Bloody Christmas

by Nneka Sophie Amalu

grabbed her and kissed her and said goodnight and left her room. She couldn’t still believe that she made the first move, she just smiled tucking herself under the blanket and looking at ceiling. This was the first time she noticed that the ceiling of the room was made of glass. She began to look at every object in the room and saw that the rooms decorated with three colours were her favorite colours. When she was growing up, she remembered that almost all her cloths either had a green, yellow or pink colour. She remembered that her first boots were actually green. She wore those boots with almost everything, everyday and they were still at their house back at Allenville. She hadn’t sold or given it out because she wants to give it to her own baby girl. Max didn’t sleep all night, he still had the taste of the straw berry gloss in his mouth. He played the whole scene repeatedly in his mind and was certain that his dream since fifth grade is happening. To him, there were already an item and he thought of a surprise gift to give to her on Christmas day.

  The music from the moving vehicle must have woken up everyone who could still be sleeping by 9am. “Jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way… the music continued. Max woke up as if someone had pursued him out of his sleep. He almost fell off from his bed. He went straight to look through the window to see where the noise that frightened him from sleep was coming from. “Yes! I could use this,” he said as he picked up his shirt and dashed out of the room. He followed the bus to where it parked. The bus had all kinds of Christmas items, ranging from cards to gift, Christmas trees to lights. He saw this as an opportunity to pick something nice for Amy as he fondly calls her. The afternoon was warmer than usual. Normally the had lunch at the café but they decided to go on a picnic but that’s after they have had a nice swim at the nearby river. They packed their food, swim pants and left for the river. “This is the 23rd and yet nothing interesting is gonna happen this Christmas, its all going to be the same” Amanda said as if all hope was lost. Lucy repeated herself “Babes, I promised you we’re going to the moon, or do you prefer mars?” Everyone laughed aloud except Max who saw this as an opportunity to make a difference by giving her a gift and asking her to be his girlfriend. He was very certain that Amanda liked him because of the kiss. He also imagined and memorized what he was going to say to her, whether he would kneel or stand. He came back to reality when Amanda pushed him into the water, he almost flared up but he calmed down. “Common! Common!”Max said to Amanda as she removed her shoes and packing her hair. Max couldn’t help but stare at her lovely curved body. She had carefully picked a nice swimsuit, which was purple and green in colour, and it brought out her figure. She had always been shy whenever she had to swim publicly because she couldn’t handle the lustful stares from the males. However, there wasn’t anything to be done about it than to live with it. As soon as she noticed Max’s eye running all over her body, she dove into the water. “Todd! Common! Wow this water is so cool” Max shouted with so much joy. “I’m hydrophobic” Todd replied. “You’re what? Hydro…” Before Todd could repeat himself again, Lucy who was behind him pushed him into the water after seeing what Amanda did to Max. Todd was very angry as he swam out and immediately carried his bag on his way back to the motel and told Max “Apelle- moi, when its time for the picnic”. “Call me when its time for picnic right?” Lucy confirmed from max. He said yes. Jason forgot his swimming goggles at the motel and followed Todd along. “I’m off” Jason told Todd after he had picked the goggles without entering the room. As Jason strolled back to the river, at one point, he thought he heard some footsteps, he continued. The bushes rustled and he looked back saying hello! Moreover, asking whose was there. Suddenly he couldn’t see a thing because his face was covered with a black sheet. He couldn’t shout or say a word, he tried struggling but they held him so tight. He couldn’t understand whether it was a kidnap or what exactly. The next minute he was inside the water and people began to laugh at the stunts played by them. Jason had no choice than to join in the laughter because he imagined what if it was a real kidnap. ‘but why would anyone kidnap him” he thought as he continued to laugh even louder than everyone did. “Picnic time!” Amanda announced as she wiped her body dry. Max had already dressed up and wanted calling Todd but noticed his phone had just switched of a result of low battery. Jason this time forgot to grab the water bag they needed and had to go back at the motel again. “Jay, must you always forget something?” Lucy said as she laughed mockingly. They know Jason for almost forgetting everything; even his last birthday, he mother reminded him about it. “He forgets his school bag, his pen, school days, football games, one day he would forget himself” Amanda told Lucy as she brought out the sardines from the tin.“Thank God, please bring Todd along and don’t waste anytime, we’re damn hungry” Max begged and warned together.

  Max! Max! I knew you would not call me, so I decided to come on my own and here you are, ready to eat without me” Todd said as he tried creating a space for himself on the mat. “What do you mean, didn’t Jason tell you that I had a low battery, besides he was going to get water and I told him to call you” max reacted fiercely. “Where is Jason, he should be with you” another person added. “No one came to call me and I’ve seen no Jason” Todd insisted. Max stood up, Lucy followed as well. “Jason! Jason” max shouted in a manly voice. “Jay! Jay!” This time it was Lucy in a softer and feminine voice. They continued for almost ten minutes, they even went back to the motel and yet couldn’t find him. As they walked back to the picnic ground, they continued calling him “Jay! Jason!” they called out together. Lucy became scared and it showed in her voice as it trembled. They heard some giggling and behold it was Jason. “That was pay back, I got you guys,” Jason shouted. “See how scared Miss Lucy can be?” he said while giggling. Lucy was speechless and couldn’t say a word. The fright and this so-called revenge drained every sense of speech from her. Max just controlled his anger and they left together for the picnic. Amanda, Todd and the rest started laughing when they saw Max, Lucy and Jason approaching. Todd had already intimated them on how he and Jason planned to scare them. Lucy didn’t find it funny but couldn’t express it because of what she did to Jason earlier.

  This was 24th of dec, 1 day to Christmas. They all had breakfast together not at the café but in a new eatery someone discovered. Some joined in the song that was been sung on the TV. Two girls said at once in other to imitate Todd “j’aime les jingles”. Todd laughed uncontrollably and said, “At least you’re learning something from me”. “Have you tried calling Antoine to know he’s doing” a girl asked his friend. “Yeah! But it has been unavailable since he left, maybe he doesn’t want anyone to bother him or ask why he left” the friend answered. “Maybe” Max and Lucy said almost at once. After breakfast, they decided to go on site seeing at different areas and they parted ways. Max, Amanda and Todd were together, others grouped as well: only Lucy had to go back to the motel because she suddenly developed a headache. “Get me some pies, please” she begged Amanda as she wove them goodbye. At evening, they woke up after a short nap and decided to go watch some movies at the cinema that was ten yards away from Cacao. The noticed that three people hadn’t returned from the morning outing and where no where to be seen. Jason had suggested that the call the police and report that three people had gone missing. Amanda laughed about it; she couldn’t believe that three people would just vanish like that. “This only happens in movies, trust me.” Amanda loved watching horror movies and could actually retell the movies on a daily basis. She could stay up all night just watching movies. “its just like the one I watched yesterday, it was so funny, please lets go, they are probably somewhere enjoying themselves. Besides didn’t Antoine leave, we could as well do whatever we like.” Amanda said as she laughed aloud “Okay! Let ‘s sees whose favorite actor would be on the screen today,” Lucy said dismissing every thought about the ‘the missing three’. “It’s certainly my hero, Conrad Mars” Max said. “Who’s that? Conrad… What? Please, it’s gonna be David... my man” Jason laug
hed as they all strolled slowly. The girls just ignored them as they talked about the latest fashion in vogue for the Christmas.

  “Merry Christmas dear” Lucy told Amanda as she yawned. Lucy had given Amanda her purse the previous night to hold for her and her phone was inside it. They were so exhausted when the came back from the cinema and they all went to their rooms and crashed immediately. “It’s with Todd, mine is with him as well, I forgot to collect it from him yesterday night,” Amanda answered without even returning the gesture. She just wanted to get back to sleep. “Todd its Lucy, sorry I just need my purse “she whispered as she didn’t even wait for him to say coming after she knocked on the door. Todd was not in the room but she saw the purse and took it. “He would probably be in the bathroom,” she thought as she closed the door behind her. She had a second thought as she walked passed the room, she entered back into the room, she barged into the bathroom and called Todd but he wasn’t