A Christmas Quake1 Carpet Ride Thriller

[CocoT]

[Dr. Shadowborg]

[HeadThump]

gasp just before being stricken dead by a jolt of electricity from the loose power cord beneath the carpet under their feet.

Robotic dwarves march to and forth near their lifeless bodies, singing, "Hi ho, hi ho, off to work we go."

Snow White whirls about dancing to the accompaniment. The rotators in her neck, elbows and knees hum with mechanical precision.

Their lifeless eyes reflect the lights of hundreds of bulbs, and above them in the silver glitter of the season are the words . . . .

[Dr. Shadowborg]

[Sajt]

[HeadThump]

'What was that! What was that I saw, reflected in the window? Glyphs bearing strange fiery shapes. But, oh this is just too good, well, no matter'

The taste of vanilla fudge consumes his worried world. The clerk closes his eyes and smiles. The chunk of sweet confection placed between his index and thumb.

'There is so much to do, but it all can wait.'

Fingers not his own brush up against his shoulders. Cold, clammy, gristled and skeletal, they fealt. His eyes dart about, but whatever touched him was no longer present.

His thoughts are jolted back to the shop.

'Must do the year ending ledgers the dark one demands. Oh, and less I forget - '

He clasps his hands loudly in several chops. The dwarves assemble around him. To his ire, Dopey and Snow White are still at play. With the lingering grace of a stage actress, she feigns a deathly sleep. Dopey skips to her side. His chest juts out, and the troubled wonder of a noble man graces his face. Then he plants a slobbery kiss on her lips.

"No time to worry about THAT little fool," the clerk exclaims.

To the others he bellows an order.

"Wrap those three dead heathen souls up in the carpet, and dispense with them in the bin. The collectors will be here in the morning, so clean this mess up, pronto."

With task at hand and elbows swinging, the dwarves, minus the princely one, start singing in unison, "Hi ho! hi ho!"

"I hate dwarves," the clerk mutters as he picks up the pen to complete the yearly ledger. As he dips the blood cherry chocolate ink, the glyphs catch his eyes once again.

On the carpet! He had not noticed before the strange symbols., but as the dwarves spread out the carpet and tossed the limp bodies on to it, he noticed the glyphs glowing, and he shivered with panic.

"Oh my, a spectre does indeed haunt Texas."

[ajay]

[Megazoid]

[Sajt]

[Dr. Shadowborg]

[HeadThump]

[HeadThump]

[Lardarse]

[DieparBaby]

[Dr. Shadowborg]