The Boy Who Stole Chrismas.

The multi colored shine of Christmas Tree Lights can be see illuminating from the street out in front of it. It was there were a young boy, no older then about 10 stood, dressed in all black looked on as he watched the family inside snuggle together around the warm fire, drinking their hot coco and reading their Christmas stories.  The boy moved closer to the window as he watched the family enjoy their holiday, longing for something similar.

"You know Stevie, I miss this."

The boy said as a weird shadow figure began to form beside him. The figure pitch black figure, which seemed to be completely made of shadow, had two arms, two legs, and no head. The boy crouched down on his knees so that he wouldn't be noticed and began to pet the figure like a pet.

"It's this time of year that really makes me miss mom and dad. I mean I should be sitting by the fireplace, drinking milk, snuggled with my mom, while dad reads me The Night Before Christmas."

The boy's eyes began to water as he watched the little boy in the house fall asleep in his mother's arms.

"It's not fair Stevie. Why does everyone else get to be happy, while we are forced to fend for ourselves."

Stevie wiped the tears from the
boys eyes. The boy gave Stevie a nice smile. Meanwhile, inside the house: The mother and father inside would pick up their son and daughter, and carried them upstairs to bed.
The boy noticed this, and put on his hood.

"Welp Stevie, it's go time."

Stevie formed back into a two dimensional shadow as the boy made his way around the house to the back door. The boy took a deep breath and began to form himself into a shadow, his skin became pitch black and his body became two dimensional. In a few moments he would become just as much shadow as Stevie. The boy moved through the cracks of the door and into the living room, where he would form back into his normal self right in front of the Christmas Tree. The boy raised his hand, causing Stevie to take a larger version three dimensional form. The boy counted the number of presents under the tree.

"One...Two...Three...Four...Five Five presents. Grab them and lets go Stevie."

The dark figure, towering over the boy would grab all five presents and stuffed them into a sack. As this happened the boy made his way to the kitchen and opened the fridge. The boy smiled as he grabbed the pack of hot dogs and returned to the living room. Stevie passed the sack to the boy before returning to his two dimensional shadow state. The boy would way out of the front door with the sack undetected.

30 minutes later

The boy arrive to the Lincoln memorial. "We can sleep here tonight Stevie." He said as he dropped the presents on the marble floor. The boy would grab the metal trash can in the corner and moved it closer to him. He throw some kindling in the trash can and let a fire, which he made bigger by adding more wood he stashed in the other corner. The boy pulled from his back, the pack of hot dogs and opened them, grabbing one and sticking them on a stick salvaged from the wood and began to roast it over the fire.

DC. Drake loved it here. The Capitol of the Nation had such remarkable history in every brick, and he loved it. From the busiest parts of the city to the most quiet little suburbs, he loved everything about it. His roaming of the country had led him here, and as creepy as it sounded, he was enjoying watching the families on Christmas. His own parents being evil cultists...and also dead, he no longer got to experience that childish glee associated with the holiday, but took some joy out of watching others. So when he saw what seemed to be a shadow, slinking into a home and absconding with the gifts, he took personal offense. Drake frowned, and slurped down the rest of his Bubble Tea, tossing the empty cup to the curb, and following the shadow and the little boy accompanying it.

"There is a union, like ours, but different" The voice in Drake's head told him. "Interesting.." he said under his breath, as he trailed the two. They were superhumans, this much he had assumed, and Minotaur had only confirmed it with his comments. "Dangerous?" Drake thought. He heard the Minotaur growl...or thought it, more accurately, before it responded. " I do not know, nor do I care. I long for battle." the Minotaur though in reply, it's voice growing more and more sinister. Drake rolled his eyes. "Ooof course you do." he sighed, sarcastically. He decided to trail the boy and his shadow, hoping they'd be led to some secret base of sorts.

Drake followed for 30 minutes, keeping his collar up in an attempt to hide his face, and never getting too close to the point that it would be obvious. Eventually, the boy settled down outside the Lincoln Memorial, and began setting fire to a garbage can. Drake had seen enough.

"Isn't it a little past your bedtime kiddo?" Drake asked, before chuckling. "I never get to say that, usually I'm the young one." He stiffens, trying to seem serious. "But seriously, I'm gonna have to ask you to hand over the presents kid. They don't belong to you." he says, taking a step forward, ignoring the voice of Minotaur, who is describing in great detail the process of how he'd have to clean "child" off of his hooves. "There's a home for..." Drake couldn't bring himself to say orphans, "Kids who are by themselves. I can take you there now, just come with me bud." He reached out to the child, hoping he'd take his hand.

The boy ignored the man at first as he continued to roast his hot dog, checking it every now and then to make sure it doesn't over cooks. Meanwhile Stevie, who took the form of a regular shadow on the hike to the monument, slowly began to take a three dimensional form, taking the shape of a head and torso.

"All done!"

The boy said as he began to eat the hot dog off the stick, as if it was shrimp on a skewer. Once finished he decided to finally acknowledge the person speaking to him

"It's rude to walk up to people without introducing yourself"

He said as he grabbed the sack of presents.

"Here I'll Start, I'm The Shadow...and I'm mad as HELL!" The boy said, his face displaying hatred and anger.

The boy shouted as he dumped the presents into the fire. The flame grow huge, burning the wrapping paper and cardboard into ash. The plastic from the toys began to melt, the wood from the building blacks turned black and softened.

"If I can't have Christmas, why should they!" He yelled, tears falling from his face.

Drake sighed. "C'mon kid. Don't make me do this." He noticed the shadow forming and stepped back. He could hear the Minotaur in his head, begging to be released, and he couldn't keep fighting. The change was beginning, slowly the horns began to protrude and eventually force their way through his skull, and hair spread along his body. A low growl escaped his lips as his muscles began to ripple and twist and grow until only the Minotaur stood. "You and your friend are coming with me..." he growled, before lurching forward to grab the boy with his large hand.

At that moment, Stevie the living Shadow would form taller and wider forming a wall in between the Minotaur and the boy. As the Minotaur dealt with that a long shadow produced by the lamp post near by began to move, pointing toward the Minotaur. The Shadow would begin to grow toward the Minotaur until it connected with his shadow. At the moment of contact the show sprang up in a vortex of ooze trapping the Minotaur inside.

"And this is were I make my exit." The boy said before crossing his arms and falling backwards. Upon contact with the ground he would take his two dimensional shadow form and make his escape, mean while Stevie would do the same, following the boy.