A Gruesome Christmas
By Bridget Squires
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PUBLISHED BY:
A Gruesome Christmas
Copyright © 2011 by Bridget Squires
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A brisk December breeze blew through the bare branched trees, shaking tufts of snow from their boughs before sliding steadily under the jacket Jeff wore, causing him to wrap his arms around his waist tightly. The logging road was less traveled these days, with the frost setting in and creating frost heaves that threatened to bounce logs loads out of their nestled spot on the 18 wheeler bed and spilling across the road. It was a nice walk, one enjoyed each and every Christmas day that gave Jeff time to admire the snowy scenery as well as dwell on all the good that he enjoyed in life on this, Jesus’ birthday. Jeff’s boots crunched the crisp snow, leaving a path that would lead him back out if darkness set in too quickly. Birds chirped in the distance and vaguely he could hear the chimes of the church bells signaling the release of Christmas day services. A church that on this special day guided lost souls into its sanctuary like a lighthouse does for ships at sea.
The trail was beautiful, weaving in and out of the woods, around log piles as high as his head and enormous tractors covered in icicles and looking ghostly sitting vacant and without an operator. The storm last night had been a doozy, blanketing the valley in two feet of fresh, unmarred powdery fluff that packed perfectly into small snowballs that Jeff could already envision the children hurling at one another. Maybe after his ritual of walking the log trail a detour would be necessary into town to admire the yards of lights and Santa figures and down to the pond to watch the older children play hockey and skate flawlessly over the hard surface. If there were daylight left a trip to the coffee shop to grab a cinnamon bun and coffee may also be on the menu. This was most defiantly one of Jeff’s favorite delights, a quiet Christmas stroll before confronting the hustle and bustle of daily life once again. For now though, Jeff enjoyed his walk as the open area closed in and dense woods greeted him.
The woods, with snow shaking off limbs with each and every creak of the old oaks, gave Jeff a picturesque tribute to days gone by when he and Julie would walk this same path together. Now though, he had been walking this trail alone for nearly 5 years in her memory and yet never grew tired of its wonders. Coming along the bend, he noticed something ahead, a black outline that stood out drastically against the brilliant white of the snow that the sun illuminated as if he were walking into heavens gates themselves and this, the figure were God awaiting him with open arms. Jeff chuckled at his own delusion, this surely was not heaven, and he expected heaven to be much warmer and comfortable, not bitterly cold and forcing mucus to leak from his nose in a facet like way. More than likely, he thought, this was another nature lover walking the path, also relishing nature’s beauty and the soft silence that the woods allowed.
As Jeff came closer, he made the figure out much easier, it was a man, facing him but unmoving. For a brief second Jeff began to worry whether this kid, because of his clothes and appearance Jeff assumed he couldn’t be over 30, was awaiting him to get close enough to rob him. Jeff brushed his hands along his pockets absently, looking to see if his wallet had made this journey with him, and breathed a sigh of relief when he realized he had left it at home. Another thought entered his mind, the kid could be lost. The woods could be confusing, especially if one was not accustomed to the winding trails and seemingly endless woods if one headed the wrong direction. Whereas town was spread out along one side of the great pines and oaks, the other three sides only lead deeper and deeper into the depths of the forest until eventually, about 10 miles out, one would happen upon the highway. Jeff analyzed the situation quickly and determined it would be best to help the younger adventurer out; it was Christmas day, a day for doing well to others and spreading the chain of love.
Jeff called out a haughty hello, voice booming in the silence, birds squawking and taking flight upon the sudden disruption of the prized silence. Yet the man did not move nor even mumble a reply. By this time Jeff had slowed his pace considerably, slight panic passing from his chilly feet, up into his torso and finally resting in his chest causing a pounding that seemed to be a loud and invasive as his hello had been. His mind raced, eyes searched along the woods for any other possible cohorts that may have been hiding and awaiting Jeff to possibly jump him for whatever valuables he may be carrying. It would be better, Jeff thought, to turn and retreat, go to town now and forget the kid standing like a statute in the middle of nowhere. Unfortunately his own belief in God’s word changed his mind and cursing his own decently he continued until he was close enough to see the true predicament at hand.
This morning’s breakfast as well as bile rose in his throat and flew from his lips in a stream of steamy vomit that immediately sunk into the snow, its warmth melting the snow down upon reaching its destination at his feet. Coughing into his sleeve, Jeff attempted to back up only to stumble and against an ancient oak and use the tree to hold himself from passing out. The world spun, his could feel the tilt and off balance pushing him to the ground, onto his knees where he vomited profusely once more. There, hanging from the tree, was the frozen corpse of a young kid. The face was covered in frost; last night’s sub zero temperatures obviously having an impact on the features causing a snowman like face to gaze back at Jeff, complete with red nose and bluish black orbs of eyes. The kid’s arms were limp, more than likely frozen to the ragged jacket that certainly was not meant to cause warmth; it resembled a spring lightweight windbreaker Jeff noted. A rope, also frost covered and surely solid from being out in these conditions, was looped around the massive branch of what looked like a spruce decades old.
The weight of the poor kid’s glaciated corpse had bowed the branch, causing it to drop low that it gave the impression that the kid was standing on the ground itself, but a closer look proved it untrue. The corpse’s feet only brushed along the top of the snow, leaving small streaks in the surface from where the wind had encircled the body and spun it back and forth, like an ornament on a tree. Jeff reached into his pocket for the cell his daughter had bought him last year but came up empty then cursed aloud as he realized it too was home with his wallet. Uncertainty masked whatever feeling may be surging within his own body but he knew he had to seek help, had to report the finding now. Running he followed the tracks made from his excursion and came upon the closest house owned by a childless couple he’d only met a few times. Rapping against the door urgently, he found himself breathless and overwhelmed with emotions he didn’t know exactly what to make of.
Evelyn answered the door, her face a picture of holiday cheer, assuming he must be visiting to wish happiness their way. Before Jeff could stop himself he blurted his finding out, requesting she call the police and to have them rush to the scene. Her face morphed from the pleasant, welcoming smile to an utterly horrific image as she too looked as if she’d be sick on the spot. Evelyn’s husband, Todd glanced around the corner upon hearing Jeff’s desperate words and the news of the dead body swinging in the trees. Then, a smaller pair of eyes peeked around the corner, tears misting in the corners. It was a young girl, around 10 possibly and Jeff felt his heart sink even further into his chest. He had never known the couple to entertain children and he had been so quick to speak that it wasn’t difficult for him to realize his folly. The words to apologize were trapped within the confines of his vocal cords, unable to escape due to panic as well as exhaustion.
Todd rushed the young girl off, sending her to the kitchen for snacks as a poorly created excuse. Todd questioned Jeff as Evelyn phoned the state police, the young girl never reappearing. Jeff explained ho
w sorry he was for scarring the young girl, who Todd had explained was their niece over for a visit. Jeff relayed all the information needed and the trio waited with baited breath for the law to arrive. The young girl appeared the look of fear easily visible as Todd called her parents to pick her up at once. The parents did not wait long to arrive and whisked her away as quickly as they had come. Once the youth had left the residence the story of how Todd walked through the woods with her often, searching for animal signs, only made Jeff feel guiltier. The rest of the afternoon flew by; cops arrived followed closely by the coroner and detectives. The cause of death was clearly suicide and Jeff heard the officer’s whispers of the poor kid as being recently arrested for holding up a Burger King the week before and facing a long stretch in either a maximum security prison or a rehabilitation unit for treatment of heroin addiction. Apparently days ago the poor soul had been released on bail and sentenced to house arrest until the trial was scheduled but it was obvious the kid had no intentions of prison or rehab.
The parents of the kid, away on vacation, were unaware of the boy’s issues or arrest and Jeff felt a rush of sorrow come over him. They would be hearing the news on Christmas day, and Jeff could imagine the heartache each and every Christmas would come to bring from that day forward. Jeff found himself no longer feeling bad for the dead but instead abhorring his selfishness for leaving so many behind to mourn his decision. Christmas would be ruined not only for the parents but Jeff himself, Evelyn, Todd and the poor girl he had not noticed before spilling the beans of his discovery. It took hours but eventually Jeff was allowed to return home and ponder the events that had played out. He envisioned the boy, walking solemnly to through the woods, bitter cold yet unafraid having decided his fate already. The rope must have surely gotten heavier and heavier with each and every step, until it must have felt like the weight of the world pressing on the young kid’s back.
Jeff couldn’t even begin to fathom the pain and suffering the kid felt, knowing he would never again face his family or friends. Jeff also imagined the kid high as a kite, brain befuddled with the poison drug pouring through his system, altering who he was and each decision he came upon. There must have been times he wanted to turn back, to accept his fate, to go home in his warm bed and sleep it off. Did the kid know it’d snow? Did he know he’d be found on Christmas day, an awful reminder of what the holidays did to some, the sorrows the holidays caused? Jeff found himself thankful that the deed had been done in the bitter cold as horrible as the thought may seem. If the kid had done it midsummer, by the time Jeff had happened along the carcass would have been like a maggot infested piñata from the brutal heat and humidity of the all seeing sun.
Jeff knew things would never be the same since his gruesome discovery along the logging trail, knew he’d never again walk the path, never again savor his wife’s memory along the shade of oaks and pines that had once seemed so inviting. Then he thought about Evelyn and Todd, how Todd also would be changed, altered beyond repair by the thought of bodies dangling from trees along his favored animal trail. Evelyn would answer the door with morbid anxiousness now, afraid of news that may lie on the other side. Then the girl, whose only crime had been that Jeff had neglected to learn more about his neighbors. Would she being dreaming of death and splattered blood instead of sugar plums and Santa Claus next year? Now that Jeff truly could evaluate the day he realized he hated the kid, hated what he had done to so many people, ruined lives beyond just his. Before lying down and closing his eyes, Jeff silently whispered “Merry Christmas you selfish bastard, I hope you burn in hell you son of a bitch.”