Red Christmas Read online

  His voice died away as his mind began to imagine the terrible rage that Claws would unleash on any reindeer who failed to give a satisfactory performance. It was not as if there was no precedent for Claws' cruelty. A few weeks earlier a worker on the doll assembly line had struck an overseer. The punishment had been immediate and effective - the offender had been stripped and beaten to death in front of the entire shift. The body had been suspended from a great iron hook high above the factory floor as a warning to others.

  The ranks of the Underground had swelled after that and behind the studied attitude of unquestioning obedience whispers of revolution trickled through the work force. Only the fervent believers among the camp elders refused to have any sympathy for the Underground. Their faith sustained them even through the harshest conditions and cruellest treatment - and Claws just laughed at them. The evening after the worker had been killed Joey had even overheard one of the elders say that the offender had brought it on himself by not turning the other cheek. It had taken Joey some effort to restrain himself....

  Rudi gently nudged his hand, Joey had become so lost in thought he had stopped stroking. He smiled and resumed his gentle caressing and the dark eyes of the reindeer slowly closed in bliss. For a moment Joey felt the warmth of contentment, the happiness of knowing his affection was returned and he half-closed his own eyes and inhaled the warm scent of his friend. For some minutes he let his mind waft as he recalled the simple forest village where he had been raised....

  The bang of the stable door abruptly recalled his mind to reality and Rudi started from his lap, eyes wide an nostrils flaring. They both heard someone strolling down the line of stalls.

  "Joey! Joey! You still here?"

  He recognised the voice - it was Smithy, one of the overseers, a large ruddy faced individual with a hearty laugh and a questionable sense of humour. He was nice enough to Joey and to the reindeers in his charge, but in all other respects Smithy was truly an overseer.

  "Joey!"

  "I'm in here with Rudi sir!"

  "Thought you might be." Smithy replied as leaned up against the door frame. "How's he doing?"

  "No better then yesterday - worse maybe." Joey wondered just how much care Smithy had been giving Rudi.

  "That's too bad. He's got to be ready in time for the Christmas run."

  "He won't be sir." Joey shook his head. "You can see he's not up to it."

  Smithy moved closer to examine the reindeer and Joey felt the soft hide flinch at the overseer's approach.

  "Hmmm...." Smithy looked down at Rudi and pursed his lips forcefully. "You're right - he ain't looking too good...."

  "He needs rest."

  "Maybe....Maybe, but he has to do the Christmas run. There's no avoiding that. We've already lost one of the team."

  "How's that?" Joey asked in alarm, "What's happened?"

  "Vixen." Smithy nodded in the direction of the empty stall. "He broke a leg while Claws was exercising the team yesterday. The boss had to do the merciful thing." Smithy drew his finger slowly across his throat with a clicking sound.

  Joey felt sick.

  "Claws cut...cut his throat?"

  "Had to in the end. Claws tried to drive him on after he stumbled but there's no way Vixen was going to get far on a broken leg. Claws went mad, kept on whipping him to drive the beggar back onto his feet but there was no moving him...."

  Joey's gazed down into the frightened eyes glistening in Rudi's delicate face and felt a tremor of dread. What would happen if Rudi didn't recover in time?

  "Still, as I always say," Smithy leaned back and slapped a broad palm against his stomach. "One's loss is another's gain. It's been a long time since the overseers have eaten fresh meat."

  "Fresh meat...."

  Smithy misunderstood Joey's tone. "Oh, it wasn't just us - you got some too. After we'd finished the carcass was boiled up for stock and put into the workers' stew."

  "No." Joey shook his head with revulsion. "It's not true...."

  "Honestly. We didn't eat it all." Smithy laid a kindly hand on the young worker's shoulder and Joey's disgust and rage burned under it. Smithy sensed that his gesture was not welcome and withdrew his hand. "Suit yourself then. Now I've got to get back to the overseers' mess. Make sure you shut the door properly when you leave."

  Smithy stomped out of the stable and left Joey alone with his friend. The stew in his stomach which had felt so comforting before now felt like a stone weighing him down with guilt and disgust. He was almost too ashamed to look Rudi in the eye and it was only fear for the reindeer's future and a desire to protect him that stayed Joey from running out into the darkness to throw up. What could he do? What could he do to save Rudi? Christmas was only a few days away and Rudi would never recover in time. In desperation he began to think of escape, if only he and Rudi could could make it out of the compound they could get away from the camp - flee into the wilderness.

  Then what?

  There was nothing out there, no shelter, no settlements for a thousand miles - nothing but freezing white desolation. They would both be dead in a matter of hours. For a moment Joey pictured himself and Rudi huddled together in death - a final gesture of friendship cheating the cruel world that had caused them so much suffering. No - that wouldn't happen. He had to be strong. He had to do something... Anything.

  "Have to go now Rudi. Have to get some sleep, you need some too."

  The reindeer looked up at him wide-eyed, with an expression of such despair that Joey could no longer face him and quickly scrambled to his feet. "I-I must go. I'll be back as soon as I can - I promise. I've got to help you get better."

  Rudi lay silent and still, watching him.

  "I...." The words would no longer come to his lips and Joey turned and left the stall, a tight, hot lump burning in his throat. He knew Rudi would never be fit in time, and when Claws harnessed him to the sledge his life was as good as over. But there was still a little time left, some days to go before Christmas. Joey still had time to think, to plan, there was still time to find a way out for Rudi.

  But there was no time. The next morning Claws ordered the sledge to be readied for a trial run. Joey knew nothing of it until he entered the compound with the rest of his shift. Although he could not see anything over the heads of the column of workers shuffling ahead of him Joey heard the jingling of harness bells and a icy wave of fear coursed through him. He pushed through the column until he reached the edge and could see what was going on.

  Outside the stable stood the sledge and Smithy and some other overseers were attaching leather harnesses to the reindeer and easing them into position ahead of the sledge. They seemed to be a bit frisky this morning and pounded their hooves into the fresh snow as their steamy breath swirled around them in the pale dawn light. Joey looked for Rudi and then saw him, stumbling from the stable block as an overseer pulled impatiently on his halter. The small reindeer could hardly stay on his feet as the overseer roughly hauled him into the traces.

  Joey stood at the edge of the column watching the scene with a growing sense of desperation and helplessness. He was jostled by other workers as the column passed by glancing at him with curiosity. One of the overseers in charge of the shift caught sight of him and was hurrying over to drive Joey back into line when the door of the mansion creaked open. A wave of fear rippled along the column as hundreds of pairs of eyes glanced sidelong at the source of the sound.

  A huge figure emerged from the shadow of the doorway and stepped into the light. Claws stood well over six feet in height and was almost as broad. No-one knew quite how old he was and the whiteness of his beard only served to conceal any tell-tale wrinkles in the skin beneath. Claws was swathed in a thick blood red cloak which came down to his knees and he wore a pair of black boots with steel buckles. Dark, deep-set eyes glared at the world from beneath his bushy brow and his gaze swept along the column of workers trudging wearily past. He sniffed with contempt and strode over to the sledge where an overseer stood ready with a sma
ll stool to help his master up into the driving seat. The overseer that had been making for Joey stopped to bow low as Claws swept by.

  "Good morning sir!"

  His greeting was met with a fierce glare and then Claws was heaving his huge frame up over the side of the sledge onto the leather seat. As soon as he was settled he was handed a whip and the reins.

  "They all ready?" He barked at Smithy.

  "Yes sir."

  "No malingerers today I hope." Claws snarled. "Or it'll be the worse for you!"

  Joey saw Smithy wither with fear as he glanced to where Rudi stood shivering in the team of reindeer. "They're fine sir."

  "We'll see." Claws said sourly. Then he leaned forward and cracked the whip with a well-practised hand. "Move!"

  The team responded at once and strained into their harnesses to take up the weight of the huge sledge. Slowly their straining muscles broke the runners free from the ice, then they took a few faltering steps before the sledge had picked up enough speed for them to break into an even pace. Claws cracked the whip once again and tugged hard on the reins as he steered the sledge straight at the column of workers. A gap opened as workers rushed to avoid the pounding hooves and the vicious steel runners. Claws laughed as the sledge swept through and he whipped left and right at the fleeing forms of his workers. Then he was through the column and heading towards the far side of the compound where he turned the ponderous sledge round and headed back towards the morning shift.

  And that was when it happened. Rudi slipped and fell, dragging the harness down causing two other reindeer to stagger and the whole team slewed to a halt right in front of the column.

  "What the bloody hell is going on?" Claws roared, rising to his feet. He caught sight of Rudi struggling weakly to get back onto his feet, and failing.

  "On your feet you lazy bastard! Right now!"

  Rudi made one more effort on trembling legs... and collapsed onto the snow gasping for breath as his flanks heaved with exhaustion.

  "Oh you would, would you?" Claws extended his whip arm as far back as it would go and then threw it forward with all his might. The whip end snaked forward and struck Rudi on the hind quarter. The reindeer bleated in pain and the noise of it brought the column to a halt as they gazed at the spectacle with dread.

  "Up I said! Get up, you idle bastard!"

  The whip flew through the air again, and this time Rudi slumped forward into the snow, his soft furry neck outstretched, all energy spent. The whip landed a dozen more times and the column watched in sick disbelief as blood flowed from the welts on the reindeer's back. Joey could see that Rudi no longer had the strength to do any more than lie there and take it, his eyes glazing over - stupefied with exhaustion and pain. On the driver's seat Claws was livid, face white as his beard as rage drained the blood from his visage. Again and again he whipped, to no avail. Finally he dropped the whip and jumped down from the sledge and snatched an overseer's cudgel from beneath the seat. He strode down the team of reindeer and stood towering over Rudi.

  "This is your last warning! You get up on your feet right now!" He shouted at the petrified reindeer. When Rudi refused to move Claws swung his boot as hard as he could into the animal's ribs. Still no reaction.

  The column of workers slowed to a halt, gazing in horror at the scene before them as a succession of kicks landed in the reindeer's side.

  Claws paused, breathing heavily, and hefted the club in his hand. He stood above the animal, eyes blazing and lips twisted back against his bared teeth. Then with terrible deliberation he raised the club high above his head.

  "Oh God!" Joey whispered. "Please no...."

  The club arced powerfully down towards the prone animal, there was a sickening crack and crunch. Rudi's legs struck out to one side in a violent spasm, jerked, and the body was still.

  Claws raised the club, his face spattered with blood and brains - eyes gleaming with hatred as he stared down at the shattered skull and red-flecked snow beneath him. His hoarse breathing was the only sound in the compound as every other living thing shrank back from him. Joey slowly turned away and crept from the edge of the crowd, fell to his knees and vomited into the snow.

  Behind him he heard Claws bellow with rage. "Another brute dead? What the bloody hell is going on here? Smithy! Smithy! You get this mess cleared up right now! Get these other bastards back to their stalls and clean this mess up. Then you feed the others up, you rest 'em. You get 'em strong and you make sure they're ready when I need 'em, or I'll gut you myself. Clear?"

  "Y-yes sir." Smithy replied.

  "Good!...good.... What the hell do the rest of you think this is, a holiday?" Claws raged. "Move!"

  There was a subdued spirit throughout the camp that evening. Everyone had come to hear of the morning's events and a bitter feeling of hatred towards Claws was evident in every barrack building. In block twelve the workers had eaten in silence. Now the lights were out they lay sleeplessly on their hard wooden bunks. Joey had been unable to eat, the vision of Rudi sprawled out on the snow always in his mind's eye. Kramer had tried to comfort him earlier but Joey had brushed him away and warned Kramer not to come anywhere near him. Rudi was dead. Rudi was a carcass, even now being butchered in the overseers' kitchen - flesh hacked from bones as the once bright eyes looked on, dulled by death.

  What was there to live for?.... What? Kramer had told him that the suffering of this world would be compensated for by happiness in the hereafter, that Rudi was with God now.

  "But I want Rudi here!" He cried out. "Here...with me."

  With a convulsive heave of his chest the grief broke loose and bitter tears pricked out of his eyes and soaked into the pillow. Those on the bunks around him stirred momentarily at the noise before their weary heads dropped back down and drifted off to sleep.

  Someone was shaking him. Joey started up from his pillow.

  "Shhhh! Keep quiet." A voice whispered. Joey was aware of dark shapes moving in the darkness around him.

  "What's going on?"

  "Just get your coat and go to Block One - Leon's holding a meeting, he wants all of us to meet in the hall."

  Rising quickly from his bunk Joey pulled on his coast and boots and followed several others outside into the night. They silently passed through the shadows towards the biggest of the barracks. As they went more workers from the other blocks joined them until there was a dark tide of shadows crunching across the snow. Block One was the first building constructed in the camp and was originally intended to accommodate all the workers but over the years production had expanded and new blocks had been added. But all were dwarfed by Block One and it loomed over Joey and the others as they made their way through the darkened entrance into the huge hall inside. Many hundreds were already there, waiting with silent expectation around a platform that had been hastily improvised from several trestle tables. A candle flickered at each corner of the platform.

  Joey pushed himself as near as he could to the platform and found that he was standing close to Kramer and a group of the elders. They were talking in low voices and he could just hear snatches of their conversation.

  "What does Leon want with us?" One was asking.

  "No-one knows." Kramer replied. "At least no-one will tell me why he's called us here."

  At that moment he saw Joey and was about to say something but Joey quickly shoved himself away from them, until the elders were out of sight. The crowd had now filled the hall in a tight mass and the last few arrivals were crammed into the entrance. A hush fell over them as a way opened for a small group who had entered the hall through a side door.

  "Leon! It's Leon." A young worker said excitedly, and was quickly hushed by those around him.

  The group progressed to the platform where only one of them climbed up on the tables. Leon was young and strong with dark features and he had a way of moving that suggested full control over every aspect of his existence. He moved to the centre of the platform and slowly raised a hand to bring them all to complete silenc
e. The flickering light of the candles cast a pale glow on his already pale cheeks and made his eyes into deep pools of darkness. He stared out over the heads of the crowd for perhaps as much as a minute before he spoke, and all the while they stood in silence, waiting.

  "Until now, I had hoped that one day we might be able to put our grievences in front of Claws, and ask for better conditions. Then this morning I saw - you all saw - the true darkness of the heart of the monster who runs this place. Not that this is anything new. How many of us have died in this camp? Who can even guess at the number? When the work hasn't done for us the starvation ration has. How long can we last living like this? How long? And if we try and protest does he listen? You saw what happened to Dewberry - clubbed to death, in front of us all!" Leon paused to let the freshly recalled horror linger in front of his audience's eyes. "So, what then do we do?"

  He gazed round the audience as if searching for an answer. "I said, what then do we do? Nothing? Is that it? We just sit tight and let him work us into the ground, after having squeezed every last drop of our strength out of us? Is that how you want to go? I refuse to take it any more. The Underground refuses to take it any more. It's time we all refused to take it - every single one of us. It's time we told him we've had enough."

  "He'll kill us!" A voice called out. "If we do what you say he'll kill us."

  "He's killing us already." Leon replied immediately. "Slowly but surely. The choice is simple - we oppose him now or he kills us later."

  "What do you mean by oppose?" Another voice called out, and Joey instantly recognised it as Kramer's.

  "We take the factory and dictate our terms to him in his own office."

  That brought on a small cheer from sections of the crowd and Kramer had to speak louder to be heard above the crowd. "Are you saying we use force?"

  "Yes - just as he has all these years."

  "But now? At this time - when we are celebrating the Lord's birth - the very hour of our saviour?"