"Hamilton’s Hat" by Rishik: Dec. 2023 Runner Up

On December 25, 2023, Hamilton Cross was hoping for some presents for the first time in his life. Hamilton was an orphan adopted by the Richardson family after his parents died in a fire. He didn’t know much about his parents except that they were billionaires that were under fire from the media after they made some poor decisions as the founders of the company, FIREZ. He had found this information in a newspaper dating back to 2011. After a long time of snoozing his alarm, Hamilton came downstairs to find his step-parents with a grim look holding his report card.

“Have you seen your report card yet?” asked his step-mother, Jane.

“Um no,” Hamilton said carefully.

“YOU HAVEN'T SEEN YOUR DISGRACEFUL REPORT CARD!” Jane bellowed.

“You have a B or C in every subject!” said his step-dad, Henry.

They grabbed Hamilton and threw him out of the front door. Hamilton started crying and didn’t know what he did to succumb to this fate. As he was weeping, he saw a Santa hat on the floor.

“I'll need something to keep me warm,” he thought.

As he wore the hat, he felt a tingling sensation in his body. Now, Hamilton was in a place full of flourishing flowers and animals never seen before. He wore the Santa hat again, this time he was transported right in front of a towering building. He discovered that the hat teleports people across the universe. Hamilton Cross really did get a present for Christmas.