Substitutions

Kristine Kathryn Rusch

Silas has worked for Death in Nevada for 150 years. He gets Christmas and Christmas Eve off. Only this year, his substitute finds him in a Las Vegas casino. His substitute, who is little more than a boy, a boy whose task terrifies him. If the boy finishes the task, he’ll have a permanent job. If he doesn’t, a dozen kids will live in agony. Silas hates the choice. He wants to tell the boy, That’s the job. Get used to it. But he can’t. Because it’s Christmas, and the boy is all alone…