Season’s Greetings: Naughty or Nice

A renewed gust whirled; stiff and bitter, prompting Brynhildr to pull her scarf up higher as she walked along the forest path toward the main building of the compound.  The adjustment made minimal difference to combat the harshness of winter.  Nonetheless, the movement helped to calm her nerves.  

Why am I nervous?  She pondered the question.  The forest tonight was still and lifeless, offering nothing to distract or occupy her mind from her concern.

It wasn’t as if settling debts was new to her.  Intimidation or better yet coercion, at times through force, had in some way or form always been a facet of her life.  When she was young, the punks and her ran the streets.  Back then though it wasn’t about anything other than survival, simply a product of unfortunate circumstances.  Then… the war came and with it came an opportunity for a clean slate.  But, something that was supposed to instill values and a sense of a higher purpose only ended up being not much different than the streets.  New targets, same type of game.  In the end, Brynhildr saw life for what it was: a big ol’ game of tug of war.  Simply put, you either pull or let yourself get pulled along.  Then again… even if you choose to pull, sometimes control lies outside of your own grasp.  Now working in the private sector, she knew confidence in herself was all that had gotten her through it all.  

So… why then, was she so nervous? 

Her boss wasn’t the type to knowingly have stiffed her, so it was likely a mistake that her paycheck was past due.  If anything, he was very well known for being generous.  No matter the reasoning, the big man in his red suit of cheer might need to learn a hard lesson in responsibility.  Debts must be paid.  It was a principle that she could not let slide, no matter the person.  The most elusive, well guarded man in the world might be the one getting a lump of coal in his stocking this year, along with a busted kneecap or two.