"Red, Yellow and Green Lights Shine"- A short story by Kerstin Ekman

NOTE: This short story is a republication- Source: Swedish Book Review. (Translated by Linda Schenk).

Well, to begin with it’s just an ordinary Monday. Moa comes in with a big box balanced on her tummy, and I’m annoyed because I don’t know how many times I’ve told her she shouldn’t be carrying anything heavy now. Aw, this one’s so light. It’s just the manger. You and Lydia can put it up now. I’m busy with the red cabbage, just adding the corn syrup, and I don’t want it to stick.

Lydia jumps around shouting The manger! The manger! Daddy, you and I are putting up Gran’s manger! Clear off the little table and put on a pretty cloth. A red one, Lydia insists. But we can’t find a red one so I put the on beige one and tell her it will be the sand. Didn’t the whole thing take place in the Middle East?

Read the full story here