Title: The Little Boy Krantz (AKA Krampus)
Category: Fiction based on folklore and actual historical events.
Teaser: The beast lay shackled within his cage , for the moment silent and undisturbed, so it seams. His physical restraints prevent him from investigating the squeals and screams which feeds his increasing adrenalin and makes him quiver with excitement as his shifting eyes now reveal an impending danger.
Synopsis: The protagonist (Krantz) is a young goat herder and burgeoning pyrotechnist who inspired a Yuletide legend. This young boy, abused and bullied throughout his childhood, becomes a street wise misfit in an early pagan community under 4th century Roman rule. Due to his unmanageable behaviour the local villagers nicknames him Krampfziegen (convulsive goat). Krantz is disfigured by a pyro accident and his parents abuses and punish him by killing his pet goat. Horrified by his disfigured appearance, and with increasing abuse from a crowed mentality, the community have renamed him Krampus (Devil like). Emotionally distraught, he runs away wearing the goat carcass.
A Visiting Roman politician (Senator Nikolaos) is burdened with a decision if to execute some black slaves suspiciously blamed of several petty crimes. Nikolaos seeing Krantz milling around the gallows, amongst the crowd, appearing obviously distressed and draped in a goats carcass, takes advantage of this situation, and in a political manoeuvre, assigns the black slaves to the care of the mentally and physically impaired, then singles out Krants from the crowd to be restrained and placed in the care of the accused black slaves.
Now as new members of Senator Nikolaos’s entourage, the slaves and Krants align their strategies and refine their theatrical covert performance toward the gaining notoriety of Krampus. Whilst carving out an acceptable and financially affordable existence with their road show production, they all become aware that, abused children and class distinction, have a related unsavoury outcome.
Krantz, now a teenager, recognises the self destructive habits of some deprived children and he is beginning to show signs of morbid and sadistic tendencies toward the children of the upper-class. As it brings back memories that now haunt him, he is compelled to devise a plot to rescue abused children.
Under the disguise of a crazed animal and seemingly under guard of the black slaves, Krampus abducts these abused children and relocates them to a new environment. This action is seen to be brutal by onlookers which gives Krampus an even more notorious reputation as a demon that eats children that misbehave.
Abductions occur frequently as the production event that is familiarised as the Krampus Run, visits different cities in the senators electorate. Krantz and the slaves now have the task of training these new recruits along with covert operations which Senator Nikolaos has set out for them prior to his organised visit. These performances are conducted to distract from the politically motivated seeking of sensitive information that keeps the Senator well informed. One young conscript in particular, has the talent to keep the legend of krampus alive.
The full story and “The Twist In The Krampus Tail” is soon to follow….. so stay tuned.
Written by Nic Luntungan in collaboration with Paul Mahony and Mark Luntungan (AKA Mun) while initially inspired by Luke Mahony in 2010.
