"The Hat that Brought Me Back" by Krithika Mohan: Dec. 2023 3rd Place

Outside laying flat on my cold pebble stone surface, was a hat.

There it sat.

Not any old hat.

It was special at first sight

Everything about it felt right

From the size to the height

From the red to the white

It was perfect to see

But.. what more could it really be?

I bent down to grab the hat and then placed it on my head, gently rubbing my hand around the velvet collar. I knew this hat..it was a Santa ha- Before I could finish my thought I was swept away by a large gust of wind and snow. Still starstruck by the sight of the hat I felt paralyzed as I let the wind move me. Then I heard a thud. I was now in a black and unfamiliar space. I laid on the ground, frazzled. I tightly gripped the hat in fear as Images began to appear before my eyes.. I was petrified like never before. But then.. through one of the images..I noticed a vaguely familiar face. It was a tall man with a smug smile and a ginger colored beard. He was wearing the special hat. More and more images of the man emerged around the room. It took some time, but I eventually realized why the hat had brought me here.

This time, Instead of feeling confusion or remorse upon the hat, I let out a tiny grin.

“Thank you hat,” I said. “For letting me see my father again.”