flash fiction by matt reaves
Holiday Guests
We had only known we weren’t alone in the universe for a few short hours before the first of the bombs exploded. Had the radio transmissions arrived earlier, maybe we would have overcome our petty differences, maybe we could have had peace and goodwill. The gospel of Saint Nicholas came too late, and life in the ruins of our world was anything but jolly.
“Play it again,” he jumped in surprise at the child’s voice.
“Ho, Rudolph, what are you doing up?” He quickly glanced at the digital display, “It’s still simnight for a couple hours.”
“I know, but I can’t sleep. I keep thinking about all the presents, and cookies, and streets made of candy canes, and. . .”
“Rudy,” he said, kneeling on his forelegs so he could look right into the child’s eight pleading eyes, “Our journey through the stars started many years ago, you can wait one more holy night before our salvation.”
“But . . . but, what if—”
“Go back to sleep, Rudolph,” he said, his patience wavering, “Or you may end up on the naughty list.” Rudolph’s eyes grew large and his mandibles began to quiver. He nodded quickly and scurried away, back to the nursing chambers.
Maybe that was a little harsh, he thought to himself as he turned back to the control panel. It was necessary, though—he couldn’t be distracted in these final moments. After years of space travel, he couldn’t let there be any errors. They had run out of food and had been surviving off the remains of the dead for months; they were starving. This was their only hope. The 250 million souls in cryosleep were counting on him. Rudolph had planted a seed in his mind, and it danced like a sugar plum waiting to be engorged. He couldn’t help himself, he played the tape, the songs that made up the gospel of his people, their final hope. His many legs danced along the control panel, readying the ship for entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
He smiled and sang along, “Santa Claus is coming. . . to town.”
Matt Reaves is an emerging multi-genre writer from the Chicago suburbs. He runs a multimedia website that focuses on motivation, mindfulness, and mental health called Entice Your Mind. He currently lives in Mission Viejo, California with his wife, Sabrina, and their dog, Mishka.