Let There Be Snow (Christmas Special: Parental Discretion)
Let There Be Snow
By Ray Bush
Benny stood looking admiringly at the beautiful red firetruck. The paint gleamed and the chrome shined under the bright lights of the firehouse. Benny and his younger brother Michael were always enchanted by firemen and their trucks. Grandpa Richard was a fireman, their mom loved her dad and loved telling his stories even more. The boys had more variety of fire truck toys than any little boys in Utah, maybe the whole country. Not to mention every action figure and firehouse toy she could get her hands on. Their mom said one of the action figures even looked like Benny’s grandpa.
A girl that looked to be around his age peaked around the front of the fire engine at Benny. At first Benny was scared because of the ugly mask she was wearing. Judging by the way she was dressed, Benny thought she looked like a pilgrim, he guessed it was a witches mask. The girl used her pointer finger to call Benny to her. He didn’t want to, the little girl scared him, but for some reason his feet obeyed even though his mind wanted to run the other way.
“Why are you wearing that mask?” Benny asked the little girl, she said nothing. “You can’t wear that to Santa’s lap, you’ll scare him.” She scared Benny for sure, he was eight years old and not immune to fear. The girl still said nothing, she reached in her pocket and pulled out a clear bottle. In the bottle was a rolled up piece of paper. She reached out the bottle to Benny and insisted with her eyes that he take it. Unwillingly, Benny took it. “What is it?” Benny asked as he took the fat end of the glass bottle.
She waved then ran around the front of the truck then around the other side. Benny followed as fast as he could. She was gone, Benny ran between the two trucks to the rear of them. The little girl was not there either, Benny was very confused. He pulled out the small cork then dumped the letter in his hand. The boy unrolled it and read the message, Take me home and I will haunt you for a lifetime.
Just then Michael came around the front of the truck. His five year old little brother said, “Benny it’s almost our turn, mom said come get you. What’s that?” Benny rolled up the note, stuffed it in the bottle, then stuffed the bottle in his coat pocket.
“Nothing,” Benny snapped, he sounded guilty to his own ears, “Let’s just go see Santa.” Briefly Michael wondered why Benny was mad at him. As a parent their mom loved that the boys were still innocent to believe this was the real Santa and not a fireman in a Santa suit.
A week passed and now Benny was laying in bed at four in the morning listening to the old woman sing lullabies from the darkness. She sounded grandmotherly and comforting. The only problem was that no grandmotherly people lived in the house with Benny, Michael, and their parents. This was not the first spooky thing that happened this week. He began seeing the little girl around the small town of Torrey, in the car next to Benny and his mom at the gas station. Then in the grocery store with an old woman, she was always wearing the mask. Benny should be excited as most young boys are on Christmas eve. Santa was going to bring him a bike. Instead he was laying in bed with the covers pulled up to his chin as terrified as any eight year old had ever been.
“Please go away,” He said softly, he was on the verge of crying. “You’re scaring me, please go away.”
Thankfully the singing stopped but the music box on the mantle above the fireplace in the living room started playing its song. Benny always hated that music.
Michael woke up, he and Benny shared a bedroom, “What’s that?” He asked sleepily. “Benny is that mom?”
“I don’t know,” Benny answered, “Just go back to sleep.” Michael was tired and didn’t share the fear that Benny was feeling so he did as Benny asked. Benny had a flash of jealous anger, he wished he could go to sleep.
“Get back to bed,” their dad called from his bedroom, “It’s too early.” Benny was at least somewhat relieved that he was not the only one hearing it. This was the first time his family heard anything. The music box went silent and the house was eerily still.
Thankfully Benny was even able to fall back asleep for a few hours. His parents let him sleep in until his mom finished cooking her traditional Christmas Eve morning breakfast. Benny loved it when his mom had enough time to cook breakfast for the family. Like most mom’s she was juggling everything so a big breakfast wasn’t always an option. Sometimes dad would cook breakfast but it just wasn’t the same. When his mother called him to come to the kitchen, the thought of the singing old woman was gone like a nightmare fades in the morning.
“How did you sleep honey?” His mom asked, Benny looked out the window and lost his breath when he saw the clouds. They were like no clouds Benny had ever seen. His mom seemed to read his expression, “Those are snow clouds.”
Benny had never seen snow, most people in the town of Torrey had never seen snow. Benny was too young to know this but there was no record of Torrey ever getting snow”It’s gonna snow?” Benny asked, excitement was evident in every word. “Can me and Michael play outside after breakfast?” Benny was hopeful, he had no idea if snow was dangerous so maybe mom would say no.
“Of course you can hunny bunny,” Benny loved the cute little names his mom gave him. Benny would swear this woman was an angel. “I’ll find your winter stuff while you eat,” Torrey did get cold enough for winter clothes and yet it still never snowed.
As promised, snow gear was waiting by the front door. Both brothers wolfed down breakfast then they sprinted to their room to change out of their pajamas. After that they ran back to the front door and put on their hats, gloves , boots, and coats.
“Stay in the yard, ok boys?” Mom instructed in the form of a question. “Stay where I can see you and don’t disturb your dad. You guys know how he likes to sleep on Christmas Eve.” The boys agreed and she kissed them both on the forehead.
“We won’t mom,” the boys answered together then laughed, “Can we go now?”
“Yes boys,” Mom didn’t seem to be as impressed by the snow as her two boys. “But remember, stay where I can see you and keep the noise down.”
The boys darted out the door into the chilly Torrey morning, the snow was already floating from the sky slowly. Benny found himself mesmerized by the snow, He looked up and would try to watch a single snowflake fall. Michael was breathing out hard so his misty breath was blowing snowflakes away from his mouth. Michael laughed a high pitched laugh. Benny stuck his tongue out and let the cold flakes land softly in his mouth. The coldness of the flakes felt nice on Benny’s warm tongue.
“Catch it on your tongue Michael,” Benny wanted Michael to join in on the fun. All the songs Benny had ever heard were right, snow and winter was magical. The snow was whisping around slowly in an unseen cold breeze. Neither of the boys noticed their mom filming for a long minute.
“Have fun boys,” she said from inside the doorway, “But stay in the yard.” That would be ok, Benny’s best friend Jeff lived next door. They could talk and throw snow over the chainlink fence.
Mom shut the door as Benny ran across the front lawn, when he tried to stop his feet slid on the wet grass. Benny tumbled to the ground and laughed happily. Michael was worried at first but Benny assured his little brother that he was fine. Michael made a loose snowball and hit Benny with it. They both laughed together like only brothers can. Benny tackled his brother softly then the two wrestled in the snow. Winter really was a miracle wonderland.
“Benny,” a small voice called that he immediately recognized as his best friend Jeff. Benny hoped his sisters weren’t with him, Jenna and Jemma creeped him out. He was not old enough to understand if twins in general are creepy or if it was these girls were just creepy. “Can you believe it?” Jeff sounded as excited as Benny felt. “It’s snowing, it’s snowing.”
Benny and Michael got to their feet and ran to the fence. Jeff hit Benny with a snowball and they all laughed except the twins, they were hardly smiling. Benny threw a snowball back and it exploded like a white firework when it hit Jeff’s jacket. Michael threw one at Jeff but he missed to the left. The twins laid on the ground and started doing what Benny recognized from cartoons as a snow angel. They still didn’t laugh, they just smiled their awkward toothy smiles. Jeff made a snowball then took a bite, Benny wondered why he hadn’t thought of that. Both he and Michael ate a whole snowball, this felt like the best day of their young lives. The small group of friends could hear laughing coming from other yards, they guessed all the kids in town were laughing.
“This is the best day ever,” Michael and Benny vocalized their thoughts together then both laughed. Michaels stomach was starting to hurt, he guessed it was from laughing for the last hour and a half.
Jeff’s eyes changed, the pupils enlarged until his whole eye was black. “Are you okay?” Michael asked, the little boy was very concerned. Jeff collapsed
“Jeff,” Benny was very scared, “Jenna, Jemma go get your mom, hurry.” The girls obeyed but still said nothing. They ran their awkward, almost doll-like run to the house.
After less than a minute Jeff’s mom was scoping her son up in her arms. “Don’t worry boys,” She said but nervousness covered her face. “He’s fine, he didn’t sleep much last night, Jeff’s too excited about Santa coming. Have fun boys.” Then she was running back to the house with wet slippers and her red robe blowing out behind her.
Some kids rode their bikes pulling brothers or friends behind them on sleds. One brave boy, Jeremy Linden, the class daredevil, was being pulled on his snowboard. For the first time in its long history, Torrey looked like a holiday special on TV. Another hour passed with all the town children laughing and playing. At first the clouds became wispy then started going away until the sun looked like a flashlight shining through the fog. Both boys' jeans were dark, soaked, and cold almost to the point of freezing. Benny was starting to shiver. “Let’s go in now,” Benny told his brother who was also pretty cold. Benny followed Michael into the house.”
As soon as the front door shut the boys’ mom said, “Leave your clothes by the front door boys,” She sounded sleepy. “Play in your room, I’m going to take a little nap with daddy.”
Both boys stripped down to their undies then ran to their room and put on dry, warm pajamas. Benny was really starting to get sick now. He had forgotten about the stomach ache but now that he was not occupied the pain was back with full force. His head was aching to the point that Benny’s young mind thought his brain was tearing in half. Benny turned on cartoons but he didn’t feel like playing. He layed down under his covers to try to get himself warm. Michael seemed to feel fine. He was setting up his crayons like a road that he could drive his cars through. Michael didn’t like to use the rug his mom bought that had roads winding around. He didn’t know it but he liked using the crayons because Michael had a vivid imagination and the road rug limited that. Those roads were always the same, if he built roads from crayons then his roads were different every time he played.
Benny wasn’t planning on falling asleep but a distant scream from a woman woke him up, it sounded like Jeff’s mom. Benny’s head felt foggy and glitchy not to mention an anger coursing through his veins like he never felt before. He had know idea what was bringing on this level of rage. His mom and dad had always been good to Michael and Benny but right now Benny hated them more than anything.
“Are you okay Benny?” That was Michael and he sounded very concerned. “Your eyes look funny. What’s wrong?”
Benny didn’t answer. He barely even heard his brother. All Benny was concerned about was protecting Michael and himself from their parents. Benny falsely remembered a time when his dad whipped him over and over with a belt leaving welts on him for two weeks. The anger flowed a little faster through his body. His mind imagined a time when his mom whacked him six times on his bare legs with a fishing pole. Benny’s brain made up a time when dad slapped Michael across the face over and over leaving red handprints on both cheeks. He must protect himself and his little brother from these made up monsters.
“Benny, stop shaking,” Michael now had tears in his eyes and a cry hiding behind each word. “Stop it Benny, you're scaring me.”
“Shut up,” Benny snapped, he had never talked to Michael like that, “Don’t let them hear you.” Now Benny’s black eyes filled with tears, “I won’t let them hurt us again.”
“Benny what does that mean?” But it was too late, Benny was already out of the room and down the hall to the kitchen.
Benny opened the silverware drawer, his mind felt like it was being shredded in his skull. There were only toast knives, forks, and spoons in there, nothing sharp enough. Then he remembered the wooden block that stored mom’s big knives and dad’s meat knives. He grabbed the biggest one he could find then went to the hall and watched his parents bedroom door. He could still hear his dad snoring. After a while his mom opened the door softly and walked two doors down to the family bathroom. Benny snuck down the hall then into the bedroom, his dad lay on his back snoring softly and drooling lightly. Benny shut the door behind him, it shut harder than he meant. Dad opened his eyes.
“Hey buddy,” his father said with love in his voice. Benny believed for a minute, this man would never hurt Benny or Michael. That man loved his children. The false memories flashed in Benny’s mind as he walked slowly towards the bed, the knife hidden behind his back. “Did you like the snow buddy? I was excited the first time I saw it.” Benny smiled, his father must have seen something in that smile. “What’s wrong Benny? Did the cold make you sick?”
Benny couldn’t wait a second longer, he sprinted towards the bed knife raised. His dad’s brain didn’t register what was happening until it was too late. Benny jammed the knife through his dad’s neck. He was not aware enough to aim, the knife cut through the windpipe. Benny smiled because of the way this monster’s eyes popped out of his head in surprise.
From behind him Benny’s mom screamed then yelled, “Benny what did you do?” Benny pulled the knife from his dad’s throat, then turned to his mother. She hated that devilish smile on her baby boy's face. “Benny, what's wrong with you?”
She screamed in surprise when Michael tried to stab her from behind. Luckily for her, the five year old was not near strong enough to penetrate the loose pink robe. Instinctively she pushed Michael to the wall much harder than she meant to. He slammed his head and dropped the knife. That was all the proof Benny needed to validate the false memories of abuse. He charged, knife in hand and heart full of unwarranted rage. Mom ran down the hall and into the garage then locked the door. His dad liked to be able to lock the garage door from both sides so he could keep people out of his house but also out of the garage if necessary. Benny heard a couple more screams of agony, they all sounded like grown ups. But those were outside so they were not his concern.
Michael followed Benny quietly to the door. Benny knocked softly and Michael faked crying. “Mom why did you throw me, I hit my head mom. It hurts,” Michael used his most sad little boy voice. “Can you kiss it better?” Benny could hear movement on the other side of the door.
“Mama,” Benny said in his own sad little boy voice, “I think Michaels really hurt, he has a big goose egg.” The movement came closer to the door but it still didn’t open.
“Benny please,” She was crying, that made Benny smile. He remembered a false memory of his mom beating him over and over with her shoe. “Mama can help you feel better.” Before she unlocked the deadbolt she pushed the garage open button. She opened the door with eyes full of tears and hope.
Benny swiped the knife through the half opened door opening up a small cut on her thumb. She ran out of the garage, she couldn’t believe how fast her sweet little boys turned into devil children. What the hell had happened to them? There was something wrong with their eyes. It looked like all of Torrey’s children were wandering through the streets armed and most covered in blood. Benny’s mom started crying harder, what happened to all of these innocent children. Benny chased her out of the garage, Michael tried to keep up but he was too young and not near fast enough. She screamed, which was a horrible idea. At least twenty kids looked around to see where the scream came from, then locked eyes on her. Benny pursued as she climbed the three steps up the porch, she didn’t notice Benny’s little crush. Stacia jammed a fork into Benny’s mom’s thigh. She screamed then ran away, she pulled the fork out of her leg then threw it on the ground.
She dodged Michaels second attempt to stab her then spun away from Benny. She looked like a white lady running back in a pink robe and purple slippers. Now other children began to surround Benny’s yard. As far as she could see, Benny’s mom thought she was the only adult left in town. It seemed every child in Torrey lost their mind, all the kids had lunatic black eyes. Kids were now entering the yard, blocking any chance of escape that way. She tried to jump the fence which turned out to be a fatal mistake. Her pants got caught then twisted in the top of the fence leaving her hanging upside down.
She watched in horror as Torrey’s psychotic children closed in while she was powerless to break free. Benny approached holding Stacia’s hand on his right and Michael walking beside him on the left.
“Benny please,” she begged as she struggled with her pants. She was even trying to pull them off. “Please honey bunny,” in his new state of mind he hated that nickname, “look at me. I love you baby boy. Benny, please don’t hurt me.”
The smile that crossed Benny’s lips was all the answer that she needed. She fought harder to free her pants but the pants were holding all her weight so it was extra hard to free herself. She was surrounded on both sides of the fence by lunatic children. Benny bent down and turned his head upside down so he was looking face to face with his mother.
“I love you Benny,” she said, then Benny buried the knife in her stomach. He pulled it out then handed it to Stacia who smiled as she also buried the knife in her stomach. Michael was next, then Jeff, Jenna, Jemma, and one other boy got a turn with the knife before Benny’s mom died hanging upside down on a chain link fence. Blood covered her clothes the ran down her neck and face. She looked horrific.
Benny looked into the blue sky at the moon hanging paley in the afternoon. “Do you see her face?” He asked Stacia and Michael, they both did. The other children had already wandered away. The three children waved. Benny felt his consciousness floating slowly like a balloon in the sky. The woman’s face was clear now, she was a witch holding a snowglobe. She cackled and Benny’s consciousness shot back to his mind like an anchor in the sea.
Hazel cackled again, it echoed through the town of Torrey, then she shook the snowglobe. For the second time today it snowed in Torrey.
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