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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 20

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  Chapter 20: The Keeper of the Red Forest The moment the Hunter stepped out of the woods, the storm stopped pretending to be weather. Wind slammed into the house from all sides, rattling the windows like fists. The lantern light flickered. The air smelled like burning cedar and cold iron. Nothing natural, nothing safe. Nick stood in the doorway, enormous and trembling, claws curling into the frame. “Go,” he said. “Now.” Holly grabbed Max’s coat with shaking hands. “Where?” “Into the woods.” “That’s the worst suggestion!” “It’s the only suggestioin” Nick said, voice raw. “The house won’t hold. But the Red Forest… might.” Max froze. Holly’s stomach dropped. “The Red Forest,” she whispered. “From his dreams.” Nick turned, eyes burning. “Those weren’t dreams.” Another crash shook the house. The Hunter’s massive bulk slamming against the side like a battering ram of shadow and bone. Nick didn’t wait. He scooped Max into one massive arm — Max yelped but clung to him — and grabbed Holl...
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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 19

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  Chapter 19: The Hunt Begins The moment Nick said “Yes, we’re in danger,” the house seemed to shrink around Holly — walls tightening, shadows deepening, the old wood groaning under the weight of something ancient pressing in. Outside, the wind changed. It didn’t howl. It shrieked, high and sharp, as though the night were full of voices calling a name she did not want to hear. Max shrank behind her. Nick rose to his full, monstrous height — horns casting jagged shadows on the walls, red light pulsing faintly beneath his skin. Whatever illusion of safety Holly had been clinging to cracked like a thin layer of ice. “Mom,” Max whispered. “Something’s out there.” Holly forced herself to steady her breath. “Get behind me, sweetheart.” Nick shook his head. “No. Behind me. ” Something slammed against the front door. Hard. The entire house rattled. Max yelped. Holly’s heart leapt into her throat. Nick crouched low, claws flexing. “They’re testing the boundaries.” “Who?” Hol...
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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 18

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  Chapter 18: The Storm Breaks (Restricted Log — Krampus, Vice Director of Naughty List Enforcement, Northern Hemisphere Division) There are certain lines a demon is never supposed to cross. You don’t show weakness. You don’t question orders. And you absolutely, under no circumstances, allow mortals to see your true form. Tonight, I broke all three. I barely remember leaving the town square. One moment I was standing in the lantern glow, trying to keep myself contained — trying to keep them contained. And the next, I was swallowed by the forest, stumbling through the trees like a creature hunted by its own shadow. The minions were closing in. Krampusnacht was calling. And I was losing control of everything that made me look human. My claws itched beneath the gloves. My horns pressed hard against the glamour that hid them. My spine burned with the weight of what I am. I made it to the Winters’ farm, just barely. The house lights glowed warm through the snow like a...
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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 17

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  Chapter 17: The Festival of Lights The Festival of Lights was supposed to be peaceful. Soothing. A moment each December when Tinsel Bluff collectively put away its noise and bustle and gathered in the center of town to honor tradition. Instead, it felt like standing under a sky holding its breath. The air was sharp with cold, the kind that nipped at fingers and turned every exhale into a small ghost. Lanterns lined the square, glowing soft gold. Families clustered in thick coats, hands wrapped around warm cider. Children sang carols slightly off-key. It should have been perfect. But Holly felt unsettled. And everyone could tell. “You look pale, dear,” Mrs. Pringle whispered, handing her a knitted scarf that smelled faintly of lavender and extremely of cat. “I’m fine,” Holly lied, adjusting her grip on Max’s shoulder. “Just tired.” Max didn’t argue — unusual in itself. He kept staring at the forest edge, blinking like he was hearing something she couldn’t. Every so often he’d sque...
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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 16

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  Chapter 16: Krampusnacht Approaches Snow came early that night. Thick, heavy flakes fell straight down without drifting, as if the sky were simply giving up and dumping everything it had left. Holly stood at the window long after Max had gone to bed, watching the storm settle over the ridge. The farmhouse creaked under the cold. The wind hummed low and strange against the eaves. Something about it set her teeth on edge. She tried to shake it off. Storms happened. Weather happened. But this felt deliberate. As though December itself had decided to lean in close and whisper. Max hadn’t told her about the dreams yet. Not all of them. Just that morning, he had mentioned something about a “red forest,” the trees glowing like embers, the snow falling upward instead of down. She’d assumed it was the result of too much cocoa and not enough sleep. But later, as she tucked him in, he held her hand tighter than usual. “Mom… if someone comes for me on Christmas… would you be scared?” She...
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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 15

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  Chapter 15: Greg’s Big Reveal There were many things Holly Winters disliked about her ex-husband, but high on the list was his uncanny ability to appear precisely when life was starting to feel manageable. It was like he had a sixth sense for emotional stability and a personal vendetta against it. This time, he showed up at the farm on a bright Saturday afternoon, his luxury SUV gleaming like it was taunting everything Holly owned. “Hey, Hol,” Greg said, stepping out, hands tucked casually into a gorgeous Chesterfield coat. “Looking festive.” “Oh good,” Holly muttered. “I was just thinking this day needed a little more smugness.” He grinned that perfect grin — the one that used to charm her and now made her want to throw a snow globe at his head. “Come on, don’t be like that. You won the bake-off! Congratulations.” “Thanks,” she said, loading boxes of cookies into the farm stand. “What do you want, Greg?” He glanced around the lot, pretending to admire the trees. “Just checking i...
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A Krampus Country Christmas: Day 14

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  Chapter 14: The Naughty Whisperers (Confidential Memorandum – Krampus, Vice Director of Naughty List Enforcement, Northern Hemisphere Division) The first sign that something was wrong came at 3:17 p.m., when my tail twitched. That might not mean much to you, but for me, it’s the equivalent of an email marked urgent from headquarters. No return address, no subject line—just that slow, creeping sense that someone, somewhere, is checking your timecard. By sunset, they had arrived.                                                                                                                                               ...
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