The Christmas nativity scene was almost as sad as Baby Jesus’s facial expression. The church had drained itself of its last bipeds. Baby Jesus stared at me. I had to act. I stuffed his clayed body into my Saint Laurent tote bag and ran. My mother laughed heartily, and that made me panic a little. We sped away, like thieves escaping a heist. In this countryside ghost town, we passed a cop, who my mother thought was alerted. He was not. I gently released Baby Jesus in a forest bush. His rosy cheeks smiled at me for the first time.
Zoé Mahfouz is an award-winning French actress, screenwriter, and comedy writer, as well as a content creator working across fiction, nonfiction, and poetry. She holds a Master’s degree in Screenwriting from the London Film School. Her comedy screenplays have been recognized at international film festivals, including Canadian Screen Award-qualifying events. Her voice, described as “very tongue-in-cheek,” “kookie,” and “random,” is reflected in work published in over 80 journals worldwide, with pieces translated and anthologized in Japanese print publications, notably Ginyu and The Asahi Shimbun. A Best Small Fictions nominee, she is the author of ADHD in D Minor (North Meridian Press, 2026) and Borges Must Be Rolling in His Grave (Dancing Girl Press, 2025).
The Cabinet of Heed 