SAMMY BRIK-BRIK

Story by: Mark Hibshman Original art by:John Durbin Jr. SAMMY BRIK-BRIK created by Galen Ross Hibshman to whom this story is dedicated.
IN MEMORIAN

original art by John Durbin Jr.

As the sun quietly sets below the icy horizon, the Arctic Circle is transformed by the coming of its long night. After six months of sun, winter has finally come to the north. With the falling of the first snowflake after sunset, a magic older than time comes yawning awake.

As the shadows lengthen and the temperature drops the magic grows stronger. If one were to be travelling through this land at this particular moment, they might hear the songs of the angels or the soft flutter of a fairy's wings. They wouldn't see anything so they might just pass the noise off as the wind, unless of course they were standing directly on the north pole.

If one were lucky enough to be at that spot on this magic night, they would see a sight that would bring tears to their eyes and joy to their hearts as Santa's workshop would once again appear to the world of mortal men.

As impossible as it seems, not everyone would find joy in this event. In fact, on this very night, one man in particular stands hidden behind an icy hill, waiting for Santa's shop to materialize...so he can destroy it!

Looking through his stolen binoculars, the man watches as Santa's house slowly solidifies into our reality. His hands, shaking with the cold until now, cease their shivering, warmed by the man's burning hatred for Santa Claus and the holiday that made him famous.

"I'll get the old fat man this year!" the man says spitefully. "I'll blow his oversized shack to tiny bits! He'll rue the day he ever heard the name of Sammy Brik-Brik! HAHAHA!"

Finally, after six months in exile from the sun, Santa's workshop completes its journey back to our world. Sammy Brik-Brik grins in anticipation as he drops the binoculars and reaches for the rocket launcher at his feet. He hoists the heavy weapon to his shoulder and peers through the targeting sight as he sets the crosshairs right on Santa's doorway.

"Goodbye Santa!" Sammy calls out across the snow. "With this heat seeking missle there's no way I can miss you this time! HAHAHAHAHA!" With a maniacle laugh, Sammy Brik-Brik squeezes the trigger of his large weapon of mass destruction.

With a great WHOOSH the missle streaks out from the launcher and races towards Santa's house, leaving a trail of exhaust fumes as flies.

"Go, go, go!" Sammy cheers as the missle flies straight for Santa's doorway, trying with all of it's high tech equipment to find a heat source to lock on to.

Unfortunately, Sammy is unaware that Santa's workshop, though warm and cozy on the inside, is completely sealed against the elements on the outside, leaving no trace of heat for the missle to find.

Following its programming, the missle "searches" for a heat source to lock onto. It finds one due south of it's current heading and fires booster rockets from it's deadly warhead to turn itself around. The new heat source measures 98.6 degrees, by far the warmest thing around this far north.

"Uh, oh!" Sammy gasps as he realizes that the missle has locked onto his body heat and is heading straight for him.

"I'd better get out of here!"

Sammy turns south and starts running, trying like mad to start his favorite means of transportation, his high-tech, hi-top, jet propelled, sneakers!

The engines scream to life on the second try and Sammy finds himself hurtling over the snowy landscape at the speed of sound. Mountains of ice flash past and oceans of snow turn to slush as the heat from his shoes passes over the frozen ground.

"YAAAAAARGHHHHHH!" Sammy Brik-Brik's scream can be heard fading away as he moves farther and farther from the North Pole with the heat seeking missle hot on his heels.

"I'll get you next time Santa!"

The door to Santa's house comes open thirty seconds too late for the missle to "see" the heat inside and use it for a target. Santa and Mrs. Claus step onto their porch to greet the world after their triumphant return.

"What a glorious night!" Santa exclaims.

A flash of light bursts across the horizon, startling Mrs. Claus.

"Santa! What do you suppose that could be?"

A sound like thunder rolls across the mountains as Santa and Mrs. Claus watch a giant fireball rising into the night sky from two hundred miles away.

They look at each other with a knowing smile and speak in unison. "Sammy."

"He's starting early this year," Santa exclaims.

"Yes, I know," Mrs. Claus sighed. "I suppose we really should initiate some sort of security around here from now on, don't you think?"

"Yes, of course you're right. In fact, I already have a plan in mind."

"Good! Now I suppose we should send some of the reindeer out to see if Mr. Brik-Brik is alright."

"Certainly, but tell them to be gentle! No matter what he thinks of us, we do not consider Sammy an enemy. He will be treated with respect and decency at all times."

"Of course, whatever you say, Santa."

Naturally, Santa's heart was in the right place, but reindeer can be willfull creatures and they have their OWN opinion of how to deal with Sammy Brik-Brik!

What are Santa's security plans? What happens to Sammy? Why does Sammy hate Santa so much? Can there ever be peace between them? Stay tuned!

Hope you enjoyed the story!
Mark Hibshman, Dec. 13, 1998.