Need the Cold

The air was so icy Laylah could’ve sworn that icicles were sticking out of her skin like needles. The weatherman had reported a huge blizzard coming in by the weekend and people were hunkering down in their homes already.

But her friend was flying out tonight and needed a ride to the airport so she soldiered through the quick walk from her car to the tall apartment building in the stinging cold. Being the only one of her friend group with a large car that could handle extreme weather often made her a taxi cab. Fortunately, her friends always repaid her with food. 

Stamping her feet on the already snow-slushed carpet, Laylah brushed her hood off her head as the heat from inside the building was a stark contrast from outside. The coldness that clung onto her started to melt rapidly and she was already feeling way too warm. 

Reese’s apartment was on the eighth floor. The rickety elevator gave its usual groan of complaint at being used as it slowly trudged its way upwards, giving Laylah plenty of time to start stripping off some of her now useless layers. It was a wonder that more people in the building didn’t get sick from the constant temperature changes. 

The warmth always suited Reese, however. The girl absolutely hated winter, especially around Christmas time. Being an orphaned child with no records of other family, she’d take off to the Bahamas or Caribbean or wherever there was a warm 90-degree plus temperature. 

Laylah used to invite Reese to her family’s Christmas celebrations but after nearly seven years of being rejected, she gave up. Happily, though, she always received a fun gift from the location Reese sought warm refuge in. 

Not bothering to knock, Laylah let herself into Reese’s apartment with her copy of the key. After all, someone needed to feed the orange cat - affectionately named Beastie - while she was gone. 

Inside the apartment was absolute chaos, which was surprising for Reese. The girl was a neat freak. The Container Store was her haven. Monica Gellar from Friends would envy her. 

“Is everything okay?” Laylah called out. She carefully stepped over the discarded clothes and various toiletries to make her way to the bedroom. 

Reese’s thick curls were a frizzy mess atop her head as she frantically stashed more clothes into a suitcase. A panicked expression was out of place on her face that usually held a bright smile. Her carefully picked attire was missing as she was swathed in baggy sweat pants and a hoodie that was two sizes too big for her. 

“They might cancel my flight!” Was the greeting Laylah received. “I need to get to the airport now!” 

“The blizzard’s not supposed to hit until this weekend,” Laylah commented unsurely. 

“When have you ever known the weatherman to be accurate?” Reese snapped. 

Laylah conceded there. Being a weatherman was probably the one profession where you could be wrong ninety-nine percent of the time and still keep your job. “Okay, then you just stay here for the holidays. You can come with me to my parents!” 

“No!” Reese snarled now. “I need to leave!” 

“Wow, okay,” Laylah mouthed to herself as she held her hands up in surrender. “Well, then tell me what else needs to be done.” 

Reese instructed her to grab a bag and shove shoes in them. “Any kind, I don’t care!” 

Brows furrowed, Laylah did as told and watched her manic friend rush around the room. “What’s the big deal? I’m sure you can get a refund or credit for another flight.” 

“I can’t be here,” Reese responded. “I need to get to Manila.” 

“Got a hot date there or something?” Laylah grinned. Reese was notorious for hooking up with guys on her travels. It wouldn’t be surprising if one hit her up to meet again. 

“Or something,” the girl muttered under her breath. She forcefully zipped up her bag and looked up. “You done? Let’s go.” 

Laylah jumped at the anger simmering in her friend. What had Reese so on edge? Would it really be so terrible to stay in the city this year? 

Wordlessly, she followed her friend to the front door and was baffled that Reese didn’t even take the time to say goodbye to Beastie. Usually she had to be pried away from her beloved cat and then would pout about animals not being allowed wherever she was going. 

Although, with the way the fur was hackled on his back, it didn’t seem like Beastie was in a particular mood to give his farewells either. His large green eyes were narrowed on his owner and he was probably a second away from hissing. 

They must’ve gotten into a fight, Laylah decided. Perhaps Beastie used Reese’s desk-top zen garden as a litter box again. 

Reese marched up to the elevator and jabbed the button impatiently. Not even waiting thirty seconds, she growled and stomped towards the stairs. “Come on!” She called over her shoulder. 

Laylah pointed lamely to the elevator that was making its rickety appearance but Reese was already noisily hurrying down the stairs. Rather than be on the wrong end of her friend’s wrath for the almost-hour-long drive to the airport, Laylah sighed and also made her way down the stairs. 

Howling wind met their ears the second they made it to the lobby. The entryway that Laylah had passed through just a few moments earlier was now blanketed by a fresh layer of snow. 

“Wow, he was really off,” Laylah murmured about the weatherman. 

“No, no, no, no!” Reese rushed to the window to peer out. “No! Damnit! Hurry up, we need to go!” 

Perturbed by her friend’s distress, Laylah placed her bag down to reapply all of her layers. “Seriously, what’s your problem right now?” 

Reese threw down her own bags and started pacing anxiously. “I knew I should’ve flown out last week! I just had to stay for that meeting this morning. Uggggh! This is a nightmare!” 

“Well, you would’ve been fired if you missed it so it’s a good thing you went?” Laylah offered. She watched as the door to the building blew open from the force of the wind, snowflakes drifting in to coat their legs. “Yeah, I don’t think you’re flying out tonight.” 

Reese let out a strangled sob and stumbled away from the window. Her hands covered her face as her shoulders shook uncontrollably. 

Alarmed, Laylah wrapped her arms around the girl. “What’s wrong? You’ve been acting weird all night -”

“He’s going to find me!” Reese wailed. 

“What? Who?” Fear began to grab hold of Laylah as well and the howling from outside wasn’t helping matters any. “What do you mean?” 

Reese’s lower lip trembled and more tears streaked down her cheeks. Her eyes darted frantically around the foyer before she shook her head vehemently. “I can't. He's coming. You have to go.”

Okay, cryptic and spooky, Laylah thought to herself when Reese took off running back to the stairs. Hesitating for just a second, she took off after her demanding answers as she pounded up the steps. 

Completely out of breath and sweating, Laylah reached the apartment and threw the door open. Vaguely she could hear neighbors yelling their protests to the noise but they didn't matter. Not when her friend's life was in supposed danger. 

“Reese!” She bellowed. “What the hell are you talking about? Who's coming? Should we be calling the cops?”

Reese let out a maniacal laugh. “They can't do anything. No one can. It's too late.” 

Laylah huffed. “I need you to cut this cryptic bullshit and tell me exactly what's going on.” 

Defeated, Reese slumped to the floor beside the couch. Beastie hissed and swatted at her before bolting away. 

“There's a reason I leave every year,” she started in a small voice. “I can't be where it's cold in December.” 

Frowning, Laylah slowly sunk to the floor as well. “Okay, why?”

An irritated snort left Reese. “You're going to think I'm crazy.”

“I'd rather that than be absolutely terrified right now.”

“Oh, you'll be terrified.” Reese sighed. “Have you ever heard of Krampus?” 

Laylah’s expression scrunched in confusion. “The demon goat, kid eating guy?” 

“He came for me when I was a kid. He goes after naughty children and I… I wasn’t great back then. I managed to get away but my family paid the price. But Krampus… he’ll keep going until he gets his target.” 

“So you have to travel to tropical places? Can’t he just find you wherever you are?” 

“He doesn’t like warmth. Other countries know of him and have similar lore but Krampus, this Krampus, needs the cold.”

So many questions raced through Laylah’s mind. What the what? Before she could ask anything further, a thud came from right outside the front door startling them both. Reese scrambled backwards, knocking over a lamp in the process. 

“Oh god, oh god, oh god,” she chanted. “It’s happening. He’s here. I’m dead. I’m so dead.” 

Laylah jumped to her feet and grabbed the broken lamp. “Not if we kill him first!” 

“Laylah, no!” Reese's protest went on dead ears as all Laylah could hear was the blood rushing through her head. 

Yanking the door open, Laylah let out a piercing shriek and slashed the lamp outwards. She hit nothing, however, and nearly tumbled forward from the force. 

A whipping sound came from behind her and she spun around to see a creature holding her crying friend tightly. 

His monstrous face contorted into what could have been a smile. “Thanks,” he growled in appreciation before he and Reese disappeared. 

Laylah dropped the lamp and placed her hands on her hips. “You owe me!” She yelled out loud to the empty room before grabbing Beastie and disappearing herself.