I’m not the guy most would assume would enjoy Christmas. If you ask just about any of my neighbors I’m the scary guy that wears all black and has all the self inflicted scars on his arms. They were right about one thing. I sure am scary. But to say I never enjoyed Christmas would be a lie. It’s assholes like that making assumptions that make me want off this planet sooner rather than later. But there’s one person that makes sticking around worthwhile, and that’s my girlfriend Raven.
She’s basically kind of the opposite of me. We both love Christmas but people don’t assume that she hates it and aren’t scared by her. She’s the most pleasant person to be around. She isn’t scared of me at all. She says she sees right through me. What exactly she sees I have no idea, but we’ve known each other since we were kids so I guess that’s saying something. Anyway Christmas looked like it was going to be another good one. That was until one thing.
Tommy.
Raven wanted me to come with her to the toy store to find a present for her younger sister Halle. I could give less of a fuck about toys but I knew it would make Raven happy, I had nothing better to do, and Halle was a good kid so I tagged along.
We went to the new toy store and started looking around. Raven told me that Halle really wanted more dolls so that might be our best bet. I was surprised at how many dolls they had. So many in different rows and all kinds of stuff that came with them too. I guess that’s why this store was so popular despite not being around long.
Even though there were a lot of dolls, I spotted one that took my interest in particular.
It was a doll in a black dress that looked to be holding some kind of sword. She didn’t have a smile on her face like a lot of them tend to do, it was more like a smirk.
I smirked back at the thing and walked over to grab it. Just when I did, another hand grabbed it at the same time.
I looked to see an older looking man. He looked back at me and laughed softly.
“I guess we’re gonna have to fight for this, huh partner?” The man asked me.
I was willing to do that if that’s what it took, but I knew Raven would give me an earful, and this man didn’t seem hostile about it at all and seemed decent enough.
“Nah,” I said, giving a little chuckle. “We can maybe just flip for it.”
“Really?” The man asked. He let go of the doll and smirked. “Ah, a friendly gentleman’s flip never hurt anyone, right? Let’s do it.”
I reached into my pocket but I couldn’t find my wallet anywhere. Fuck. I must’ve left it at home.
“Don’t have any money on you, huh?” The man asked with a chuckle. “I assume the lovely young lady you came in with does. That’s okay, I got a quarter.”
The man reached into his pocket and took out a quarter. “Heads or tails, my friend?”
I was about to answer when another voice interrupted.
“Guys, guys, there’s no need to flip.”
Me and the older man both turned to see a guy my age smiling at us. He had his hands on the pockets of the hooded jacket he was wearing and a sickening polite smile on his face.
“Name’s Tommy,” He introduced himself. “I don’t need to know your names, but I feel it’s important you know mine. I am the owner of this fine store after all.”
“Well you told us your name so I’ll tell you mine,” the man next to me said. “I’m Greg.”
Tommy grinned and nodded at him. “Very nice to meet you, Greg. Now it seems you’re both wanting the same toy, is that right?”
Greg nodded. “We were just gonna flip for it before you came over.”
“Well that’s indeed the last one,” Tommy replied. “But what if I told you it doesn’t have to be?”
I raised an eyebrow and turned to Greg, who gave a look of intrigue.
“What if I told you that you both could not only get the same toy but one of you could get it for free?” Tommy asked. “In the spirit of Christmas, I feel like giving.”
I would’ve rolled my eyes then and there if the guy wasn’t the owner of the place, but since he was I decided to play along.
“So exactly is it you plan on giving?” I asked him.
He looked at me with a grin. “I’m glad you asked. Since you picked a toy with a sword I’m guessing the girls you’re buying for like cool action cartoons and things like that, right?”
He wasn’t wrong. Halle was into action cartoons and I saw Greg nodding so it looked like that was the case for him too.
“Follow me,” Tommy said. He took the doll and walked off. Me and Greg looked at each other before following him.
He ended up leading us to a room at the back of the store. It said “Employees only” on the door. He led us inside a dark room and turned on the light. Damn. I was just starting to get more comfortable.
Tommy placed the doll on the table and then walked up to a black bag in the corner of the room. He opened it.
“It’s okay,” He said. “You can come out now.”
That’s when I see a doll, one that was the same as I tried to get for Halle, jump out of the ball, swinging that same sword around. It was moving around and talking. Greg couldn’t believe it and honestly, neither could I. This was no ordinary talking doll. This one was…different. I could feel it.
“As you can see this one has a bit more to her,” Tommy said. “Only I think she might be scary to a lot of kids with how realistically she moves and acts. Which one of you would be willing to take that chance?”
Greg was unsure. He was clearly in his thoughts as the doll was coming towards him.
“Um, I don’t-ouch!” Greg looked down as he noticed that the doll had cut him with a sword.
I looked at where it cut. His leg was bleeding. Badly.
“Um, is it supposed to-“ I stopped as I suddenly caught Greg in my arms. “Hey? You okay man?”
I didn’t get a response. After a few moments, Tommy spoke again, picking up the moving doll.
“I guess neither of you want the doll. That’s a shame. Oh well. Be sure not to break anything on your way out.” He said this rather quickly, almost as quickly as he moved past us and walked out of the room. I heard Greg yelling for help.
I turned my attention from Tommy and looked down at him.
Greg’s eyes were pitch black and his move was drooling. What the fuck?
I looked at where he was cut and he wasn’t bleeding anymore. In fact there wasn’t any blood at all. Just a scar left where he was bleeding.
I looked at his emotionless face. Still in shock at the black eyes.
But I swear, I could still hear him calling for help. I ran out of the room, dropping Greg’s body in the process and caught up to Tommy. “Hey man, what the hell-“
I stopped as I almost jumped out of my skin when the doll jumped out of Tommy’s hands and lunged straight at me. I narrowly got out of the way before it almost poked my eye out with the sword.
Then I was tackled down. I looked up to see Greg’s now pitch black eyes staring down at me. I was able to push him off. He went for me again Tommy grabbed his shoulder. He had the doll his hands once again. Suddenly they were disappearing in a puff of smoke.
“See you soon…” Tommy said with a sinister chuckle. And before I knew it, they were gone. And you know what? So was I. Fuck this.
I ran around in a panic, looking for my girlfriend like a mad man. When I found her, I practically dragged her as we ran the fuck out of there.
As we did all I could hear in my head was that some sound of Greg calling out to me.