Holiday Advent Story 20

Petty Officer Carter moved through the darkened research station. They’d been stationed at the Artic research center for three months without incident and now this. All of the six man crew were in the mess sharing a typical Christmas dinner of MRE’s and dry rations when the proximity sensors went off. Something was outside the station. It wasn’t unusual because of the animal in the area would often set the blasted things off.

They ignored it and kept eating. Carter was sick of looking at bears through the glass anyway. Then the door alarm went off. Something had gotten inside the center. A quick check had shown the door opened from the outside and then resealed from within.

They checked the logs to see if they were supposed to get new crew or a delivery; nothing. Then internal sensors started showing movement. Carter grabbed his side arm and went to investigate.

It wasn’t long after that the power went out and they lost the lights. The backup generator kicked but it only fed to the security system, coms, and internal temperature. Basically, they could see what was out there, talk to one another, and wouldn’t freeze.

Carter walked through the long halls listening to the thump of his footfalls echo back towards him. He hated the dark, and knowing that someone was in here with him made it worse. He kept his side arm ready but pointed towards the floor to avoid any accidents.

Weaver came over his comm. “We have movement in the biotech lab.”

“Thanks,” whispered Carter adjusting his path to head towards biotech. It made sense, if someone was going to break in up here they’d be headed to one of the labs and biotech was a good choice. They’d been working with some pretty high end tech over there.

Carter came to an intersection in a hall that led biotech, organics, and first aid depending on which way you went. He listened before looking around to see what was ahead of him. He couldn’t hear anything. He inched forward and glanced around the corner towards biotech. No lights. No movement.

“It looks empty,” said Carter. “I’ll get closer to see if anything is there.”

Carter rounded the corner and crept forward. He inched through the darkness watching for any sign of movement.

“I’m just picking you up on sensors right now,” said Weaver over comm.

Carter gently slid the door open into the lab. He paused a second holding his breath and listening to what lay beyond the door. After a few seconds he let himself breathe and moved into the room.

The lab was quiet and dark shadows filled the corners of his vision. A couple of experiments with independent power supplies hummed along. Carter scanned the desk and lockers as quick as he safely could. Nothing seemed to be missing or moved. Though he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to tell.

He might have interrupted them. Maybe they hadn’t the time to steal anything. They might have heard him coming and left for a different lab.

Something fell over in the back of the room.

Maybe they’re still here. Carter moved towards the noise. Quickly, but as carefully as he could be in the semi darkness. He moved around a series of tables and found a mop lying on the floor next to its bucket.

“We have movement in medical,” said Weaver over comm.

Carter moved quicker this time. He wanted to get to where they were. Medical was just a few doors away. He moved out into the hall and jogged down towards medical.

The door was already open when he arrived. He listened and moved into the room. He might take them unaware this time.

“They’re in the barracks,” said Weaver over comm.

Damnit. Carter turned and ran. Technically the barracks were adjacent to medical but there was no door connecting them. He was going to have to run around an entire section to get to barracks and the intruder.

Carter was coming up on barracks and starting to slow his movements. The barracks only had one way in that Carter knew of. Whoever was in there had found a second way in.

“It’s in the mess,” said Weaver.

Carter turned. The mess was closer but it would still mean having to run. How could they be moving through the station that quickly? Carter was running down the corridor in an attempt to get to the mess before the intruder was gone.

Carter got to the door of the mess and burst in. He stood for a moment in the doorway before remembering himself and quickly ducking to the side. He looked around the room and forced his breathing to slow. He tried to watch the large open room where the entire crew had just been.

Something was off. The room felt different. There were shapes in the shadows that didn’t seem to belong. He tried to make out the shape of a person in the darkness. There was nothing. Had they escaped again?

“Sorry about the surprise,” came a voice from the shadows. “Just trying to be a good neighbor.”

“I’m detecting them in the room,” said Weaver over Comm. “They should be to your right.”

Carter started to inch around the outside of the room. Moving to be closer to the unfamiliar voice.

He saw a shape in the darkness. Large and imposing. It stood, tall and proud in the far corner of the room.

Carter raised his sidearm at the form. Whoever it was, they were huge. They hadn’t moved Carter thought he’d surprised them. He placed his finger on the trigger and began to squeeze.

“They’re right behind you,” yelled Weaver of the Comm.

He felt hot breath on his neck. “Ho. Ho. Ho. See you next year.”

Suddenly the lights of the station flared to life. Carter spun trying to bring his sidearm to bear. He dropped to one knee his eyes fighting against the now bright lights to make out anything behind him.

Carter was alone. There was no one in the room.

The room had changed though. It was filled with flickering colored lights. Streamers and decorations hung from every wall and surface. The large form Carter had seen in the darkness was a huge fir tree covered in ornaments, lights, and candy canes.

The table that had been covered in MRE’s and dry rations now held a huge turkey, potatoes, stuffing, and every item Carter could think of for a holiday feast.

end

Zat you Santa Claus