Prisca's_Writing_Area

Title: A Suitable Gift
Character: Stokely Mitchell, Casey Connor, mention of Zeke Tyler,
Word Count: 443
Prompt: handmade gift/gift
Rating: PG13

:::

„Hey, what's wrong?“ Stokely gave Casey a friendly nudge. „Where is the Christmas mood gone? You look like the Grinch today.“

„Zeke!“ He sighed. „It's complicated.“

„Okay. Spit it! Problems with the boyfriend?“

„No, actually not. Everything is perfect; he even agreed to spend Christmas Eve at my home. And you know, this is a big step for him.“

Stokely chuckled.- „Boy is in love. I admit that I wouldn't have thought this possible some months ago. You sure you are not a secret magician?“

„I wish I would be. Then, finding a decent gift for him would be so easy. But all I can think about is much too expensive.“

„But he knows that you are saving up every cent for college; he won't expect you to buy him a golden ring.“

Casey pulled his face. „That's not funny, Stokes. I always have homemade gifts for my parents and Mrs. Miller, the lady who lives next to our house. This is nice; no one expects anything different. But I can't get Zeke a stupid bookmark or a cookbook written by myself. That's just too embarrassing.“

„Why?“

„Why? Because, since he was a child, he always gets the most expensive shit from his parents. Look around in the house. Blankets by Dolce Gabbani, the newest stereo system, a barista espresso machine. The new GTO! Whatever he wants, he will get it.“

„I don't think all of this ever meant anything to him. Well, the GTO, though he will never love it as much as he did love the old one. The rest of it...“ Stokely shrugged. „He knows much too well that all this stuff is only a flimsy excuse of his fucking parents for never being around.“

„Hm!“

Stokely smiled. „What you give him, what your parents give him, is so much more than he has ever gotten from them. And I am sure he is smart enough to realize that. At least, I hope so.“

„Hm,“ Casey repeated, answering her smile with a wide grin. „You are a genius, Stokes. The GTO. Zeke's baby.

You know, back then, at lunchbreak, when everything got out of control again, I sometimes sneaked to the school's parking lot to take some photos. Zeke's GTO... well, it was the most incredible car there.“ He shrugged. „Probably, he would have killed me if he had caught me redhanded, but it felt so daring.“ His blue eyes sparkled with excitement. „And now I have tons of photos to put together the best photo collage ever.“

„That's it,“ Stokely agreed. „He will love this.“

Title: Early Onset of Winter
Character: Mr. Smith, Sister Hannah
Word Count: 300
Prompt: early winter/warmth
Rating: PG13

:::

Smith pulled the old coat closer around his shoulders. Winter was early this year, bringing snow and frosty nights. He usually didn't mind being on the roads; he wasn't looking for company. The voice in his head was hard enough to endure.

But right now, he would have given a lot for a shelter, a fireplace, and a meal to warm him up. Wishful thinking; the urban hinterland he had been walking across for two days already was desolate and deserted. Even God kept quiet. Maybe he had finally realized that it had been a ridiculous idea to make him, Smith, his messenger. And he had decided, to leave him alone, here, in the middle of the nowhere.

Breathing hard, Smith stopped. Dropped the heavy backpack into the snow. Squeezed his eyes shut. Too tired to move on. If this was the end, he felt ready for it.

:::

First, he felt the comfortable warmth of a thick blanket around his body. Then, the hearty odore of a delicious stew reached his mind. He was dreaming! Or dead?! Was heaven like that? A place where all his wishes came true.

„Welcome back,“ a voice reached his ear. A foreign voice, not his.

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes, almost afraid to wake up. And there she was. Her dress taddered; a woolen scarf covering her hair. Friendly brown eyes, lots of wrinkles on her face. Too old to be still alive.

„What...“ he started in a croaking voice. Much too old! „What...“

„Everything is fine.“ The woman stepped closer, put a hand on his arm. So gentle, so warm, so comforting. Like the hand of a mother, he couldn't remember. Smiling, he closed his eyes again. Yes, now everything was okay. He had finally found a safe haven.

Title: Overwhelmed with feelings
Character: Mr. Smith, Kurdy Malloy
Word Count: 230
Prompt: Overwhelmed/Exhausted
Rating: PG13

:::

Kurdy looked up from his stew when Smith stepped at the table, wearing his worn-out but thick coat, the backpack over his shoulder. "Where are you going? "

"To the school for a little Christmas celebration. I thought maybe you would like to accompany me."

The big guy smirked. "You know, I love Sister Hannah, but I am so not into that shit. Telling the children about Jesus, who was born to save the world... think about all that is happened during the last years, and then tell me that this is not just a fucking lie. "

Smith smiled. "Christmas is so much more than just that," he said. "It's about tradition, about sharing your love with others. It's about hope and joy.

For some weeks already, the children have been so hyper. They have decorated the hall, baked cookies, and created small gifts for each other. Michelle is rehearsing a little play with some of them, and there will be a choir. We will sit around the big fireplace, share winter stories, and have hot cocoa."

Kurdy had listened in silence. "Elizabeth would have loved this, "he murmured. "She was so into Christmas and these small snowglobes."

"One more reason to come with me, "Smith answered. "In your heart, she will celebrate with us; she and everyone we have loved... and lost. That's the meaning of Christmas."