It had been a busy Christmas Day, and the residents of Chillwind were having fun. All the gifts had been opened, all the visitors fed, and all the parties enjoyed. It was now time for everyone to wind down and relax for the evening. Leith had decided to take a lonely drive to the border of the county. A deep thought was running through his engine. He had enjoyed spending time with his family and playing with his liver friends, but despite all that, he felt something was missing and couldn’t put his tyre on it. He got tired of driving aimlessly and pulled into a small area with trees and bushes around him. He hoped that stopping for a moment would help him find his answer. He thought...and thought...and thought. But nothing flew into his pistons. He sighed deeply and stared at the brown Earth beneath his bumper.

‘What is it? Something...I know there’s something that just...isn’t making this Christmas complete...’ he murmured to himself.

He tried to think again, but nothing new popped up. He sighed deeply. And then something did. As soon as it did, though, he shook his bumper to get rid of it.

‘No...! I promised that...that I’d... move on from him...’ he said quietly.

But deep down in his oil, he knew that it was...him not being here that was making this Christmas incomplete.

‘You’re not gettin’ yerself flustered again, are’e?’

Leith perked on his tyres the moment he heard the voice. No... No! H...How!?

‘Looks as if you’ve seen a ghost, bud’!’

Leith looked to his right, and what he saw made the pupils in his headlights grow enormous. There...standing right next to him...was...Clayton!?

‘No... Wha...? You’re...you’re supposed to be...!’

‘Dead? Passed away? Well done, yer’ figured out two plus two,’ said Clayton cheekily.

‘Th—th—th—this isn’t possible! How...? Unless... Is this some sort of sick prank!?’ growled Leith. His engine began to rev violently. ‘Cade, I swear to—!’

‘Keep yer’ oil pressure in check, kid; this ain’t no jest!’ said Clayton calmly. ‘What you’re seeing is real.’

Leith shook his bumper violently again, and sure enough, the transparent view of Clayton, who had passed away earlier in the year, was right next to him. For a moment, the Cooper was unable to think clearly, as his engine was conflicted with many questions, trying to find the answers all at once.

‘I’ll make a complicated scenario simple,’ Clayton explained. ‘My physical form is dead, but my spirit is alive in another world, which is why I can appear on Earth in a visual form. I can only do this a select few times a year, as… Well...I wouldn’t want to startle the average passer-by now, would I?’

Leith stretched out his front right tyre and tried to touch Clayton, but it went straight through him.

‘I’m just an image. There is no physical surface,’ said Clayton.

‘I wish there was,’ said Leith, ‘‘cause if there was...I’d give you the biggest hug ever! Oh, Clay’, oh... Oh...!’ The Cooper’s headlights began to fill with oil, and shortly after, it was streaming down his bumper. ‘Clay’...I missed you so much!’

‘Ah, kid, I missed you too! I’ve been waiting all this time to come and finally visit the place,’ said Clayton happily. ‘I knew that visiting yer would be the cherry on the cake for yer this Christmas.’

Leith wiped away the oil on his bumper and glanced at Clayton, still bewildered at the sight before him. It still hadn't fully registered that Clayton was right beside him, the very friend he had spent many years playing and exploring with.

‘So, how’s life going for ya? How has it all been since I’ve been away?’ asked Clayton.

‘Clayton...good grief... Where do I start?’ chuckled Leith.

He told Clayton all about the rollercoaster of a year 2020 had been. From the coronavirus to multiple protests, to election drama and stay-at-home orders, Leith told him all. By the end of his essay, Clayton looked very bewildered indeed.

‘You sure you haven’t made that all up? ‘Cause if yer have, tis an essay and a half!’ huffed Clayton.

‘I wish I had, Clay’, but it ain’t no lie,’ sighed Leith. ‘This year... Heh... It’s been a toughen...’ His mind rewound to his final day with Clayton when Kaleb and he had played hide and seek together. That day had placed a permanent wound in his engine, as it was the last day he had spent with the closest friend he had. Oil started to stream from his headlights once more. ‘And you not being here... It’s made it so...so hard.’

‘It’s alright, buddy, it’s alright,’ said Clayton softly as he hovered his front left tyre above Leith’s hood. ‘There there, it’ll be okay.’

‘I’ve... I’ve tried to move on, Clay’; I have tried so hard... But...you always find a way... Always...’ croaked Leith sadly. ‘And I don’t mean that in a bad way, not at all. Just...it just upsets me so much.’

‘But think of all those good times we had together,’ Clayton persisted. ‘Think of all those games, think of all that exploring we did in the forests. Think of everything bright and happy...when we were living life...when we were happy— because those times are what should be remembered the most. Because when yer got happiness, yer got everything you ever need.’

Leith cleared the oil from his bumper and smiled at Clayton. Hearing those words had made him feel much better. ‘I’ll try... I’ll do my best. It won’t be easy... But that is what I will do.’

‘That’s a good liver,’ said Clayton happily. ‘You always pull through the end because, behind that jumpy and jolly persona, you’re a strong liver.’

‘And I will keep being strong... For you... For everyone,’ said Leith determinedly. ‘Because, as you said, when you got happiness, nothing can stand in your way.’

‘Good...good...’ sighed Clayton. ‘I think...err...it’s almost time for me to get back into the clouds... They’ll be wondering where I’ve got to.’

‘I never did ask: what is life like...after...you know?’ Leith asked Clayton.

‘I shan’t bore you with the details, but it’s like Earth...but with a lot of boomer livers, as you youngins term them!’ chuckled Clayton. ‘But...it does depress me when I see a modern liver pass by on the opposite lane. It...just makes me think what it went through to end up there.’

‘Life’s a B-word, ain’t it?’ sighed Leith.

‘Kid, that is the closest...you’ve ever come to profanity!’ said Clayton with a surprised expression. ‘Guess I was wrong to doubt you on your essay of this year! You cussing? Makes everything else you said ‘bout the year look tame in comparison!’

Leith couldn’t help but let a chuckle escape from his mouth. He glanced once more at Clayton’s transparent body and smiled a big smile. ‘I guess I won’t see you for a while...or again.’

‘Even if I’m not here, I’ll always be watching you from up there, checking in to make sure you —and everyone else I spent my life with— is living theirs to the happiest and fulfillest they can,’ said Clayton. ‘That is my ultimate wish...and I know that you and them will accomplish it.’

‘I promise, Clay’, I promise you’ll be proud of me...and everyone you cared about,’ said Leith happily.

‘Thank you,’ said Clayton. ‘Tis time I was headin’ up. I’ve my own Christmas to celebrate!’

‘Goodbye, Clayton,’ said Leith quietly.

‘Will always be looking down on yer, buddy,’ replied Clayton. Then, in streams of colourful and bright lights, Clayton disappeared.

Leith was alone once more. But this time, he was happy. He was happy knowing that his best friend was watching down on him and his friends, making sure they were as happy as could be. He looked up at the starlit sky, thinking of happy memories of him and Clayton. With a warm feeling running through his oil, he turned his ignition on, turned himself around, and headed home.