Santa's Claws Quotes

“under the naked oak tree”
― M.J. Ware, Santa's Claws

“Ryan sat on a big, gnarly, half-buried root under the naked oak tree that stood in front of school. When his bus pulled up, he didn’t try to make eye contact with anyone. He knew the other kids were too afraid to look his way. A long-haired boy from the sixth grade made the mistake of sitting in the seat in front of him. Ryan kept pulling stray hairs from the back of his head, only stopping when tears streamed down the boy’s face. It was his own fault for having a mullet, Ryan told himself. He got off the bus and waited for Alyssa Abbot. She’d made him swear not to speak to her until the bus was out of sight. Ryan knew she wouldn’t even walk home with him if her parents didn’t force her to. “I guess you’re not going to bother writing a letter to Santa. Seeing how you want him dead and all,” Alyssa said, eyes fixed ahead on the black smoke billowing from the underside of the bus. “You’re the only dork in our class still writing letters to”
― M.J. Ware, Santa's Claws