I adore the writings of Neil Gaiman, his short story collection, Smoke and Mirrors, is a particular favourite. I love the way Gaiman takes a familiar tale or character and twists them into something else and Nicholas Was does this brilliantly. I have tried my best to capture the essence of what Gaiman manages so beautifully in this 75-worder...
He had bitten off the jingle bells from his suit. The icy wind penetrated his thin frame through the holes in his green and gold jacket. The tips of his pointy ears were frozen. The sack, as his Master’s magic wore off, became heavier with each desperate stride. A glance backwards into the dark revealed a demonic lantern of red. “After him Rudolf!” the terrifying voice boomed out. He was never going to make it.
It should be noted that my eight year old daughter, Yvie, has a slightly different idea of a demonic Rudolph than I do.