Sleighless
Nick followed a halogen-lit passageway to the converted warehouse that housed Project Sleighless — the top secret state-of-the-art teleportation project that would be going live this Christmas Eve. He pushed open a set of double doors with both arms and entered the vast domed interior. The sterile chamber was dimly lit: the walls were metallic with chilly climate-controlled air flowing through the room.
He stepped to the target on the center of the floor. Above it hung an ominous gun-like fixture as wide as an artillery cannon on a battleship. It pointed directly at him, a ring of light around its lip glowed a faint sky blue. Already warming up it hummed, echoing through the chamber and enveloping his body in a pleasurable vibration that resonated in every follicle of his body.
A trebled voice shot through his earpiece. "Are you ready to go?"
"As ready as I'll ever be." He winked toward the control room window.
Two elves seated in red leather chairs operated the controls: Tinsel, who fidgeted nervously as she sipped her third cup of coffee poured from a giant thermos, and Byron — the mastermind of Project Sleighless — who was twisting dials and performing last-minute tests on all vital systems. It would be a long night.
"Well, you're in for a smooth ride. Everything is looking great from up here," Byron said confidently. "Get ready to make history. Estimated launch time in three minutes. Do you have everything? Your magic sack?"
Santa lifted the bag high. "Got it!"
"Got some snacks for the ride?" Tinsel chimed in.
"I packed light. Cookies will be waiting for me."
"Your jumpsuit looks amazing, by the way."
"Thanks, cute stuff."
She forced a giggle and whispered to Byron. "This better work."
"I know. As long as he doesn't turn into a ham sandwich on re-entry I'll be happy."
Santa scowled. "I can hear you bastards."
Byron laughed nervously. "Th-this will go off without a hitch, sir. Hold tight, I'm doing a final energy check." Byron muted the control mic. Tinsel punched Byron hard in the shoulder.
Tinsel finished the briefing. "Remember to keep your earpiece in your ear. Without it, we can't teleport you. You have some spares in your sack."
Nick waited. He did his best to clear his mind, focusing on the vibration that surrounded him, becoming one with it. Months of tests had gone well without a hitch. The day before, the elves from the health and safety department had rated the system as "safer than a transatlantic flight." All was well.
Engage
Byron's voice finally interrupted his concentration through his earpiece. "We're ready to go. Are you?"
"Yes. I'm ready."
"Excellent. Commencing Project Sleighless. Launching in 60 seconds. First drop will be the Thompson family house in Auckland, New Zealand. You will re-appear on a box gable roof. There is a brick chimney with standard access."
"Got it. Let's go." Byron turned off the bypass switch. Immediately the chamber was washed in an eerie blue light; the vibration intensified until Nick could feel it in his skull between his ears. The hairs on his arms stood at attention.
"Forty-five seconds." Byron looked at Santa's vital readings. "Sir, don't hold your breath. We need you to breathe normally."
Santa took a deep breath and exhaled. Breathe normally.
"Thirty seconds."
Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod! Tinsel was losing her shit. She rubbed her temples. Her palms were sweaty.
"Twenty seconds. Secure your sack."
Nick lifted his magic sack and pulled it tightly to his chest in both arms.
"Good." Byron flipped the plastic cover that protected the cherry-red Engage button.
"Ten seconds." Byron began the countdown.
"Nine..."
Tinsel covered her eyes. She couldn't look... then she reconsidered. She spread her fingers and gazed through the cracks between them.
"Eight... Seven..."
"I love you guys. I'm so proud of what we've accomplished." Nick said.
"Six... Five..."
"I love you too, sir!" Tinsel cried. "Godspeed!"
"Four... Three..."
"Thanks cute stuff." Nick winked.
"Two."
Tinsel smiled. Byron seemed ready, relaxed. She felt relieved.
"One!"
Nick shut his eyes.
Byron pressed the red button hard.
The room went dark, and then illuminated in an explosion of electric blue light. Waves of light poured from the cannon above Santa's head, swirling around him; he felt the warm embrace of time and space.
BOOM
"What was that?" Byron stood up and peered into the chamber. From the opposite side of the room a beam of white light added itself to the blue light of the chamber. The emergency exit. Flung open.
"Those doors were supposed to be locked!" Tinsel yelled.
A brown figure raced from the rectangle of white light towards the center of the room.
Nick opened his eyes.
"Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit," Byron mumbled.
"What's the problem?" Nick's voice crackled back. He turned to the open doors. "Santa! What are you doing?!" said the brown figure bounding ever closer.
"V-Vixen?"
"Santa! It's so pretty in here! Are we going to have a dance party?" She reached him in a final bounce, standing on her hind legs and throwing her front legs around his neck to hug him.
"Vixen! No!" Nick yelled, trying to push her away.
"Shut it down!" Tinsel screamed. "Shut it down!"
Byron leapt across the control board to pull the kill switch, catching one final glance at the two figures beneath the teleporter before the room exploded in a flash of light.
They were gone.
WTF
A triangle of white light stretched into the dark chamber from the emergency exit. Snowflakes poured in from outside.
"What the fuck just happened?" Tinsel shouted as she stared at the empty target. "What the FUCK just happened, Byron?"
Byron sat stunned while staring at the empty target in the chamber.
"Was that a reindeer?" she asked as she rubbed her eyes. "Byron! Was that a reindeer?"
"Yes. That was a reindeer."
They sat silently.
"I mean, it's probably okay," Byron said. "I mean, I think it's okay. I mean, like... we need to test sending two travelers at once to see if it's okay... but this is probably okay."
Tinsel wanted to strangle him. "This isn't a fucking test, Byron! This is real. This is real!" She slammed her fists on the armrests of her chair.
"Calm down! We have twenty seconds before his vitals show up and we can communicate, so it should be completely fine... we're okay." He repeated it again, praying it would be true. "We're okay."
Vital Signs
Max Flow quietly ate his dinner in the lavish dining room of his yacht; a lone figure seated at the head of a long candlelit table.
Max had never spent Christmas alone. Usually he invited a model or a secretary to occupy his time. More correctly, to occupy their time... and their bodies. He considered it, along with his business expertise, his gift to his world; a gift he gave one model at a time — or three or four, depending on the circumstances. Orgasm after multiple orgasm he had left a trail of drooling, satisfied women behind him.
But now he was alone. Paranoid. And worse, he knew deep down he was souring on the inanity of models. He wanted something more; someone he could dominate fully and who would explore with him all the undiscovered edges of human sexuality and beyond, but also someone who would still be around the next morning to chat over breakfast and a cup of coffee. He knew he had to find this creature. He imagined her smiling. Lighting up his mornings. And he imagined flipping her over and plowing her over his dining room table as thanks. Instead, he sat alone chewing through his food and his worried thoughts.
Max had also never decorated for Christmas, usually leaving this to whatever hotel or coordinator was taking care of his stay. However, this year he wasn't taking any chances. He had given his staff strict instructions to decorate the yacht. "Deck the decks," as he had put it.
Lights were strung across the entirety of the vessel and a giant Christmas tree was placed in the living room outside his quarters. It was decorated in white lights, silver ornaments, and red ribbons. Beneath it, he personally placed a small table with a plate and glass, instructing the help to put out milk and cookies when he had retired for the evening.
Max finished his dinner and motioned to a servant. "Tell the captain to head for open water and wait for further instructions." The servant nodded and rushed off to deliver the order.
Max walked the long corridor back to his quarters. Once inside, he strolled to the far side of the room and retrieved an assault rifle from the gun cabinet in his closet. He checked the chamber and pushed in a magazine. Locked and loaded.
Rifle in hand, he lunged onto the pillows of his giant canopy bed and pointed a remote across the room to turn on his flat screen television.
The Big Metal Boob
"Hey, C.C.! The Christmas party is starting down at the barn. Are you coming?"