"Scrooge & Cratchit" is an original short story conceived as a sequel to the classic Dickens' tale. It runs @8700 words; approximate reading 30 minutes. **FROM THE PREFACE** Like all great art, 'A Christmas Carol' connects to different generations because it addresses universal human concerns. Why do good men succumb to selfishness and greed? How does one person's life affect others? We all face questions like these, yet few have ever dramatized them with Dickens' grace and clarity. The original says very little of the story's aftermath. I often wondered how that might play out. How does a reformed man deal with the burden of past guilt? How would those who knew Scrooge before and after his transformation relate to him? If it seems presumptuous to attempt a follow-up to 'A Christmas Carol', consider the myriad film and stage adaptations, and I hope my story will be seen as part of an ongoing cultural conversation about a classic tale. Whatever merits my story may have, readers can judge for themselves. For my part, the experience of creating it has only deepened my appreciation for the source that inspired it.

• Matt McHugh November 2008