As I type these words, at 2:00 pm on December 11, it is 18 F with a wind chill of 4 F. Don't do this at home!

(No muses were actually harmed in the production of this mini-arc.)

Pages 28-31 are part of the Spec the Halls contest for speculative winter holiday-themed fiction, artwork and poetry. You may find guidelines and links to other entries at www.aswiebe.com/specthehalls.html