[ WP ] A budding young sociopath sits on Santa 's lap .

Your legs are tired, and your eyes are sore. You have been wearing the garish green costume for the entire day and your armpits now carry a sharp stench. But your next break is in an hour, so you look forward towards the line of children with an artificial smile. It must be nice to be Santa Claus, since they get to sit down. 
 The next kid is blonde, around 5 years old? He is adorable, but you're too tired to be affected. It's obvious that his parents put a lot of effort into making him look like a china doll. According to the list, his name is Teddy. 
 
 `` Hey there Teddy! Would you like to come and see Santa Claus?'' you shout in the most cheerful voice you can manage, and offer your right hand. 
 
 `` Yeah!'' 
 his soft, small hand grasps yours. His hand is slightly clammy and cool. You will be certain to thoroughly sanitize your hand after. 
 
 Jeff is already booming, 
 `` HO HO HO, Hello Teddy!''. You wonder if he's getting tired of this shit too. 
 Teddy climbs onto Jeff's right knee, and Jeff once again says, 
 
 `` HO HO HO, and what would you like for Christmas my boy?'' 
 Teddy quietly mulls over the question, his doe eyes staring up in concentration. You feel like you've seen his baby angel face before on some advertisement of a perfect family. 
 
 `` Anything you'd like young man,'' Jeff is becoming impatient, 
 
 `` I want my mommy to be happy,'' the crowd goes'awwww!', and you must admit, it's pretty cute. 
 
 `` HO HO HO, You're a very good boy are n't you? Here, I'll let you take this bright red fire truck! And I'll make sure I give your mommy a present too okay?'' 
 
 `` Okay,'' he says sweetly. 
 
 `` Now go on, your mommy is waiting for you! HO HO HO!'' 
 The boy slides off Jeff's knee and runs over to the slide, where the girl before him is still frightened of going down.'Shit,' you whisper underneath your breath. You are the one who's supposed to watch over the slide as well, and help scared kids back down through the entrance of the Christmas platform. But you were too focused on Teddy. Jeff is going to give you shit about this later, so you begin running. 
 You are rushing towards the slide, another girl is taking her place on Jeff's right knee, and Jeff is booming once again. In this 
 moment, you see something that no one else is the mall sees. 
 
 A smile and a push. 
 
 You never realized how sharp his teeth are. 
 
 As the girl tumbles down the slide, screaming hysterically, Teddy becomes conscious of your gaze. He looks concerned for the girl, sweet and innocent. But you saw. And he knows you did. The entire mall is looking at you, who just let a girl roll down a 6 foot slide, now bruised and crying at the bottom. You're overwhelmed. Overwhelmed with what? Uneasiness? Embarassment? Shame? Anger? You ca n't tell. Meanwhile, Teddy gently slides down to his mother's arms. You can see her squatting in front of him, fixing his scarf. They begin to walk away from the platform, and Teddy, one hand in his mother's and the other holding onto a red, red fire truck, does not look back. 

