“Carson, think we’ll see Santa?” Glover whispered, trailing along behind his older brother. His brown eyes were opened wide thanks to the dim light inside the walls.
Carson rolled his eyes and turned back to face his silly little brother. The boy was only twelve, but he really shouldn’t still believe in stories like that. “You know Santa isn’t real, ‘Ver. That’s just a Bean story.”
Glover frowned. “But I heard the kid Beans talking about it. They even went to bed early to make sure Santa would come. They never go to bed early.”
Carson shook his head, but opted not to argue any further. The Beans going to bed early was the only reason Glover was allowed to go borrowing tonight. He was far too curious for the normal runs. Mother and Pops worried that the boy would get himself Seen one day just by exploring too far.
Carson Pantry was eighteen and basically an adult, but he stayed with his family to help look after his little brother. Their home was tucked away between an air duct and the back wall of the pantry of the Bean’s house. Living near the pantry meant they didn’t often have to go very far to borrow what they needed. But Carson knew that tonight, just like the same night every other year, some of the best borrowings could be found in the vast sitting room.
Really, the Beans just left food sitting out. It was too easy.
Writerly Things 