A Computer Carol

by Mia Darien

"Let's make sure that we are perfectly clear about the following statement: Unit 231dS7, also known as Marley, was dead. His primary memory core had burnt out and was not repairable, so 231dS7 had been disassembled. The recyclable parts had been returned to the factories for refurbishment and those parts that had made 231dS7 into Marley were destroyed.


In other words, Marley was dead.


He had been deceased for two thousand, five hundred and fifty-five days, thirteen hours and thirty-two minutes."


This short story is dedicated to Charles Dickens, naturally. He gave us so many wonderful tales and put a face on Christmas that has been told over and over again, yet that never gets old. My little tale here doesn't do the original justice, but it's written with appreciation for its originator, with joy for the Christmas season and with a sense of fun. I hope that you enjoy it!

ebook

First published December 5, 2011

About the author

Born a Connecticut Yankee in nobody’s court, Mia Darien grew up to brave snow and talk fast. She started reading when she was three and never looked back, soon frequently falling asleep with a book under her cheek. (Something she still does, though these days it’s her Nook as often as a paperback.)

At eleven, she discovered “Night Mare” by Piers Anthony and entered the world of grown-up fantasy fiction and it was all over from there. She started writing at fourteen, then met vampires as a teenager and the concept for what would become Adelheid was soon born. Epic fantasy remains her first love, but she enjoys writing whatever stories come to mind in any genre.

Now she loves both writing and helping her indie community with her freelancing. A geek till the end, she enjoys role-play by email games and World of Warcraft when she has the time. Married to her very own Named Man of the North, she lives with him, their mini-tank (also known as their son) and pets, who usually act more childish than the child.

Reviews

[Robert 'Rev. Bob' · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pretty straightforward translation, really. Nothing to write home about, though.