Refugee

“We’ll be back soon, Ana.” Mama caressed my cheek as she spoke, trying to ease the fear she could see in my eyes. “We just need to make sure your grandparents are safe.”

“I don’t want you to go,” I pleaded, my tears making no effort to hide themselves. “I want to keep you safe.”

“We’ll only be gone a day or two,” Papa said as he pulled on his coat. “You can take care of yourself while we’re gone, right?”

“I’m eighteen, Papa, of course I can, but that doesn’t mean--”

“Then you know that we can stay safe until we return.” Once his shoes were on, he came to me and ruffled my hair, something he’d done since I was a baby. “We love you.”

His Homecoming Promise

Seven months.

Two weeks.

And three days.

Rebecca stood at the airport, clutching her coat tight in her arms as she waited for her husband’s plane to land. Her husband, First Lieutenant Jacob Stewart, sent off on his second tour just before the young couple could celebrate their second wedding anniversary.

Death Makes a Holiday

“‘I need a favor’ my boney ass,” the hooded figure muttered to himself. He took a few small boxes from his black bag, his skeleton hand careful to set them down gently so as to not wake anyone in the house. When Claus had called him, asking to honor a favor, Death desperately wanted to deny him his request. “That fruit loop knows better than to make me do this ‘holly jolly’ crap.”

A small creak of the floorboards above made him freeze in his tracks, mentally cursing himself out for talking too loud, thinking a whisper was still enough to rouse anyone in a five mile radius. When the sound of little footsteps coming down the stairs reached him, he started frantically placing the presents around the small white tree.

“Santa?”

A Father's Love

The sky was dark, none of its stars were able to shine through the cloud cover. The first snowstorm of the season was upon us, and the wind was forcing the snowflakes to fall at such a slant, they looked to be going sideways. The chill in the air was enough to freeze a person to the bone if they were dumb enough to go outside.

It’s me.

I’m the dumb one.

As I zipped up my coat, making sure my hat and gloves were secure, I mentally cursed at myself as I left the store. I clutched the box as tightly as I could without damaging it, noticing the store lights shut off as soon as the door closed behind me. I took a deep breath, feeling the cold air fill my lungs, then set on my way back home.

The Chosen One?

      

I was ushered through a dimly lit hallway, the ceiling lights not doing much to help us see our way. I turned my head to see the two heavily armed guards behind me, noticing they looked the same as the two in front of me. As my anxiety levels began to skyrocket, I pulled at my long, blonde hair, certain my dark green eyes were showing my worry.

There was nothing significant about the hall, and even if there was, I wouldn't be able to tell. A bright light came from our destination and I could feel my chest beginning to ache. Where are these men taking me? I thought to myself. What could they possibly want with me?