Stories From Mr. Nightmare

Mall Santa

"Did you ever used to have a fear of those guys who would dress up as Santa Claus in the mall or at Christmas parties?

Up until the age of about 8, I certainly did. I think I was 6 or 7 years old when me and my mom were walking through the mall with all the Christmas festivities and decorations up.

Festive bins, playing jingle bells, a giant tree in the center of the mall, and of course a mall Santa sitting in a chair covered by a green blanket.

There was a small line of kids and parents waiting to sit on the Santa's lap, maybe two or three kids.

My mom insisted I sat on his lap. Normally it would be the other way around-the kid begging the parent to sit on the lap but she knew how shy I was.

There wasn't anyone by the mall Santa's side like one of those people who calls the next child up. It was just him.

When I sat on the stranger's lap, he grabbed me by the chest and said softly in my ear, 'What do you want for Christmas?'

I think I said a Gameboy Advance. He laughed and assured me I would receive one.

Then, for whatever reason, my mom walked up to the Santa and said something quietly to him.

He chuckled in response to whatever she said and then said, 'No problem.'

My mom told me to wait there by the Santa for a few minutes until she came back.

At this point, there were no more kids waiting to sit on his lap so his attention was directed at me. He told me to come over and sit on his lap again.

I somehow obeyed despite my fear of Santa Claus.

When I sat on his lap, he pulled me closer to him so that my back was leaning on him. When I think back on this moment now, its all the more painful and creepy.

He then whispered in my ear that he had a Gameboy Advance outside by his sled and if I followed him, I would get it right now and wouldn't have to wait until Christmas.

My fear suddenly turned to excitement as I believed him.

Wo both stepped off the chair and I followed him down one of the exit hallways, but halfway through, he stopped and told me we should take a bathroom break first.

We stepped into the bathroom and he quickly locked the door. I turned and looked at him as he looked at me, but before anything else could happen, there was a frantic banging at the door.

Somebody on the other side was yelling to open up. The Santa opened the door and a man pulled him out and shoved him.

The man then escorted me back to the center of the mall, asking me where my mom went.

I watched as the fake Santa casually walked out the exit door and out of my sight.

When my mom came back, the man explained everything. I'm pretty sure he was watching the whole time.

So he and my mom asked around to see if the mall hired any mall Santa's for the day. They did not.

Whoever that was, was just a pervert dressed as Santa to get kids to sit on his lap and possibly wait for a perfect opportunity to snatch one, just like he almost did me."

~Anonymous Author