*This is a standalone short story in the America Falls Universe*

The world may have ended, but Christmas isn't cancelled.

In the frozen ruins of post-apocalyptic New England, survival is usually the only gift anyone hopes for. But for Luke Merritt, a hardened warrior with a hook for a hand, this year is different. His daughter, Erin, has made a simple, innocent wish -- a wish for a toy from a world that no longer exists.

Luke and his oldest friend, Isaac Race, venture into the treacherous, snow-buried streets of Salem, New Hampshire on a mission that seems impossible: find a pristine Tickle Me Elmo in a city picked clean by scavengers.

What starts as a hunt for a holiday miracle quickly turns into a fight for their lives when they are ambushed by a ruthless gang. Outnumbered, outgunned, and cornered in the dark, Luke and Isaac must rely on their wits, their weapons, and a few dirty tricks to make it home.

THE GIFT is an action packed fifteen-minute short read.

New to this world? If you want to discover the beginning of the America Falls universe and see how it all fell apart, start the saga with Book 1: HELL WEEK.

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• Science Fiction & FantasyScience FictionAnthologies & Short Stories

• Publication Date: December 23, 2025
• Text-to-Speech: Disabled
• Lending: Disabled
• Print Length: 15 Pages
• File Size: 26 KB