[b]Santa -Jonesboro Mall[/b]

[i]"Oh the weather outside is frightful."[/i] The song hissed out with static over a dying radio system, played in a seasonal store of the mall. The sole figure inside adjusted a Santa cap they were wearing so it wasn't askew. Outside there was the constant melody of breaking and shrieking as people were scavenging. Santa glanced towards the doors which were braced with large sections of plywood and some of the larger decorations. In the middle of the store, perhaps out of place was an old fake Christmas Tree, that had most of its pine covering pieces bare and removed, showing only the black rods that kept the formerly fully festive tree alive. Santa went on to the tree, as he grabbed a box of fake cob-webs that were still in-tact and began stringing them across the tree. 

[i]"But the fire is so delightful"[/i] The song hissed further, [i]"And since we've got no place to go/Let It Snow!/Let it S-s-sn-..."[/i] As the Krampus continued decorating the tree, the music hit a feedback loop, repeating it over and over. Beneath the mask, Santa growled a bit out of annoyance that such a beautiful song could only be played on this fairly disgraceful system. The song started up again, passing the error, [i]"Oh it doesn't show signs of stopping.[/i] The sounds of screeching, banging, and the terror from outside continued, before the song skipped another set of lyrics as the lights began flickering ready to give out. [i]"The lights are turned way down low."[/i] From the back door there was a loud thump, as the music fully died. 

Santa drew the trusty iron bar with concrete attached to it. No one, was going to mess with this treasured sanctuary, not when the Guardian of Christmas was here.