Christmas Eve (OG version)

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The two of them reached the escalator to the last level and tread down upon it, ever so cautiously. The air dropped as if they had all of the sudden gone from a refrigerator to a freezer. The edgy feeling they had felt on the previous level felt like it had drunk a can of red bull. Both of them wanted to leave, but neither said anything. The lights seemed dimmer, the small shop signs lining the walls illuminating the area like stars. Shannon felt butterflies in her stomach, but they were no longer caused by Jaxon. A slight scent of something past expiration date wafted in the air and made her feel nauseous, but she kept going.

Finally, they made it to the flickering neon sign of the phone store. The two walked inside, looking around for a case, trying to brush off the feelings in their stomachs that something was definitely wrong. Finally, Shannon's eyes landed on a black and green ipad case. She picked it up with hesitation and headed to the counter, which was odd for the usually indecisive girl, but Jaxon didn't complain. He felt like he was holding in his breath and he was sure if he could just run back up to the first level and out the door, he would be able to breathe the fresh air again.

When they got to the counter, no one was there. Shannon rung the bell, almost upon impatient instinct, contrary to the patient person she usually was. No one came to the counter. There were no footsteps from the backroom, nothing. The air felt heavy and she felt like she was breathing cement. She rang the bell again. And again. No one came. And she had a feeling that was because there was no one there.

Or at least, not anymore.

Jaxon grasped her hand but she yanked it back; she had no idea why she was like this. Not a while ago she was kissing the man, telling him she never wanted the date to end. But now, all she wanted to do was get this case, get back into Jaxon's car and race back home. Anywhere away from this place.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" She called to the door behind the counter, hoping someone would come out. But somewhere deep down, she knew no one would. She called again, but no one came out. Irritated, she stalked behind the counter to the door.

"Shannon, I don't think that's a good idea." Jaxon called out, his face turning dark. "Let's just leave the case and go home." He insisted urgently. Something felt very wrong about that back room, and it didn't make it any better that the foul smell had become stronger when they reached the counter of the shop.

"And go home empty handed? After this whole shopping trip?" Shannon retorted, and he could tell she was on edge to the point she was agitated. The two had been neighbours their whole lives; practically living in each other's pockets and Shannon was never like this.

"Then just leave the money on the counter and go. It's not stealing if you're paying for it." He insisted, slightly scared not only by his girlfriend's sudden mood change, but the whole situation in general.

"Are you kidding? No!" She hissed at him. Jaxon was taken aback at her response and found himself going quiet.

"These people need to learn to take customer service more seriously." She mumbled to herself as she reached for the door. Jaxon quickly raced to her side, feeling the need to be ready for whatever was behind the door.

When Shannon opened it, the first thing she noticed was a feral smell, a more intense version of what she had smelt before, immediately intruded her senses. Opening the door wider, Shannon saw that the room was empty. It had a small desk in the corner with a chair pushed up beside it, and a large fake Christmas tree in the corner with a beaming star on top, but there were no human beings in sight.

It was the large present under the tree that caught Shannon's attention.

It was large enough to be a box used for moving but the crisp red wrapping and the shiny gold bow gave it the Christmas aesthetic.

Shannon looked at Jaxon silently, and she could read the red flags all over his face. Much to Jaxon's horror, she proceeded into the room. He wanted to call her back and tell her to stop, but it felt as if he had tape wrapped around his mouth.

As if caught in a trance the naive girl tiptoed over to the large box and noticed a small gift tag. Before even before reading it, however, something in her already knew something terrible had happened.

Bending down to read it, she pulled the tag up to her face and saw the scrawling in red ink: I see you when you're sleeping, I know when you're awake...I know when you've been bad or good so watch your back for your own sake...

Horrified, she jumped back and looked over to Jaxon, the colour draining from her face.

"What? What's wrong?" He prompted, and the girl motioned for him to read the tag. Cautiously he stepped forward and picked up the tag; Shannon stepping back from him and the present like the thing was leprosy. After reading it, he covered his mouth like he was going to puke. He looked at Shannon and she looked at him. Neither said anything but both knew.

A human was in that box.

Shannon started shaking, the overwhelming need to cry washing over her as she hugged herself. Jaxon rushed to her side, pulling her in his arms.

"We need to get out of here." He stressed anxiously. But they were too late to turn back now. The lights suddenly turned off and the rather joyful song changed back into the Carol of the bells, however this time the music was hauntingly slow down and the words were slurred.

There was nothing like the horror that shot up the spine of Jaxon as he hugged his shaking girlfriend close. His fight and flight was begging him to run, pumping him full of adrenaline to do so. But now he was sure that whatever that old woman was concerned about earlier in the muffin shop had something to do with this.

Jaxon was mentally stammering, wondering whether to run or hide. Whoever it was that was doing this obviously knew where they were, so hiding was pointless. Running was too, but it was worth a shot.

Trying to be brave, Jaxon leaned into Shannon's ear. "I know you're scared, but we have to get out of here." He exhaled sharply, trying to calm his nerves, knowing that if he was at least pretending to be calm it would calm his girlfriend as well. "On the count of three, we're going to run. Ok?" Jaxon felt Shannon's blonde head nod into his shirt. He hoped she couldn't hear the erratic racing of his heart.

"One." He breathed, already feeling like he was running a race, the adrenaline in his blood getting ready for the last number.

"Two." He could feel Shannon's breathing hitch, and he uttered a silent prayer that at least his girlfriend would survive.

"Three." And like fire following a trail of petrol, the two were sprinting out of the small shop and into the hallway of the mall, Jaxon firmly grasping Shannon's small hand. All that was going through their heads was that they were going to die.