To Fear Krampus

The air was sweet and bitter, the air filled with salt and sugar. The laughter of high pitch squeals native to children, atlas there was one who sat alone by the over frosted window looking out into the powdery white desert before him. It was the same every year, year after year. He keeps his gaze into the night sky with all of it’s sprinkled twinkling lights up above. “Elbert!” a soft voice behind him calls, she looked at him for a moment he was larger than a elf so him being a stand out was normal for him, his skin was grey like ash and coal, his hair was buzzcut and short but it was jet black and his eyes burnt like embers. He only tilts his head cutting his eyes in the direction the voice was coming from but he didn’t have to he could see her reflection in the window. “Yes, Mrs. Clause?”, “why aren’t you with everyone else, it’s a festive time of year. Christmas is over, it’s a time for celebration not moping around.” She says, but he doesn’t reply but instead he just keeps his gaze outside. “Well will you at least be joining us for dinner?” her tone worrisome. He nods with Mrs. Clause patting him on the back as he heads into the dinning hall as her back is turned; about half way out the door does Elbert follow behind. He didn’t want to leave the study hall; it was the only place he felt comfortable….at peace. He had spent many days with St. Nick in that room, with its crimson red carpet and window curtains. In the room sat a single desk carved out of the first tree in Eden with various Dwarf symbols printed into the wood, Nick always told him they were protective spells but Elbert knew there was more to it than that.

As Elbert enters the dinning hall, he is greeted by laughter and over lapping chatter of his brothers and sisters. He found his seat fairly fast; the table was long, two rows about half the size of a football field. Each table stacked with various foods of all kind’s turkey, chicken, stuffing, ham, mac and cheese, potato salad, burgers, fries, etc. etc. The list could go on but it was just too much food to name and no one ever dare to ask Mrs. Clause how she did it. “okay, everyone settles down “the deep voice was opposite of the way St. Nick normally talked his voice stern and demanding the room “everyone!” His voice much louder this time around, causing everyone to snap their heads in his direction, his cheery face, strawberry bubbly red cheeks and warm smile break the room out into laughter once again as he raises his chalice into the air. “I want to thank you, sincerely I love you all, my children” his comment receives a choir of both reciprocated comments and applause causing his pale-salmon face to blush a bright red, making his thick sheep like white hair all the more noticeable.

Elbert tried to enjoy the festivities but he couldn’t, his plate had had considerably less food packed onto it then all the others. As he zones out on his plate with a half-eaten apple on it, a cold breeze blows through the dinning hall, the laughter settles as the room falls to a gripping chill. St. Nick’s face drops from its cheery position to a cold straight face “everyone it’s alright, remain calm please continue to eat and enjoy yourselves” his words overshadowed by the large doors busting open “I’m home” a deep voice says in a harmonic tune it was gritty and energetic. Everyone stares on as the man walks forward into the room his fragile weak figure and goat feet stomped on the floor, he was hunched over like a nightmarish and twisted version of St. Nick when he is carrying the sack of Loki. “What are you doing here Krampus?” St. Nick says while taking a sip from his chalice; Krampus continues to walk forward at a steady and slow pace following behind him was a long snake like tail wagging but not rapid like a happy dog it was more so swiping left to right like a horse’s tail. His hair was massive, mid-night black, slick back and shinny like he had rubbed motor oil in it and pushed it back, horns protruding from his forehead with it’s rocky like texture the only thing differentiating from his hair, his face was mostly unnoticeable as it was hidden by his hood from the coat he was wearing. He was tall at least two or three feet over St. Nick at least he would be if not for him hunching so bad, he stood on his hind legs all the while having the smile of the devil.

“By all means brother don’t stop the celebration on my account” He says inching closer and closer to St. Nick, “How did you get pass the protection spell?”, “oh, foolish Nick. Brother do you forget there is no spell you can cast that I can’t counter?”, “You mean sabotage”, “umm just like you to hold a grudge” Krampus words echo the hall as he grabs the chalice from St. Nick’s hands at first a slight tug of war ensues before St. Nick gives in and lets him take a sip. “A grudge is appropriate when your brother makes your hair permanently white.” St. Nick says while stroking his beard the statement causes Krampus to choke on the beverage as holds back laughter which causes Elbert to chuckle. The other elves snap their head at Elbert, not paying attention to Krampus and St. Nick as they leave room. Their collective staring makes Elbert uncomfortable, the intense look they all shared only broken by the sound of the study hall door closing, “Alright children” Mrs. Clause says in a soft high pitch voice “Carry on with the celebration, papa clause will be back soon” she gave them a smile as she went back up to the table her and St. Nick were witting at.

Elbert looked up to the ascending three steps where Mrs. Clause sat then back at his bare bones plate. His eyes continued to travel across the room scanning all the other elves and their random chatter; he was uninterested by this and soon stands up and heads towards the kitchen which was to the opposite side of the dinning hall that Mrs. Clause was at. She watched on in interest, Elbert does enter the kitchen but he diverts to the one of many entrances into the kitchen, he quietly sneaks up the hallway and quietly approaches the second off shoot door to the study hall and places his ear up to the door. “How is my son doing?” St. Nick scuffs at the comment. “what do you want Krampus?” His voice stern, Elbert had never heard him be so annoyed before. “It’s the 15^th year, Nick. I think it would be best if Elbert…..sweet Loki I hate that name. Delmar should come with me” Elbert’s hands slips causing him to thumb his forehead on the door…the sound loud enough that St. Nick puts his finger up to his lips signaling to Krampus to keep quite as he sneaks towards the door. Nick jerks the door open, causing Elbert to immediately fall into the room, St. Nick laughs with his arms out and a half chuckle while Krampus just shakes his head then him and Elbert make eye contact. With in moments a sharp pain starts to surge throughout his forehead as he goes to cover his head with his hands, he feels a small pair of knots growing larger and larger until he realizes that it’s a pair of horns pushing through. He screams in pain “what is happening?” both Krampus and St. Nick rush to his side “My son you’re becoming a Belsnickel” Krampus says while holding Elbert’s head in his hands so they keep eye contact “A…A what?”, “come with me and I can explain”.

Elbert heard the words but his world starts to spin as he begins to feel hot, maybe it was the fire place but he had been in this room many times before with and without the fire going so what was this feeling? He starts to feel the whole room spin faster and faster, he wobbles and stumbles as he gets to his feet, St. Nick grabs him trying to help him keep balance but Elbert fights trying to break free from the grip “wow he is extremely strong” he thinks to himself. Struggling to get himself lose, a small burst of magik manages to make St. Nick finally lose grip of Elbert as he falls to the floor once more, he darts away running and swinging the front door open and stepping outside into the cold. As He runs down the porch steps he lands on all fours tripping from the last steps as his hands sink into the snow up to his wrist; his breath heavy as he pants the condensation hoovers in front of his face making his nose wet with his breathing returning to normal the condensation becomes more faint until it’s barely visible. As he lifts his head, he sees five large figures in front of him each with eyes that burned like the sun but he couldn’t make out their facial features thanks to their overly large black cloaks. “Son, meet your siblings” Krampus says from behind him.