sixwordstories | (no subject)

Thank you for that mental image, which I am going to try my best to remove from my brain entirely.

Oooh, right. Um... sorry? [Only, you know, not really. Why should she be the only one suffering with that mental image?] Guess it could be worse, though. 'Least it's not a speedo.

...why do you hate me? What have I done to deserve this?

[Annnnd her work here is done.] I don't hate you, I don't even know you... I just didn't want to bleach my eyeballs alone. [Lucky you, Tony.]

You are a sick, perverse human being and you need psychological help.

At least I'm willing to share the bleach? And hey, it could be worse. I could be showing you actual pictures. Because I so saw a Santa on the beach today.

Santa is not real ma'am. [Bites her finger, tiny fangs peeking out for a moment.] He is made of faith.

Who told you that? ['Cause hey, the kid was what, six? Way too young to have the magic spoiled for her already. :( ]

Adults know he is not. I heard grown-ups talking about it ma'am and one of them told me. Mr. Ghost explained it for me. [She was a literal-minded girl after all. Christmas was still fun, she had her friends.]

He said he was real once but now it is more a story so people can remember to be good to each other.

[But, but-- she was missing out on listening for the reindeer until she fell asleep or getting up early Christmas morning to see what Santa put under the tree and if he liked the cookies she'd left him. Good job, grown-ups, way to ruin it for the kid.]

Well... yeah, kind of. Some people need more than just a story to remember, though.

[The little vampire loved Christmas though, even if Santa was not real or flying reindeer and the other silly stories. It was nice to make other people happy, she understood that. Cookies were better shared with her friends which is something she does now. Holding up a tree-shaped sugar cookie covered in green sprinkles. She had that advantage over some kids.]

That is why adults do not believe then?

For me? [She smiles and reaches out to accept the proffered cookie.] Aww, thank you.

[She takes a bite, chewing thoughtfully while she contemplates the question and how best to answer it.]

I think adults get so wrapped up in the stress of all the crowds and the shopping that they forget the magic of being a kid and what it was like to believe.

Yes ma'am! [Sugar was best shared after all, chocolate most of all.] You are welcome!

[She had already been in the cookies, they still tasted very good even if they were not food to her body.]

I don't want to be a kid either, but I do want to make people happy for Christmas, even Hannukah too! Do you forget sometimes too? [It was an innocent question, she was an adult after all.]

[She'll get no argument from the chocoholic on that one. She takes another bite of the cookie.]

Do I? [She thinks about that for a moment.] It's been a long time since I've been... young enough to believe. So yeah, I guess so.

[Chocolate was the best! She sets the box of cookies down for her new friend and brushes the crumbs off her own cheeks.]

Are you old like Uncle Vlad? [Tilts her head and looks up at Aryn expectantly.] Mr. Strahd made something that he used and he got to be a kid again. Maybe you can have some for Christmas. You could play in the snow with me and Jezzie.