes out the money from her purse.
“I usually get paid after.”
“Take it.” She shoves the money down my pants.
I push away, looking at the closet door.
“Remember the plan,” she says.
I laugh while pulling out a black ski mask from my back pocket. I put it on.
“Now you look like a naughty burglar,” she adds.
“I was afraid you would say that.”
Sadie looks at the clock on the wall. “I better go. Midnight Mass already started.” She grabs her jacket and runs toward the front door, turning off the lights in the house. “Don’t fall asleep,” she says. The front door slams shut as I notice in the corner of the living room the reflection of green, red, and blue blinking lights from her Christmas tree. I am about to approach the tree, when my cell phone vibrates. I answer it.
“Where are you?” David asks.
“I’m still at her house.”
“Well hurry up. You’re missing an awesome party, and dad is asking for you.”
I walk into the closet and sit on a chair behind a large coat rack. “Guess what?” I ask.
“What?”
“This lady has a sick fantasy.”
“What did you expect? She’s mom’s friend.”
“Get this. She went to Midnight Mass, and when she gets back, I’m supposed to jump out of a closet, wearing a mask like a thief and attack her.”
“Attack her?”
“Yeah, I’m supposed to rough her up a little, rip her clothes off and… you know – do bad things to her next to her Christmas tree.”
“And while her husband is out of town?”
“Yeah, crazy, and she has a Bible on a counter.”
“How weird is that?”
“I know.”
“Well hurry up before the party ends. Uncle Bob is already drunk.”
The phone hangs up as I lean back on the chair, staring between the coats. I reach for the closet door and close it halfway, giving me enough view of the living room and the Christmas tree. I then shove my cell phone back in my pocket and as I wait, my eyes slowly close.
I wake up to a blast of cold air across my face with a horrible stench. I quickly sit up, peek between the coats, anticipating that Sadie has returned from Midnight Mass, but all I see is the blinking Christmas lights and something awkward behind the tree. I quietly reach forward, gently pushing two coats apart, looking more intently, and what I see is shocking.
A creepy figure – tall, slender, bare, hairless with long arms and fingers – is touching the Christmas tree as though curious by the blinking lights. I push myself back in the chair, and as the creature moves around the tree, it has red blistered skin and a long tail like a kangaroo. I take a deep breath, clasp my hands together, when unexpectedly the creature starts to whistle to what sounds like a Christmas jingle. Disturbed, I reach for my cell phone, when the backdoor slams open.
“I forgot my purse!” Sadie shouts.
With a loud scream, the creature jumps at Sadie.
“Stop!” she yells.
I’m frozen still, and all I hear is the furniture being knocked over.
“Help,” Sadie whimpers.
I close my eyes to a beastly grunt.
“No,” she cries.
I sit cowardly in the chair, thinking whatever this creature is – I hope it doesn’t notice me in the closet. I then hear my name.
“Gabe, please help me,” Sadie begs.
I glue myself to the chair.
“Gabe,” she says. “He’s going to kill me.”
I want to cry.
“Gabe,” she murmurs.
I cover my ears.
“I don’t want to die,” she moans.
But then I force my eyes open to the sound of laughter echoing around me, and with a trembling hand, I reach forward, quietly pulling the closet door shut. I sit with shame, doing nothing to help Sadie. For the first time in my life I am weak, anticipating the inevitable as time seems forever. Now for sure the creature knows I am in the closet, but for some strange reason death is not upon me.
Later on when the house is once again silent, I pull off my ski mask and creep out of the closet to the sight of blood dripping off the Christmas tree. I look down the hallway, and what is left of Sadie – a butchered head, severed limbs, and a torn blue party dress – are scattered along the bloody floor. I gag, shoving my hand down my pants. I pull out the five-hundred dollars, drop it next to her Bible, and frantically run out of the house to the reflection of green, red, and blue blinking lights.
The End
Bio:
Inspired by the short story, The Cask of Amontillado, I started writing fiction about death, horror and suspense. In February 2017, I published my first novel, Walking in the Shadows of Death and the Supernatural. I currently live in Las Vegas, New Mexico which is located in the foothills of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. When I’m not spending time with my family, I enjoy reading, the outdoors and sports. My website: chubbyvatomedia.com provides a platform for my writing.