Koala Town
by
Paul F Walsh
Santa’s sleigh is barely visible through the choking smoke. Santa is wearing a respirator over his flowing beard, and he can’t see where he’s going.
Santa’s sleigh is being guided by snoutnav.
Chester the Jester is an unusual reindeer. He’s a shape-shifter like his companion Merlin the Magnificat.
Chester and Merlin could become the smoke, but today they’re on a special mission for Santa. They have become reindeers.
Chester is a koala-sniffing dog, and Merlin is a Maine Coon cat.
Santa has thought long and hard: would the koalas appreciate a new Prime Minister?
But Santa’s sleigh is empty.
Perhaps empty is a better gift.
Santa is now circling over Koala Town in his empty sleigh.
Santa is sad, but his tears can’t extinguish the burning Christmas trees below.
Koala Town is encircled by flame.
The last wild koalas are about to die.
Santa winks at Chester.
Chester and Merlin pull Santa’s empty sleigh high into the heavens, and Chester becomes an elephant, using his trunk to pack storm clouds into the empty sleigh, and then he and Merlin pull the sleigh back over Koala Town to drop a deluge onto the fire far below.
But the rain is not enough.
Santa winks at Merlin.
Chester and Merlin once again pull Santa’s empty sleigh high into the heavens, and Merlin uses her magnificent tail to sweep snow clouds into the empty sleigh, and then she and Chester pull the sleigh back over Koala Town to drop a snowfall onto the fire far below.
And the fire is smothered.
And the last wild koalas are saved.
And Santa is pleased.
Until he hears SnowMo:
How good is snow in summer!
Chester and Merlin see Santa’s wink and a nod.
And, yes, a new Prime Minister is tempting.
Copyright © Paul F Walsh 2019