SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - ONE YEAR AGO
HOUSE - CHRISTMAS NIGHT
The living room was decorated for Christmas. The doorbell rang and a boy opened the door.
"Merry Christmas, Grandpa," Stevie said.
"Oh, Merry Christmas to you too, Stevie," the grandfather replied, hugging his grandson tight and entered.
"Did you bring me any presents?"
"Now, why would I want to do that?"
"'Cause it's Christmas."
"Oh, I thought Santa Claus brought the presents at Christmas. You have been a good boy this year, haven't you?"
"I have, I swear."
"Well, then, who knows? Maybe he'll come."
The grandfather was dressed as Santa next to the Christmas tree. He put on a fake beard and Santa hat and jingled some bells. Stevie walked part of the way down the stairs and watched Santa/Grandpa take presents out of a big red bag.
"Santa!" Stevie whispered.
Santa/Grandpa was still taking presents from his bag when sudden thumping sounds came from the roof.
"Reindeer!"
Santa/Grandpa looked confused, but returned his attention to his bag. More sounds were heard, like someone was walking on the roof. Santa/Grandpa looked up, but the sounds stopped again. Ash fell from the chimney into the fireplace. Santa/Grandpa investigated while Stevie watched from the staircase. Suddenly, hands grabbed Santa/Grandpa and pulled him up the chimney. Santa/Grandpa screamed.
"Santa?" Stevie called.
One of Santa/Grandpa's boots fell from the chimney, with bloodstains on it.
YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN: PRESENT DAY
HOUSE
A girl was looking outside through the glass door and a woman stood outside, being interviewed.
"Um, my daughter and I were in our beds," the woman said. "Mike was downstairs decorating the tree. I heard a thump on the roof and then I heard Mike scream, and now I'm talking to the FBI."
"And you didn't see any of it?" Dean questioned.
"No, he was... he was just gone."
"The doors were locked? There was no forced entry?"
"That's right."
"Does anybody else have a key?" Zach asked.
"My parents."
"Where do they live?"
"Florida."
Sam walked out of the house. "Thanks for letting me have a look around, Mrs. Walsh. I think we, uh, got just about everything we need. We're all set."
"We'll be in touch," Dean told her.
Mrs. Walsh nodded. Dean, Sam and Zach walked down the steps.
"Agent..." Mrs. Walsh began, causing the siblings to turn around. "The police said my husband might have been kidnapped."
"Could be," Dean said.
"Then why haven't the kidnappers called? O-or -- or demanded a ransom? It's three days till Christmas. What am I supposed to tell our daughter?"
YOU ARE READING
Bless the Broken Road
Mystery / ThrillerEverything Zach knew changed when he was just a toddler. Life became a lot scarier, and a lot harder. Now he and his brothers are on a quest to find their father, to avenge their mother and to rid the world of monsters once and for all. Sounds eas...
