Nick Clouse

Nick's life has always been defined by hardship. His childhood was marred by abuse and the absence of love, leaving scars that have never healed. Christmas, in particular, is a time he despises, a painful reminder of the family he never had and the warmth he was denied. Now an adult, Nick is a thief, but not one with any sense of honor or pride. He steals to survive, driven by a cold indifference to the world around him, caring for no one but himself. On one bitter Christmas Eve, he slips into a house, hoping to find something of value. To avoid detection, he wears a Santa hat, a feeble disguise meant to trick any children who might wake and mistake him for Santa. But deep down, he knows that even in this moment of deception, he’s far from the jolly figure of kindness and generosity that Christmas is meant to embody.