5:45 AM - December 25th, 2069.
In a cold sweat, Hazel, 21 years old, awakens from her slumber. Looking at her surroundings, she quickly comes to the realization that she's at her family home. Making sure it isn't a hallucination, she slaps herself across the face with all her force - something she's learned to do to wake herself up during overnight shifts. Feeling the pain, she assesses the situation. With the weather, her young adult age, and her being at her parents' place, she knows she's between the ages of 21 and 22. A conclusion she comes to because she shortly lived with her parents during this time period after a falling out with her ex-boyfriend (also her only boyfriend) and had to find a new place...
'Mom and Dad are still alive,' she realizes with tears streaming down her face. This might be a surreal dream she's experiencing as she dies, but she won't pass up the opportunity to spend some more time with her parents again.
Running out of her room, she notices a man in a Santa Claus costume and immediately enters fighting posture. Taking a closer look, she realizes that it's just her Dad and not some Santa-Clown haunting her in the afterlife.
"Dad, why are you in a Santa costume?"
"Ho Ho Ho! Who's this Dad you speak of it?" her father chuckles.
Realizing it doesn't matter, she runs up to hug him with all her strength. Her tears wet the shoulder of the fluffy costume and her dad lovingly pats her back.
"What's wrong sweetheart?" he asks tenderly, probably assuming that she's upset over her ex-boyfriend.
"Nothing, Dad. Nothing. I'm just really happy," with tears still streaming down her eyes she looks up and her father's chubby face and smiles.
"Well, I thought you were too old for Santa but it appears you really like the costume! At least, someone in this family does!" her father shouts then quickly adds in a whisper, "Ah, it's like 5AM we probably shouldn't wake your mother."
"Wake who?" an agitated female voice adds, "Oh Hazel-bee, why are you crying?"
They're not letting it show, but her parents must be quite flabbergasted. In her 20+ years of life, their daughter has almost never cried. For her to suddenly be this emotional must mean that guy really hurt her...
Understanding they're getting the wrong message when her mother uses a nickname from her childhood, Hazel tries to stop her tears from flowing and calm her mother down but she ultimately gives in to her comforting embrace.
"Mom, Dad... I love you both so much." 'Even if this is just a dream,' she adds in her head. As 'realistic' as Hazel is, she still doesn't quite believe in this reality but it doesn't matter. Getting to see her parents again is the best Christmas Gift, no, best *thing* to ever happen to her. Nothing will ever compare to this feeling again, in her life. 'Which if I'm dead, doesn't really mean that much I guess,' Hazel realizes.
Stopping herself from going on some inner monologue, she makes an effort to spend more time with her parents.
"You never answered me Dad, what's with the Santa costume?"
"Are you okay, hon? You know that I've been volunteering at the local homeless shelter to cheer up the children in the mornings. I was just getting ready to go. Our family's magical affinity of fire is rather handy at warming people up during this season!"
Hearing this, Hazel grimaces. In an accident, his power will cause an explosion that will kill him and my mom. Obviously, he doesn't know what will happen to him. And, 'If I'm allowed to stay within this reality. I won't let it happen again.' Hazel commands herself.
"Sorry! I'm a bit out of it right now..."
"I can stay with you if you want, baby. The shelter has a lot of volunteers right now, and nothing is more important than my daughter," he warmly hugs me.
"N-," she starts to say no but she stops herself, with the thought, 'It's selfish but I don't know how real this all is and how long I'll be able to see them.'
"Please stay with me, Dad," she squeaks out softly.
"Of course sweetheart."
8 AM - December 25th, 2069.
After calming down, Hazel begins to feel bad about not letting her Dad help out the homeless children. 'All those years of being a stone-cold Queen of Business has really made me this self-centered,' she chastises herself.
"Hey Dad, if it isn't too late, why don't we all go help out at the shelter together?"
"Ai, it's up to you," he tells his wife.
"Bah, like I'd say 'F dem kids' when my husband and daughter are begging me to do something good," she swipes her hand in the air and laughs.
"Alright then, let's go!" Hazel's Dad exclaims.
The instamagi-train of the future has yet to be invented. Instead, the world is still using magi-cars that pollute the planet, are inefficient, and have a much longer commute than any form of transportation she's now used to. Looking at the ancient vehicle her father lovingly beckons her to come into, she feels she should scoff but can only share his love for the car out of her own nostalgia. 'It might not be the best, but this car was like a second child of Dad's... I suppose it's better than nothing,' she thinks to herself as she awkwardly sits on one of the stiff, leather seats.
While they're driving to their destination, Hazel takes the opportunity to reaffirm what she's been saying all morning, "I don't say it enough but I really do love both of you. No matter what happens, remember that, OK?"
"Of course honey, we love you too," her mother looks at her tenderly and lightly grasps her hand from the front seat of the car.
Their relationship was strained prior to their death, so hearing these words means more than anyone will ever know to Hazel. Ai, her mother, was a working woman who would often be called cold and unemotional (similar to a certain 'ruthless businesswoman'). They would often clash throughout the years and never really had a heart-to-heart. Yet, Hazel coming to her mom this morning and pouring out her soul seemed to heal all of that. 'It wasn't that Mom didn't love me, she just isn't that expressive.' She realizes. 'Crazy it took me dying and seeing her again to sort all these feelings out. I'm not usually the most expressive person, either, so I can't believe I never realized Mom loved me as much as I loved her...'
Lost in thought the entire ride there, they arrive at the shelter. In front of the shelter, there's a muscular young man in a Santa Claus costume playing with children.
Hazel bursts out of the car, seething with anger. Sparks of flame can be seen jumping from her fingertips and she decks the man cleanly in the face, to everyone surrounding's shock and awe.
"Time for revenge, bitch."