Chapter 4

 

There wasn’t a sound in the house as Nicholas made his way down the stairs. How he loved the peace and quiet. Those thoughts had no sooner entered his mind when a low whistling sound interrupted the silence. The soft early sunlight streamed through the window as Nicholas entered his living room.

“What in the world?” Nicholas murmured in puzzlement as he saw the brightly lit Christmas tree and the train as it toot-tooted its way around the village. Frowning, Nicholas moved closer. The damned thing must have come back on by itself.

It wasn’t until he knelt next to the village that he noticed something was wrong. Confusion filled his face as he took in the scene of devastation. The porcelain figures lay broken, their tiny heads scattered throughout the village. A hole had been punched in the ice rink, the skaters no longer to be seen. The snow, once pristine white, was now covered with tiny droplets of red.

“What the hell?” Anger shot through Nicholas. Who could have done such a thing? The carved figures his family had made, where were they? He peered closer. Tears filled his eyes as he reached for the miniature sleigh, its passengers mutilated beyond repair. A low chuckle began to fill the room. Nicholas glanced around, but saw no one. The chuckle got louder. Nicholas looked back at the village in shocked disbelief. The carved figure of himself cutting down a pine tree was looking back at him, a slow malevolent grin spreading across its face.

“It’s been a while, Nicholas, but here I am again.”

Frozen in horror, Nicholas watched as the figure, axe in hand, began to grow taller and taller until he stood towering over Nicholas.

Immobilized with fear, Nicholas could do nothing but stare into a face so like his own, but the face of a murderer. The dark place in Nicholas’s mind opened, and suppressed memories came rushing back. Bile churned in his stomach and filled his throat as he stumbled to his feet. “It was you,” he cried. “You killed my parents and all those townspeople.”

The figure snorted. “Now you’re getting a conscience? I only did what you didn’t have the guts to do yourself. He gently began to swing the axe back and forth. “You’re the one who despises Christmas. Isn’t it you who hated your parents for forcing you to dress like an elf and walk in the Christmas parade, spend hours helping to bake cookies and string popcorn for the tree, crawl on the snowy roof stringing lights and hanging wreaths?”

“You’re pure evil. I never wanted you to kill anyone,” Nicholas cried. “I just wanted Christmas to go away.”

“You should have thought of that before you once again wished for me to come.”

Nicholas’s entire body went cold. With a barely audible voice, he said, “I never wished for you.”

The figure shrugged. “Believe what you want, we both know the truth. I have done your bidding. What’s done is done.”

Sudden panic beyond anything he’d ever felt coursed through Nicholas. The house was still too quiet. Where were Candace and his children? They should have been up by now. He had to swallow twice before his words would come. “Where are my wife and children?”

The figure only smiled.

For the first time since he’d entered the living room, Nicholas took in the rest of his surroundings. Like an automaton, he slowly walked through the destruction heading toward the kitchen, dreading with every step what he might find. His scream echoed throughout the house as he fell to his knees next to Candace’s headless body. “Candace, no.” he sobbed. As he knelt on the floor, a fierce hatred burned in his eyes. “My children. What have you done with my children?”

Again the figure shrugged. “I believe they were going skating.”

A bellow of anguish and rage filled the air as Nicholas tore the bloody axe from the figure’s grasp.

A loud pounding began at the front door. “Police, let us in.”

The axe dropped from Nicholas’s hand. “I will not pay for what you did.”

The figure laughed. “Nicholas, you know who I am.”

Before Nicholas could take a step, the front door burst open and, with his gun drawn, Officer Yule, followed by Candace’s father charged in, more police right behind them.

“There’s the murdering monster,” Candace’s father exclaimed. He charged at Nicholas, but was restrained by two police officers.

“Nicholas Klaus, I’m arresting you on suspicion of multiple murders,” Officer Yule stated as he brought out his handcuffs.

Nicholas began to back away. “I’m innocent. You have to believe me. He’s the one you want.” Nicholas pointed behind him. “Not me.”

Officer Yule narrowed his eyes. “Playing games isn’t going to help. Now come with me.”

“I’m not playing games,” Nicholas shouted. “Arrest him.” Again Nicholas pointed to where the figure had been standing.

“Arrest who?” Officer Yule asked.

“Him.” Nicholas turned to see nothing but a little carved figure of a man cutting down a tree laying on the floor at his feet.