Harry and Asher are living peacefully on the North Coast of NSW. Life is quiet, boring, and utterly perfect. Though coming from a life of danger and excitement, Harry worries that Asher will grow bored of the ‘normal’ life. He misses the adrenaline, the action, and most of all, he misses his ‘baby.’

So Harry goes against his own better judgement and organises a special Christmas gift for Asher.

Life has been picture-perfect in the sleepy little town of Tallowwood. Since the horrors of the murder trial ended, Jake and August couldn’t be happier. Tallowwood was unassuming and uneventful-just how they liked it. Even the town’s newest residents are decidedly normal. On paper, that is. In person, August isn’t so sure. He’d done background checks on them when they’d first arrived and found nothing, but something about them was off.

But when the Coffs Coast Gun Club sends an application for a Christmas gala day and a familiar name catches his eye, August is determined to meet the newcomers in an official capacity.

He wants to see if his hunch is correct. What was a surprise Christmas gift for Asher, might just unbox a whole can of worms.

11, 000-word short story