Sleet Sugar by S.J. Tilly
CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE
IZZY
We squeeze down a dark hallway before entering the next space. This room is lit by a fireplace. I know the fire is fake, but the flickering light is a pretty good replica. There’s a Christmas tree in the corner, decorated with cobwebs and large twitching spiders. My grip on Zach tightens. He’s going to have weird stretch marks in the back of his sweatshirt, and I don’t feel a single shred of guilt about it. It’s the least he deserves after putting me through this.
Presents are spread across the floor. They’ve been torn open, and in the corner sits a zombie child chewing on a fuzzy carcass that I refuse to look closely at. But I don’t see anything big enough to be an adult in this room, so I release the breath I’ve been holding.
Keeping pace with Zach, we head for the doorway across the room. Just as we’re about to go through, a pair of bloody Santa legs drop down from the ceiling in front of us.
I scream. Again.
After the surprise Santa legs, I decide my best bet is to keep my eyes closed, my face pressed into Zach’s back, and my nose inhaling deep calming breaths of his scent. This kind of worked. I still screamed more than I would’ve liked. Even without sight, loud noises and voices whispering in your ears is still terrifying.
Feeling braver after a moment of silence, I open my eyes. And lock gazes with a deranged Santa, an ice pick raised over his head.
Nope, nope, nope. This place gets all the Nopes.
Seeing the exit sign ahead, I squeeze my eyes shut and push on Zach’s back until he picks up his pace and we make it through the door.
Once outside, I shove Zach away from me.
“I’m going to kill you,” I pant.
My threat would be more effective if I wasn’t bent over, hands on my knees, trying to calm my racing heart.
Zach just smiles at me, then tips his chin up in a behind you gesture. Turning my head, I see the deranged Santa has followed us out of the building.
I manage to swallow my scream for the first time, and rush to my new hiding spot behind Zach.
“Have a good night!” Zach calls out to Santa as he steers us away.
