In the dimly lit store, Hutch’s imagination played tricks on him. Every shadow seemed to shift; every creak of the building was potentially a deadly step approaching. He had to rely on his instincts, on the trust he had in Starsky, who was out there somewhere. Gasping for breath, Hutch propped himself against the tumbled Christmas display, desperately attempting to maintain absolute silence. Above him, the ceaseless holiday music tormentingly looped a high-pitched rendition of “Jingle Bells.”
Starsky, his ever-impulsive partner, had turned a simple holiday job into a harrowing adventure. What was meant to be a chance to make a few dollars now felt like a nightmare. Hutch wondered how they had ended up here, huddled amidst the toppled Christmas decorations, hunted by a murderous Santa Claus.
“It will be fun,” Starsky had promised him.
Hutch muttered under his breath, closing his eyes to discern the telltale sounds of the menacing animatronic Santa and his partner who had gone missing. “He said it’d be a breeze, just a few days as security guards to earn extra holiday cash.”
“Things couldn’t get any worse,” Hutch thought, feeling a chill run down his spine. As he mustered the courage to move, he heard a faint, ominous mechanical whir from behind a nearby aisle. His heart raced as he realized the animatronic Santa was on the move, and it was coming his way. Continue reading “December 10th: The Animatronic Santa by Nicoltyler”