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December 2: 2019

23 days until Christmas…

"Oi, Joe," a dark figure whispered, shaking what looked like a lump of dirty blankets. "Wake up, someone's coming."

Joe emerged from his sleeping bag, stretching and yawning.

A tall, athletic girl was nearing their home under the bridge, glancing from side to side cautiously as she clutched a dark purple bundle to her chest. Her curly red hair was pulled back in a messy bun, and her disheveled coat suggested she was in a rush.

After another wary scan of the area, she darted towards them.

"Good morning," she greeted them, smiling hesitantly. "I have this extra sweater to spare, and was wondering if you might want-"

"Yes!"

The girl sighed in relief. "Merry Christmas, then."

She dumped a woolly lavender sweater at the two hobos' feet and hurried off.

"Well, that was strange," the hobo named Joe said. "Who do you think should get it, Billy?"

Billy looked over Joe's shoulder with astonishment. "I don't think that's going to be a problem."

This had to be a new record. Two normal citizens visiting the same homeless blokes on Christmas day? Billy tapped the side of his head, wondering if his hallucinations were working up again.

But there he was, clear as day: a raven-haired teen -more of a boy, really- with startlingly green eyes framed by round glasses. "Would either one of you happen to need a sweater?"

"We already-OW!" Joe yelped, as Billy kicked him.

"What he means is, we'd be happy to have it," Billy told the stranger politely. He grabbed the jade-green sweater eagerly. "Merry Christmas, kid!"

"You, too!" the stranger called over his shoulder as he left.

"I want the green one!" Joe demanded, reaching for it.

Billy slapped his hands away. "No way, Jose!"

"My name is Joe!"

"Aggh, never mind!"

"But," Joe pouted. "I want the pretty sweater!"

"Oh, shut up," Billy snapped.

"Do I get your sweater?" Joe asked.

"For Pete's sake, forget about the sweater!"

"My name isn't Pete, either!"

Billy closed his eyes and counted to ten. When he opened them, Joe was still there. Unfortunately. "Fine, you can have the sweater." Joe squealed like a little girl.

"But," Billy said. "Anything else that we get today is mine."

Guess who got the better end of that deal?