56The Krampus Before Christmas
By Ria
A/N: Guess who's back… KRAMPUS! Still my favorite holiday monster to date. He's a little pissed over his last confrontation with the Winchesters and has some unfinished business with Sam. If you aren't familiar with A Krampus Christmas Carol, I suggest reading that first – I suppose it's not necessary but this story will make a helluva lot more sense if you do.
FYI: I AM still working on Fatal Attractions. It was put on hold so I could complete the holiday special and I will be getting back to it soon.
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PART ONE
J Winchester, Hunter's Journal
Entry Log 12/26/1999
Krampus - also known as Bartl/Bartel, Niglobartl, Wubartl, Pelzebock/Pelznickel, Gumphinckel, Krampusz, Schmutzli
Satyr-like holiday creature. Legend indicates the beast accompanies Saint Nicholas each year and punishes children for misbehaviour. Creature appears at the start of the Winter Solstice and is banished away by Santa Claus on his yearly ride Christmas Eve. Tortures or eats its victims – these activities seem to fuel its magic. Only targets children, child vs adult status based on current cultural beliefs and expectations in local society. Tends to appear in areas that are historically Germanic in origins and beliefs and targets children of families who may be aware of the myth's existence if not the real threat. Unknown if there are multiple beasts.
Physical Appearance:
Stands approx 9-10 feet tall, goat horns and hooves, covered in coarse dark fur, long tail with tuft of fur at the end, orange eyes with black swirls in the iris, wears worn/ragged clothing with a whip attached to its belt, carries a burgundy sack and roll of golden twigs
Powers: teleportation, speed, strength, numbing poison that wears off over time, mind reading with physical contact. Possible unknown abilities.
Encounters:
Northern Minnesota 1999: several Germanic communities. Historical patterns show Krampus's presence in this area going back decades, area vs victim ratio appears to have been widespread enough to not incite panic.
2000: the beast appears to have left Minnesota. No trace. Several reported cases of missing children during the Winter Solstice from Western North Carolina and Tennessee.
2001: no sightings or cases in Minnesota. Missing children reported in Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming.
2002: predicting Missouri
Most Effective Way to Kill/Defeat:
No known method to kill. Some lore indicates the horn of a reindeer may be used to trap the creature in time, possibly a century. Theory only. No tested results. No instruction for how the antler is to be used.
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Southern Missouri December 2002
Obsession had been the driving force in John Winchester's life for nearly two decades; so his inability to let go of the Krampus case was certainly no surprise, especially since it concerned children. After discovering the true identity of this nasty holiday monster, he had made its death his number one priority for the following Decembers. Problem was, the beast had not returned to Minnesota. Even more disconcerting, it appeared to be following a pattern in recent years by hitting towns where the Winchesters had been within the few weeks leading up to the Solstice – almost like it was tracking the small hunter family.
John's thoughts were interrupted by a powerful slam of the bathroom door – not closing, but opening into the edge of the ceramic sink. Dean stepped out of the billowing steam, towel wrapped about his waist and chest glistening, as he grumpily rummaged through his duffel bag for clean clothes. He scowled briefly at John before disappearing back into the washroom to change.
The eldest Winchester let out an exasperated sigh. They had been camped out in Clinton, Missouri for three weeks now and John knew that Dean was frustrated with the length of their stay. Truthfully, John was as anxious as his son to get back on the road, but he couldn't cave to that urge now… not if he wanted to put an end to Krampus. He had been following the monster's movements for the past couple years and was confident it was tracking them. This year, they could bait and trap it; but that meant staying in one place for an extended period of time so their presence, scent, or whatever the Hell it was sensing would draw it here.
John hadn't told Dean why they were slumming around town yet. There hadn't been a need to. They had arrived for a hunt that took about a week and John had made the call for some rest and relaxation. With the Winter Solstice beginning tonight, maybe it was time to let his son in on the plan.
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The Impala glided over the slick pavement creating a constant white noise of whooshing water as its tires circled. As John concentrated on the road ahead, anxious to arrive at their destination, Dean sat in the passenger seat with a frustrated look to fuel his combative attitude – pissed over the crapload of honesty his father had just unloaded.
"What the Hell do you mean 'it's tracking us'? We've been going up to Minnesota every year to kick its ass."
"The reason it hasn't been in Minnesota is because it's been hitting each town we've stopped in during the couple weeks leading up to the Solstice. It's looking for us and this year it's going to find us, right here." John revealed.
Dean stared at his father angrily for withholding the information. His chest grew suddenly tight and he asked with concern, "What about Sammy?"
"What about him?" John's voice took on a cold tone, still feeling betrayed by his youngest's decision to abandon their small family.
"If this thing is hunting us and the kid has been sitting at Stanford for four months, isn't it just as likely to go after him? Did you even call to warn him?" Dean balked at his father's irresponsible attitude regarding Sam's safety.
"I'm not concerned about it. Based on the patterns I've been following, Krampus tends to keep a distance from densely populated areas. Like last year when we were in Raleigh it never got close to the city, just hit a couple distant suburbs and villages. Sam is in one of the most populated areas of the country. It won't even get near him."
Dean frowned, unconvinced by his father's confidence. There was always a chance when it came to the Winchesters and if any risk to Sammy was involved, they were always on the losing end. Removing his phone from his jacket, Dean flipped it open to dial. "We should still at least give him a heads up."
John reached over in a flash and confiscated the phone, slapping the device closed. "Sam wanted out and he's out. Leave it that way. Your brother will be fine. I need your focus with me right now Dean. Got it?"
Several moments of tense silence filled the air in the Impala before John spoke up again, this time with his demanding military tone. "Respond Dean. Is that affirmative?"
"Yes, sir." Dean commented dryly, defeated for the moment; but he would find a way to get word to his brother.
"Good. Let's go set and bait our first snare."
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Orange glowing eyes surveyed the scene, scanning the hundreds of thousands of sparkling lights dotting from the roads below and fanning out to the horizon. Unaccustomed to the more populated areas of the world, the sight was unfamiliar and a bit daunting when he contemplated how to carry out his task in secrecy. A warm breeze filtered through the trees causing the beast to shift uneasily. This climate was a drastic difference from his normal stalking grounds, but the reward would be worth the discomfort. He sucked in a deep breath, verifying he was indeed in the right place. His prey was here and vengeance would be his – it was past time he finished what was started three years ago.
TBC…
Thanks for reading and please review. *HUGS*
