CHAPTER NINE:   Gryla

⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 🄼🄸🅂🅃🄻🄴🅃🄾🄴 ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

MAXWELL KENNER HAD TOSSED THE NOW-EMPTY CHAMPAGNE GLASS TO THE MAN WHO HELD CALLUM IN A HEADLOCK. The glass shattered against his head. But, that barely delayed the man, as suddenly, Callum was gone. The man who had gone to punch Callum, instead lunched the man who had Callum in a headlock. The same man who had glass shattered again his head.

"What the fuck?" Max asked as there stood a tiny Callum.

Callum hit his shoe against his other shoe, then him enlarging and uppercutting the man with the brass knuckles.

Apparently, Callum didn't need help in the fight. He turned around, dodging a punch as he shrunk again, he slid under the man's legs, going back to his regular height as he went behind the man, then kicked the man in between his legs. He taped his shoes again, shrinking, he ran under the man's legs. And grabbed one of the other men by his legs, he slammed him into the ground, being flipping him and making him hit the other side of the sand. And repeated the motion four more times, before the last time, using the man to knock down one of the other mercs.

Callum turned back being over six foot.

"That was...so disturbing," Jack says.

"What's this?" One of the woman asked.
"What the hell, Ted?"

"Just give me a minute, sweetheart." Ted says. "I got to talk to these absolute morons for a second. And then we'll go get some boba."

"Okay," the woman in the black bikini agreed, walking off.

"Where is he?" Callum asked.

"Who?" Ted asked.

Jack and Max walked up next to Callum.

"You know who." Callum steps closer.

"You really want to do this?" Jack asked.

"Uh, I have no idea what you're taking about. And while I'm enjoying this visit from, uh, the Magic Mike Christmas brigade, I got a couple ladies waiting on boba teas."

Callum took a threatening step forward. Both Max and Jack ran forward to stop him. For an elf, he sure is violent.

"Okay, hey. Hey. Wait, wait, wait."

"I'm playing, big boy. Come on," Ted made a gesture for him to advance.

"Before you implode this man's skull," Jack began. "across this heavenly beach, can I have a crack at it? And if that doesn't work, M, will," Jack gestured to Max.

"Look, I'm telling you, for your own health and well-being, I suggest you leave right now. You for know who I know." The man took a step closer to Callum, smiling manically.

It reminded Max of a horror movie, he couldn't recall the name of it. In to was some demon possessing people and the crazy smile.

"All right. Well, you know what I know?" Jack asked. I know you brought some information yesterday and you paid quite a bit for it."

The man then slowly turned to Jack.

"Coordinates, the Arctic," Jack continued. "I know this 'cause I'm the one who sold 'em to you."

"You..." he began, then poked at Callum, to Max, back to Jack. "You're The Wolf? No. You should not be here." He whispered. "Do you know what you've done by coming here? My client is not to be messed with."

Callum moved forward, lifting the man off his feet. "Who's the client? New York?" Jack asked.

"Much worst."

"Oh, no, I'm so scared," Max rolled his eyes.

"She'll kill us. She'll kill us all."

"Multiple people have tried to kill me, all failed," Max waved a dismissing hand.

"What?" Jack asked, turning to him.

"Who is it?" Callum asked.

"I can't say her name. She will hear," Ted gives a pointed look.

"Write her name in the sand," Callum tossed him to the ground.

Ted began to spell the name; G-R-Y-L-R.

"How the fuck do you even pronounce it?" Max asked, tilting his head.

"Gree-la?" Jack asked.

"You idiot," Callum says.

"Gry-la?" He asked.

"NO!" Ted yelled out, terror lacing his voice.

When suddenly the blue and white sky was over come with dark clouds. The sound of thunder rumbling sounded. There walked over, panting is fear as he shook his head the he grunts, an odd crackling sound coming from his before his body began to spasm.

"What the fuck?" Max pulled Jack backward, putting him behind him.

"Cal. Cal," Jack called out, to get the attention of the taller one of the odd display in front of them.

Ted grunts before he leans forward, suddenly. His body somehow staying up, despite it being more forward, to where it looked like he was falling. But, hasn't. He brought his head up, the colors of his eyes gone. Jack stumbled back, pulling Max with him.

"Callum Drift," Ted's voice strained. "stories warrior of the North Pole."

"And I thought he smiled like a demon before," Max muttered.

"Gryla, the Christmas witch," Callum supplied to the two humans.

"It has been many years."

"Not enough. Where is he?"

"He's right here, fast asleep."

Callum put on his shades. "Gryla, where are you?" Ted laughs.  "I need him back unharmed immediately."

There extended his arm. "It is not to be, warrior!"

"What is it you want?"

"The same thing I have always wanted for hundreds of years. To make them behave. This time has come...to punish the naughty. All of them. Everyone who is on the list. Everyone who has ever been on the list. From killers to jaywalkers. Anyone who's ever lied or littered. Anyone who's ever been rude or late."

"You're taking about almost everyone." Callum tells her.

"Everyone I see fit. Tomorrow they will all be punished. And he is going to help."

"You know he doesn't punish people."

"Step away, warrior."

"Let him go, witch."

"I've warned you."

"And I've warned you."

"You can't see it yet, but when you wake up this Christmas morning,  the world will be much, much nicer."

Ted fell to the ground.

"What in the actual fuck?" Jack asked.

"You know, possessing people without thier knowledge or consent is rude," Max says.

Jack, despite the situation, smiled at him. 

"What the hell was that? What was that? What the hell was that?" Jack asked as he gestured to Ted, who began to wipe the sand from his face.

"Where is she?" Callum approached Ted.

"We got to get out of here," Ted says.

"Where is she?"

"I don't know. I'm just the middleman. I brokered the deal. I'm telling you, she does not mess around."

Just then, Max caught sight of the wager rippling, a small figure coming out of the water.

"Cal. Cal," Jack called.

"Okay, we need to leave," Max says, as he pulled Jack a step back.

The song Feliz Navidas was playing, was an ice cream truck drive out of the water, and into the beach.  People moved out of the way.  When the music stopped, and the truck was parked.

Max, still Janie did what was happening, still moved Jack to be behind. Because whatever the hell was happening, definitely wasn't good.
⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆ 🄼🄸🅂🅃🄻🄴🅃🄾🄴 ⋆꙳•̩̩͙❅*̩̩͙‧͙ ‧͙*̩̩͙❆ ͙͛ ˚₊⋆

{1186}