missing – Christy Grace Scarlet Pen

Mechanical Issue | Short Story

DeeDee searched her purse again, the frown lines deepening on her forehead.
She knew she had left her keys in that side pocket, but they were nowhere to be found.
With a frustrated groan, DeeDee tipped the entire bag upside down on the cafe table, searching through the contents.
“Are you okay DeeDee?” Andrea, her best friend, was sipping a cappuccino, and had been watching her frantically search for the last five minutes.
“Yes, I just knew my keys were in here.” DeeDee rolled her eyes at the smug look on her friends face. “I didn’t lose them again, they’re just missing.”
Andrea let out an ‘Mmhmm’ and continued with her coffee.

Where had she had them last?
DeeDee dropped the lipstick onto the table and closed her eyes, picturing where she remembered them last.
The Mechanic.
Flipping her eyes open, Andrea frowned with a shrug. “Why the concern? Did you leave them in the fridge?”
DeeDee shook her head. “I think I left them at that mechanic place.”
Andrea shrugged. “Okay, so you left them there. Now you know where they are, and you can go get them, right?”

She knew her best friend was right, but there was something about the mechanic that had made her nervous. Now he had her house keys, along with the car keys.
“What if he copies them? Then comes into my house to burgle me?”
Andrea rolled her eyes. “Oh come on DeeDee, be serious. He’s running a business, just like you do, and just like this cafe owner does. He wouldn’t get repeat customers if he went around robbing them when they left their keys by mistake.”

Andrea was right, of course. DeeDee knew that. All the way home, she tried to convince herself of that fact. The mechanic would probably call her in the morning, when her custom work was done and let her know about they keys.
Her driver dropped her off at home, and she thanked him. Ringing the doorbell, her maid answered and let her in.
She’d explain the missing keys to Steven, and he wouldn’t mind of course. As much as she hated to admit it, Andrea was right; she often lost her keys.
Steven would be home tomorrow, the car would be finished, and life could resume as normal.

DeeDee tried to calm her nerves with a drink, then settled in to watch her favourite reality show. As the maid said goodnight, the house became very large, and very quiet.
Reassuring herself over, and over, DeeDee jumped when the sound of a doorknob turning in the other room cracked the silence.
“Hello?” she called out, hoping for no response.

Quietly, she slipped off the couch, and stood beside the door to the small lounge. If a burglar was coming in here, DeeDee would be ready to fight for her life.
She looked around her, and picked up a small bust of Aristotle. It was heavy, but she held it just above her and waited. The doorknob began to turn, and she held her breath, preparing herself.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!” She screamed, stepping back and giving a half hearted throw, of the heavy bust. It fell to the floor where her feet had stood just a moment before, and she exhaled loudly.
“Steven! You scared me!”
Her husband stared back at her; confusion and compassion all over his face.
This wasn’t the first time that DeeDee had read into something that wasn’t real; and it probably wouldn’t be the last.

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace

Santa Clause is Missing!

You better watch out, You better not cry
You better not pout, I’m telling you why
Santa Clause is co—-
“STOP, Police! You’re under arrest!”

Santa Clause, illegal you say? What, how could this be??

Recently, as a part of my Furious Fiction Flashbacks, I included one which I cooked up called
THE SANTA DETECTION AGENCY (Link at the end of this post)
It follows the idea of Santa Clause (yes, he exists in this universe… oops, hope no kids are reading….) if it was illegal to be him. No breaking and entering by coming down chimneys, no commerce without permits or equal pay for elves by making toys, and no keeping lists of all the kids in the world (which, when you think about it is kind of creepy anyway – stranger danger!).

To see how that world (in my mind anyway) shakes out, check out the story (link at the end of this post), but in the meantime, I was thinking more about this Santa Clause situation and I had some NEW ideas about what the world would look like in a different universe with Good old Saint Nick (and YES, the story originated from a real person – Saint Nicholas – but we may revisit that another day).

What would the world look like WITHOUT Santa Clause – At All!
As if he never existed; someone went back in time and refused to acknowledge the legend he was born on, the man who died in the year 343AD.
Do you think the world would look different?

What would happen to all the commercial outlets, would Christmas even exist the way we know it now. There would be no Santa cards or hats, no reindeer in the yard and certainly no elvish mischief (unless you like Lord of the Rings, then you have elvish mischief all year round).

Here’s an alternate version of Christmas morning, without the Holly Jolly gift giver.

—–Ella ran downstairs and stumbled into the living room. It looked the same as any other Christmas day; the large Pine Tree was in the corner of the house with the lights twinkling and the smell of bacon and eggs was already wafting from the kitchen. She looked down at the bottom of the tree and smiled as the nativity scene sat proudly in front of four neatly wrapped gifts.
“Merry Christmas Ella,” her mother said behind her. Ella turned and gave her mum a big hug then rushed to the tree, carefully reaching behind the nativity and to the presents behind. The four presents were labelled Ella, Simon, Mum, and Dad and she carefully laid them out on the coffee table. As both parents and her younger brother joined her in the living room, they all said a Christmas prayer, then her mother picked up her very special present box with a silver bow on top. “Merry Christmas Ella, we love you,” she said as she placed the treasured gift into Ella’s hand.
Ella unwrapped the small box and shrieked as she saw the grown up golden bangle inside. She reached up and wrapped her arms around her mother’s neck, then her father’s, “Thank you. Merry Christmas!”

I think it’s fair to say that Christmas would be different – but would it be that much of an inconvenience? We celebrate Christmas for a variety of reasons, birth of Christ, remembering the year before and looking to the year ahead, coming together with those we love and giving and receiving tokens of the love we have for one another.

Yes, Santa can be fun, but how would you react to a Christmas more like the one above?
Let me know in the Comments and head over to the CGSP Facebook page to let us know what you think too!

To see the original story ‘THE SANTA DETECTION AGENCY’ where Santa does exist, and tries to continue his traditions in spite of the illegality see the link below:

https://christygracescarletpen.com/2019/11/05/santa-detection-agency-furious-fiction/

Have a MERRY CHRISTMAS everyone!

See You in the Adventures!
Christy Grace