A little story about global warming
An old Bing Crosby record warbles in the heavy air, the sweaty Christmassy lyrics hanging and oozing like treacle hanging off of a spoon. The roaring fire shoots bullets of flame through the chimney, licking through the wood simmering below, which glows like the fairy lights on the tree opposite. An old man dozes in the corner on a worn armchair, his fusty stomach creaking the springs and sending them sagging towards the floor, which is decorated with various colours of wrapping paper and bows. A blizzard whips around the isolated house, whistling and howling in the swirling maelstrom. The man is oblivious, snoring, sending wisps of white hair on his upper lip to rise and fall, like waves in the sea. It’s Christmas Eve. He’s late.
Thousands of miles away, children snuggle up to their stockings in expectation – the proposition of presents keeping them awake until their clocks read 12:00. They pretend to sleep, knowing that Santa won’t come unless they are asleep. Sleigh bells ring, footsteps on the ceiling, the neighing of reindeer, nothing is audible tonight. Silence. Eerily so. The world is spinning on its axis, but it’s teetering, tottering, much like the children in their beds, delirious with excitement.
It’s early next morning. Kids; energized, scream themselves awake. They run downstairs, adrenaline pumping through their veins. Expectation is high. Parents wake up, bleary-eyed, and follow. They’re the first to hear the screams. They speed up and pace the final steps of their staircase. They look into the living room to see their children staring at a blank space, where their presents should be. Not only that, but the decorations, tree and all, are gone. It’s just a blank wall – of despair. Everything is gone. The children slowly turn their heads to their parents, and their eyes brim with tears.
Their sadness is echoed through the world, through children and adults alike. Christmas is cancelled this year. Forever.
Santa’s tired of giving all and getting nothing back. The world’s stopped; it’s Armageddon.
The Four Horsemen send their greetings.
