The Day Before Christmas

While driving in hazardous conditions, something terrifying occurs.

                            The Day Before Christmas

It was Christmas eve, the day before Christmas.  The big day was celebrated by millions of people.  Most people would get off work early, so they could join their families for the much loved holidays.  

On this day the snow fell from the sky.  Everything looked white and at the same time extremely chilly.  People that you could see would all wear their winter clothes, and who could blame them.  Some trudging home from work, half-smiles on their faces, knowing they didn’t have to go to work for the next few days.  Nearly all driving their cars along busy motorways, stuck in traffic for the most part, as in areas of the country the snow was piled a metre high.  From high above everything looking like a white blanket.  It was chaos.

It was two thirty in the afternoon, and it was a Thursday.  They’d been stuck on the road for quite a bit of time.  It wasn’t the traffic so much, but the roads were slippery, and in these conditions driving steadily was the only option.  Richard sat in the passenger seat of the ambulance, while his mate and co-worker drove.  

His name was Kevin, and they’d been mates for years, and both had decided to become ambulance drivers when they were just kids.  

Richard loved his job, and couldn’t think of doing anything else.  

Kevin on the other hand was tiring of the long hours.  He hadn’t said anything to his mate yet, but he was thinking about leaving, and finding something more suitable.  At home he had a young son, and missing out on him growing up, made him feel like he was missing out on something quite special.

Richard didn’t have any one, and liked being busy.  Even tomorrow he’d chose to work, not enjoying Christmas day that much.  Watching TV at home on his own was depressing.  He liked helping others as it gave him a purpose in life.  In this job you was always coming to the aid of someone.  Some weeks back he’d split up from his girlfriend of four years, being with someone for so long and then them not being there anymore, was incredibly lonely.  But the seemingly endless hours of working, strangely helped.

Richard glanced over at his mate, and could tell something wasn’t right.  “What’s up?” he asked.

“Nothing,” was all Kevin answered.

Richard knew his friend had something on his mind, and for some reason wasn’t sharing.  “How many years have I known you, mate.  So tell me, what’s up with you?”

Kevin peered round with an angry look on his face, “Look, buddy, just drop it.”

“Eyes on the road, mate,” joked Richard.

Kevin then smiled, “Shut up will you, I’ve got to concentrate.  If you haven’t noticed the roads are a bloody nightmare.”

Richard laughed, he loved winding his friend up.  “All right, chill out will you.”

No answer.

For the next five minutes no one said a thing.  The ambulance made its way up the road slowly.  Either side of the wide road bare fields sat, and the odd tall tree with its long bare branches.  Now and then they would pass a petrol station, where the occasional vehicle would be seen stopping for refreshments, or to fill up their tanks.  The sun could be observed through the thick clouds, as it shone hazily.  

In front of them a single car could be seen, travelling at the same speed as them.  Near where the car had first appeared was a side road, from which the vehicle must of came from.  

Richard watched the car with interest, why the hell would anyone come out in these conditions?  Then something unforeseen happened.  The car skidded and Richard watched with disbelief as the vehicle came off the road and seemed to vanish from view.

Richard shouted to his mate, “Did you see that?”

Kevin replied, “Sure did, I’m on it.”

Near the spot where the car had disappeared, the ambulance stopped, and Richard was the first one to get out.  Because it was icy, he walked carefully across some snow covered grass and came to a ditch.  Peering down, he could see the car had fallen in, and was now stuck.  In the back window, he could make out the back of someone’s head.

This was looking very grave indeed.

Kevin joined him at the side of the deep ditch.

“This is serious, mate,” said Kevin, peering down at the car.

“We need to get that person out, before the ditch fills up with icy water,” Richard replied.  “Have we got any rope?”

Kevin couldn’t remember if there was any in the ambulance, but answered his friend, “I’m not sure.  Give me a minute, and I’ll have a look.”

Richard gave him the nod to go, while he figured out what would be the best course of action.  The only thing that sprang to mind, was climbing down and manually removing the person from the vehicle.  It was going to be tricky, if he didn’t do anything, than the person in the car would not survive.

A minute had passed, and an impatient Richard looked in the direction of the ambulance, hoping to see his mate.  Apart from the backdoor being a little ajar, there was no sign of him.  Where was he?

Another ten seconds and he couldn’t wait any longer.  He made his way back to the ambulance and opened the backdoor fully.  Peering in, his friend was nowhere to be seen.  Where the hell was he?

He shouted for his friend, “Kevin, answer me?”

Nothing, apart from the whistling of the wind and the endless falling snow.

“Where are you, Kevin.  Answer me?” he bellowed.

Then he heard an unearthly howl come from one of the surrounding fields.  Followed by a high-pitched scream.  His blood all of a sudden ran cold.

Yet again he called for his friend, “Stop messing about, mate.  Show yourself.”

Richard climbed into the ambulance, and decided to look for some rope.  There was still someone trapped in the ditch, needing his assistance.  Opening a drawer he peered in, all he could see was bandages and sticky tape.  This wasn’t looking good.  He looked under the wheeled bed, and small boxes sat underneath.  He swiftly opened the lids, and looked inside.  Feeling disheartened, it was more sticky tape.  

Coming from outside, he could still hear the strong wind as it battered the side of the ambulance, causing it to move slightly.

“Where’s the damn rope?” he cursed.

He searched and looked in every corner, and still, nothing that even resembled a rope.  Then the queerest thing occurred.  From outside, he could make out a voice shouting.  Moving closer to the backdoors, he tried concentrating on what the voice was saying.  

This is what he heard.  

“Please leave me alone, don’t hurt me no more.  Please have mercy on my soul.  Why do you keep hurting me in such a way?”

Richard felt a chill run down him, and felt sick with fear.

What the hell was happening outside, to make someone so fearful?

Richard felt obliged to do something, whoever was outside shouting those dreaded words, needed his help.

He sprang to action.  He burst out of the ambulance holding a broom, which he would use for a weapon if need be.  In every direction he looked, and in the near distance he saw his dear friend Kevin.  His best friend from first school, his dear friend for life.  His clothes were covered in red, and as he walked closer he had a frightful look on his face.

Richard shouted to him, “What’s wrong, mate?  Where have you been?”

Kevin looked over, and seeing Richard, yelled at the top of his voice.  “Run far from here, mate.”  He started sobbing, before carrying on, “There is great evil with us today.  Get into the ambulance and save yourself.”

Richard looked on and his friend of thirty years fell to the ground, whilst holding his stomach.  He ran to him, and joined him on the floor.

“What the hell is going on, mate, what is going on?” he cried out.

Kevin peered up, blood dribbling from his mouth, and he said, “Satan has taken everything from me, and now my soul is worthless.  Run from here.  Leave me, and save yourself.”

They were the last words spoken.  Kevin died in his friend’s arms.

Richard began to cry, how could this be?  He cradled his friend, hoping that this was a bad dream.  It all seemed so real, and at the same time, it didn’t seem real at all. 

Then he was aware of a presence a few metres from him.  He was petrified to look up.  Whoever this was, it had murdered Kevin.  

He heard a strange snigger, and the words, “You hate me and fear me, as you should.  Bow down to me, weak human.

“Who are you?” uttered Richard.

Floating across the ice, the figure came closer.

Without meaning too, Richard peered quickly at the monstrosity.  The face of the thing was shielded, and it wore a long black cloak.  In its right hand it carried a long spear-like weapon.  Richard stared at the ground, petrified to look up again.  “What do you want from me,” he said nervously.

The thing spoke in a slow deep way, “I want your soul.”

He wasn’t putting up with this any longer, and faced the creature.  The hood had been removed.  Staring back at him was something he’d never witnessed before.  A long pale face with dark eyes and a long thin nose.  The mouth was like a long slit that curled at each end.

“What are you?” he bellowed.

“I’m surprised you haven’t heard of me.  I am the one that decides who lives and who dies.  And today you have been chosen.”

Richard stood up, the broom still gripped in his hands.  He took a step forward, and noticed the creature didn’t react at all.  

“You are only prolonging your suffering, human.  Close your eyes, and the deed will be done,” the thing snarled.

Richard wasn’t giving up, he had a life to live.  “You’ll have to fight me to get my soul.”

The creature shook its head in pity, and raised its long thin arms into the air, still clutching the spear.  “I can take you whenever I choose.  But as I am a servant of God, I gave you a chance to surrender, and you cursed me.  So now, I will inflict the greatest pain onto you for your disobedience.”

He needed to ask the creature something, so he could understand the reason for this.  “Why me?”

The thing replied, “Because on this day, you and your friend were involved in an accident with one other car.  You don’t remember this do you?” it asked.

He was now very confused, and paced the stretch of road.  Trying to work it all out in his head.

The thing said softer this time, “Look to your left and than you will fully understand.”

Richard did what he was told, and it all became clear.  The ambulance had smashed into a tree, through the blood covered windows he could see him and his friend, their faces against the glass.  To witness your own death made him shudder in such a way, that he puked onto the road.  He looked back up at the creature, and acknowledged what had to be done.

“I’m sorry.  Now I understand,” was all Richard said.  He was frightened, so frightened in fact that he couldn’t concentrate on anything else.

He glanced at the creature, and gave the nod to proceed.  He shut his eyes.

From somewhere he heard a woman’s voice.

“Is that you, Richard?”

He didn’t know how he was capable of this, he opened his eyes, and he found himself standing in a white room.  In the distance he could make out a woman in her thirties, and she came closer.  It was his mother, and she looked so young.

She approached him and cuddled him, before saying, “It’s so lovely to see you again.  I have missed you so much.”  She began to cry.

He could feel the warm wet tears on his face.  “Where am I?” he whispered.

Richard remembered back to when his darling mum had passed away.  And for hours and hours he had cried, missing her so much.

He looked at her, “I have missed you so much, mum.” 

She smiled at him, her rosy cheeks covered in wet tears.  “I promise, we’ll never be apart again.

He then felt very happy, and for the first time in ages, he didn’t feel alone.

             The End

Reviews

[Marie]

This is a creep story for so close to Christmas. But it seems to have had as happy an ending as it could. I want to point out one thing:

Richard looked on and his friend of thirty years fell to the ground, whilst holding his stomach. He ran to him, and joined him on the floor.(If Kevin was on the Ground, How could Richard have joined him on the floor?)