WHAT'S IN THE STOCKING by Brian Skinner

The toy woke quietly, and studied it surroundings. Everything seemed dark, and crowed. The toy looked, and saw a light at the top of wherever it was. Pushing past paper wrapped objects, the toy worked its way to the light.

Scared, nervous, the toy slowly poked out its head. It was a large room, and what a room. A tree, covered with lights, and shiney things, stood off to the right. Lighted and shiney objects of every kind hung on walls, and stood on shelves. It was the most beautiful thing the toy had ever seen. The toy looked down to where it was, it was a large stocking.

Suddenly a noise caught it's attention. A large man, jolly and round, all dressed in red, with a white beard spotted with soot, came towards him. He gave the toy a smile, and went down and whispered in it's ear. He said it as Christmas, and the toy had found its home, and it would find a child to play with him. He told the toy to lay back to sleep, and in the morning, everything would be understood.

The toy nodded to the jolly old man, and slid back into the stocking, to sleep until the morning light broke.