Flash

HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

Time once again for Friday Fictioneers.
Rochelle has offered up this photo challenge.
This is my 100-word response.

Photo Prompt © Rowena Curtin

This can’t be the right place.

Checked my text message again; yeah, it’s the correct address.

In all my years as Santa Claus, I’ve been sent to a few places that tore my heart out but they were castles compared to this.

Broken windows could only mean no heat. No lights – obviously no electricity.

My white-gloved hand grabbed the fence and it shook as my anger began to rise. How do people exist like this? Why is homelessness allowed to continue?

Dammit! Better get a grip and do my job. Can’t have these sweet kids going without yet another night.

NAR © 2023
100 Words

From 1984, this is “Do They Know It’s Christmas” from Band Aid

This portfolio (including text, graphics and videos) is copyright for The Sicilian Storyteller, The Elephant’s Trunk and The Rhythm Section. NAR © 2017-present.

Short Story

DADDY GOES TO THE MALL

Denise @ GirlieOnTheEdge
has once again challenged us
to write a Six Sentence Story,
incorporating the word “limit”.
This is my response.

🎅🏼

“Now listen up, kids, because Daddy’s had just about enough of this nonsense; I’m at the end of my rope and very close to losing it right here in front of Cinnabon, you hear me?

Every year it’s the same thing with you kids; Timmy, Sally .… I need you guys to get a grip because people are starting to stare, mall security is checking me out and the big guy in the red suit is becoming impatient.

Try to remember what we talked about last night when I read you a bedtime story, how you gotta behave because Santa is watching all the time and he knows when you’re being naughty (like now) or when you’re being nice; if you want Santa Claus to come to our house this year and bring you Christmas presents, you better shape up this minute and stop crying or else you’re gonna get a big fat lump of coal in your stocking!

Sally, I know you want Mommy right now but the last time I saw her she was ducking into Ye Olde Candle Shoppe and she hasn’t come out yet …. as if we really need more goddamn candles that smell like fruit cake and reindeer balls …. it ain’t normal, I’m telling you; look, we’re next in line to see Santa so everybody settle down, stop crying and when we’re all done we’ll go down to the food court and get ice cream at Baskin Robbins, ok?

Hold on a second, kids, cos one of the elves is putting up a sign and I wanna see what it says; whoa, whoa, whoa …. wait up there, pal …. what’s with the sign?

Ok, change of plans, kids …. Santa’s taking a lunch break and won’t be back till 3:00 so we’re gonna go hunt down Mommy in the friggin’ candle store and then we’re gonna go home where Daddy can watch Sunday football and have a couple of cold ones and Mommy can bring you back to the mall tomorrow while I’m at the office; Timmy, Sally …. for fuck’s sake …. that’s enough now cos Daddy’s good and pissed and has reached his limit …. so stop with the damn crying or I’ll really give you something to cry about!”

NAR © 2023

This is Bob Rivers & Twisted Christmas with “I Am Santa Claus”

It’s Birthday Thursday today
at The Rhythm Section.
Stop by and see who’s
celebrating a birthday!
No fuss, no muss;
just wall-to-wall-music!
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