DESCENDING INTO MADNESS

by Brown, Stacey Marie

  Everyone went silent for a time, the sound of our breaths and feet crunching over the snow, before Dum started in again, his tone almost pleading.

  “Cranberry quiche, Christmas pudding, mint fudge, spiced pumpkin pie, peanut butter haystacks, peppermint bars, chocolate drops—”

  “Dum!” Scrooge shot over his shoulder, glaring so angrily at the elf I wanted to stand in front of him.

  “Mulled wine, hot toddies, eggnog.” I glowered back at Scrooge, each one emphasized.

  “Not helping, Ms. Liddell,” he snipped, turning forward.

  “Hot chocolate rum, Kahlua, Baileys Peppermint Cream…” Funny how all mine were alcoholic drinks.

  “You’re making it harder on yourself.” Scrooge shook his head, tracking up a hill.

  “And making my mouth water, my stomach grumble, and pissing me off royally.” I swore Hare’s eyes turned red, probably my imagination, but his grumpy mood was no joke. Bunny needed to eat. Soon.

  “I’m so hungry.” Dee leaned into her brother. I couldn’t believe we were all still walking after what we’d been through. I couldn’t even remember the last time I ate. But right now I’d settle for the sweet liquor they gave me last night.

  “Unfortunately, everything growing here will kill us if we eat it… so please, everyone, stop talking about food… and alcohol.” He pointed at me, seeing my mouth part. Damn. Scrooge was grumpy as hell too.

  “What is that sound?” Pen lifted his head off Scrooge’s shoulder, tilting his head.

  Hare’s ears twisted around, frowning. “I don’t hear anything. Probably the voices speaking to you again.”

  “You don’t hear it?” He tipped his head the opposite way.

  “Pen, you have the worst hearing out of all of us.” Hare sneered. “You’re almost deaf. I’m the one who can hear a mouse stir from miles away.”

  “I hear… growling sounds.”

  “Probably my stomach,” Hare retorted, stomping forward.

  “No.” Pen twisted his head, looking up the gorge we were heading out of. “No… I think they’re the ones making the noise.” He calmly pointed up the snowy side.

  Cold dread plowed into me, spreading pounding terror through me. No. Please say I didn’t see what I thought I saw. I blinked, hoping I was wrong, but only more multiplied along the ridge.

  “Fuuucck,” Hare said under his breath, stepping back. “The one thing I was hoping not to cross paths with was those green bastards.”

  “Ghosts from Christmas past movies.” I croaked, my throat still raw from trying to breathe in snow. I didn’t know why I doubted anymore, anything was possible, but what I saw still had me thinking, or maybe hoping, I was hallucinating.

  One stood on a snow-covered rock, declaring himself the leader. His green scaly lizard body and white Mohawk running over his head confirmed my worst fears.

  “Fuck me,” I rasped as the truth hit me. “Gremlins...”

  Chapter 20

  Yanking Dee and Dum with me, I stepped closer to Scrooge, dread puffing oxygen in and out of my lungs.

  “Stripe.” My gaze locked on the leader. He stood out because of his Mohawk, but that was the only differing feature between him and rest. About three feet tall, reptile skin, batlike ears, claws, and sharp teeth. Small, but with so many, they could easily overtake us.

  “You know what these things are?” Scrooge jerked to look at me. “You know his name?”

  “Yeah, of course. You don’t?” Scrooge seemed to be more aware of holiday legends and stories than the rest of them. They lived them as truth, while we knew them as yearly fables, movies, and songs.

  “No.” He shifted on his feet. “They appeared here awhile back. But it’s been a long time since I have been…” He cleared his throat, stopping midsentence. “Well, whatever you know of them on Earth, I guarantee they are even worse here.”

  “Oh goodie, they were such lovable creatures in the movie.” I jolted when Spike howled. The others joined in, surrounding us in the eerie sound.

  “They will eat us.” Hare’s ears and head darted in different directions. I had no doubt, hasenpfeffer was on their menu, along with penguin. And this version might enjoy elf and human. We were probably the only things edible up here.

  “Have any helpful wisdom on the matter?” Scrooge for once looked terrified as his gaze went over his family.

  Nerves jumbled my mind, making it hard to think. It had been so long since I had watched the movie. “Don’t get them wet. Only creates more.”

  “That is great to hear when we are surrounded by snow. Frozen water.” Scrooge motioned to the white powder.

  “Never feed them after midnight.”

  “I wasn’t planning on it, but it’s always midnight here and they are looking at us as their dinner…”

  “Oh!” I snapped my fingers. “Bright light hurts them. Sunlight can kill them.”

  “And back to the permanent midnight here. No sunlight.”

  Christmas holly! Couldn’t we get a break?

  Spike yelled again; the group held sticks like clubs, beating them against the ground, looking ready to pounce at any moment.

  “Also, no light and no means to build a fire. Striking three out of three, Ms. Liddell. I asked for helpful.”

  “I have nothing else. Besides grinding them in a blender, blowing them up while they watch Snow White, or cutting off their heads.” Panic lodged in my chest, our feet sliding backward as they started to inch off the ledge toward us. “That’s all I remember.”

  “Then we are truly fucked.” He patted Pen’s head, sorrow lacing his words. “My apologies, my friend, I despise having to do this, but I need to set you down to fight.” He placed Penguin down on the ground. I realized how vulnerable the flightless bird was. He was so sweet and innocent. A prime target to kill and eat.

  “No worries.” Pen motioned over to a cluster of rocks. “I will hide over there until you are ready. I still think Hare should cook for them. They’d love his mashed potatoes and gravy.” He toddled over to the rocks, crooning “Last Christmas” by Wham.

  “Jesus… if that’s not a little satirical.” I exhaled, searching the area for anything to grab.

  “Little does he know, I already made mashed potatoes and gravy in my shorts,” Hare muttered.

  “Dee, Dum, Hare?” Scrooge said their names evenly, but there was heavy question in it. He stared out as Stripe pointed his stick at us, speaking in a garbled gremlin language. The hundreds of creatures bayed, scuttling for us.

  “How many times do we have to tell you, Chief? We’re with you till the end.” Dee clutched his hand, her sweet side facing him like a trusting child. The side I saw was the fighter… the warrior.

  “Until the very end.” Dum bumped his sister, staring up at Scrooge with unrelenting allegiance.

  We were all about to be torn apart by overgrown green lizards, but all I could feel was love. Their connection, their devotion to each other, no matter the odds. Their immense devotion shone like twinkle lights. It made me feel a pang of jealousy that I was not part of their family. No matter what Dee said, I did not belong here. This was not my world.

  “Yeah, bastard. Do we have to do this each time we’re about to die?” Hare rolled his eyes, but I knew how much he loved this group.

  “This time it appears it might stick.” Scrooge peered over at me. “Ms. Liddell?”

  “As if there’s a choice. But I will be honored to fight alongside you guys.” I made a point of looking at each one, while my stomach burned with acid at the thought. I didn’t want to die. Not this way, but life didn’t give us a choice.

  With a final look at each other, we spread out, taking all the angles the beasts were coming from. They might have been small, but with so many, all with mouths full of fanged teeth and clawed fingers, the end was inevitable.

  Of all the holiday movies in the world, I never, ever, in my wildest dreams would have thought I would die by a bunch of gremlins. Fuckin’ green bastards needed to fina
lly expire. No more sequels.

  They moved quickly to us, looking like thousands of scurrying rats on a sinking ship, shrieking and growling, swinging their sticks.

  “Attack!” Dum bellowed, diving into a mass of creatures.

  My arms and legs went flying as I hit, kicked, and struck anything, plucking at the wooden weapons coming to strike me. Their hands still clutched the weapons, and I flung the green goblins over the side of the mountain with a squeal. Around me I could hear commotion, screams, and cries from both sides. We were already losing.

  Swinging the branch like a golf club into a group, blood and wails burst over the white snow, smearing red streaks, reminding me of the smeared streaks over the Queen’s hockey rink like a modern painting. The clash of opposing colors made a striking depiction. There was such a thin line between purity and viciousness.

  “Alice, behind you!” I heard Scrooge yell.

  I whirled around as a gremlin with a stick resembling a javelin leaped for me. I dove to the ground, crushing a layer of small squirming bodies underneath mine. The javelin owner tumbled next to me.

  “Die, you scaly avocado!” My elbow jabbed into the ones below me as I swiped for the lance, jumping back up. I stabbed at him, screwing the sharp point through his body into the ones laying underneath until they all stopped squealing. Yanking out the spear, I twisted around, seeing more moving in on me.

  Being so much taller was useful in grabbing their tiny bodies and chucking them as far as I could, but they moved easily into me, biting my ankles and trying to climb up my body, eliminating my advantage.

  “Ahhhhhh!” My skin crawled as more leaped on me, teeth driving into my skins, sinking into my muscles. “Shit!” I screamed, yanking one off my arm and tossing it over the ridge. More and more bounded for me while dozens moved around my kicking feet, nipping and clawing.

  Blood dripped down my skin, the howls from my friends crushing a whimper through my lips. Fear and horror hammered at my heart. Shit… we really were going to die.

  Please. Please. Whatever Christmas godmother I have… we need help.

  I longed to see a cup of cocoa or a cookie, demanding I ingest it, giving me that energy bubble to keep these creatures at bay, but glancing around I saw nothing.

  Seriously? This was the time I was ignored?

  A scream belted from my lips as a gremlin crunched down on my hip. Anger and terror pumped my blood, turning me as feral as them. Clutching the figure, I twisted its neck until I felt the spine crack under my palm. Tossing the body to the side, I roared back at the group attacking me. I lunged for them in a manic craze.

  Pop. Pop.

  Spines cracked, sounding like popcorn, but four would fill the place of the one I killed. Energy and blood drained from me, my legs wobbling underneath me.

  “Until the end!” I heard Dee cry out as a dozen leaped on her, taking her to the ground. Her body disappeared under the scaly flesh, her screams drowning under the heap.

  Oh. God. No.

  I took a step to help her, my toes knocking into something. Blinking through the sweat and tears, hope soared up my throat. I stared down at six vials lying in the snow at my feet.

  “Drink Me” was handwritten across each one.

  A relieved cry sobbed in my chest. Trembling, my hand seized the items from the white-and-red swirled snow. It never lasted long, but I hoped it would give us time to run.

  Tugging out the cork, I downed the liquid, the sweet taste bursting over my tongue, instantly rushing through my body, filling my veins with warmth.

  A glow started to spark over my skin as a gremlin sprang for me, teeth bared, ready to sink into my flesh.

  Bam! The creature struck the shield building around me with a pained cry. My skin started to glow brighter, causing them to hiss and step back from me.

  Oh my god… that’s right, my skin glowed when I digested the liquid from the vial. The gremlins hated light.

  Using every bit of strength I had, I shoved through the throng of monsters shrinking back from me.

  “Scrooge!” I screamed. His head snapped to me. Blood dripped from dozens of open wounds covering his face, torso, and arms, his shoulders curling forward, his frame swaying with fatigue. “Drink this!” I tossed the vial, my heart faltering in my chest as it spun for him. I didn’t even wait to see if he caught it before I called out for my other friends. “Dum! Hare!” I bellowed, tossing them each a vial.

  Like an army of ants devouring a piece of food, Dee was covered, not allowing me to see what was left of her. The gremlins tore at her body with bloodstained teeth and claws.

  “Nooooo…” Deep terror and grief urged me toward her, ripping off the layers and layers of creatures concealing her. “Dee? Please… no,” I cried, the monsters retreating from the light dancing off my skin. I caught a glimpse of pale skin underneath as they scuttled away.

  All I saw was blood covering her deeply marred face and body, a tangle of brown hair streaked in gooey scarlet.

  “Dee?” I tugged her up on my lap, her limp form unresponsive. “No! Dee! Wake up! You need to drink this.” My hands trembled so vehemently I couldn’t get the vial open.

  “Dee!” I heard Dum cry for his sister as a hand came down, helping me uncap the vial. Scrooge, Hare, and Dum limped up to us. All of us together created an even brighter light.

  “Give this to Pen.” I shoved the last vial at March Hare, who didn’t even hesitate. His paw clutched the vial, and he hopped around me.

  “Dee, sweetie.” I put the bottle to her lips, pouring just enough so she wouldn’t choke. My mind wouldn’t even let me think she wouldn’t wake up. This stuff had helped me survive from poison… Maybe it would help her...

  “Dee, wake up. Please,” Dum sobbed, his frame quaking from terror and blood loss, leaning his shredded ear onto his sister’s chest. “I can’t be without you. Please don’t leave me.”

  Brushing her gore-covered hair away from her face, trying to check for a pulse, I felt nothing more than my own body quivering. Please. No… don’t take her. Grief pricked at the back of my lids, along with anger. Why didn’t I wish for help earlier? She would have been okay.

  The gremlins hovered close by, howling and hissing, wanting to finish us off, trying to creep as close as they could. Together we still shone bright, but I could tell mine was starting to dim.

  “This won’t last long.” I choked on each word. “We have to go.”

  Scrooge nodded, weakly pushing himself up. “I got her.” Scrooge leaned over, lifting her from my grasp, her arms falling limply down. Lifeless. No one would dare even suggest she was no longer with us. “Can you get Pen?” he asked me as Dum followed Scrooge like he had the world in his hands, Hare staggering behind.

  “Yeah.” It took me a couple tries to get on my feet, my body spent, the energy around me flickering. Shit. We didn’t have much time.

  Please, we need more time. Please help us, I shot out in my head, wishing for more of that magical substance.

  Nothing.

  A hum of music twisted me around to the glowing Penguin, who sat untouched by the rocks, singing Charles Brown’s song, “Please Come Home For Christmas.” “My baby’s gone; I have no friends. To wish me greetings once again.” Pen closed and opened his short legs as though he was making snow angels with them, something folded in each fin.

  “Jesus, Pen,” I muttered, limping for him. I was starting to really understand Penguin was “special.” Innocent, pure, and completely unaware of the world’s cruelty.

  The energy around me faltered; my batteries were dying. The gremlins nipped at my heels, the dim light not bothering them as much. What would be the point if we couldn’t get away? If we were to die anyway?

  It took everything I had not to burst into helpless tears. We had no strength to fight or run away from them. Please. Please help us, I begged again.

  “Pen, we’ve got to g—” I stumbled as I neared him, my eyes latching on to the objects he held.

  He curved
his head to me, giggling as he struck the two items together in his flippers, kicking his webbed feet in glee. “So pretty!”

  Sparks danced off the rocks like firecrackers.

  “Holy Christmas stockings.” He held two pieces of flint. Flint equaled fire. Fire equaled light. “Where did you get that?”

  “I don’t know, Ms. Alice. They were just here. Poof!” He shrugged, striking the two rocks together again, more light flaring up.

  He was creating it, while mine was going out.

  “Penguin! You are a genius.” I rushed to him, making the gremlins cackle with frenzy. “Scrooge!” I cried out, the guys turning back to me. “Grab every spear you can.”

  Crouching down in front of Pen, I held out my hands. “Can I play with them?”

  “Of course, Ms. Alice. They are fun. Sparkly!” His black eyes lit up when he sparked the rocks together again before handing them over to me.

  Sparks were a good start, but we needed fuel to feed it.

  “Dammit,” I cried out in frustration as a gremlin moved closer to me.

  “Get the fuck away, bat-lizards!” Hare used one of the several sticks he had taken from the gremlins, knocking back the one daring enough to touch me. “Here.” He tossed a handful of sharply tipped branches at my feet, keeping one.

  “Any of you happen to have lighter fluid? Dry leaves?” Desperation coated my voice, my gaze trying not to land on the limp form in Scrooge’s arms.

  “Sorry, all out.” Hare scoffed, whacking at a few more monsters.

  “What’s he holding?” Scrooge flicked his chin at Pen.

  Jerking back to Penguin, my eyes dropped to his flippers as he batted an item around in the snow like a cat with a mouse.

  A gasp curled in my throat, taking in the large glass container. “Use Me” was written over it.

  “Thank you, Christmas godmother,” I cried out, snatching the item up, popping the top; the smell of pure alcohol burned up my nose. My heart thumped with hope once more, but opening it seemed to cut ties to the other magic protecting us, the energy surrounding each one of us blinked out. The glow shielding us was gone.