The Christmas Elves - 1. Chapter 1

I was up and all ready for another boring day in the 5th grade. I had put off my homework till this morning and was trying to divide 25 into 2314, what a stupid task, I thought as my mom walked into my room.

“Chad darling,” she says with a tired look on her face, “school has been canceled because of all the snow, so you will have to take care of your self and your brother today,” she tells as she turns to leave, “There’s 20 dollars on the table in the hall for you on your brother, order a pizza for lunch,” she says with a distracted look on her face, “you two are on your own for breakfast,” she says from down the hall.

I know the drill, my brother Chris can be such a big pain in my ass, I think to myself, loving that I can think all the bad words I want. I drag myself away from my homework that never got done and prepare myself for the day taking care of my baby brother, well he is almost 5 years old, but still, he can be such a baby.

“I DON’T WANT TO GET DRESSED,” Chris yells from down the hall. This is going to such a great day, I think as I hurry up and get my coat on to go see the snow, the first snow of the year!

“CHAD,” my mom yells for me from my brothers room, “ come in here.”

“COMING ,”I yell back, as I hurry and zip my coat running to my brothers room, as I enter my brothers room and stop as my mom almost runs over me as she is leaving his room.

“There you are young man,” she says, “I need you to get your brother dressed, I’m late for work and don’t have time to deal with him.”

“But mom,” I plead, “I was going outside to see the snow.”

“The snow will still be there,” she informs, me as if I don’t know this already, “be a good boy and help your brother, then you can go play in the snow and make sure you feed him and that he wears his coat and gloves,” she says, “and don’t get into trouble, Chris do what your brother says, he’s in charge till I get home,” she says and walks away with a smile on her face. I hear the front door close and I know this is going to be a great day.

I turn to see my brother jumping on his bed totally naked. Geese, I think, he has no common sense. “Get down from there and let’s get get you dressed so we can go outside and make a snow man,” I tell him thinking he will surely want to go play in the fresh snow.

“I don’t want to get dressed, it’s so much more fun to just go naked,” he says as he starts laughing.

“But you have to do what I say,” I inform him in a strict voice, “Mom said so.”

“Moms not here,” he reminds me.

“Fine I say,” calling his bluff, “if you want to run around like Adam all day I don’t care,” I say figuring it’s easier this way, it works for mom.

“Really?” he says, looking excited.

“Sure, if you want to, but your going be very cold outside like that,” I inform him. I figure he will get dressed seeing the logic but, instead he jumps off the bed and runs down the hall naked as a jay bird to the kitchen. He is such a baby, I think as I follow him to the kitchen, taking off my coat and gloves as I go.

“I want pancakes,” he whines.

“You’ll eat what I give you,” I tell him what I hope is a firm voice.

“Awww, you never let me have anything I want,” he complains. I ignore him and get the Fruit Loops and milk and sit down to breakfast.

“Aren’t you cold, sitting there in your birthday suit?,” I ask while I eat as fast as I can.

“Nahh,” he says with a mouth full of cereal, “besides now if I make a mess, I’ll clean up a lot easier than those stupid clothes,” he reasons and with a big smile on his face as he takes a spoon full of milk and dumps it in his lap and laughs.

“CHRIS,” I say exasperated, “ why would you do something stupid like that,” I chastise him. He gets a hurt look on his face and before he can start balling, I say, “it’s ok, don’t cry,” and I get up and get a towel to clean him up. As I start to clean up the mess I say to him, “we can go build a snow fort and have snowball fights and have lots of fun, mom won’t be home all day and she left us a whole 20 dollars for lunch!”

“Really?,” he says getting excited now, “I want to build a snow castle, with a moat and everything!”

“Yes we can do all that and more, now let’s get you dressed,” I tell him hoping he stops this foolishness.

“Awww do I have to get dressed?” He asks in a whinny voice, “we don’t even have school,” he informs me, “and besides you promised,” he says as he makes that puppy dog face.

“OK, look,” I say, “if you really want to build a snow castle in your birthday suit, go ahead, but don’t come crying to me that you’re cold,” I have a big smile on my face knowing he is in for a BIG surprise. “I’ll get out coats,” I tell him.

“No, you said I could go nakie,” he reminds me.

“Well ok I’ll get my coat then,” I tell him, smiling and trying not to laugh. He stands there tapping his foot and his hands on his naked hips.

“Hurry up already, geeze,” he complains “we will never get outside, you should go nakki too,” he says. He’s bouncing up and down looks very cute, the little shit is alright, I think as I watch him while I get all bundled up for the cold. I can’t wait till I open the door and watch him freak out in the snow.

“Time to go, are you ready?” I ask him, trying to draw it out and build up his excitement.

“YES,” he screams as he jumps up and gives me a big hug.

“Hey get off me you Fag,” I say in a teasingly sort of way.

“What’s a fag?”he asks curiously.

“Never mind,” I say, “let’s go,” I say as I open up the front door and stand aside and just watch, this is going to be good, I think.

He runs at full speed and leaps into the air like Superman and dives head first into the nearest snow bank and goes all the way in up to his waist, only his bottom is sticking out of the snow. He doesn’t move for a few seconds and then he starts to struggle and I hear a muffled cry of “help, I’m stuck.” My little brother always clowning around, I think as I walk over and grab him by the ankles and tug.

“Owww, that hurst” he complains, “be careful,” comes a muffled cry.

“Ok, hold on a second, you are really wedged in there,” I say as I try to figure out how get him out.

“Well hurry up, it’s really cold in here,” he says in a shaky voice.

“I told you not to go outside in the snow naked, but you wouldn’t listen, now look at you,” I say as I try to think fast. “How do I get you out of there,” I ask myself under my breath.

“What did you say?” He asks me in his muffled voice.

“Nothing,” I say, “ maybe I should call the fire department,” I say teasing him.

“NO,” he screams at me, “ mom will kill me,” he sobs.

“Don’t worry I won’t, i was just kidding,” I tell him trying to reassure him. “I’m going to grab you by the waist and you push with your hands and then we can get you out,” I tell him confidently. “On a count of three,” I tell him,,, ONE…TWO….THREE,” and give his waist a big tug. “Damn, you are slippery,” I say before I realize I used a bad word. My Hands slip down his waist and I am barely able to get a grip by lots of pressure on his lower tummy and tug with all my might. He pops out and we end up all tangled up.

“Uggggg,,,,, get off me you fag,” I say as I realize that his ding-a-ling is right in my face. We slowly untangle our selves and he is laughing really hard and that makes me laugh and soon we are both doubled over hardly able to breathe.

“Stop it,” I say, “do you still want to build a snow castle in the nude?” I ask him.

“No,” he says sheepishly, “I want go inside I’m freezing,” he says with chattering teeth.

“Ok come on then,” I say and take his hand and we go inside. I look around and see Tom our neighbor is watching with eyes as big as watermelons. I should say something, but what?, I think, but decide to just ignore him and head inside.

Once inside I get out of my wet clothes and say we need to get you into the tub, it’ll warm you up,” I tell him.

“I want go out and play,” he whines.

“Bath first,” I insist.

”Fine,” he says reluctantly, “but then we get to go outside?” He asks with big eyes looking at me.

“Yes, outside and play then,” I tell him, “but you have to get dressed.”

“Ok,” he agrees, and we head up stairs to get him in the tub. I’m running the bath and he is shivering so I put a towel around him and rub him all over to warm him up. I think to myself, maybe I shouldn’t have let him go outside naked, but how was I to know the little fart would jump into a snow bank? He’s in the tub finally and his teeth have stopped chattering and now he has a runny nose, he looks like he getting sick.

“Are you ok?” I ask him getting really concerned now.

“I don’t feel so good,” he admits.

“I’m sorry,” I tell him, “I should have never let you outside naked.” I think I’m going to be in big trouble when mom gets home. “Promise me that you won’t tell mom I let you go outside naked?” I tell him more than ask.

“I won’t, but can we still go out and play?” he asks with a small voice.

“I think we better get you in bed,” I tell him with concern in my voice.

“I want to watch TV,” he says.

“Ok, you can lay down on the couch,” I tell him, “ I’m getting your PJ’s, stay here, I’ll be right back,” I say as I run down the hall and find his Pjs. I get him settled on the couch with the remote and go to the kitchen to make some chicken soup, mom always makes that for me when I’m sick. I find the canned soup and make it nice and hot and realize that I have not heard the TV or anything from the living room.

“Chris?” I say in a loud voice, but get no response. I forget the soup and run back to the living room and see Chris asleep on the couch. I feel his head and he is really hot. Shaking him I say” Chris, Chris, wake up,” but he doesn’t respond. Oh GOD, I think he’s dead, what do I do? I collapse on the floor in front of him and start to cry. I hear a voice through my tears and turn to see a little man staring at me. How strange, I think. “Who are you?” I ask more confused than ever.

“I’m a Christmas elf,” he says with a toothy grin.

“My brother is dead and I don’t know what to do,” I tell him through sobs, “and it’s all my fault,” I admit.

“Nonsense child,” he says “he’s not dead and nothing is your fault,” he tries to reassure me.

“He’s,,,he’s not?” I ask hesitantly, while I look at my brother laying still on the couch.

“He is only sleeping and will wake as soon as I tell him to,” he claims.

“Chris,” I say loudly and shake his shoulders. “Well what are you waiting for, tell him to wake up,” I demand.

“Not so fast,”he says, “ there is the question of payment, nothing in life is free,” he informs me. He looks at me in a queer way, like I should know this. ‘Didn’t you parents ever teach you that basic lesson?” He asks in a weird voice.

“I don’t have any money,” I say almost crying.

“Money?,” he asks, “what do I want with money?” He says in a sarcastic way.

“I will give you anything I have, what do you want?” I ask in a timid voice.

“Will you really give anything?” He asks in a very serious tone.

“Yes,” I proclaim in a strong voice.

“Ok,” I’ll agree to those terms,” and offers his tiny hand, “shake on it he says” and spits in his palm and just looks at me waiting. I shrug and spit in my hand and shake his tiny hand. His hand is so tiny I am afraid I might crush it and when he lets my hand go I see his hand is completely covered with my spit, but I notice the spit is absorbed into his hand. He then walks over to Chris he leaps up on the couch because he is only 3 inches tall. “Chris,” he says in a soothing voice, “time to wake up now, you slept long enough,” he make a gesture over Chris’s head while chanting,”adfhygbbnj,,,,,fghhjjhgg,,,,,” and steps back.

I rush to my brother’s side and shake him and again calling his name, “Chris, ,Chris,,, wake up”, I say, “please don’t be dead,” I plead, “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to die,” I say as I’m crying.

Chris wakes up and sad, “ I’m not dead, I’m hungry, can you make me a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” He looks at me and gets scared, “what’s the matter, don’t cry,” he says in a small voice, “I won’t be bad anymore, please don’t be mad.”

I give him a big hug and ask, “you’re ok?, really?”

“Get off me you fag,” Chris says and starts to laugh and that makes me laugh.

After I stop laughing I look at him and say, “you don’t even know what a fag is,” and we both start laughing all over again. I look around suddenly remembering the little man, but he is nowhere to be seen.

“What are you looking for?” He asks while he looks around as well.

“Nothing,”I say as I feel his forehead, “ you seem fine to me,” I tell him.

“Why wouldn’t I be fine and why am I in my Pjs?” He asks, confused.

“Don’t you remember, you went out side to play in the snow in your birthday suit and got sick,” I say concerned.

“Don’t be stupid, I would never do that, stop teasing me,” he says, “I’m hungry.”

“You’re always hunger, come on let’s go eat you little fart,” I say as I give him a noogie. Nothing else special happens that day and I soon forget the little man, maybe I just made him up in my mind, I think, or at least until later that night when I’m awaken by a tapping on my head.

“Whaaat?”I say irritated.

“Time to pay up, or forfeit,” I hear a voice say. I bolt upright in bed looking all around. That was some dream I think to myself. I lay back down and once again a tapping on my head, “who’s there?,” I ask, not really expecting to get a reply.

“Do you remember our deal?” The voice answers.

“Why can’t I see you?” I ask while looking all around.

“You will see me if you look,” the voice says.

“I don’t see anyone….,” I say, but then I do see something or someone.

“Do you remember our deal?” The voice asks again.

“Yeah, I do” I respond, “what do you want, I’m tired.”

“Come with me of your own free will,” the voice says.

“I can barely see you,” I say.

“Just hold your hand out and repeat after me,” the voice says.

I hold my hand out feeling foolish and then I feel a warm hand on mine, “I go with this elf of my own choosing and my own desire,” I repeat the words and suddenly I’m not in bed anymore, I don’t feel dizzy or anything, I’m just not there anymore. “Where am I?” I ask, confused.

“You are at the North Pole,” the little man says as he sits in the palm of my hand, “where did you think you were, the moon?” He says in a funny voice that makes me giggle.

“How did I get here and why am I not cold, there’s snow everywhere,” I ask looking all around. I find myself standing in a clearing of snow and other little men running around and children like me dancing and playing. There is the largest Christmas tree I have ever seen, I get dizzy looking up at it, it must go up for miles, I think. There are hundreds of Christmas presents under the tree.

“Wow,” I say, “you mean Santa Clause really is real and his elves and his slay, where is his slay, and can I meet Santa and,,,,,,”

“Hold on there Chad,” he says, “take a breath, one question at a time,” he chuckles, “you’ll hyperventilate. I look into my hand an see the little man just sitting there with a big smile on his face, waiting for me to catch my breath. I finally take a deep breath and he continues, “you got here by magic, only the magic of a child can get you here,” he tells me. I start to say something but he holds up his tiny hand to my mouth. “You have been brought here because you failed to take care of your brother, he almost died and you should have known better,” he tells me cruelty. I start to feel sad, but suddenly it does not seem to matter, I am scared that I could feel this way, but then almost as soon as I start to feel anything negative, I feel good.

“What’s happening to me ?,” I ask, “why can’t I feel anything except happiness, I mean I guess it’s ok, but it’s weird is what I mean.”

“You are here because you are here and can be no other place except where you are,” he says in a mysterious voice.

“What is that supposed to mean,” I say irritated, but then find I am no longer irritated. I feel like I have work to do, I think. “ I need to get to work, so much to do, so little time,” I say in a voice that I hardly recognize. I look down at my hands and is it my imagination or have my hands always been this small?, I wonder and then quickly dismiss that foolish idea. “Show me my work station,” I tell the elf in my palm, is he getting bigger?, I wonder as I set him gently on the ground.

“Very good young Chad,” he says, “follow me,” and walks off to a little house. I’m told to make I-Phones and I-Phone accessories.

“Umm,” I start, “how do I make,,,,” but then stop myself, realizing that I know exactly how to make them, it’s easy a little magic here and a little love there and presto, an I-Phone. I quickly get to work thinking only happy thoughts. A whistle blows after several hours, but it feels like only 10 minutes have passed.

“Hi there,” I say as I walk over to the break area, “ I’m new here, I’m Chad,, I think,” strange my name seems weird, almost like it’s not my own, I think as I grab a mug of egg nog. “I love this stuff,” I say as everyone stares at me. “What?” I say, wondering what’s up.

“It’s just that you are so big,” a elf says.

“Shhh,,” another says as she puts her finger over her mouth, “you know we can’t talk about that, not here,” she says in a hushed voice.

“Break times over, everyone back to work,” comes a voice over the loudspeakers. I head back to make more things for good little boys and girls and have a second to think, what was that about me being big?, oh well never mind, too much, too much to do, too little time, “hi-ho, hi-ho, it’s off to work I go,” I sing to myself. Hmmmm,,now where did I pick up that song? I wonder as I quickly get into the swing of things.

“BUZZZZZZZZZ,,,,BUZZZZZZZZZ” I hear from somewhere, “where is that coming from?” I ask myself. I look around and see a candy cane that is lighting up with the buzzing sounds. “Oh that’s right,” I say to myself, “how could I forget!, it’s the Santa phone.” I pick it up and say “hello?”

“This is dingle,” says the voice on the other end,” I need to see you in my office right away.” Then he hangs up, strange, I think, who is this dingle elf anyway?” Well no worries, I better go see what he wants, I think to my self as I make my way out of the cottage. I get half way to dingles office before I realize that I have never met him and have no idea where his office is.

“Am I losing my mind?” I say to no one in particular, as I continue down the gummy drop lane. There’s something about gummy drops that I used to know, I think. “Didn’t some I knew love gummy drops?” I ask myself. It’s on the tip of my tongue, Chris?, but who’s that?, I just can’t quite remember, oh well maybe it’ll come to me later.

“Hello?” I say as I open the ginger bread door to the head elf’s office. There is no one here, there should be someone here, I was sure.

“I’ll be right there,” I hear from a voice from behind the desk, “I look but I don’t see anyone, anywhere.

“I’ll just sit down then,” I say, “I’ve been working all day, busy, busy, ya know with the big day coming up so soon.” A tiny elf walks around the tea cup and surprises me, I jump out of my seat and almost screech.

“Sorry I didn’t mean to scare you young elf,” he says.

“Oh it’s ok, I was just surprised, I didn’t see you th,,,,,,wait,” I interrupt myself, “ what did you call me?,” not sure if I head right.

“Young elf,” he says, “that’s what you are, aren’t you?,” he asks, eye brows raised.

“Ummmmm, I’m not a elf, I’m a boy, I think,” I say unsure of even that.

“Nonsense, young elf, where did you get such a ridiculous idea,” he say with a hint of irritation in his voice, “ have been talking to Prancer again?,” he asks, “I’m going have talk with him, he is such a jokester, but this time he has gone too far.”

“Prancer?,” I ask perplexed, “ no I haven’t been talking to anyone except the other elves,” I say. “I do recall that Jenny said I was really big, but that’s all,” I say hesitation in my voice. I pause just looking at him and waiting on know, “am I’m big?” I ask starting to worry that something is not quite right

“Never mind,” he says flatly, “hows work going?” He asks, changing the subject.

“It’s good, I’m ahead of schedule and feel happy, come to think of it I’m always happy?,” I ask more than I say. I think for a minute and then before I can stop myself, I say,” are you happy all the time?”

“Of course,” he says like it’s the most normal thing in the world, “why wouldn’t I be?” He says as he is looking me over from head to toe.

I think about it for a minute and I don’t know what to say so I just say,”I don’t know, but it feels like I’m forgetting something very important,” I confess.

“Pish paush,” he says, “ everything is as it should be, unless,,,,”, he says and stops before he goes on, “no that’s not possible, never mind,,” he says. He thinks for a minute and then says, “head home and get a good days sleep and we will see you yesterday,” he says and then waves his hand n a go away gesture.

I turn to leave and I stop, my hand on the door knob, “what did you just say?,” I ask, “did you just tell me to get a good days sleep and you’ll see me yesterday?” I ask, thinking this is all backwards.

“What?,” he says, “don’t be silly young boy, I have way too much work,” he tells me, “I don’t have time to chit chatter with the likes of you,” he says sharply. “ you are dismissed,” and walks away behind the tea cup.

“That was strange,” I say to myself, “I know tomorrow is not yesterday and that I should be sleeping at night, I think?” I’ll have to give this some more thought, I think to myself as I walk to my home that’s not my home, “wait,” I say to myself, “there it is again, that feeling that something is not right, or is it?”I question myself. Did he call me young elf and then later call me young boy, I wonder as I walk along the gummy drop lane. “Boy, it’s starting to get cold, I must have forgotten to put on my coat, I think without even realizing that I never needed a coat before.

“Mom I’m home,” I say as I open the door to a gingerbread house I live in. “Mom?” I say louder, I wonder where she is. I hear several voices as I walk into the kitchen and for a minute I see a boy all bundled up in blankets with a blue face and men all standing around him and murmuring back and forth. “What’s going on here,” I say as the door shuts behind me.

Ben looks up from his pudding and says “welcome home Chad.”

“Oh hi Ben,” I say hesitantly, not sure where I know him from. “I have had the weirdest day every,” I say, looking around at the kitchen I’m in, it’s not my kitchen, it’s made of candy and ice cream fountains, this should be weird, but the wired part was that other kitchen I thought I saw, I must have over worked today I think to my self as I sit down on a toad stool.

“Who were you calling to when you came?” he asks.

“My mom, isn’t she here?” I say as I realize I don’t have a mother, elves don’t have mothers, do they?

Be gets a strange look on his face and says, “You know we have forget all that nonsense stuff from when we used to make up stories as young unns, I need to get some air, I’m going out to the great tree,” he says, “why don’t you join me?”he asks me.

“Yeah, that’s what I need some fresh air, the smell of all those wet clothes is enough to drive me crazy,” I say as I turn to head to the door.

“Chad?” Ben calls to me, “are you doing ok?, there are no wet clothes here,” he informs me with a worried look on his face.

I turn around to tell him I’m fine when I suddenly see a boy in his place, a blond haired 5 year old boys with a smile that would melt anyone’s heart, I run to him and plead with him not to play outside in his birthday suit. “Chris, NO, you can’t go out there, PLEASE, PLEASE, DON’T GO,” I beg holding him as tight as I can. “I won’t ever call you names again and I’ll never be mean to you again, in fact you can be mean to me if you like, just don’t go out side,” I say as I collapse on the floor.

I open my eyes and see a curtain and a brown ceiling. I try to sit up and something is holding me in place. “HEY!” I yell. I wait for a little bit and try again, “I SAID HELLO?” a little bit less forceful, a elf stands next to the bed, he is a bigger elf than I usually see.

“Well I see you are awake,” he says.

“Well DUH,,,” I say sarcastically, “what happened?” I ask.

“You collapsed in you home.” He informs me while looking at a clip board.

“Wait, where is my home?” I ask confused, “ my real home or my,,, ummm,, North Pole home?” I ask uncertainty.

“Oh dear me, oh dear me,” he says as he runs out of the room.

“Come back, why am I tied down,,, “ I say to myself, realizing that I’m once again alone. I have some time to think and I remembered something about Chris, was that his name? I’m not sure but didn’t he freeze outside?, no that’s silly no one freezes outside, right? I wish someone was here to answer my questions.

“Chad?” I hear a pleasant voice calling to me, it’s familiar, but who is it? “It’s me, you friend ,Ben, remember me?” he says in a quiet voice.

I look up and see my elf friend Ben, “Ben, oh thank GOD you’re here,” I say relived at last. “I’ve had the most terrible dream,” I tell him. “I dreamed that I froze to death or was it someone else, anyway,” I say, “I know that sounds weird and everything, I mean no one gets cold or ever freezes, but it was so real,” I tell him and realize I’m crying.

“Chad,” he starts, “I need to tell you something,,”

“No, don’t say it, whatever it is I don’t want to hear it, I just want to be happy again, I can’t take the pain,” I say interrupting him, “you don’t know what’s it like, to feel like that, I should have been the one that died it was all my fault,” I say through tears. I burrow my face in my hands and weep uncontrollably.

Ben puts his arms around my shoulder and it feels nice, but…, “Ben, can I ask you something ?” I say, “and be honest with me, are we elves?”

“Of course we are, but I don’t think we started out that way, I mean I was just here, kinda like you I guess,” he admits, “oh no, I’m sorry please don’t say anything I wasn’t supposed to say that, I’ve always been so stupid,” he tells me with a look in his eyes, of fear? “I have to go, the big man is coming and I don’t want to be here when he gets here,” and as he is leaving he says,” get better and remember no matter what, I’m always your friend,” he says as the door swings shut.

The door creeks open slowly and a shadow appears over my chest, I look up and see an out line of a very large man. He looks scary, but also not scary and I’m unsure how to react. I just lay there completely still and close my eyes, maybe if he thinks I’m asleep he’ll go away.

“Chad,” he says in a husky voice, “I know you’re awake.” He waits and I keep my eyes shut, after a short while he says “ OK, you can just listen for now, I know what you are going through, I’ve been there myself,” he admits, “and it can be very scary and confusing.”

“Wh,,who ,,, are,, you?” I say afraid he might be my worst nightmare. I try to sit up but I’m still tied down.

“I’m Santa of course, but you already know that, we met only a month ago,” he says like it’s really true, and in a strange sort of way I believe him. “You look like I’m crazy,” he says in a half joking, half serious voice.

“Wait a minute, are you says that Santa kidnapped me?”asking him, not wanting to believe such a thing.

“Well yes and no, you are here so if you look at in that way, then yes I kidnapped you,” he admits, “but since you volunteered to come here then I didn’t kidnap you,” he says, “ now do you understand?” He asks.

“Oh sure that makes it as clear as mud, thanks for everything,” I tell him sarcastically, “ you kidnapped me, because I would never have agreed to go with an old fart like you, heck, you don’t even look like Santa,” I say with full convection.

“If you say I kidnapped you then maybe I did, but I didn’t kidnap you at first, you volunteered, but you are here so maybe I did and maybe I didn’t,” says in a sing song voice, “ the only thing I can tell you is you are here and not there and that is a fact,” he says in his irritating way.

“Why won’t anyone give me straight answers and if I’m not kidnapped, why am I tied to the bed?” I ask with my eyes narrowed.

He looks down at me and says,” your not tied to the bed young boy,” he says happily, “what ever gave you that idea?,”

I pull my arms up as hard as I can and almost fall out of the bed, the only thing that keeps me from falling is Santa catching me, “careful there, Chad, I wouldn’t want to to fall,” he says with a smile on his face.

“Hey, “ I say, “how did you do that, I was tied to the bed just a minute ago,” I claim. I know I was tied down, but I’m not now, what is he try to do drive me crazy, I think.

“Chad, you wrote a letter to me about 2 months ago,” he claims, “do you remember?” He asks as he opens his coat and withdraws a folded piece of paper.

I stare at it horror, I’m afraid of that piece of paper, I tremble looking at it. “Get it away from me,” I want to scream, but my voice seems to be stolen from me, because all that comes out is a whisper. He hands me the paper and steps back. I stare at the letter knowing what it is even before I open it and read. “I don’t want to read this,” I tell him, “ take it back,” I say as I hand it to him.

He refuses to take it. “Go ahead and read it,” he tells me in a serious tone of voice, “ it’s what you wanted,” he tells me straight up. I read it slowly and look up at him with horror and start to speak, but no words come out.

“Why?” Is all I can manage to say as I break down and cry.

“There are some things that are out of even my magical hands,” he says with much sorrow in his voice.