The Box Under the Tree

"Help me," Liam heard as he gazed down the stairs at the Christmas tree below. He hastily glanced back over his shoulder, at first thinking the voice must have come from his parents or brother. He wasn't supposed to be up; he'd been tucked in hours ago, but had been too excited to sleep. Moving very cautiously, he'd perched himself at the top of the stairs to watch for Santa Claus.

Liam was eight now, and wasn't as confident in Santa's existence as he used to be. His best friend had told him that it was all a lie parents told kids, but Liam wasn't quite sure yet. How could his parents manage so many presents? And then there were the elves.

During December, the door to his parents' home office was always kept shut, and he and his little brother, Jamie, were not allowed in. That was where the elves worked to get everything ready for Christmas. He and Jamie used to crouch at the foot of the door, peaking under the crack, hoping to catch a glance of the elves at work. Liam was certain he had seen some movement in there before, shadows dancing in the dim light. But they knew never to go in there, 'cause if the elves ever saw them they would get very upset, and might even take their presents away.

They had always been good, year after year, but this Christmas Eve, Liam had been compelled to try and get at least a glimpse of the magic. The house had been quiet, the colourful lights from the tree still sparkling across the living room. Liam saw the newly placed presents, beautifully stacked under the evergreen branches. The cookies had been eaten, and the glass of milk drained. It seemed that he had missed Santa and the elves.

Oh well. He would try again next year, Liam thought.

That was when the voice had called out, soft, but clear. Maybe his imagination; he was tired. But then...

"Help me, please."  It was there, coming from the living room. Moving cautiously to avoid making any noise, Liam crept down the stairs.

Very quietly he called out, "Hello?"

And the voice responded, "Help me, please. I'm trapped." Liam looked around, unable to tell where the voice was coming from. He went up to the tree, and took a peak under the branches. Nothing.

"Where are you?" he whispered.

"In here." And then a slight tap tap to his left. Liam looked over at the gorgeously wrapped present beside him. The box was a glossy red, carefully tied with shining golden ribbon fixed into a picture-perfect bow at the top.

Liam knelt down beside the gift, reading on the tag: To Jamie, From Santa. Cautiously, he reached a finger out and tap tapped on the lid.

Tap tap came the response. His heart started beating faster in his chest. "Can you please help me? I'm trapped in here."

"Who..." Liam hesitated. His mouth felt very dry. "Who are you?"

"I'm one of Santa's elves of course!" the voice from the box said cheerfully. Liam felt a prickle of excitement. It was all real! Here was the proof right in front of him.

"How'd you get in there?" he asked.

"I accidentally fell in and got wrapped up while we were getting the presents ready, and then Santa and the other elves forgot me here." There was a deep grating sadness to the voice as it said this.

"I'm sorry that happened," Liam said.

"Well it's okay now!" the voice said, shifting instantly to a bubbly, almost manic tone. "Cause you're here, and you can let me out."

"I..." Liam looked nervously at the beautifully wrapped gift with his brother's name on it. "I'm not sure I'm allowed to. My parents will be mad if I open any presents before Christmas morning, and Jamie would be upset if I opened his gift."

"Oh don't worry, Liam," the voice said with slick cheer. "Once I'm out, I'll help you wrap the gift back up so it's good as new!"

Liam wanted to help, but suddenly his stomach didn't feel so good. There was a horrible knot in it.

"What are you waiting for, Liam?" the voice crooned. "Just reach your hand out..."

Liam didn't want to, but he reached his hand out anyway. He needed to help the poor trapped elf.

"Now untie the bow..."

Delicately, he pulled on one side of the bow, watching as it unravelled and the ribbon slipped off the box.

"That's a good boy. Now all you have to do is take the lid off."

Liam felt a horrible ache inside; something was screaming not to open the box, begging him not to. But he couldn't stop himself. He was compelled at this point; his hands no longer his own as he reached out and lifted the lid.

For a moment there was only darkness inside, but then in a flash long dark tendrils shot out from some unknown depth. They wrapped around him, gripping with tiny needles around his arms, around his stomach, around his neck. He tried to scream, to call for his mommy or his dad. But it was no use. The tendrils shot around his mouth, burning his tongue as if he had licked the underside of a pot taken directly off the stove.

Liam's eyes filled with tears, as the tendrils pulled him closer to the box. His vision was blurry, but inside he saw yellow eyes gleaming up at him, and a tiny row of sharp teeth twisted up in a grin. The tendrils tightened and dragged his tiny body into the box, doing their work to make him fit.

In the morning, his parents were shocked when Liam didn't come running downstairs immediately to open presents. But that was nothing compared to the shock his little brother, Jamie, got when he opened the bright red present with the golden bow.