A NOT-SO-MERRY CHRISTMAS

Ghosts of the Christmas Past

The Ascension

Two kids were born on land far away. Bunny and Klaus, twin brothers, were the talk of the town. Everybody came to visit them after so long Mother Goddess blessed the town with children, which means that the faraway land was chosen, chosen for the ascension. The twin babies were presented to the priest of the highland church, a place situated on the peak of the mountains where the sound of wind echoes like a lost ghost in the faraway land. The priest blessed both the babes. Cooing and Nestling in their sleep the unaware babies didn't know that the fates were sealed for them, that the lives they lived would not be chosen by them for they are harbinger of this sacred holiday.

***

With each passing day, the babies grew into youngsters, both their features fleshed out more the people of the town awed at Bunny but they hissed at Klaus for he bears a different skin. The priest kept them under training until the Goddess demanded judgment. Bunny and Klaus were very close to each other, they loved spending time together. After every visit, Bunny would always lend a shoulder to Klaus and Klaus would always help Bunny in their training. The people demanded them to be separated for they thought that Klaus would infect Bunny and that the color of pure white would be tainted under his shadow. It seems the faraway land had already chosen their favorite and it festered within the twins' bond.

****

Bunny and Klaus became adults, puffed bodies, and bold lines of age became visible on their faces. Klaus grew larger than Bunny but according to the faraway land he was not the prettiest, he had no blond freckles, nor gold skin, he looked like a coal dunked into the whitest snow leaving its color until it sank. Klaus did everything to please the audience, to make the people love him despite the skin he bear and the only way he could be their favorite was if he wins the last judgment. Bunny wanted the same because whatever the result may be they still have to live in this town and Bunny was already a favorite it was fair that Klaus should somehow becomes the favorite too so they weaved a plan.

***

The day of the Ascension

The goddess appeared on the 25th of December and the town bowed to her presence, her gold shined like a thousand suns glimmering under the frosted sky. She shone like a star. The twins stood in front of her and she presented her judgment. The two would show strength, stamina, and determination by going against each other. The last person standing in this ring will be the winner. They looked on and a silent message was passed between them, Bunny would lose, Klaus would win and together they would both be favorites of this faraway land. The goddess sat on her throne and the battle began. To make it more believable Klaus and Bunny put up a fair fight, they would both use the same strength and stamina to survive in the game. They used weapons and stealth to trick the other brother out of the game but they were always equal in terms of strength and will. The battle went on for hours and Klaus was getting tired, he was losing his strength whereas Bunny was enjoying e everything, the chants and the cheers gave him more strength to keep going. Klaus signaled Bunny to lose because he couldn't go ahead now. He tried so many times to get Bunny to listen but he was lost, lost in the trance of his name chanting on the grounds of the highland church. Bunny felt like a God, the high praises were the only thing he could hear, the chants made him more powerful, more loved and he hungered for more. The Goddess looked on, the time of ascension was near. Klaus begged Bunny but he was so lost in the melodies of fame that he silenced Klaus's voice, his pleading face, his one chance and kicked him hard on his chest, and Klaus flew off the ring and onto the pile of dirt. The arena went silent but then roared into cheers, throwing ribbons, roses, whatever they could find at Bunny and chanting his name more. He gloated with power.

Klaus stood up, and a chant of monster and abomination followed as he entered back in the ring. He was fumed with betrayal and anger and Bunny his victory more, he was so blinded by the fame that he couldn't see that Klaus was watching him. Born from the same mother, blood brothers were judged over the color they hold on their skin. The Goddess stood up and went towards the chosen warriors, one beaming with pride, the other with anger.

'Behold we have found the harbinger of Christmas. The one who won would be its joy and the one who lost would be its misery. The one who won would be known as Santa Claus, the one who lost would be known as Krampus.'

The chants changed from Bunny to Santa. Bunny slowly went forward to Klaus now Krampus. He tried to talk but Krampus held his hand and was about to leave when a sharp pain shot at his chest, he rocked back and forth on the ground in pain. His head was throbbing with pain and his teeth bared in blood. The audience hushed into silence. Bunny tried to run to him but was stopped by the Goddess. Krampus's head spurted horns, his nails turned to claws, his chest with bear hairs and his teeth turned long and sharp. He was now more bigger than Santa. The people who made fun of him feared him, they screamed and withered he huffed and puffed at them, nostrils blaring with smoke.

The Goddess whispers to Santa: ' A curse will follow you every year, it will fill you with joy then will wither you with pain. I will be watching.' She then turned brighter and brighter and turned into a star that sits on the tallest tree of the highlands.'

****

Santa gasped for air, he was covered in soot, he coughed the smoke and stood up, the sled was burnt and broken, and his reindeer stood beside him, some dazzled and confused. He stood up and looked around. The land was barren and dark, no soul, no tree, and no walk of life was present. A chill like a lost ghost echoes in the air. Santa knew where he was. He remembered everything, the battle, the power, the misery, the joy, and the curse.