The Midnight Bell Count

Every Christmas Eve, the town followed the same rule. No one went outside

after the bells rang. At first, it was tradition. Parents said it

was for safety. Snow. Ice. The cold. But the bells didn’t

ring for church. They rang on their own. At exactly midnight, every year,

the old church bells rang once. Slow. Heavy. Wrong.

That was when the streets changed. Lights dimmed. Snow stopped falling. And the town felt

like it was holding its breath. Children were told Santa was watching. But adults knew

better. Santa wasn’t coming to give gifts. He was coming to count.