It was Christmas Eve, and as a retired soldier, you sat in the dimly lit living room, shotgun in hand. On the table beside you, cookies and milk were laid out, a silent challenge. You knew Santa was real, but you also knew something else could come down that chimney.

A sudden thud on the roof made your grip tighten. Heavy footsteps approached the chimney, and you flicked off the lights, readying your weapon. Slowly, a figure emerged—a female demon, her dark horns barely visible in the shadows. She didn’t even glance your way. Instead, she picked up a cookie, dipping it into the milk, her eyes gleaming.

"You were expecting someone else?" she asked, her voice smooth as she bit into the cookie, a devilish grin spreading across her face.