Her eyes are heavy as she stares out the window into the cold snowy front lawn. Her eyes drift closed, she looks peaceful, almost asleep. There’s a thump from the roof, he’s here. The girls eyes shoot open, she walks slowly to her bedroom door. Another thump this time from the living room.

“Santa” she gasps

She flings the door open, running down the stairs, she turns the corner and stops dead in her tracks.

“Not Santa” she whispers

The horrible grayish green skin, razor sharp teeth, thin wiry arms that end in claws sharp as knives, red eyes like a demon glowing in the dark. The girl screams and turns to run back up the stairs to the safety of her bed, climbing under the covers she closes her eyes and wishes the nightmare away. Her door creeks, scratching sounds on her floor board closer and closer to her bed. It stops, she looks up from under her covers to his face inches from hers. Claws grab her ankle, her scream piercing through the night. When her parents get to her room all they find is an empty bed and foot prints of soot.