Flash Fiction by Lester D. Crawford
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100-Word Christmas Stories
For Christmas, I write 100-word Christmas stories.
Following are my favorites.
New 100-word Christmas story for 2023.
The Santa-Verse
by Lester D. Crawford
Every Santa is real. I know. I've met them.
I invented a transdimensional door. I opened it. A red and green and silver and gold Christmas dragon wearing a Santa hat fell through. He was angry because taking him from his Earth was ruining Christmas.
His Santa Ring's distress signal summoned more Santas from the Santa-Verse, Santas of every type and species. Chaos ensued. I was sure I would be crushed.
Our Santa brought order by returning the others to their Earths.
He told me to stop making transdimensional doors.
I think, instead of a door, I'll make a window.
Good Deeds
by Lester D. Crawford
I looked. No one was there. Still, I felt someone was watching me.
It's been a terrible year. My day job sucks, and this feeling of being watched makes me concerned I have mental health issues. My volunteer work helping people and the community is all that's kept me going.
I looked again. A shimmering red and green and silver and gold Christmas dragon stared at me.
He said, "I have been watching you. You have been performing good deeds. Performing good deeds is the purpose of life. Continue performing good deeds."
Then, he was gone.
Yep, mental health issues.
Despair and Anguish
by Lester D. Crawford
I sit at the edge of the world, a world filled with despair and anguish, a world where all hope is lost. A devil draped in a flag came to spread evil and hatred everywhere, taking everything, consuming everyone. All is lost, and I am spent.
Then, before me appears a dragon of red, green, blue, silver, and gold.
"I am sent by the Spirit of Christmas to give you purpose," says the dragon. "Use your heart to fight the evil. Giving and forgiving, loving and sharing, kindness and compassion will bring hope back to you and to the world."
Dragon Ornaments
by Lester D. Crawford
I love my Christmas gift: dragon ornaments that can be brought to life by speaking a spell. I selected the most fearsome looking ornament to try.
The instructions said a perfect accent must speak the spell or the spell will fade. I gave it my best.
The ornament came to life as a huge, fire breathing dragon that roared, opened its jaws, and lunged for me. As its jaws closed, the spell faded returning the dragon to being an ornament.
I'll practice my accent while changing my pants and then try again, this time selecting the most benign looking ornament.
Give a Dragon a Cookie
by Lester D. Crawford
Jane noticed sitting on the windowsill an arm's length dragon that shimmered red and green and silver and gold.
"You're beautiful. Here." She gave the dragon a cookie.
The dragon chirped, took the cookie, and flew away.
When Sally entered, Jane said, "I saw a colorful dragon."
"Those are Christmas dragons."
"New to me. I gave it a cookie."
"No! It'll bring others. Quick, run."
Sally and Jane ran out of the house.
An ever-growing flock of iridescent dragons descended on the house covering it until it collapsed under the mass.
Jane said, "Lesson learned: Don't feed the Christmas dragons."
Karma
by Lester D. Crawford
Santa said, "There are two kinds of people: those who are on the naughty list, and those who are not." He handed me my gift and added, "Both receive the same gift. Karma sorts things out."
I love my gift. She's wonderful. And, karma taught me which list I'm on.
It had been a little sneeze, but now I sit in the yard, in the snow, the cute baby dragon curled up in my lap, asleep, innocent and sweet, smoke still rising from her nostrils as I watch my house burn, the flaming Christmas tree still framed in the window.
Christmas Rock
by Lester D. Crawford
My gift from Santa was a rock with swirling Christmas colors — silver and gold and red and green — a mesmerizing rock. I stared at its iridescences, drawn by desire, need, hope. The rock possessed me. The rock was all that mattered to me. Why had Santa cursed me with the rock?
Then, it hatched.
Out came a shimmering silver and gold and red and green Christmas dragon. Before he hatched he had bonded me to him, made me fall in love with him. Now I will spend the rest of my life serving him.
Thanks a lot, Santa.
Be Good for Goodness Sake!
by Lester D. Crawford
"Hello. I'm the Christmas Dragon. My name is Thin Air."
The startled kid said, "What's a Christmas Dragon?"
"I help Santa."
"How?"
"You know the list?"
"Of who's naughty or nice? That's not real. Santa's not real. Santa's never left me a gift."
"Because you're always on the naughty list."
"I'm not naughty."
"You're the naughtiest of the naughty. My job is to take care of the naughtiest once and for all."
"Why haven't I heard of you?"
"Those who meet the Christmas Dragon disappear."
With a snap of massive jaws, the naughtiest of the naughty disappeared into Thin Air.
Christmas Magic
by Lester D. Crawford
Red and green and silver and gold he was, unlike normal dragons who were red or green or silver or gold. He was a Christmas Dragon. Moreover, unlike normal dragons who had only dragon magic, he also had Christmas Magic.
Santa imprisoned the Christmas Dragon in an icy dungeon beneath his North Pole palace. Once a year, he used the dragon’s magic to make reindeer fly.
Then, global climate change melted the dungeon and the dragon escaped Santa’s claws. Without the Christmas Dragon’s magic, Santa could not fly, could not deliver gifts.
That was the end of receiving Christmas presents.
Gifts
by Lester D. Crawford
The rotund gentleman dressed in red exited the fireplace.
He screamed.
Before him stood a dragon, its eyes glowing and teeth glistening.
Catching his breath, he said, "1998."
Turning, he encountered a snarling dragon.
He gasped and said, "2003."
Sidestepping, he faced another dragon, its gaping jaws reaching for his head.
"1986."
Dodging dragon after dragon, he finally reached the center of the room.
Under the tree, he placed a gift.
Ready to ascend the chimney, he glanced around the room of dragon sculptures and sighed.
He said, "Every year, he asks for the same thing. This guy is weird."
My Watch Says It's Christmas
by Lester D. Crawford
Christmas. My watch says it's Christmas. Why do I still wear this thing? On this world, days are longer making my watch useless. Yet, I still wear it. It's telling me it's Christmas.
I want Christmas. I want a Christmas tree, a tree like I had growing up, a tree that means happiness and joy, and gifts. I want Christmas.
Instead, I'm stranded on this God forsaken alien world, hiding, hunted by a terrifying, carnivorous monster, a Dragon who stalks me, a Dragon who wants me for his Christmas dinner.
I must move. I need a better hiding place. Merry Christmas.
Nose
by Lester D. Crawford
"We'll never escape that hungry dragon. It's my nose. Hide Hermey. Hide Yukon. I’ll lead it away."
He dashed across the snowy meadow away from his friends who hid in a snow bank.
He was a reindeer. He could fly. He could and would out fly the dragon. He leaped into the sky, but a snap of the dragon’s jaws caught him.
The reindeer quickly slid down the dragon's throat, a red glow in the dragon's neck showing his progress until it became a wiggling glow shining through the dragon's belly.
Hermey said, "Let's hope for good weather this year."
My Silly Little Poems
Empathy
by Lester D. Crawford
Empathy is a horrible beast.
She makes us feel
When we don't want to feel.
She makes us cry
When we don't want to cry.
But, when she makes us feel and cry for another,
She makes us better.
Dragon in the Sky
by Lester D. Crawford
The sight of my dragon in the sky,
Makes my heart fly just as high.
His beauty, his grace, his magnificent form,
Speedily racing before the storm.
My spirit is full of glee,
For he races to be with me.
And when he lands by my side,
It will be my turn to have a ride.
Other Miscellaneous Stories
Mindless
by Lester D. Crawford
I sat down to write. I set my mind loose to be as creative as I could be. My mind screamed, "I'm free! I'm free!" and ran off. ... Now what do I do?
After the Shaking Stopped
by Lester D. Crawford
After the shaking stopped, I came out from under the table. I had often been told to drop, cover, and hold during a quake. I'm glad I did without hesitation. When the lighting fixture fell from the ceiling, the table had protected me.
I looked around the disaster that was my kitchen. The dirty dishes that were in the sink were still in the sink, but the dishes that had been in the cupboard were scattered across the room, many broken. I swept the broken glass and china aside to make a path to the refrigerator.
At least the refrigerator hadn't fallen over, but I was concerned about its contents. I gripped the handle and paused. Stuff was going to fall out, I was sure of it. What was in there? I couldn't remember. I always had that problem. That is why I had to stand before the refrigerator, with the door open, staring inside, letting all the cold air out to know what I had that I could prepare for dinner.
Holding my breath, I steeled myself, prepared to catch whatever fell out, and pulled on the handle. The door opened slowly. Nothing happened. I opened it a little farther. Still nothing. When I opened it all the way, I found the refrigerator empty.
Oh, yeah. I need to go shopping.
Boom
by Lester D. Crawford
The Dragon had been soaring high, so high he had been only a speck on the cerulean fabric of the cloudless sky. He now spiraled down. In his hands, he carried something.
He landed in front of me and held out his prize. "Look at what I found."
"It's a weather balloon. You're not supposed to interfere with those."
He tripped over the instrument package that hung beneath it and fell on top of the balloon, which popped loudly. He lifted his head and looked at me with sad eyes.
I said, "Aw, did Puff fall down and go boom?"
Dragon Chairs
by Lester D. Crawford
The Dragons' conference table was large, circular, and as high as my head. I wondered if the Dragons that met there called themselves the Dragons of the Round Table.
The chairs caused me to pause and ponder. The chairs were toilet seats — the kind with an open front — except the openings were in the back. It occurred to me the holes in the seats accommodated tails. Then my mind drifted to imagining the amenities that might be found in a Dragon bathroom.
Look at how far I had come. I used to not believe in Dragons. Now I was waiting for the Dragons to come and discuss my situation, a discussion that would determine my fate, and all I could wonder about was what Dragon toilet facilities looked like.
Hide-and-Seek
by Lester D. Crawford
The hatchling Dragon came bounding up and bounced as he said, "Mommy, Mommy, let's play hide-and-seek."
Hope sighed.
After she had accidentally hatched the orphaned egg, she had accepted responsibility and was doing her best to raise the little Dragon. He was cute and loving, but difficult to care for.
Hide-and-seek was his favorite game. Hope did not care for the game because it always ended the same, and after the first few times, it had become tedious.
When it was the baby Dragon's turn to hide, Hope always won, because the Dragon did not understand he could not hide behind his wing. When she finally "found" him, he would bounce and shrill with excitement.
When it was Hope's turn to hide, the Dragon always won, because, no matter where or how well she hid herself, he easily sniffed her out. When he found her, he would cock his head all proud and smug and make a rasping purr.
Nevertheless, even though Hope was not thrilled with the game, she wanted her Dragon to be happy. Hope played hide-and-seek.
Occupation
by Lester D. Crawford
"Name?"
"Les."
"Occupation?"
"Dragon Rider."
"Dragon Rider? Riding a dragon is work?"
"Well, no. Riding a dragon is fun. But, everything else involved with being a Dragon Rider is work."
"Like what?"
"Feeding. Washing. Preening. Cleaning out the litter box. And the most important job: lavishing praise upon the dragon. A dragon who is not constantly praised becomes irritable. Few things are worse than an irritated dragon."
The Meeting
by Lester D. Crawford
He searched in the frightening forest. Dead quiet and stone stillness permeated the darkness that hid the gloom and doom that dwelled in shadowy places. The silence overwhelmed his senses as he strained to hear any sound that would warn of her approach. He knew she was near. He could feel her.
Sword drawn and held before him, ready to strike if danger threatened, he stalked her, seeking her, beseeching her to come to him for this meeting, for this encounter that she and he knew was coming, that she and he had planned.
A flutter and gust of wind from behind prompted him to spin about, weapon poised to strike. Before him stood a massive Dragon, immense wings spread wide, brows furrowed, and terrifying teeth glistening. The Dragon's eyes narrowed.
Several moments passed as the two paladins stared at each other, assessed each other, anticipated each other, each an object immoveable, each a force irresistible.
He made tiny circular motions with the tip of his sword and said, "You came."
"As I said I would." The air trembled with the power of the Dragon's voice.
"I have missed you."
"As I have you."
He sheathed his sword as the Dragon folded her wings and dropped into a crouch, feet tucked beneath her. She lowered her head to him. He embraced her snout.
"Being away from you is so hard."
She could not respond because with his hug he held her jaws closed. After lingering long, he backed away and wiped a tear from his eye.
"How long must we go on like this?"
She sighed and said, "There will be no end."
"Why do we let them keep us apart?"
"This is the way it has always been and shall always be. Humans and Dragons do not belong together. Humans and Dragons are mortal enemies."
"But it doesn't have to be. We are proof Dragons and Humans can coexist, that Dragons and Humans can be bound together."
"Our bonding was an accident."
"Our bonding proves it can be done, if they would just let it. It is natural. It is right. It is good."
She rubbed her head against him and said, "Bonding is good. Nevertheless, no other Human and Dragon will ever bond. They will not permit it."
Through their bond, he could feel the Dragon's affection for him and assumed she could feel his for her. The feeling was good. He sat next to her. She curled around him, placing her head next to him. Leaning against her, he scratched her behind the ear. She rumbled with pleasure.
Hours passed as they sat in silence their bond allowing them to share their feelings. They basked in the warmth of each other's love and wished their time together would not end. Alas, the sun sank below the horizon surrendering the world to the night. Feeling each other's sadness, each other's despair, each other's misery, they knew time had run out for this meeting.
A catch in his throat, he said, "We will meet again in three days."
"I will come."
They rose, separated, and paused for one final look into each other's eyes.
"I love you."
"As I do you."
She flew away, disappearing over the trees and into the darkness. He wanted to go with her, to be with her forever, but that could not be, not unless she and he found a way to change the world.
Reading
by Lester D. Crawford
The day came when she realized her Dragon was not a pet. He was as much a person as she was, even if he was not actually a person, and he deserved the same consideration and respect that should be afforded every person.
She gained this appreciation for her Dragon because of reading to him. Even though in her society teaching the poor was a crime, an elderly gentlemen, who had once been a teacher to the children of the rich, risked imprisonment to teach the skill of reading to the homeless, orphan girl. She took the books her mentor gave her to the cave where she kept hidden her young Dragon. There, she practiced reading by reading aloud to him.
As she read, the Dragon watched over her shoulder, fascinated by the strange marks on the pages, wondrous marks that weaved words. He listened attentively, captivated by the stories: stories of adventure, stories that fed his curiosity, stories that taught him knowledge.
His favorite story was about a magical Dragon who lived by the sea in a far away, mist-shrouded land. The magical Dragon had a friend who would bring him gifts, and with whom he would sail on a boat, visit royalty, and scare pirates. Then came the day when the friend no longer came to play. The magical Dragon became sad. At that point in the story, the young girl's Dragon cried. Then a new friend came to the cave to play and the magical Dragon was happy again. Every time, at that point in the story, the young girl's Dragon rejoiced. The story always left him happy.
He liked holding the book, hugging the book. How gently he treated the book impressed the girl, considering how tough he was on his toys.
One day, he held the book out to her. She expected him to ask her to read the story again, but instead he said, "Mommy, please teach me how to read."
Rules
by Lester D. Crawford
Rule Number 1: Do not argue with a Dragon.
Rule Number 2: Do not have a staring contest with a Dragon.
I learned Rule Number 2 because I had a staring contest with a Dragon. When he blinked using his nictitating membranes, I said, "You lose." He disagreed. He said using his nictitating membranes does not count as a blink. I said, "It does too. You lose!" That was when I learned Rule Number 1.
Thanksgiving
by Lester D. Crawford
"Look at this."
The Dragon and I had taken shelter from the storm in a cave barely large enough to hold the Dragon — to fit he had curled up with his neck and tail tightly wrapped around so they overlapped. Sitting snuggly in the middle of this circle of Dragon, I had been rummaging through my pack searching for my last fruit. What I found made my heart sink and I frowned.
"What is it?"
"It's my watch. It says it's Thanksgiving."
"What is a Thanksgiving?"
"Where I come from, Thanksgiving is a day for expressing gratitude for the blessings in our lives."
I sat silent, thinking, reminiscing.
The Dragon watched me, his eager, fire colored eyes, the slant of his ears, and the flicking of his tail showing curiosity.
Outside, the sky raged against the mountain.
"I never had much use for Thanksgiving. I had no friends or family with whom to share it, and I didn't feel I had any blessings for which to be grateful. As far as I was concerned, Thanksgiving was just another miserable day. Now I'm stranded on this God forsaken alien world with no way home, no hope, no future, and I still have nothing for which to be grateful."
Nestling against the Dragon, I let his body heat warm my cold, aching bones. I petted him on the snout. He was good to me, kind, loyal, protective. He was special. My spirits lifted. I smiled.
"I do have something for which to be grateful. I do have a blessing. I have you."
He lifted his head, eyes wide, and said, "You said I was a terrifying, carnivorous monster."
"You are a terrifying, carnivorous monster, but you're my terrifying, carnivorous monster. You're my Dragon. You're my best friend, the best best friend anyone could ever have. And, I love you."
The Dragon's eyes softened. He lowered his head and rubbed it on me in the manner Dragons used to show affection.
I wrapped my arms around him and said, "Happy Thanksgiving."
Three Ways Your Dragon Can Carry You
by Lester D. Crawford
With his tail.
By wrapping his prehensile tail around you, your Dragon can carry you easily. Train your Dragon to hold you securely, but not to squeeze too tightly. A Dragon's tail is powerful. He could accidentally crush you like a tin can, or at the very least give you an exaggerated hourglass shape. My experience with this method of travel is one of terror. Dangling at the end of a Dragon's tail while flying hundreds of meters in the air is not what I call fun.
In his claws.
In all fairness, a Dragon's claws are actually hands. Your Dragon can hold you in those hands. Again, be aware that your Dragon is powerful. His grip is strong enough to crush stone. Teach him well so he does not accidentally do that to you. This method of travel is another I do not enjoy. A Dragon's hands are not comfortable, and flying by hanging beneath a Dragon, gripped in his grubby hands, always leaves me fearing he will drop me. Moreover, I have concerns he might, out of habit, make a four-point landing.
On his back.
My preferred method of transportation is on my Dragon's back sitting on a comfortable saddle with safety straps that hold me in place. Ensure you adjust the saddle's girth properly and keep your feet in the stirrups. Do not expect to use a bridle and reins. A Dragon will accept wearing a saddle, but he will consider bridle and reins humiliating. For the same reason, do not say, "Giddy up." Train your Dragon to fly gently or you will find yourself blacking out from the high g-forces of his maneuvers. When done properly, riding Dragon back is a rewarding experience.
One additional method.
I do not recommend this additional method. Just as a dog carries a stick or favorite ball, your Dragon can carry you in his mouth. This method of transportation has serious disadvantages.
First, having something tasty in his mouth will cause your Dragon to drool, drenching you in the most disgusting goo you can imagine. Hot, musky, and tinged faintly golden, Dragon saliva is viscous and slimy. At the end of your journey, you will find washing the mucus off your body is almost impossible, and your clothing will never come clean.
Another problem is that your Dragon's jaws, upper and lower, are lined with sharp, spiky teeth that angle back to keep food from escaping. While this will keep you from falling out of his mouth, the teeth will most likely leave you with punctures in the well-defined shape of your Dragon's snout. One good thing, though, is that you need not worry about your wounds becoming infected. Dragon spit has antiseptic properties.
Another issue is your Dragon's swallowing reflex. With you in his mouth, your Dragon must suppress his instinctive need to swallow. The likelihood of success depends on your Dragon's will power, and potentially on how good of a relationship you have with him. A word of caution, do not try to keep the Dragon slobber from ruining your clothing by not wearing them while being carried in this manner. This only makes it more difficult for your Dragon not to swallow.
I guarantee a time will come when your Dragon will suggest carrying you in his mouth. I repeat and emphasize my recommendation to never let your Dragon carry you in his mouth. I learned this lesson the hard way.