Short Story & Such: UNEXPECTED CHRISTMAS CHATTER

​UNEXPECTED CHRISTMAS CHATTER

​Christmas was great. It’s the only time of year my coworkers smile at me; the only time my wife acknowledges me; and it’s the only time my mother calls. As a matter of fact, it’s the only time I receive everything I want, especially that electronic game I always wanted. It came packaged in a green and purple cover. All the components were inside, which is great because I hate doing returns. I had taken all the contents out for a trial run when my wife called me to help with the toilet (long story). I placed everything in the corner of the room in order to not step on anything.
“Hey, you!”
I must have done a 360 degree turn to decipher where the voice was coming from.
“Down here, cheese boy!”
“What?” I knelt down, straightened my glasses, and picked up the box.
“That’s right. Now, listen here. Whatever you do, don’t go to the bathroom.”
I was petrified, but wondered where the microphone was. I must have overlooked that component.
“Psst! Are you listening?”
“Uh… why not?”
“If you want to see the night sky again, you’ll do as I say.”
In the background I could hear my wife fuming and then, silence.
“See? What did I tell you?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Your wife is gone.”
“Gone? How? Why? I mean… who would want to take her?”
The voice stopped talking to me. I shook the box and ordered a response. Nothing. So, I mustered the courage to look in the bathroom.
“Oh my….”