For centuries, the North Pole had operated with the flawless precision of a well-oiled music box. Every December, sacks of letters cascaded through the enchanted mail chutes in glittering avalanches. Elves hammered, sawed, painted, and enchanted toys until their nimble fingers blurred into green streaks. Reindeer pawed the frost in perfect synchronization, and Santa’s sleigh lifted off every Christmas Eve on the stroke of...

Leo lounges in his dorm room, the morning sun filtering through the thin curtains like a lazy haze. He spins idly in his desk chair; the wheels squeaking softly against the worn linoleum floor. It is one of those quiet days on campus—no classes until mid-afternoon, no pressing assignments screaming for attention. The silence feels heavy, almost oppressive. He glances around the cramped space: posters of indie bands peelin...

Alex and Mia had been inseparable for nearly a decade, their friendship forged in the innocent days of childhood playdates and shared secrets. They'd seen each other grow up, from awkward pre-teens with braces and bad haircuts to the confident teens they were now. Alex had watched Mia's hair grow long and wavy, her laugh lines deepen from all their inside jokes. Mia had seen Alex grow, his voice drop, his shoulders broade...