.10.
All the souls have moved on and been replaced by new ones. All except one, and the Carrier is surprisingly happy about it. She should not be this attached. She should not care to this degree. It should hurt, but it does not.
She tugs at her hat as a soul walk up to her. It tugs her cape gently, asking for her attention with a small voice. The Carrier's steps falter. This is a kid, how did a kid get here? She responds with a pleasant yes, without thinking about it.
The kid asks for its mom silently and the Carrier has to rub her temple as the words uttered by a child whisper about an old and forgotten memory she did not know she had.
What is Christmas, anyway?