Some wishes are heard. Some are answered. On a bitter Christmas night, a boy lies awake in a house that has long forgotten him. Outside, something old walks the snow-measuring, listening, judging. Pain is not the worst punishment. The sack is. As an ancient figure passes judgment, cruelty is named, silence is broken, and a child is left standing in the aftermath-alone with the consequences of what he wished for, and what he was spared. Better Than the Sack is a dark Christmas short story about fear, choice, and the moment when mercy arrives in its most unsettling form. A short story of 5,542 atmospheric words.

Christopher J. Bailey was born and raised in Nottingham, United Kingdom, and now counts himself lucky to live in Sunny Sarasota, Florida with his wife, Melissa, some of his children and grandchildren, two birds, and two cats. He loves to cook, and this, plus his family life and writing keeps him remarkably busy. He became disabled in 2015 due to diabetes, but loves life and lives it to the fullest despite this. Two of his previous short stories have appeared in 'The Literary Yard' and 'Scars TV.' One of which was also published in print in June 2020 by 'Children, Churches, and Daddies magazine.'