Horror Christmas (Christmas Edition)

Part 1

Daisy-Lee scowled as bright light entered her vision blinding her. Her matted hair laid atop her head and her figure is covered in grease and dirt. The 21 year old rubbed away the sleep from her eyes as she eyed the few children who were thrown in catching their appearance just as the door slammed shut with a loud bang. Sniffles sounded before the sound of gagging were heard from the new batch of children. Daisy-Lee snorted rolling her eyes. As expected of the new arrivals.

This happens every single year. She guessed that the security around the houses back in town would increase triple this time after it failed stopping the kidnappers from kidnapping their children. This information was collected from the children who were captured. 

"How are you?" a soft voice interrupted Daisy-Lee's thoughts. Marie, the nicest and most empathetic person out of them had spoken. Being kidnapped had ruined her childhood and this thus made her personality do a 180˚ turn. Daisy-Lee squinted her eyes through the darkness before closing them in attempts for them to adjust to the darkness.

"What do you think?" a nasally voice cut through the air. One of the new kids had spoken. Daisy-Lee concluded it would be the one nearest to her.

"Shut your stinky mouth, boy. Show some respect to your elders, she was just asking if you have any broken bones from being thrown like a rag-doll," Daisy-Lee snapped with exasperation. Awkward silence encased them. Marie cleared her throat nervously.

"Ahem, yeah... that's what I'm asking? I guess," A random snort came from the batch of new kids.

"Yeah, we're alright. This place stinks. Like for real...." Daisy-Lee sighed with irritation. The kid who just spoke, just had to state the obvious. Feeling irked again, Daisy-Lee decided to speak up again..

"We all know, ok? We're not dumbasses like y'all, ok? So, shut up, ok?" This thus rendered everyone speechlessness. An awkward laughter cleared the silence.

"Let me know and I'll treat you if you're injured, alright?" Marie continued acting like nothing happened. Sighs erupted from the batch of new kids. In harmony, the children with boredom underlying every word agreed to Marie's question. Daisy-Lee frowned. A warm feeling settled on her arm making her jolt backwards staring at the person who dared to touch her. She then relaxed when Marie's face came into view holding a small, dim lamp which they managed to smuggle into the basement with them thanks to one of the batch of children one year. 

"That match is still surviving?" Daisy-Lee asked in a hushed voice. Marie smiled woefully. Her eyes glazed over, reviving the memory she had kept hidden under her newer memories. They wouldn't have found some comfort if it weren't for him. The one who was the first to sacrifice a lot for them.  Daisy-Lee sighed quietly. His young bright face still glistened like diamond in her mind. But that image immediately changed to something horrible. Glassy eyes and a pained smile stretching painfully on the sweaty, pale, white skin covered with something red and other unknown colours faced her. The chest not moving and no sounds came from the body. Daisy-Lee blinked hurriedly back into reality pushing the tears away. He sacrificed so much for them. Too much. It was too much. The amount of times he sacrificed only to be repaid with a terrible ending. They didn't even get to repay him before he slipped through their outreached fingers that were desperately clawing and stretching for his fingers. Just a little more to reach, but he was gone. Into the dark abyss below. Daisy-Lee stared blankly at the tear-stained Marie who wiped her tears quickly to not worry the younger children that were behind the two.

"Yeah, if it weren't fo- for him," Marie stuttered choking on a quiet sob. Daisy-Lee frowned gently. Marie fumbled with the match hidden in her pockets of her outgrown clothes that were clinging to her. In her hand, rested a faded out red matchbox. Daisy-Lee gingerly took the object into her hands checking the amount of matchsticks there were before looking up.

"How are we going to get more?" she whispered just as the sound of heavy footsteps stomped towards the room they were kept. Hurriedly, Daisy-Lee shoved the matchbox into Marie's hand as she blew out the lamp stuffing it in her pocket. With a clang, the door swung open. Revealing, the man they grew to despise.

St. Nicholas.