The Christmas Elves - 2. Chapter 2

I must have fallen asleep, when I wake up, a nurse is looking down at me and says, “ welcome back,” with a pleasant smile on her face, “ you gave all quite a scare for a while there, how do you feel?” She asks as she has her hand on my wrist.

“I’m thirsty,” I say with a scratchy voice.

A doctor comes in holding a folder and looks into my eyes with a flashlight and asks me,” how do you feel?”

“I’m thirsty,” I say again, it hurts to talk I wonder what happened.

He looks at the nurse and says something to her in a whisper, “ let him,,,,.. and don’t ….,,” he says so low I can’t hear everything he says. He smiles at me and pats my hand and says, “you’ll be fine, the nurse will bring you some ice chips,” he says as he leaves the room.

“What happened?” I croak, wow why is my throat so sore, I realize.

“You had an little accident,” she informs me, “your mom can’t come down to see you right now, but I’m sure she would want to if she could,” she tells me, “I’ll be sure to call her and let her know you are back from the North Pole,” she tells me with a wink.

“What did you say?” I ask, “did you say the North Pole?” I ask disbelieving what I heard.

“The North Pole?” she says and smiles, “heavens no dear, I said When you are out of the woods, as in you’re going to be just fine,” she insists. She hands me a glass with ice chips and tells me, “go slowly, you don’t want to choke,” she warns me, “you had a tube down your throat for quite a while so your throat will be sore for a while, try not to speak much,” she tells me, “now try to get some rest, if you need anything just push that button,” she says as she points to the button.

I lay there eating ice chips one at a time and wondering what happened, did I dream all that? It seemed so real, I can still taste the eggnog. I find it hard to keep my eyes open and as hard as I try, I can’t stay awake and soon I am dreaming again.

There’s some commotion in the room and I barely open my eyes to see two men hovering over me. “Whaaaa,,,” I try to say and clear my throat and say more clearly, “what happened?”

One man looks at me and then at the other one and shrugs and says to me, “you were in an accident, how much do you remember?”

I think for a minute and say, “ummm,,,, I was playing outside with Chris and he fell?,,,I think,” I say uncertainly, “and then we went inside and,,, and,,,” I say, trying to recall what happened, “an elf came and made a deal to save Chris and we went to the North Pole, not Chris, just me,” I say with a concentrated look on my face, “but he lied to me, is Chris ok?” I ask him, suddenly remembering he might be dead.

The men look at each other and then at me, “son, you and Chris have been in a coma for the last month,” he informs me, “you woke up last night, but he is still in a coma,” he says with fake sympathy on his face. “We don’t know when he will wake up, but don’t worry about him, he is in the best hands,” he tells me with some pride in his voice, “right now just concentrate on getting better and get plenty of rest, the nurse will be here to get some breakfast in you,” he says and they both start to leave.

“Ummm,, doctor?” I say,,, “where is my mom?,” is she ok?” I ask afraid something might have happened to her as well.

The doctors look at each other and hesitate for a minute before saying, “she’s umm..,, not,, well what I mean to say is,,,” he stammers.

“Someone will be in to talk to you all about that,” the other doctor says, “just know she is fine, no need to worry,” and quickly before I can ask or say anything else, they rush out the door. I am left laying there trying to figure things out, what happened to Chris? Where is my mom and why is she not here, is she mad at me, does she hate me?, I wouldn’t blame her, I hate myself.

I push the button for the nurse and when she doesn’t come I push it again and again…. The nurse shows up finally and says to me , “you only have to push it once,” she says irritated, “just have a little patience, now what do you need young boy?” It feels strange to be called young boy, but I dismiss that feeling and look at her with sleepy eyes.

“Is Chris ok and where is my mom?” I ask with tears starting to form in my eyes, I just know something bad has happened and no one will tell me anything.

“Chris?” She asks.

“My brother, Chris,” I say, “they said he was in a coma,” I say hesitantly, “is that somewhere close, can I see him,” I say, “ he must be scared to be all alone.”

“Oh,” she says, “I am your nurse,” she says, “I’ll have ask about your brother, he’s not in this wing.,” she informs me, “but I’m sure he’s fine and your mother,,,, ummm,,there will be someone here in an hour to have a chat about,, ummm her,, umm is there anything you need from me?,” she asks me with a weird look on her face, is she scared or something?, I wonder as I shake my head no. She quickly leaves, but right before the door closes, she tells me, “please don’t keep pushing the call button, it only takes once,” and the she is gone and I’m all alone again.

I find the tv remote and channel surf for a while, as I searching for something, anything to keep me distracted, I come across a news story and see my moms face on the tv screen, I turn up the volume and I hear this, “the grand jury is due to meet this morning to determine if Nancy Gilmore will be brought up on charges of child neglect and endangerment of her two young children who were found almost frozen to death just last month the front yard of her Denver home,” the report continues, but I turn it off, not wanting to listen any more.

Neglect?, endangerment?, what do they mean, she wasn’t even there, I was in charge, so if anyone should be in trouble it should be me right? I think to myself. I have to let someone know, I push the call button again and this time, I wait, I don’t want to get scolded again.

As soon as the nurse walks I start telling her, “my mom wasn’t even there,” I say all at once, “I was in charge, I should be in trouble, not her,” I try to explain.

“Shhh,” she coos, “nothing is your fault, just calm down,” she says as she puts her hand on my hand and looks me in the eye, “ a man is coming to talk to you and he will explain everything now your breakfast is almost here ,” she says as she raises my bed, “ I saw the food lady next door so you’ll be eating soon, just forget everything for now, here I’ll put some cartoons on for you,” and takes the tv remote and turns on the tv and I briefly see my mom’s picture on the screen again, she quickly turns to the Disney channel, “there watch some Duck Tails,” she says, “you like Duck Tails right?,” she asks, and leaves me alone wondering why no one will tell me anything. My brother in a coma? Where is this coma? Somewhere in this hospital or another hospital?, maybe it’s a different kind of hospital? Could it be he’s in the North Pole,?, maybe that’s what the grown ups call the North Pole? It’s just so confusing.

My thoughts are interrupted by breakfast lady coming smiling and singing Jing Bells, I remember that song was a real hit up north and it makes me smile and join in and sing along with her, “well someone’s in a good mood,”she says cheerily, we have, umm, let’s see,” she looks at a clip board, “ahh you are lucky, you get the deluxe breakfast of eggs bacon, toast with strawberry jam and a tall glass of milk,” she says with a wink and places a glass of something in from of me.

I look at her in disbelief and say, “did they put it all in a blender?”

“Sort of,“ she claims, “ this is a shake, full of everything a growing boy needs,” she says with a wink. I wonder if she has a tick because she keeps winking at me, I don’t say anything cause it would be rude, I just take the shake and smell it.

“It smells funny,” I say with my nose wrinkled up.

“Now drink it all up she says, it’s good for you.” That means it’s going to taste really bad I think to myself as I drink it.

“It’s not bad“ I say, “but can’t I have some real food, you know like real eggs and bacon?” I ask with what I hope are puppy dog eyes, it always worked on my mom and this reminds me of my mom and makes me a little sad, so I ask, “is my mom here?”

“I don’t know dear, I just feed the hungry children of the world,” and gives me another wink. I want to ask her why she keeps winking or if something is in her eye, but I let it go. “You enjoy the rest of your day and I’ll see you for lunch,” she says with a smile and leaves me to eat, or rather drink my breakfast, at least it’s not that bad, I think as I drink it slowly and watch Duck Tails.

There’s a knock on the door, but before I can say anything a man in a dark suit walks in and says, “how are we this morning?”

“I’m just fine,” I tell him, not sure how you are, I think, but don’t say that. “Who are you?,” I ask.

“My name is Jack Black and I’ve been assigned to your mothers case and I would like to ask you a few questions if you feel up to it young man,” he informs me.

“What is going on here,” a female voice from the door says. I look past Mr Black to see a slightly over weight woman standing with hands on her hips scowling at Mr Black.

“I’m Mr Black,” he says offering his hand to shake, “I just have a few questions for young mister Gilmore here,” he say gesturing to me.

“You know you can’t just barge in and talk to him like that:” she tells him in a harsh voice, “he’s a minor and you have to go through me or my office, did you do that?” She asks, and before he can yes or no she answers her own question, “ no you didn’t, now if you don’t mind I need to talk to Chad privately, I’m sure you know the way out,” she gestures to the door and stares him down.

“I’m sorry miss,” he says and drops his hand, at the door gives me a smile and a wink as the door closes, geese what’s with everyone winking at me?, I wonder as I stare at the closed door.

“I’m miss Jones, and I’ll be your case worker until this whole mess is cleared up,” she say with a smile, “now I know you must have a million questions, but let me start and tell you what I can, then you can ask me anything, OK?” She asks me in an inviting tone. I don’t know what to say, so I just sit there with Duck Tails playing in the back ground. “Let me turn this off,” she says as she turns the tv off.

“Hey, I was watching that,”. I complain.

“There will be time to watch cartoons later, but we need to talk right now,” she says seriously, “there are a lot of things going on and I need you to be strong for your brother and your mom,” she says as she looks at her clipboard, “I see that your dad is not in the picture?” She asks.

“He left us along time ago, I don’t really remember him much,” I say, not really caring one way or another.

“Ummm, yes, I see that,” she says as she writes something down, “now then, how much have you heard about everything going on?” She asks me.

“My mom is in trouble because of me, and my brother is in the North Pole, like I used to be?,” I say uncertainty.

“The North Pole?” She asks curiously.

“Yeah you know,” I say as if it’s obvious, “the coma,” I explain , “the doctor said I just came back yesterday from the coma and I was in the North Pole with Santa and his elves, I didn’t see Chris there, but it’s a big place,” I inform her. I look at with questioning eyes wondering why this is so head for her to admit, maybe it’s a secret or something.

“I see,,,” she says as he she writes something on her clip board again, “what’s the last thing you remember before you went into a coma?” She asks.

“Playing outside, cause it was a snow day, they canceled school,” I tell her trying remember it clearly, “we wanted to build a snow castle, Chris got really cold so I took him inside and gave him a bath,,, “ I claim, I don’t want to admit I let go outside in the buff, “then he got sick and an elf showed up out of nowhere and promised to make him better,” I say.

“An elf?” she questions me.

“Yeah, he was like 5 or 6 inches tall and he did make Chris better,” I claim. “I Went with him to the North Pole and made I-Phones for Santa, you know for his nice list?,” I ask her. She has this weird look on her face and I don’t what that means, but I don’t like it at all. “I guess he took him to the North Pole too,” I say obviously.

“Chad, listen to me now, this is really important, can you do that,” she asks me with a serious face.

“Sure,” I say a little bashful.

“There is no Santa,” she claims, “the North Pole is not real either.” I stare at my hands not sure what to say, did I just dream it all and if I did where is this coma place me and Chris have been?

“But then where is this coma place me and Chris have I been this whole time?” I question, “I remember helping all the elves and Santa make I-Phones,” I tell her with a completely serious face.

“Chad, your brother is on the 5^th floor in the intensive care unit, he is in a coma,” she claims, “do you know what that is,” she asks.

“Yes, it’s the North Pole, what the grown ups call the coma,” I say, “I remember being there and the doctor told me I got back yesterday,” I say starting to cry now because she won’t listen, “my brother needs my help to get away from Santa and his evil elves, he’s just a little guy,” I say as I keep looking at my hands not wanting to look at her in the eyes.

“Chad this may be hard to understand, but you and your brother have both been very sick and you almost died,” she says with a tear in her eye. She wipes her eyes with a Kleenex and says, “ your doctor said I could take you to see Chris after we finish our talk, but I think we need to go up there now,” she tells me as she pushes the call button for the nurse. I look all around the room not sure what I expect to see, maybe some sort of answers, but all I see is the room, a TV, a chair, monitors IV’s going into my arm, just normal stuff. I look back at her and just sit there in a daze.

The nurse comes in and the two ladies talk for a minute and then the nurse leaves. “Chad the nurse is getting a wheel chair, you are going up to the 5^th floor in style,” she says trying to make me smile or something. When I don’t say anything for while, she says, “it’ll be ok, the doctors tell me your brother is doing well, he’s just not awake yet, but they are positive he will wake up soon.”

I’m getting excited now and start to sit up and feel woozy and fall back down, “what’s wrong with me, I felt just fine a second ago, I say dazed.

“Take it easy Chad,” she says, “you have been off your feet for a month already, you are going to be weak,” she informs me. The nurse shows up with a wheelchair and helps me into it, I’m so weak, I can hardly believe it. The nurse pushes me down the hallway and to an elevator with my IV on wheels next to me, this is strange, I think as look around at my environment.

“Will I have to be in a wheelchair for the rest of my life,” I ask afraid to hear the truth.

“No,” the nurse says, “maybe another week give or two and you’ll get you strength back,” she says with a wink.

I can’t stand it any longer and before I can stop myself I ask her, “why do you people keep winking at me?” And then cover my mouth and say, “sorry,” not sure why I’m apologizing, except it seems rude.

“It’s ok,” she says, “it’s just something I have always done, does it bother you?” She asks.

“No I just was wondering was all, no one ever winked at me so much before,” I claim, I can’t believe I said that, my mom would be so mad, that’s right my mom.

“Why is my mom not here, is she with my brother in the coma place?” I ask.

“Let’s not talk about that right now,” Mrs Jones tells me. We arrive at the intensive care unit and it looks like the other hallway, exempt there are a lot more windows looking into rooms with beds and all sorts of wires and computers.

“Well hello Chad, welcome back, you are looking good,” she says looking me up and down.

“Back?” I ask, ”I don’t remember you or this place,” I say as I look around for something familiar.

“I am not surprised,” she says, “you were in a coma after all, I’m just happy to see you up and around,” she claims, “how are you doing?” She asks.

“I feel weak and I got dizzy when I first sat up, but I’m ok now,” I admit.

“Well that’s normal, it’ll pass and soon you’ll be back to your old self,” she says with a smile and a wink. What’s with all the winking? I wonder, maybe it’s some sort of job requirement or something.

“Now Chad, your brother is still sleeping and he you might not recognize him, he will look different and will be hooked up to different machines, but don’t let that scare you, he’s still in there and many think people in comas can hear you, so say good things to him,” she tells me to prepare me. “Keep your visit short and don’t be scared, he is doing very well,” she claims, “he just didn’t wake up as soon as you,” she informs me.

I’m wheeled in to his room and see a boy laying very still with a tube in his mouth and beeping in the background.

He has an IV just like me, but that’s not Chris, it has to be Ben, “Ben?” I say just above a whisper.

“That’s Chris,” Mrs Jones says, “remember the nurse said he might not recognize him at first, let’s get you closer so you can see him really close up,” she says as she pushes me closer.

I hold my breath and tentatively reach my hand out to take his, I stop just inches away unsure and look at Mrs Jones questionably, she nods her head and I touch his hand. He is cold and I remember it’s never cold at the North Pole until you are ready to come back, that warms my heart so I turn to Mrs Jones and whisper, “he’s going to come back soon,” I tell her with determination in my voice, “you always feel the cold on your way back, don’t worry, he won’t be long now,” I say to her as she gets a confused look on her face, but she just nods her head.

“Chris,” I say in a weak voice are you there you little fart?,” waiting for him to say, “don’t call me a little fart,” but he doesn’t even move. I look at his face and it’s blue, “why is his face so blue,” I ask, never taking my eyes off his face, “is it because he can feel the cold now?” I ask anyone who wants to answer.

“He’s not cold, I promise you,” the nurse says, “he can’t feel anything right now, he just sleeping.”

“But he has to feel the cold or he will never return to us,” I claim with much conviction, “don’t you understand,” I plead, “he has to be cold, he just has to,” and I start to cry. “ WHERE IS THE ICE MACHINE,” I scream, “WE NEED ICE, he has to be cold or he will never come back to me and it’ll be all my fault,” I say, my voice trailing off as my crying takes over. The nurse comes up and try’s to sooth me but I get even more angry and push her away, “why won’t you listen, we have cool him down, you don’t understand, I have to do this, I’m his only hope to save him,” I say uncontrollably, I’m starting to have trouble breathing, I can’t get enough air and I feel like I’m going explode. The nurse does something next to me and I start to get tired, “no,,, I say in a dwindling voice,,, no,,, let me go get ice, we need ice,,,,,,” I say as I fall asleep .

“What happened?” I hear myself saying.

“Welcome back,” I hear a familiar voice, “ I didn’t expect to see you again,” he says, “usually when one of us leaves it’s forever, but I’m glad you are back, Christmas is just around the corner and there is tons of work to do,” he claims.

“Where’s Chris, I have to se him right away,” I demand, “it’s a matter of life and death.

“Who’s Chris?” Ben asks.

“My brother,” I say with impatience.

“But I’m your brother,” he proclaims, “I’ve always been your brother.”

“No your not,” I say, and see the hurt in his eyes, “this place is not the a North Pole, it’s a place called the intensive care unit of a hospital,” I inform him.

“You’re lying,” he accuses me and then jumps down off his bed and starts to cry.

I feel bad but I don’t have time for this right now, I’ve got to find a Chris before it’s too late. I run outside and am freezing as soon as I’m outside, “oh no,” I say to myself, “it’s too late I’m already feeling the cold.” Still I have to try and run as fast as I can to Santa’s house and begin banging on the door, not caring that everyone is looking at me. “Open up you kidnapped my Brother,” I yell at the top of my lungs.

The door opens with a thud and I rush inside almost stepping on an elf in the process. I know where the big man is and make a beeline for his door, I don’t bother knocking, I just slam open the door and rush in and see Chris standing in from of Santa looking shocked. He looks to me and then to Santa with a confused look on his young face. He looks smaller than I remember, is he turning into an elf already? I wonder.

“Chad,” Santa say clearly, “I knew you would return,” he claims, “I saved your job and you can return to life here without any problems,” he states as if I’m here to stay.

“I’m not here to stay, I’m here for my brother,” I state plainly.

“Your brother?,” he asks with a questionable look on his face, “we are all brothers here, don’t you know that by now?” He asks.

“I mean Chris,” I say and point to him, “ he’s right there, how long have you had him?” I ask accusingly.

“Had him?” He asks in a confused voice, “he has just arrived and is here on his own request,” he claims.

“Oh like me?” I say, “did you promise to save my life if he agreed to be your slave too?,” I accuse.

“Slave?,” he asks, “nonsense young elf”, he says.

“And stop calling me an elf, I’m a boy and you know it,” I claim.

“Ahhh, I see now,” Santa states, “so you have not returned,” he admits, “ I don’t know how you got back here, but it’s time for you to return,” he says and presses a button on his desk I had not noticed before.

“Not without my brother,” I command. I feel sort of funny as the room gets all fuzzy and I feel like I’m getting sucked up to the ceiling and I see Santa and my brother watching me as I float away, “Chris, I’m sorry, I was a terrible brother,,, “ I say as I float farther away. “Feel the cold dear brother,,, remember feel the cold,” I say as I float up and away from the gingerbread house.

I bolt upright in a hospital bed and see a nurse standing beside my bed with her hands on my chest, “shhhh, “ she coos, “it’s ok now, just relax, the we just gave you a slight sedative to calm you down,” she claims.

“Where’s Chris,” I demand.

“Your brother?, he’s still in intensive care, but he’s fine, just sleeping there’s no need to worry,” she reassures me. The doctor comes in and looks me over and asks, “are you ok young man? You gave us quite a scare there,” he states, “I’ve never seen anyone react like that,” he claims.

“I want my mommy!” I demand, “ I want my mommy,” and keep says it as I lay back down, I keep saying it over and over again.

“I’ll see what I can do,” the nurse says, but I don’t really pay attention to her as she leaves the room quietly. I start to cry quiet tears and wonder why this is happening to me. Why did I let Chris go outside, why didn’t I just insist he get dressed up all warm, he was my responsibility and I let him and my mom down, I just want to say sorry and explain what happened. I can’t even do that cause she hates me and won’t come see me because I killed Chris, he will never come back from the North Pole and the evil Santa, I wish I could go back and bring a machine gun and make Chris come back.

The nurse comes in and I pretend to be asleep, she walks around and looks here and there, handling my IV and feeling my wrist and forehead and writing things down and then leaves. I realize that I’m all alone in the world now and that I better toughen up if I’m to survive, or maybe I can find my way back to the North Pole and live with my brother and be happy, even if I do forget him, I’m thinking as I start to drift off to sleep. I shake myself awake, this is no time to sleep, I have to do something, but what, I think. The so called doctors don’t know what’s going on and it’s up to me to save my brother or join him, I decide.

I feel someone gently shaking me and calling my name. I open my eyes and realize I must have fallen asleep. “Wha,,,what’s going on?” I ask with a shaky voice.

“It’s me, Sant and Chris needs your help,” he claims.

That wakes me up and I sit bolt up right almost banging my head into Santa’s head. “Is Chris ok?” I ask.

“He is just fine, but I don’t think he wants to stay,” Santa says with a smile on his face, “he’s like you and he wants to stay, but he is causing problems,” he tells me, “he wants to come back, but he is afraid.” He looks at me and sighs, “I am going to let you in on a secret that only I know,” he claims, “this secret if it got out would destroy Christmas for all the world, so I have to ask that you tell no one what I’m going to tell you now, do you agree?”

He’s looking deep into my eyes and I consider if only for a moment, “yes, I agree, but this better not be a trick like the last time,” I tell him.

“Oh no tricks, just the truth,” he promises, “and the truth is just between us, for Christmas’s sake,” he starts out by telling where he came from, “I was a boy a long time ago, I had a mum and a dad, I was very happy until one cold and stormy day,” he says with sadness in his face, “there was an accident, my carriage got stuck in the snow crossing a stream,” he recalls, “my dad did all he could to free us from the half frozen waters,” he tells with tears in his eyes, “he was not able to free the carriage, and it soon became obvious that we were stuck for good, we had to stay there till spring,” he says and sits down on my bed to rest. “We set up camp and made a fire, we spent the winter hunting and gathering,” he says remembering it more clearly now, “my dad and mum told us stories and played games with us, me, my three brothers and my baby sister,” he tells me with pride, “I was the second oldest, you see so it was my responsibility to watch over the younger ones when my dad went hunting, my older brother always went on the hunt with my dad,” he says with eyes getting a bit older looking as he tells his tail. “Then one time dad went on a hunt I was asked to come along and as you can imagine I was thrilled and almost jumped with joy to be able to on my first hunt,” he says with sadness in his voice, “ it was just me and my dad, we tracked a deer in the woods not far from our camp, when out of nowhere a wolf came out of the underbrush so close I could smell his foul breath,” he says as he stops and wipes his brow, “well I froze and not just from the cold, I was completely frozen with fear, I had a rifle, but I might as well have been naked for all the good it did me,” he says in an embarrassed voice.” He stops for a minute and I can see he is trying not to cry, “my dad got attacked and just stood there in fear, I didn’t run or yell or anything, my dad screamed and shot his gun, “ he recalls with sorrow, “ and that brought me out of my stupor, I raised my rifle and took quick aim and shot the wolf in the head, killed it with one shot,” he tells me with blankness in his eyes.”

“That sounds scary,” I tell him, “so was your dad ok?,” I ask him feeling what he must feel.

“Yes and no,” he tells me, confusing me a little, “you see and elf showed up and asked me they same question that your elf asked you,” he says with a small frown on his lips, “and as you can guess, I agreed just as you did young young Chad,” he reveals to me.

“So you were tricked too?” I ask astonished, “but then if you know how it feels to be tricked, why did you trick me?,” I ask more confused than before.

“I was not tricked and neither were you,” Santa informs me, “you see your memory of the events that brought you to the North Pole,” he admits with what seems like fear in his voice, “were forgotten, because at the North Pole, there is not sadness, or there is not supposed to be any sadness,” he informs me, “and the only way that is possible is to forget your past life, the good, the bad and everything else,” he admits with a heavy heart.

“But why would you want to ever forget your family and friends and everything?” I ask him curiously.

“Well you see if you don’t remember the past, then you will not miss your loved ones,” he states, “otherwise how could you ever be truly happy?,” he asks and just looks at me.

“But I don’t want to forget my mom and especially not Chris,” I tell him wanting to break down and cry.

“That was the problem with you and your brother,” he informs me, “you two are stronger than I ever was,” he tells me, “you see at some point in life at the North Pole, everyone there has a choice to make, stay there and be happy forever or return to your world with all the pain and live that comes with it,” he tells me with much sadness in his heart. “I decided to stay at the North Pole to avoid the pain because I knew was to blame for my dad getting killed and felt I could not face that,” he admits. “I decided that I should die in his place, so I stayed and was happy all the time,” he tells me in a jolly voice that suddenly that changes into a sorrowful voice, “I didn’t die in this world, at least not right away, I was sick with a fever and lasted several weeks until I decided to stay up north, “ he tells me. “I still missed this world so I Figured a way to travel back here using magic, but when I got back here I found out that all the pain comes back and I was over come and went to explore the houses of this world,” he explains “I saw the misery and sorrow and decided that I could help the kids of the world,” he tells me in a happy mood.

“Is that when you became Santa?” I ask feeling excited.

“First I had to go back to the North Pole and figure out how to do the impossible,” he says, “Because you see, I didn’t want to just help one or two kids or even a thousand, I wanted to help all the kids of the world,” he says with some pride.

“How could you ever help all the kids, it must be like a million or more even,” I say with eyes wide.

“Yes, that was the big problem, I was only one boy, I was not yet at that time the man I am today,” he reminds me, “I had a whole bunch of elves who like me left the other world behind for total happiness, each for their own reasons,” he tells me, “some had sad things in their young lives, some were abused or neglected, and many other reasons, but all of their own free will,” he tells me, “no one was kidnapped as you suspected.

“But,” I start to say and Santa holds up one finger, and I open my mouth to say something, but stop and wait my mouth hanging open.

“But,” he says, “your brother did not make any such deal with the elves , he got here another way,” he tells me.

Closing my mouth I think of what this means, was I tricked or,,? Finding my voice again I say, “but I still don’t understand, if Chris didn’t make a deal with the elves or with you, why is he at the North Pole?”

“That is the question,” he says with a satisfied look on his face, “I can see you are starting to understand young Chad,” he says with glee.

“But I don’t understand anything,” I try to tell him.

“I can’t stay much longer,” he tells me, “every minute I’m in your world,I get sadder and sadder, the only way to combat the sadness is to bring joy to the world,” he tells me, “I can only manage to stay in this world for short intervals or risk losing my ability to return up north, and if that happens Christmas will be over for the entire world,” he tells me with a heavy heart, “but I’ll be back, when I have had a chance to charge up my jolly meter,” he says with a wink.

“Keep strong and never give up on your brother, no matter what anyone tells you,” he says as he fades away like the morning fog, the last thing I hear is “HO-HO-HO,” and then he is gone.

“Well it looks like he’s awake,” the nurse says as she walks into my room, “and how are we feeling this morning?” She asks me as she feels my wrist.

“Santa came to me this morning,” I tell her excitedly.

“Wow,” she says, “that’s great, what did you ask him for?”

“Ask him for?” I ask confused, “I didn’t ask him for anything, “He asked me to help Chris,” I tell her.