Marcus Harris blinked his one green eye as he stepped into the huge department store with Mam. His other eye, the naughty blue-green glass one named Nelson (full name Nelson Haddoc Popeye Harris the XXIV), swirled with excitement in its socket. If Marcus was dazzled by the twinkling tinsel, sparkling lights, and giant inflatable Santa, Nelson was practically bursting.
Mam pointed to her long, tightly folded shopping list.
“Right,” she said, “we are doing ALL the Christmas shopping today. So both of you…” Her tone narrowed, “…behave.”
Nelson wiggled in Marcus’s eye socket.
“Me? I’m the picture of good behaviour.”
Marcus didn’t even need two eyes to roll them.
“Just don’t get us thrown out.”
They walked past towering shelves of toys, decorations, snacks, and gift sets. Christmas music chimed from overhead speakers, and Marcus felt warm with festive excitement. Nelson felt something else entirely—mischief.
Mam stopped at the toy section.
“I need Auntie Sue’s dolls. Stay right here.”
Marcus meant to. Truly. But directly beside him stood a huge Christmas tree decorated with shiny red baubles. The fairy lights glimmered like treasure. Nelson vibrated with glee.
“Shiny pirate plunder… perfect!”
Before Marcus could blink—
POP!
Nelson launched himself right out of Marcus’s face and into the tree.
“MAM!” Marcus squeaked. “Nelson’s gone!”
Mam froze.
“Marcus John Harris—” she began, then stopped. “No. I don’t even want to know. Get him out before someone thinks we’re stealing decorations!”
Marcus rushed forward. But Nelson, delighted, wasn’t staying put. He rolled along a branch, bounced off a teddy bear, and shot onto the shop floor.
“AFTER HIM!” Nelson seemed to shout in Marcus’s head as he rolled away.
Marcus sprinted between trolleys and shoppers. Nelson came to a stop under a display of remote-control cars, just as a little boy spotted him.
“Oooh!” the child cried. “A magic marble!”
Marcus snatched up Nelson, puffing.
“Not a marble. Just… my eye.”
The boy stared.
Marcus hurried away before explanations got any weirder.
Mam marched over, face pink.
“Nelson goes in your pocket.”
“But then I can’t see properly!” Marcus protested.
“It’s that or we get banned from the shop.”
Marcus reluctantly slipped Nelson into his coat pocket and held it shut.
For a few blissful minutes, everything went well. Mam found the dolls, tissues, wrapping paper, and chocolates. Marcus stayed quiet. Nelson sulked.
Then they reached the Christmas food aisle.
The smell of warm gingerbread and fruity puddings filled the air. Nelson twitched. A moment later, he wiggled free from Marcus’s pocket, dropped to the floor, and rolled straight into a mountain of miniature Christmas puddings.
“SWEET PRECIOUS TREASURE!” Nelson cheered.
“MARCUS!” Mam groaned as her son reluctantly fished his sticky glass eye out of a pudding bowl, covered in brandy sauce.
By the checkout, Mam looked exhausted, Marcus looked embarrassed, and Nelson—freshly wiped—looked smug.
Once in the car, Mam sighed.
“Well, we got everything in the end.”
Nelson twinkled dangerously.
“Shall we decorate the tree next? Pirate style?”
“NO!” Marcus and Mam said together.
For a moment, Nelson was quiet.
A very short moment.