•ᙎarnings: contains scenes of anger, violence, and death, read at your own risk, the author does not take responsibility for any negative feelings this story may procure.

************************************
Written For @The Bethlehem Awards.

From the late hours of Christmas Eve to the new dawn of Christmas morn a man in a Santa costume visited a home.

As the night rang with joy and festivities he brought with him death and dismay. If he had a sack it would not hold gifts we would hold dear.

When he was through fuelled with bitter envy and jealousy of love lost,  Christmas was no longer Merry but deadly dreary.

✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎

1. Here Comes Santa Claus 🎅

Eyes as cold as the winter night stared through the window at the scene that was unfolding in the warm cozy living room that boasted the customary display of the festive season.

They watched every detail of the couple's playful banter, laughter, and affection. The unaware spectator felt anger and distates rise like bile within the very core of their being. The woman inside has been naughty.

This was supposed to be their night. It should have been the other way around, but here like a straggly dog staring at bits of scrumptious leftovers and longing for just a tiny morsel the eyes drank in every bit of the scene that unfolded.

The petite blonde with skin as creamy as buttered milk and lips as rosy as mistle berries clung to the tall athletic figure with delight after he handed her a small rectangular shape gift-wrapped box.

An early Christmas present no doubt. He watched as she ripped the paper from it with slender fingers after playfully sticking the stick-on bow to the forehead of the man that stared down at her in anticipation.

Fingers in dirty white gloves wrapped themselves tightly about the cleaver they held. Tighter and tighter they squeezed as he saw the blonde reach for the man and kissed him with deep affection after the revelation of the diamond-studded tennis bracelet that was nestled on soft crepe paper in the velvet confines of the box.

He felt a sadness that was almost his undoing. He felt defeat reach out of the cold to wrap its dismal warmth around him but hate was stranger. He was not going to let her rip him apart any longer.

He looked away and stared at the houses that sandwich that of the couple he had watched with genuine hate. One was showing no sign of occupancy, no doubt they were somewhere enjoying some nightly festivity of the cold, crisp yet highly appreciated Christmas Eve.

The other however was filled with sounds of vibrant festivities. A party was in full swing. The sounds of Here Come Santa Clause blasted into the night as shadows of the people within showed no care for who or what was out on the lonely street that bordered their festively decorated homes and yard.

He whistled gayly to the tune of the loudly blasting song as he crossed the road and stepped on the lawn of the house of the couple he had stood watching minutes ago. He stood by the life-size statue of Santa Claus that smiled jolly and gay out at nothing and remove its hat which he donned.

His costume was now complete. He walked to the door and rang the bell.  As he sang Here comes Santa Clause and waited with a heady delight for it to open he never felt happier.

Christmas was going to be splendid after all.

✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎

2: The Night Before Christmas 🎑

The couple who was on the verge of taking their celebration to the bedroom paused as they heard the distinctive knock of someone impatiently rapping on their front door.

Gary stared puzzlingly at Holly and listened again. There it was and it was clear whoever it was had no intention of going away. He pulled himself reluctantly from the woman he held and mouthed a sorry as he made for the door.

He had a strong feeling it was Stan from next door, no doubt seeking something that his boisterous party had run out of.

He unlocked the door and made to address his neighbor with clear annoyance but no words were formulated as confusion marred his attractive tanned face as he stared not at his neighbor but at the dirty, stained, and somewhat anorexic bloodshot-eyed Santa Claus.

His confusion gave way to stupified shock as the meat clever in the dirty gloved hand connected with his forehead right at the spot that still held the bow Holly had earlier placed there.

He crumbled to the floor with a soft thud and was already dead before his body hit the carpet that covered the floor. His dark brown eyes stared unseeingly as Santa stepped inside, closed and latched the door with deft carefree movements, and remove the clever taking with it the bow and Gary's warm sticky blood.

He smiled as he stood upright and stared at the woman who stood frozen in shock. Her bright cobalt blue eyes were huge orbs of astonishment as she gazed at the scene in front of her. He tilted his head and stared at her with longing and appreciation. Could anyone be more beautiful?

He liked the way her long rich silky corn yellow hair fell down and over her shoulders in loose drop curles. She had parted it to the side and held the strands in place by a cute gingerbread boy hair clip.

His eyes traveled down to the forest green knit sweater dress she wore. He drank in the way it fitted to the juts and curves of her body so slender yet appealing with just the right contours to entice. Her shapely legs were encased in thick black stockings she wore no shoes on her small dainty feet.

He had always called her his Barbie Holly. He smiled in remembrance and said with delight.

"Hi, Barbie Holly."

She glanced from him to the still figure of her deceased lover then back to him his voice dragging her out of her trance the crude scene that was now her reality.  He realized that the shock was now wearing off and her mouth was shaping to release a resounding scream.

He quickly lessened the space between them. He wrapped her in a bruising embrace burying her face in the crook of his neck stifling any sound she made. He realised also he best draw the drapes to give them the privacy that a night like this deserved.

He contemplated letting her go to do it but knew that might not be so wise, so pulling her with him he quickly drew the folds together encasing them in their dark and dismal world.

"Holly baby," he sighed inhaling her sweet scent a mixture of flowers and citrus.

"Get off me!" she screamed and with all her might she shoved at his body which was drenched in stale sweat and unwashed body odor-causing him to lose his balance and momentary control.

Without hesitation, she rushed from him towards the small hall and into the bedroom.  When he reached her she was dialing someone on her cell phone.

"Holly!" he barked but her trembling fingers kept on. "HOLLY!"

When she turns to stare at him and proceeds not to heed his warning he scent the cleaver spiraling into her heaving chest with unabashed rage, immediately drenching her dress in rich thick blood the replica of her name.

Anger erupted in him and his bloodshot eyes stared menacingly at her shocked and painfilled face, he shouted at her spittle flying from his cracked lips and marring the scraggly beard on his long bony chin.

"Look what you made me do?"

Holly dropped the phone and stared down at the cleaver lodge in her chest neither was aware that the line was open and a faint voice said.

"Hello...Hellooo!"

"I came here for you!" he punctuated each word with a menacing step toward her. "I killed Gary for you. I did everything for you and still, you reject me!"

He wailed like a wounded animal when he grabbed her and pull her from the room and throw her none too gently on the hardwood floor of the hall.

✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎✿︎

3: We Wish You A Merry Xmas🎄

As Christmas Eve gave way to Christmas and the sound of Arthur Warrell's We Wish You A Merry Christmas sounded from next door the early morn rang with the unheard screams of Holly as her chest was being hacked away by a deranged man who decked the halls with her bowels.

He had no idea how long he hacked away at her. He only became aware when the menacing sounds and feel of police grabbing him harshly and pinning him to the ground with brute force and harsh warnings took him from the madness that further consumed him.

He was drenched in Blood As Red As Holly as they dragged him away from the ghastly scene he had created to the flashing lights of police cars that added to the frenzied blinking of the Christmas lights that decorated the houses where onlookers now watched in shock and dismay.

Stu Barnaby nestled himself against the leathery seat of the police car he was harshly pushed into and clung to the lock of hair he had grasped tightly in his bloodied gloved hand. His face drenched in Holly's blood was that of deranged fulfillment.

************************************
Thanks for taking the time to read Blood As Red As Holly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it...🤗