Her body trembles as she listens to the footsteps slowly and eerily climb the stairs. She's on the verge of giving up, of letting the Grinch take what he may even if it means her life, but the fluttering in her chest tells her otherwise. Her heart tells her that it's not over and that there is still time to act.
Peering up Nayl stares at the window. Too small to reach the lock from the tile floor she clambers onto the toilet and reaches far enough to unlock and slightly open the window. Grunts of effort escape her and break the silence in the bathroom. Does she stop here? She wonders. Huffs of uncertainty expand her chest as her autumn eyes glance down to the piggy bank and Rudolph lying on the toilet lid and floor. She glances between them thoughtfully. Run away and escape with Rudolph or shatter her piggy bank and fight back? There is only one option for her but she doesn't know which it is.
The door to her parents room rattles. The Grinch is wriggling the doorknob before realizing that Nayl of course locked it. A Cheshire grin stretches across his lips as he leans to rest his forehead against the door. A sideways glance is given to the demons anxiously jumping around him. "Such a valiant effort, no?" They all cackle before the door is ripped off its hinges. The parents remain stagnant, oblivious to their house's destruction.
The bathroom door is torn away just as quickly bringing them all to a momentary stare down. Nayl has her hands on the windowsill contemplating flight or fight but she hesitates when her gaze levels onto the Grinch's pupilless eyes. "Didn’t anyone ever tell you Santa won’t come when you are awake?" His voice is gravely and cold. Nayl's eyes narrow but she doesn't say anything to him. Instead, she slowly steps down from the toilet and grabs both the piggybank and Rudolph but rather than clench them both to her chest she hurls the piggy bank to the ground. It shatters with an ear-splitting scream and reveals the knife that had been nestled inside. Nayl lunges to grab it, desperate. The Grinch hums and stares at the weapon briefly before looking up at the girl again. His head tilts to one side before he flicks his wrist, drawing the ceramic shards, knife, and Rudolph away. "We aren’t here to hurt anyone, unless you get in our way. But since you are up…" The antlers appear in his hand. Scrambling to straighten herself and back away Nayl stares at the option that rests in his palms. She listens closely, her eyes dancing among the Grinch, the demons, and the antlers while her mind is churning like a relentless storm.
Christmas is about family, it's about love. When she looks past the Grinch to see her parents sleeping, Nayl sighs. There is no way to fight past them all, not when they have magic. They are too powerful and could stop her before she even steps back into her parents' bedroom. She looks at the Grinch again then out the window behind her as she hears the jingling bells, cracking, popping, shattering. There's a war brewing out there, she thinks, before the Grinch affirms it with a sickening grin. He is still talking and she is still listening. Everything he says is true and yet a chill runs down her spine. It doesn't seem right that those words are dripping from him mouth; they're poisonous, they have to be.
He reaches forward and offers her the antlers, but she hesitates. Her trembling hand reaches for them because she knows the danger that lies ahead, but then she pauses. The jingling is still behind her, the noise entering through the open window. They're out there. "No!" She suddenly exclaims before spinning, jumping onto the toilet and climbing out the window. Snow icily wraps around her feet as she stands atop the enclosed deck. Her eyes look down into the yard. The Grinch, frustrated with her outburst and decision, crushes the antlers in his hand. A growl escapes through his clenched teeth but he tries to compose himself as he closes the distance to the window. "Girl, do you not realize the poor mistake you're making? We're just trying to help, you see," but she sees him lying through his yellowed teeth. "Santa doesn't need your help!" But I need theirs, she doesn't say as she turns her attention onto the fighting elves below. "Hey! Help me! The Grinch is in here! Help!" Nayl jumps cautiously up and down, but the snow is slippery and the roof is angled. She yelps as her footing is lost and she starts to slide down the rooftop of the deck. "Stupid girl," the Grinch mutters. He glances down to the yard one last time to see the elves prior to turning into his demons and pacing from the bathroom.
The elves are preoccupied fighting but a couple of them hear the yelling of the young girl atop the roof. "What is she doing?!" One asks before the other yells, "She's falling!" Quickly, they conjure a giant candy cane that Nayl slips down. She lands with a thud in the snow, crumpled and panting. One elf, the largest of the bunch, steps forward. "Silly girl! What a thing to do! Good thing we were here!" He turns to send a flurry of magic toward an opponent then looks at Nayl again. "I'm Snowflake," he says proudly, "Captain of The Jingle Regiment. Who are you?" A sheepish grin adorns her pretty face as she pushes her dark hair out of her face. "Nayl." A shiver runs through her but Snowflake quickly conjures boots and a jacket for her. He asks what happened in which she responds emphatically, her voice exasperated by the end. "You're bold," he admits when she finishes, "Why did you take the leap out of the window? They're a dangerous bunch, the Grinch and his little heathens. They could've hurt you pretty bad." Initially, the girl shrugs. "He said a couple correct things. Christmas is about love and family. I saw my parents somehow sleeping as though under a spell and I thought about what would be best to them. I have always wanted to make my dad proud." Covet, she muses as she hugs herself in the wind. "I've been good this year but I do make an occasional silly choice. It would've been too easy to just take the antlers and join him. I wanted a challenge. I wanted Christmas to be won by those who have always held it - Santa and his elves." A pause as an airy chuckle slips from her. "I'm tougher than you - and they - think." Snowflake pats her shoulder and turns to face the storming war around them. "We need to care of this and now. No more delay! There are demons running rampant in your neighbors houses." He points up and to the left just as the artificial reindeer scamper on the rooftop. Eager to help Nayl says, "Let's grab that candy cane and use that as a way to climb into the upstairs window." With a salute Snowflake whistles to a small group of eight in the Regiment and states his orders. Without hesitation the elves run toward the giant candy cane and topple it down before lifting (and half dragging) the sweet treat to the neighbor's house. Snowflake and Nayl throw snowballs at any and all of the minions who approach too closely to the candy cane and elves.
"HUP, HUP, HUP, HUP!" They shout in unison with every stride they take and grunt with the effort required to guide the cane into place. "Next step, Captain?!" They turn and receive the order to climb and battle. "Hurry!" Nayl runs after them and tries to climb the candy cane as well, but she isn't quite as adept to it. When she glances up she sees a fat boy in the window. He opens it with large eyes, staring at the ascending elves and candy. At first, Nayl grins thinking he is assisting, but when she sees the fat boy turn away then back she begins to frown. The fat child is trying to break away pieces of the candy cane to eat! "No, no, no! Leave that alone!" The boy doesn't stop as he takes hunks out of the candy cane with a hungry smile on his face. Acting quickly, Nayl and Snowflake run to the front door, but it's locked. They can both hear the commotion inside as they press their ears against the entrance. With an unexpected whoosh the door flies open and a man is standing there kicking a minion out of the doorway. "You shithead! Get out of here!" The minion lands and slides in the snow, but quickly turns to blast the father with magic, making him into an ice sculpture. During the small fight Nayl and Snowflake both pressed against the front of the house and quickly slip in once the opportune moment arises.
Chaos has overtaken the household, but it feels like the entire world. The Christmas tree is lying bleakly on its side with ornaments shattered across the hardwood floor. All of the decorations have been pulverized or scorched. When Nayl's eyes lift she sees the mother of the house wrapped in tinsel with an ornament lodged in her mouth. "Oh my gosh! She runs to help but Snowflake grabs her. "Not now! Deal with the minions first!" As if on cue they hear their comrades upstairs. "CHARGE!" There's running, jumping, yelling, and breaking. The fat boy has been locked in his closet with a few chunks of the candy cane to keep him occupied. "Our magic is limited so we have to try our best not to use it all!" Snowflake yells above the commotion while wrapping one of the minions with layers of ribbon. He then shoves it toward Nayl who takes the opportunity to lock it in the bathroom along with a few others in the span of time they're in the house. With the help of the nine elves they push the loveseat in front of the door as to avoid them escaping.
"ONWARD!" The elves shout as they run as a single unit out of this house into the backyard. "Snowflake, look!" Nayl casts her attention onto a nearby home. The Grinch is atop the roof staring down at them. His slimy grin flickers away as his head shakes. A few more heartbeats lock their eyes before he turns away to the chimney and begins to cram himself inside. His minions pursue as does Nayl and her nine elf friends. They bound through the snow and stop at the back door into the house. It's locked, but there's a small pet door that leads inside. "Sugarplum! You're on! Go!" Snowflake announces before the elf climbs through the cat doorway into the house. He immediately unlocks the door from the inside, granting entrance to Nayl and his comrades.
They burst in with determination in their eyes until Nayl realizes where they are. "Mrs. Crumley!" The elves look up at her questionably before looking ahead at the multitude of cats scampering across the rooms. Some climb into the Christmas tree only to jump onto the mantle when the tree falls. At first Nayl doesn't see her elderly neighbor but after looking through a few rooms she sees the old woman heavily taped to the wall. It's all Christmas ductape but with one strip that has pickles on it reading "Dill with it." She's about to rescue her, too, before Snowflake reminds her and points up to the stairs. The small gremlins are running around destroying everything in their path. Standing at the top of the stairs, smug as can be, is the Grinch. "Oh, I'm sorry for this Mrs. Crumley, but we have to watch the magic use..." she bites her lip before pivoting to grab a cat. She tosses the tabby at one of the reindeer minions. Nails and teeth are immediately exposed followed by hisses and shouts. "Throw the cats onto the demons, if you can! They'll distract them!" As a group effort they try to pick up and hurriedly toss the frightened felines in the direction of individual demons. One slashes Nayl's face and knocks her aside. A minion takes advantage and pounces on her only to be knocked back because of the elves' kicking retaliation. It's an awkward battle that doesn't seem to have a victor.
It can only last for so long, however, as the cats yowl and run out of the house with their tails lifted high and fluffed. "Retreat into the backyard!" They run from the house and stand in the snowy yard knowing that the demons are on their heels. "Silly, silly girl," they rasp in repetition as they edge closer and closer. "Guys, how much magic do you have left in you? There's so many of them!" Nayl starts grabbing snow and forming them into balls, some with ice inside. "I used my last bit already," Snowflake admits painfully with panting breaths. They glance among each other as the minions begin closing the distance. Snowflake, Jangle, Peppy, Sugarplum, Frosty, Bubbles, Twinkle and Cuddles all shrug and shake their heads. Nayl, biting her lip fearfully, glances at the reindeer minions. One suddenly leaps for her, landing on her head and scraping its nails across her jacket arms and face. Her screams fill the frigid air as she falls to the ground and fights to get the thing off. Snow sprays until she is pinning the creature down and hitting incessantly. She then grabs the antlers and tries tugging them off in hopes it will break some sort of spell. Much to her dismay, the antler simply breaks but never entirely rips off the demon's head. Dazed and confused, it lies there simply breathing in a catatonic state. "Those things are vicious," she grumbles while wiping away smears of blood on her face. "No more miss nice girl. Please excuse anything I do and don't use it against my presents this year." The elves worriedly look at each other then shrug. Only then do they realize one of their members is missing. "CHIPPER!" They call before an elf pops out of the snow. "Right here, guys," he sheepishly grins as he climbs out of the mound. "I have some magic left, but not much. We can see how far it gets us." They nod. It's worth a shot. "Try breaking their antlers if nothing else. It seems to stun them..." Nayl glances back to the one still lying in the snow behind her. When she pivots to face their opponents again her heart leaps.
There are so many of them, staring at her and the elves. Their claws are extended and their eyes malicious. "Chipper, now would be nice." "Oh, right!" A whirl of magic reaches for a few of the demons, turning them into gingerbread men. He shrugs. "No talons or anything, I guess? That's all I got." Two of the minions topple over with their lost balance, their faces planted into the snow. Nayl can't help but chuckle at first before reaching down to grab some of her snowballs. "Attack!" A one-sided snowball war begins and while at first it looks aimless, they notice that a few of the demons become soggy and crumble. Their legs snap when wading through the wet snow while others faces (the yummy icing forming their features) dribbles down. Unfortunately, Chipper couldn't change all of the demons into gingerbread men. There are far too many still advancing, still dangerous. The odds look bleak and Nayl begins to lose hope.
BANG.
"Snowflake!" The elves rush to their leader as he falls to his knees. A BB gun is held firmly in the fat boy's hands from earlier. "What's wrong with you?!" Nayl exlaims as the frost bites at her nose. "Why on Earth would you shoot one of Santa's elves?!" She runs to Snowflake as he lies down and curls in the snow. Blood stains the alabaster scene and it's as if her word is tumbling. "They trespassed," the boy grumbles while still threateningly holding the gun, "and look at what they did to my mom and dad!" "The reindeer demons did that, not the elves! You idiot!" The minions are still closing around them, some fallen gingerbread men that are trying to crawl across the snow. Nayl funnels her attention on the boy though and lunges forward into a run. He shoots but misses. Nayl jumps to the side then continues sprinting. He shoots again and she feels it rake across her arm. A yelp involuntarily slips from her before she leaps onto him. Her parents never taught her anything of violence, and so she slaps him multiple times then takes snow and pushes it into his face. The boy squirms and shouts but only after Nayl has confiscated the BB gun does she step away. A wide, loose ribbon lies abandoned in which she uses to tie his hands behind his back. Then she scurries to one of the fallen gingerbread-men demon and breaks off a hunk to shove in the boy's mouth to momentarily silence him. Their eyes meet and her heat shakes. "You deserve a truckload of coal, you imbecile." Quickly, Nayl turns her back to him and looks at the elves huddled around Snowflake. His delicate body can't handle the bullet in his ribs. A feeble cough breaks the silence as she steps toward him. Her own arm is on fire where the bullet had skinned her. "We'll protect you. We won't lose this war." Nayl stands among them and she looks tall and proud until she sees the Grinch standing behind the ranks of his minions, watching her icily.
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