BEHIND THE PIECE
The story.
Miso found the North Pole’s oldest computer still deciding who had been good in 1988. Its green screen blinked. Its red warning light blinked harder. She sat on the keyboard and simplified the system: everybody gets something, except the vacuum cleaner.
For the delivery rounds, she chose black armor, red light, and soles that glowed like a small chemical incident. The helmet charm keeps watch from the laces. It has never reported a single mouse.
Somewhere above the rooftops, distant stars continue sending light that began its journey before Christmas existed. Miso appreciates their punctuality. She would appreciate it more if one of them brought treats.