Ho Ho Ho! This week Pegman takes us to the town of North Pole, Alaska in the USA.

Though it appears Santa’s workshop is near, you’re not obligated to write a Christmas-themed story or poem. The spirit of Pegman is to write 150 words inspired by your own tour of the location. Wander around and chose your own screenshot, if you like.

Once you’ve created your story, add it to the InLinkz using the button below. Sharing, reading, and commenting on other stories is part of the fun.

Many thanks and Merry Christmas to Karen and Josh who facilitate this challenge. 

This week I took a five-year-old Friday Fictioneers story out of mothballs, expanded it and made a few changes. Those 50 extra words can be a delightful game changer. 😀 

Genre: Holiday Spirit

Word Count: 150

Dedicated to my friend, John Schuech. If Santa Claus does exist, it’s in this man’s huge heart. ❤

PRELUDE TO SUCCESS

            “Failure.”

            Isn’t that what Tiana said when she’d flung her clothes into a suitcase? “I can’t take any more. Call me if you ever get your act together.”   

            Since he’d come back from Iraq, Emmet had been plagued with nightmares and had made four suicide attempts. He’d lost three jobs this year alone.

            “Try it,” said his buddy John. “It’ll do wonders for you.”

            Combing his prematurely white hair, he glared at his weary bearded reflection. He couldn’t blow this gig.

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            His footsteps echoed down the sterile hallway. How long had he spent in this place being stitched back together?  

            Stopping at room 223, he pushed open the door and tiptoed to the bed.  Feeding tubes and IV’s snaked around the slumbering child.

            He caressed her bald head and forced a cheerful, “Ho! Ho! Ho!”  

            Her brown eyes fluttered open and shone with innocent faith.

            “Santa, I knew you’d come!”

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