Page 11 of The Grinch Who Stole Orcmas

Grum’s eyes narrow slightly, as if he senses there’s more to the story. Might he smell that I’m keeping a secret? But he doesn’t push.

Instead, he leans forward, his voice softening. “You know, Joy, I have to admit… you’re not what I expected.”

“Oh?” I raise an eyebrow, my heart skipping a beat. “And what did you expect?”

He grins, showing his tusks. “Someone a lot more… annoying.”

I gasp in mock offense and swat his arm playfully. “Hey! I’ll have you know I can be plenty annoying when I want to be.”

“Trust me, I’ve noticed,” he retorts, but there’s a warmth in his eyes that wasn’t there before.

As we finish our meal, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed that our day is coming to an end. “We should probably call it a day,” I say reluctantly. “Start fresh tomorrow. Maybe we’ll get a tip or a clue overnight.”

Grum snorts. “Yeah, because Christmas miracles happen every day.”

I stick my tongue out at him. “With that attitude, you’re definitely on the naughty list.”

He rolls his eyes but then hesitates. “You know, there’s a night bazaar in the Zone tonight. If you wanted to check it out… I could show you around.”

By his wide eyes and shocked expression, the offer seems to surprise him as much as it does me. Beaming at him, warmth spreads through my chest.

“I’d love that, Grum. My daily trips to the community center have been great, but I’d love to see more of the Zone.” The rest of what I’m thinking—I’d love to see it through your eyes while holding your hand—remains unspoken.

He grunts, but I catch the pleased look in his eyes before he turns away. “Don’t get too excited. It’s probably just a bunch of junk and overpricedmellatons.”

“Well, then it’s a good thing I’ll have my very own grumpy tour guide to keep me from getting swindled,” I tease. “Lead on.”

Chapter 7: Bizarre Bazaar

Grum

“Remind me again why we’re here?” The words come out more growl than question as Joy drags me through the crowded street that borders the Integration Zone. It’s a chickenshit move, blaming this on her. We’re both well aware that I’m the one who made the offer.

“Because,” she chirps, her eyes sparkling with that manic Christmas glee I’m starting to find less annoying by the hour, “even detectives need a night off. Plus, you were kind enough to invite me because I’ve never been to the Zone’s Outdoor Bazaar before!”

“Well, it’s not exactly in the Integration Zone. Because it’s so close to Christmas, we’re expecting a big crowd of humans to attend, so the city gave us permission to move the booths to thecity street that borders the Zone. Maybe your store will get a little action since it’s so close.”

“I’m glad JoAnn called and apologized for walking out of her volunteer job. She used to work for me and offered to man my shop tonight. C’mon. Let’s explore!” Joy’s normal over-the-top, forced happiness morphs into something much more genuine. She seems like a kid on their birthday as she grips my forearm and pulls me ahead. Funny, her touch doesn’t piss me off nearly as much as it did when I first met her. Who am I kidding? It doesn’t piss me off at all.

The night market’s noisy, joyful chaos surrounds us. I see the explosion of color, sound, and scent through Joy’s eyes and wonder if it’s exciting or terrifying to her. When I glance at her, her sparkling eyes and wide smile tell me it’s the former.

Vendors hawk their wares. The air is thick with the aroma of sizzling meats and flowery incense. Joy is practically vibrating with excitement. It’s… not terrible to see her so happy.

“Oh, Grum, look!” She tugs on my arm, pointing to a stall where an orc woman is weaving intricate patterns in hand-dyed fabrics. “It’s beautiful.”

As Joy approaches the stall, the woman smiles, her tusks glinting in the glow from the streetlight. “See something you like?”

Joy nods eagerly, running her fingers over a delicate bracelet. “This is amazing. How do you do it?”

As the woman explains the traditional finger-weaving techniques, I find myself watching Joy. Her enthusiasm, her genuine interest in our culture… is refreshing. Most humans who venture into the Zone are either wary or treat us like some sort of tourist attraction. But Joy… she’s different.

She carefully looks at many of the wares, but she keeps coming back to an aqua bracelet woven with a row of jade green stars.

“You like this one? I can give you a good price.” The woman places it on her own wrist, and it looks good, but those colors would look better against Joy’s skin.

Joy shakes her head reluctantly.

“It’s beautiful, but, um, my credit card…” She screws up her face to show the vendor just how much she regrets not being able to make the purchase.

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