Last Christmas

Fra mig til jer: et lille juleeventyr, der nok skal skabe den rette stemning. Historien er oprindelig skrevet til Apex Publications jule flash fiction-konkurrence (max. 250 ord), hvilket forklarer, hvorfor den er på engelsk. Da den ikke slap gennem nåleøjet blandt de over 400 indsendte bidrag, tænkte jeg, at jeg lige så godt kunne bringe den her som en tidlig julegave:

“Ho ho ho, merry Christmas!”

“Santa?”

“Yes.”

“But… we’re on Mars!”

“Christmas is everywhere and not just on Earth.”

“But I’m a Hindu. I don’t celebrate Christmas.”

“Santa doesn’t discriminate. Christmas is for everyone.”

“Wait. This is getting too weird. You’re not really here, are you?”

“I’m standing right in front of you.”

“No, I must be hallucinating. I’m almost out of oxygen.”

“Trust me, Manoj. I really am Santa Claus.”

“Great. I’m dying and the last person I see is someone I’ve never believed in. Sure you’re not a ghost?”

“Yes, I-”

“Or an alien! You wanted to present yourself in a reassuring way and chose a figure most people would love to meet.”

“Look, I’m not pretending to be Santa. I am Santa.”

“Yeah, just hand me my present then. I’ve been a good boy, haven’t I? Kept the base running, even after the others decided to commit suicide when we stopped hearing from Earth. So what happened?”

“I’m not sure, but everybody’s dead. Except you.”

“That’s why you’re here? I’m the only one left?”

“Yes, didn’t know what else to do with all the gifts. What do you want?”

“To be rescued.”

“Sorry. I’m Santa, not God. I can give you a ride back to Earth in my sleigh but you won’t survive the trip.”

“Nevermind. I don’t want to die here.”

“If that’s your wish.”

“It is. Just bury me when we get there.”

“I promise. Ready?”

“Ready. Merry Christmas, Santa.”

“Merry Christmas. Ho ho ho…”

 

UPDATE! Og her er vinderen: Stockings Hung on the Hearth af Thea Hutcheson.

Jeg var ikke den eneste dansker, som deltog i konkurrencen. Her er et par andre eksempler:
Michael Kamp: Dear Santa
A. Silvestri: Last Minute Shopping / Santa’s Suit (den produktive Silvestri nÃ¥ede at indsende to bidrag)

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