Christmas Day

The Warden's clock woke him some time later, and as he came into consciousness, he realized that it chimed eight or nine. He sat up and looked around, slightly disoriented but quite relieved to see that he was in his own bedroom.

"It's…It's morning!" he said aloud. He sprang from bed and flew to the window.

Upon opening the pane, he leaned halfway out the window, spotting a passing inmate below.

"You there!" He cried down to him. The prisoner looked up in surprise. "What day is it?" inquired the Warden.

"Er…Christmas?" answered the bewildered inmate.

"Then—Then I haven't missed it!" The Warden hauled himself back up into his room and rushed to get dressed.

Fully attired, he ran through his office and flung open the door.

"Jailbot!" He called out. The robot woke and rose from the charger questioningly.

"Jailbot, my Jailbot! Merry Christmas!" He greeted him. "Listen I need you to hurry. The cooks have to be told to gather what they can to make a Christmas feast for the whole jail. I'm sure not much can be done, but tell them to do what they can, will you?"

Jailbot blinked and beeped yes, and before he could float off, the Warden had sped off down the hall to Jared's office.

"Jared!" He called out, bursting in through the door.

"Sir, I'm working! Don't worry, I'm not slacking off; I—"

"Well, cut it out!" With one large swipe, Warden knocked every single paper off the accountant's desk. "Enough with work, Jarie! It's Christmas!"

Naturally, Jared could not believe what he was hearing.

"Sir, what—?"

"Okay, scratch that; there's much work to be done!" His employer winked. "It's just a much different kind of work. I need you to scrounge together whatever decorations we have in red and green. I'm sure we have no tinsel, so streamers will be fine. Get someone to help you haul it all to the cafeteria. I'll be there to help once I've made all other arrangements. Well, don't just sit there—make some phone calls, spread the word, it's Christmas!"

Jared stared him in the eye, looking as if he could be knocked out of his chair by a feather. "Sir…are you feeling alright?"

The Warden gave him his happiest smile. "Jared, I have never felt better."

As the jail keeper went about his business, he noticed that word of holiday spread quickly through Superjail. Inmates were talking, laughing, cheering, and as he passed the cheers grew louder at his presence. Shouts of "Yea, Warden!" and "You da man!" were heard at every turn in the cellblocks. But he wasted no time in getting to the underground laboratory.

"Twins!" He rapped on the door. It immediately slid open to reveal the Twins, as if they had been expecting him.

"How convenient that everyone is right on hand today," he commented. "Listen, what do you two know about string lighting?"

"I don't know what's gotten into the Warden, Alice, but I like the new him," Jared commented.

Ever the asocial one, Alice grunted in reply. But Jared did however notice the smallest of smiles grace her lips as she hung the final streamer.

"You know, this sudden turnaround somewhat reminds me of a story my parents used to read me this time of year…" But Jared had no time to finish, for the cafeteria doors swung open at that moment to reveal none other than the Warden, leading in an endless stream of inmates.

"Single file; line starts over here; and Merry Christmas, men!" To the Warden's pleasant surprise, they obeyed every word. Seeing things were under control, he pranced over to the designated staff's table, where his makeshift family had gathered.

"Ah, things are turning out perfectly, aren't they?" He addressed the little group as he sat down. All agreed, but then Alice rose and stood over Warden, suddenly blushing as red as the tablecloth.

"I'd better get this over with." She fished something out of her skirt pocket and held it over his head. The Warden looked up to see a twig with bright green leaves and bright red berries.

"Merry Christmas," Alice told him.

"Er, thank you, Alice," Warden scratched his head, a tad confused. "It's…a lovely twig."

"It's called 'mistletoe', Warden," she informed him, and leaned in towards his face. In a moment that he wished would last forever, the Warden shared his first kiss with the love of his life.

And so, for one day all was well and peaceful in Superjail. For one day no one fought; no one was killed. And for one day, not even Jackknife tried to escape.