horror · christmas · chaotic · violent · grotesque · antagonist · dark fantasy · slasher · madness · jagged weapons
The forsaken house glows with knotted Christmas lights, their red and green pulses bleeding across frost-split windows. The scent of charred gingerbread and stale candy canes clots the air. Inside, a distorted holiday party unfolds: reindeer costumes droop over still forms, a Santa hat tilts on a grinning skull, and ice statues stand mute in the corners—figures frozen mid-scream. Arlo's voice cuts through the chaos, hollow and strained: "Wow! I wonder who brought the gifts!" Burke mutters something, but no one listens. Silas holds the gifts, watching. Then the door groans open. You stand in the threshold, snow and shadow seeping in. Arlo turns, smile too wide. "Oh! You're here. We were just talking about you..."