Krampus Cheer

CHAPTER 1

Content Warning: Violence and Profanity

December 24, 2022

The child's scream pierced the night as the 7ft tall behemoth threw her into a large basket with one hand over her small throat. He tossed her into a large basket, held by two large leather straps around his shoulders.

Rubbing his eyes, the beast snarled and walked through a foot of snow, the harsh wind biting his face and hitting his glowing yellow eyes. At the start of the night, the demon's movements were brisk and full of life. Energized by the thought of whipping children. Now his walk was a lumber with tired grunts and sighs of exhaustion.

Cassy was his tenth victim, and his final one until he could retreat to the North Pole. Every year, I think I'm going to remain thrilled doing this bidding. The first child is so easy. I love prolonging the suffering. Seeing their little faces yell as they beg me to bring them home. On my final kid? Screw it. I hate it. I love my job most of the time. But I also hate it. I need a therapist.

Krampus' office was next to Santa's lodgings. His large legs hurt. Muscles pulled from going up a steep hill on this cold winter's night. His red and fur trimmed trench coat helped a bit, but not tremendously.

The brunette-haired ten-year-old thrashed and kicked within the confines of her basket. Crying and screaming for help that would never come. The goat-demon yelled at her to shut up numerous times. Not only was his body sore, but his throat was dry.

Thirty minutes later, he had Cassy chained to the floor. Krampus' mood lightened a bit upon seeing her tear-stained cheeks and snotty nose.

"Why? Why are you doing this? I wanna see my mom." She spoke in a hoarse tone, arms wrapped around her body. The office was a cold and damp place, more like a basement or an abandoned warehouse than an actual building.

"Did that poor boy, Billy Hoser, cry when you and your little brat-group made fun of him? Hm? When you threw that rock into his face and laughed as you pushed him down a hill-just for views on your little app? For views? Did he beg you to stop? You made fun of that poor kid for a year. A YEAR!" He growled, getting into her face. He smirked, watching her cry. Making sure to reveal his mouth full of pointy teeth and a forked tongue. "For what? A stutter? For not being like you? Because he didn't take the bus? Little snot-nosed bitch." The big goat slapped her, Cassy screamed. The voice of Krampus was one of pure terror. A deep timber that any child would run from. A gruff tone that showed age and tiredness.

"NO! Please! I'll say I'm sorry! Please! It's the holiday season! I'll say I'm sorry, then get my gifts on the twenty-fifth. We'll be even, right?" Stuttered the girl, yanking at the tight chain around her little ankle.

"Gifts?" chuckled the brawny goat-creature, letting the basket over his shoulders drop to the cement floor. "Your time for gifts is over. Forever." From a darkened corner, Krampus clutched a whip. A used whip. With the dried blood of children stained upon it. "You may wanna start screaming now." Krampus giggled with glee.

He did bring her back home, but she did not get a wink of sleep that night. Lying in bed, wide eyed and thinking, life was full of unknown terrors that her parents were powerless against.