Red Knows The Way
By: Edward Riley
Tags: Short Fiction, Santa, Christmas, The Weekly Knob, 237

An old man risks everything for the ones he loves

Photo by Norman Tsui on Unsplash

In the dark of night, against a backdrop of chilled white, we see an old man dressed in red with white trim and a thick white beard. His cheeks and nose are a cherry red though no one is ever sure if it is from the constant cold or too much Christmas “cheer” over the years.

As he walks across the frozen tundra, his coal-black boots crunch with each step forward. The sound is a familiar one to him, having lived in these conditions for more years than he can count. Despite the familiarity, he smiles to himself. The slippery, satisfying crunch still delights him in a childlike way.

He walks towards his ride, an older model, to be sure, but it still has some magic left in it. Being a fan of heavy metal music, he has secretly nicknamed it how many people do their cars. However, he keeps it to himself. Many wouldn’t appreciate the fact that he calls his ride “Sleigher” after one of his favorite metal bands, “Slayer.” He is fully aware that he has an image to uphold, and inside jokes about heavy metal music doesn’t exactly fit in with the aesthetic he is going for.

“Kris! Kris, wait!” The voice echos through the dark, snowy night. He sighs heavily in mock frustration as he turns to his wife’s approach.

“What is it, dear? Did you come all the way out in this storm for one last goodbye kiss?” he chuckles with a twinkle in his eye.

“No, you horny old toad.” She presses a thermos into his hands, and he feels the heat even under his gloves while catching the familiar whiff of chocolate. “I came out here to give you this… And to make sure you are going to be safe. There are some pretty severe storms along the route tonight.” She glances up to catch his eyes, hoping he sees the concern and worries in her own.

“Carol, we’ve been through this a thousand times!” he says as he continues to walk towards Sleigher. “I am prepared. I’ve gone over my list. I’ve checked it twice. Surely, my sleigh has seen worse storms than this! Besides, whenever I’m in a pinch,” and here is where he reaches out and pats one of his reindeer whose nose is redder than his own, “Red knows the way. Don’t you, old fella?” The red nose flares bright in confirmation.

“I know, I know,” she replies, suddenly sheepish. She wrings her hands, and he is unsure if she is doing it because of the cold or worry. “But… the world is different nowadays. It’s changed. It is getting harder to trust others should you be spotted or discovered.

Kris leans in and gives his wife a long, tight, reassuring hug before he pulls back, grabs her by the shoulders, and looks her in the eyes. “I know, my dear. But I have so many counting on me tonight. My job has always been one with risk. But, the children are worth it. The joy I imagine on their faces as I place each gift fills my heart and warms me again and again before I have to venture back out into the chilled night air.

“I know I’ll be okay because they are what drives me. What motivates me. Good ol’ Kris Kringle will never let down a child if he can help it. You can count on that. Besides,” he continues as he hops into the sleigh.

“Red knows the way,” they both say at the same time. His bemused laughter fills the air as he jingles his bells and the reindeer start to run across that same crunchy, snowy tundra that he had ventured across moments before. Eventually, they rise into the air, lifting through the pure magic of hope and belief.

Carol Kringle watches until the last thing that she can see through the snowy night sky is a single red nose.