The stand off held still, like the calm before the storm as smoke from the chimney dissipated. Kat bounced the bat off her spare hand, the Grinch and his demons softly cackling across the small gap between them. Kat glared a look that could kill; she was furious. The demon Grinch and his little minions had ruined everything her mother had worked so hard for- the extra shifts at work, the hours in Black Friday lines, the effort of perfectly wrapping each gift just so. It all lay ruined on the floor a terrible sight that fueled her to break the standoff. Her muscles clenched as they braced for the pressure of impulsion, but it was like the Grinch read her mind. Just like that, poof the bat was gone, which cause Kat to skid to a premature halt after only two or three steps. Her signature teenage line ran through her mind again, ”You have got to be kidding me!” Somewhere in the back of Kat’s mind he was amazing how many different ways she had used that phrase, but saying it was second nature just as saying “um” or “like” as filler words was unavoidable for many people. Kat back peddled looking for any other weapon in which could help her against the Grinch, but the Grinch just laughed. His maddening little demons just guffawed alongside their master, adding to the furry about to erupt from her teenage form.
The Grinch spoke then and Kat stood defenseless, unable to block his words she had to listen. They were mocking at first, which Kat met by literally spitting at him, she was no dainty princess. ”You just don’t know when to shut the hell up do you? Look here you twit Santa can kiss my ass. He didn’t have some pea-brained oaf come wake him up in the middle of the night and ruin their holiday!” Her eyes flared her words were venomous, she wished that was enough to make him wilt away, (and this terrible night would end) though she knew it wasn’t. The Grinch was completely unfazed just shook his head and droned on about not hurting anyone and trying to save Christmas. Kat felt the draw on her attention, his words pulled her in, captivated her. She started to feel the anger fade and there was a haze folding in around her, embracing her. It was as if nothing else in the world existed. Kat realized that she kind of agreed with the demon Grinch, but she still screamed “no” from the depth of her mind.
Even when the Grinch paused and lifted the veil that kept the world out, Kat still felt the haze around her. The sounds flooded her, screaming, crying, crashes and banging. Dogs frantically sounded the alarm that it was the middle of the night and all was definitely not well. She realized she was not alone in her eventful evening but before her thoughts cleared the Grinch spoke again surrounding her once more, the embrace of the foggy haze grew stronger with each word. He spoke of commercialism, the materialistic greed that had overcome the nation, and how it had ruined Christmas. The little voice inside her mind that was once screaming to not listen (cause he was full of shit) was now a faint whisper. The whisper was not enough to make Kat think he was lying, and she found herself nodding along with him in agreement. The furry had faded to anger and then to annoyance, but not with the Grinch. Kat was annoyed with mankind. How could we allow ourselves to become so lost in such meaningless little things?
The Grinch continued on, how they would leave the food and family alone—for all that stayed asleep. Kat was now thankful that her mother slept through everything, and that her siblings were somehow still asleep—or at least too afraid to come downstairs. He offered her a pair of antlers and she found herself reaching for them before he even finished, the haze drove her forward like a spell. But the little whisper that was the clear-minded part of her mind would stop nagging her to check on her siblings. Kat pulled her hand back, shaking her head trying to get a clear thought as to why she did so—the Grinch just wanted the real Christmas, what did she have to worry? But the nagging continued until she had the thought formed. It felt like ages to Kat, but I must have been quick, as the Grinch hadn’t made a comment just continued holding the antlers. Kat looked at the orange-eyed demon, she no longer saw a terrible beast, just a misunderstood creature. She nodded to him, her mind made up. ”If you mean that you will not hurt those who are asleep, then you will not mind if I check on my family before I go with you. Send a babysitter if you must.” Kat wasn’t asking for permission, she was going no matter what. The haze the Grinch had worked around her with his words had fully enveloped her- there was no escaping its pull now.
She jogged up the stairs, and glanced in each room, Her two brothers were asleep, but she heard sobs from inside her baby sister’s room. Kat opened the door, and cross the room to the sobbing girl. She soothed her until the tears stopped, reassured her as much as she could that everything was all right. Kat believed that now- the Grinch was just correcting the wrongs of mankind. ”Shhhh, it’s ok. The tree just fell over. Everything is ok…..shhhh….shhh…it’s ok…” Kat cooed until the girl was back to sleep. The Grinch must have been impatient as she heard him call from downstairs, coxing her back with words of saving Christmas. Just like that the haze took her back, back out of the room, back down the stairs, back down to the antlers. The Grinch looked at her, as he handed her the antlers. The whispers in her mind whimpered one final plea, but the haze of the Grinch’s words was too strong. Kat took the antlers and donned them.
The demon minions danced and cackled with glee of their master’s crafty victory. Kat felt the antlers fuse to her head; there was no removing them, not for now at least. It was an odd feeling Kat didn’t need the Grinch to tell her what to do it was if she just knew, like she had been told already. The Grinch stood and laughed menacingly, stomping his feet in a fit of hysteria- he was so very amused with himself. Kat turned and ran out the front door, only to come face-to-face with chaos. There were demons and elves everywhere, and people where out fighting for their own Christmases. She slowed, wanting to get a game plan, but demon reindeer jumped out from all around her and began running across the street to the O’Shea’s house, ushering her along with them.
The antlers were not just a little decoration to give her the image of a reindeer to keep the Grinch’s demons from turning on her. It was as if the antlers kept her in the altered state the Grinch weaved into her. Kat’s thoughts were her own, but she believed she was in the right that the Grinch was really trying to help save Christmas. The whisper was long gone, the voice of reason squashed
Kat took off at a jog across the street. Kat stopped at the garage- she knew their garage code after many nights spent babysitting. She punched in the code and the garage rattled into life. She ducked under as soon as she could, only two of the reindeer were with her, the rest had gone up to the roof, to enter through the chimney. She came up on the other side of the garage door to snarls. The O’Shea’s yellow lab, Bentley, stood before her head low, mouth in a snarl, and legs wide- braced in a defensive stance. The reindeer hopped and danced around the dog, and made it into the house. Kat was scared for a moment; Bentley acted like he had never seen her before. Oh, I hate dogs! She side-stepped to try and gain some distance and scooted around the perimeter of the garage. Bentley followed, snarling and barking. Kat yelped and made a dash for the door, Bentley at her heels. Before she could get through the door Bentley lunged, knocking her over. She howled as Bentley sunk his teeth into her calf. Anger flared in her and before she knew what she was doing a box fell off of a nearby shelf hitting Bentley, and gave her the distraction she needed to shuffle inside and shut the door on the dog.
Kat looked down at her favorite yoga pants, ripped and bloody. Luckily the bite wasn’t too bad it would heal, but it hurt like hell. She snarled and shouted out while looking up ”You have better be grateful for my help Grinch, you owe me a pair of yoga pants!” She wasn’t sure why, but she knew the Grinch could hear her and just like that she heard a grouchy reply in her mind “Just get to work, stop whining.” Kat ran-limped to the living room and joined the rumpus. The reindeer demons and she danced about they tore apart wrappings, and busted ornaments on the floor. The demons cackled and she found herself enjoying it as well. She smiled- though not evilly as her partners did. She smiled with the reassurance that she was doing right—commercialism was evil. She pulled Barbies apart, smashed Ironman figurines, and pulled apart stuffed animals all in the name of Christmas. Like the Grinch said- they didn’t touch the food. The demons were pleased with the destruction and the hissed their evil approval, then flew up the chimney. Kat ran to the front door, but not before looking over my shoulder. The place was a mess. It was then she realized she had magic, that she had knocked over that box on Bentley. ”You have got to be kidding me, how awesome is this!!” She wondered how much she could do. She thought of the tree catching on fire would be cool, so she concentrated hard on it, envisioned it. Kat probably looked like an idiot to any outsider- glaring at the knocked down tree eyes bugging out of her tilted head. Nothing happened. Then there was that cackling in her head, the Grinch was amused at her failed efforts “That is funny little girl. Now stop playing and get going to the next house!”Kat sighed, she would have liked to be able to set things on fire. Oh well. She spun on her heal, and exited the house.
Kat squeaked and flung herself to the ground as a knife went whirling where she had stood a moment before. Things outside had gotten so much worse. Around her elves fought demons, as did her neighbors- so many were out in the fray. Chaos and Destruction were everywhere. The teenage girl decided staying low might be the best safest route. She crawled across the lawn further left, further away from her sleeping family, further into the Grinch’s clutches. Kat kept her eyes down, trying to seem scared, or inconspicuous or… something to be overlooked. She had made it several yards before she ran smack into a pair of heavy boots, Mr. Henry. Mr. Henry was ex-military; he was big, muscular and every kid in the neighborhood did what he said--when he said it. There were rumors of what happened to kids who didn’t listen and not a single one was a phone call to your parents. Mr. Henry took her arm and lifted her with little effort. He gave her a stern look, “Go home, now.” Kat swallowed hard, she had to tell the most terrifying man in the neighborhood no. Her words wouldn’t work, she tried to speak but the words just stuttered and fumbled refusing to fall from her mouth; so she just shook her head no. Mr. Henry’s eyes flared, he was not happy, he looked up to the antlers on her head. “You are with THEM! They are destroying everything!” Kat shook her head, words finally made their way past her lips, ”No, they are SAVING Christmas! Making it what it used to be! Mr. Henry, they are just trying to help us see what really matters- family!”
Mr. Henry just shook his head, a small amount of sadness behind his eyes. Without letting go, he started to drag her to the shed behind the house, “Don’t worry Kat, this will just but until this crazy night is over. I don’t want you to get hurt, or do anything else you’ll regret come daylight.” The whole time he spoke he was pulling Kat behind the house. Kat fought hard, she jerked and tried to smack and hit him. He’s wrong! Christmas is so out of control now, the Grinch is trying to help! She felt her emotions surge and tears flooded her eyes, as she began to cry. She couldn’t seem to do anything that she wanted to, and now she couldn’t save Christmas because Mr. Henry was going to lock her in his shed. He must have heard her sobbing because he stopped and looked at her softly, his grip just a bit lighter. Kat’s eyes flared and she ripped free, pulling her knee up as hard as she could into his groin. Mr. Henry nearly fell over as he groaned and coughed. Kat wasted no time- she ran into his house.
The reindeer all stopped the destruction in progress, and glared angrily at her. They must have not liked how long it took her to get inside, they must have thought she was slacking. Kat stood and glared back at them, Ok, ok, geeze…I’ll do better next house! He threw her hands out to the sides in exasperation and all the bulbs on the tree exploded. The demon reindeer clapped and crowed their approval of her destruction. Kat nodded, and got to work, she ran to the tree and toppled it over. She jumped on packages until they were in pieces then she kicked them across the floor. The next parcel she picked up and threw it at the wall, she heard a sharp crack as whatever was inside broke. She felt good- she was helping bring Christmas back to what it was supposed to be. She reached for the final gift on the floor, and raised it up above her head. Just when she was about to throw it to the ground in a triumphant flex of her teenage girl arm muscles, green and red sparks flashed all around. The demon reindeer hissed barbarically at the unwanted guests, and Kat glared at them with equal loathing.
The elves didn’t wait long before they started to advance on the reindeer; sparks flew around as they fought the demons. Kat felt torn, she believed she was on the right side, but fighting Santa’s elves felt wrong. Every childhood story told her the else were good, that they helped make Christmas possible, that they brought people happiness. Kat stood frozen, until an elf advanced on her. Kat backed up she needed more time to decide what to do. She heard the demons hissing to attack, to protect the true meaning of Christmas. The elf threw his magical sparks at her; they hit her hard in the chest, knocking her over. The elf looked sad to do this to her, but there was also determination. To the elves she was an enemy it was that simple. Kat scooped up a handful of the shattered glass (from the ornaments), then threw it at the elves face, hoping to get some in his eyes, she was not successful. The elf shook his head, “What are you doing Kat? Why are you helping them! Look at all the destruction you have caused! How can this save Christmas?” For the first time since she left her house all that time ago she heard the whimpering whisper in her head telling her to help the elves. It was no use; the weird hypnosis that the Grinch had her under was too strong. With a grunt Kat threw herself at the elf. She managed to tackle him, and she held him pinned below her, her forearm across its chest. ”You’re kidding right?!?! The Grinch, he wants to help. You elves and Santa only breed greed and materialism. Can’t you see you are ruining Christmas, not saving it!”
The elf vanished out from underneath her in blinding sparks of red and green. She quickly got up and turned to look around for the elf. The noise was deafening. The whole house seemed to shake, the windows rattled as elves and demons flew into them, the floor shook as a demon was thrown down. Kat wished she had that baseball bat form home, she didn’t have magic like they did. She needed something to help her. Mr. Henry had a lamp on a side table, so Kat ripped the shade off and yanked the cord from the wall. This would have to do. She then helped her demons, the elves were focused on the reindeer and she was able to knock a few out before they caught on. Kat knew this battle would take some time so she would have to pace herself. She dropped back to look for another opening. All the while she kept chanting “you’re on the right side, you’re on the right side” to herself, steeling herself for fighting the elves she grew up thinking were good -- just like in the storybooks. She saw another opening she rushed into the fray lamp held high, voice shrieking, ”FOR CHRISTMAS!!!!”
{ Kataclysm }
Me and God? We don't get along well.