A Christmas Story

He seemed so tiny and fragile lying in my arms. I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I looked upon him. Blick had been a big part of my life for many years and although my parents had assumed he was a make believe friend I knew the truth.

I had been nine years old when Blick found me hiding in my garden from my parents, I cannot remember exactly why I was hiding, probably nothing more serious than avoiding chores. I remember, he had strolled into the garden whistling a merry tune with a spring in his step, he had on the strangest outfit I had ever seen, it was all reds and blues topped off with a pointy little hat. He came straight across the garden to where I was sitting behind a hedge, he poked his head around the edge and smiling said "How do you do?". I had been a little taken aback especially as this close I could see he was incredibly short, and I mean INCREDIBLY short for a grown up.

I said “hello” to him not sure of how I should answer this strange man. He introduced himself as 'Blick' and told me he had been looking for me a very long time, to find me, as I had a special destiny. I laughed so hard I nearly cried but there was something in the calm manner with which he looked at me that made me stop. He waited till I was silent once more and asked me if I wanted to hear a story. I was in no rush to face the music inside the house so I said "okay". He had made himself more comfortable sitting on the grass in front of me and began his tale.

His hat wobbled as he talked of Christmas as it once used to be, a magical time full of joy and wonder where the children of the world would write a wish to Santa and send it to the north pole. He talked of excitement, goodwill and festive cheer, he painted such a vivid picture with his words that I could almost hear the laughter and taste the puddings and mince pies. Christmas had lost its magic many years ago, it had been a subtle change so no one had noticed that present giving was very rare and although people sat down for a meal it was nothing like the picture that Blick had painted. People went through the motions but it was a soulless affair. The way Blick described it was certainly not like any Christmas I had ever experienced and I felt a little jealous.

Blick explained that it had all changed when Santa had been taken and locked up by the 'Indraci' a race of creatures who hate joy and happiness. They are of a similar size to elves but have slitted eyes and talons. Being creatures of snow and ice they thrive on cold and abhor heat, their leader is a rogue elf named Scatch who turned away from love and happiness and now called himself Santa Claws. Scratch had used his knowledge of the workshop at the north pole to sneak his Indraci past the defences and had descended on the helpless elves in a night of terror. Only a few had managed to escape and could do nothing as Santa and the other elves were taken.

Blick had been there that night and as he told of the horrors he had seen, he had to hold back the tears of grief, for his fallen friends. He told me how he had been ready to give up that night, but as he lay injured in the snow looking up at the stars, he became aware of what he had thought was a shooting star, but soon realised it was in fact the North Star. The light fell towards him filling more and more of his vision, he felt no fear as he was enveloped in the warm light. His wounds stopped hurting and he fell into a deep sleep. As he slept a voice spoke to him telling him of a child born to bring back the joy of Christmas, who needed to be protected whilst he learned how to fulfil his destiny, a child blessed with gifts who would need guidance if he was to have a chance. Blick had woken healed and whole and with a new sense of purpose, his journey had taken him all over the globe and many years but finally his search was over and he had found me.

I had listened to his tale in silence and even after he had finished I remember sitting there speechless, even though I was young I had sensed the truth in his words and I was left a little shocked. Finally, when I was able to speak I asked how he could be sure it was me, after all there are a lot of children in the world. He said quite simply he was one hundred percent sure because I was the only one that could see him, it was not till I was called in by my parents to face the music that I had realised what he meant. He had strolled in behind me whistling that merry tune of his and my parents did not bat an eyelid, the closest I think they got was mentioning a bird singing outside but I knew it was not.

I was then sent to my room upstairs which suited me fine, as suddenly I had questions to ask Blick, he followed me up to my room and as I sat on the bed he sat cross legged on the floor. I started off with the obvious "why couldn't my parents see you?, you were right in front of them whistling and they saw nothing and thought your tune was a bird!" he looked at me with that twinkle in his eye and said cryptically "They could not see me because they are not you" this obviously made no sense to me then and to be honest only a little sense now. I asked him about my destiny, what did it mean? What was supposed to fulfil? Blick very calmly explained to me that I was going to free Santa, the way he said it was so certain and sure yet at the same time a little nervous. I was only nine years old and suddenly felt the weight of the world on my shoulders, he smiled at me and told me not to worry just yet as he would help me and train me but I was not ready yet.

Blick became my best friend, not my only friend but definitely my best one. My parents put up with him for two years before they made me give him up, at that point I was old enough to realise that people thought it was strange to talk to what they thought was an imaginary friend. After that I was much more careful when talking to Blick and he seemed to think it was wise too. I had not started any training that I was aware of yet and now that I was older Blick seemed to think I was ready. It had been exciting for me as I was not sure what to expect and I woke early the morning I was to begin. it was summer time and the school holidays stretched out in front of me seemingly forever. I was a little disappointed when Blick had me start doing star jumps and running around the garden. I persevered, waiting for the special training to start but days went by with no change and I started to get a little fed up. I had complained to Blick but he just told me that I needed to be strong in body as well as mind and for now we would work on the body. Summer seemed to rush past in a blur of exercise and day trips with my parents, I had a great time but the regimented way I was having to exercise made the fact I had a destiny to fufill all to real. Autumn arrived and went as did winter then spring, I was getting super fit and was no longer picked last at sports. My reactions were getting faster and I was getting more competitive, I started to push myself harder.

Blick seemed pleased with the progress I was making and started to teach me meditation techniques that he said would strengthen my mind and relax my body to help it keep up with the relentless regime I was putting it through. This continued on for the next couple of years, I was starting to fill out across my shoulders and was competing against kids older than me in sports and classes as the techniques Blick taught me pushed my mind and body past any limits I had imagined. It was around this time that Blick told me I would need to step up my training, I remember looking at him in complete disbelief as I honestly thought there was no way I could push myself any harder, I was so wrong.

It was now in the middle of winter and the evenings had drawn in, there was a layer of snow across the garden although the odd bit of grass poked its head defiantly through the snow in places. Blick woke me after my parents had gone to bed and told me we were going outside, I reached for my dressing gown and slippers but he told me to leave them behind. That was how I found myself shivering and cold, standing in the garden wearing my pyjamas and nothing on my feet. I begged Blick to let me go in as I was so cold but he fixed me with a stare that had none of its normal twinkle. I clamped my jaw shut against any other complaints and he started to take me through some of the mind exercises he had been teaching me recently.

I felt myself calming and he told me to imagine pushing the cold slowly away from my body, I did it and although I did not feel warm I was no longer cold, it was like I created a barrier and used it to push the cold away. I was so excited by my success that I broke concentration to tell Blick it was working only to feel the cold rush back start me shivering again. It took a few more attempts to replicate this first success and I was so cold by this point that I dare not break concentration and feel again the icy tentacles of the cold reaching for me. I am not sure how long I stood there but I did not seem to feel cold any more and had managed to apply a little warmth as well. When he told me to do so I opened my eyes and gasped in shock as I saw the perfect circle of green around me were the snow had melted after being warmed by me.

The ground was mushy were the water had begun to soak in. I thought I caught a look of surprise on Blicks face but it was gone in an instant, I asked him what pushing the cold from me would accomplish and he told me “not a lot” and barked a little laugh. He explained briefly that eventually I would be able to push the cold out of an Indraci which would cause them to become sluggish and lethargic. The sun was just starting to peer over the horizon, chasing the night away and I realized I had been standing outside for most of the night. Now that my concentration had been broken I began to feel the cold again and so I had sneaked back to my room before my parents woke up and found me missing. I was strangely rested considering I was only now climbing into bed. I had stopped to look out the window at that circle of green and pinched myself to make sure I was not dreaming. I wrapped myself in the duvet and felt the cold seep out of my bones once more. I wanted to ask Blick what had happened that he had not expected but he had not followed me upstairs and it soon slipped my mind.

From time to time he would disappear for a day or so without notice and then come strolling back, I would always hear his merry whistling long before I laid eyes on him. This time was different though and he was gone for over a week and I was starting to get worried. Putting the time to good use I carried on with my exercises of the mind and body. I pushed myself harder surprising myself daily, exceeding what I thought was possible. My parents started to comment on the weird circles of snow and then one night I really concentrated on the cold moving from me and cleared our whole garden, right to the boundary but warming that much of an area had taken its toll on me.

I spent time practicing, just keeping me warm and pushing the cold further away from me which was less draining. It was an interesting conversation over breakfast that morning and I had to fight the urge not to laugh at the bemused look on their faces.

I was getting better at focusing my mind and decided that perhaps I had tortured my parents enough with these strange goings on. That night as I walked barefoot into the snow I focused on keeping the cold from my body but not affecting anything else, it took most of the night to get it right but I was finally able to hold the cold at bay just to the edge of me and not melting the snow as long as I moved around. Standing still caused the snow to melt beneath my feet but in a much smaller radius, the solution came when I tried the trick whilst out for the day with my parents. I had realized by pushing the cold to the edge of my body that my shoes and clothes protected the snow from the gentle warmth I applied to myself, stopping it melting any more than when anyone else stood on it.

I was really starting to enjoy this skill and wondered what else I could do when I heard the merry tune of Blicks whistle coming towards me, he sauntered into view weaving around the public that milled around the shopping centre we were in at that time. I remember wanting to ask him where he had been, although he probably wouldn’t tell me. The rest of the day spent choosing new clothes dragged, but finally was over and I was able to ask my questions of Blick. This time I was determined to get at least some answers, I was putting in all this effort and it was about time he stopped with the secrecy and I told him so.

He had gestured for me to sit on the bed which I did and he proceeded to tell me that he had been rounding up some of the remaining elves and this last week he had been with them on a scouting mission, looking for the last ones remaining from the workshop. This had been difficult because they had to rescue ten of their brethren from a band of Indraci and then leave no trail that could lead back to home and me. I will admit to feeling a little bit sheepish and selfish, when I heard what he had been up to, but I told him to let me know in future, what was happening. He had nodded and looked at me appraisingly as if seeing for the first time the young man I was growing in to.

The next few months had seen relentless training by Blick and I could sense the urgency growing. I knew the time was dawning where I would have to fulfil my destiny, I had felt excited but also scared by the prospect back then. I had learned more about what I was able to do with the cold and was now able to influence areas at a distance, it had been uncomfortable at first, as it took a while to perfect keeping the cold from myself as well as working on a separate area. I was sure this was going to help me immobalise Indraci so I practised hard. I fell into my bed each night in a state of exhaustion both physical as well as mental.

Blick had made me sign up to martial arts lessons the previous year and I was getting very good. At first I was not sure why, but he had told me that even a sluggish Indraci is pretty dangerous. I found that I had to hold back in classes as I realized that I was stronger and faster than most of the class now, the only time I could push myself to my full potential was with Blick who was surprisingly strong and agile. For an elf he was endlessly devious at hand to hand combat. I remember telling him that it seemed pointless for me to go to the classes when he was so much better than my teacher, he had smiled and told me that it was good for me to spend time with other people and be aware of their limits so as not to accidentally hurt them.

Blick was starting to disappear on a more frequent basis and for longer each time and he seemed more serious and intense than ever before, the whistling had stopped and the twinkle from his eyes had all but gone. I remember feeling feeling very worried and anxious, looking back that was probably why I discovered another skill to do with my mind.

I had been stood in the field at the back of our house, shielded from prying eyes by a row of conifers and using the techniques I had been taught to push the cold from a stone. I can only assume that I had a panic attack, as suddenly the size of the task that lay ahead had finally hit me and I was old enough now to realise the danger to me. My pulse had increased and my heart was pounding within my chest, I felt the world around me go dim as as I started to lose consciousness. The stone was the only thing I could see and my irrational fear seemed to link itself to this thing. I just needed to get away from this object but my legs were so weak and I sank to my knees feeling the dampness of the grass through my jeans. I flung my hands out towards the stone as if to push it away from me and the last thing I saw before the darkness claimed me was the stone jump into the air.

I awoke to a throbbing pain in my head and the chill from the cold damp grass seeping into me. Without thinking I pushed the cold away and immediately felt better. Regaining my feet I had walked over towards the stone, pausing to look at the dent in the grass where the stone had been laying. I went and picked it up seeing the grass spring back into place, the stone looked normal in my hands but then I dont know what I expected to see. I placed it back on the floor in its original position and went back to my starting place. I had forgotten the panic attack and remember being excited to try and move the stone again. I wish I could say I was able to reproduce the feat again but the most I was able to do was make it wobble a little, even then, I could not guarantee that I had not imagined even that.

I resolved to spend an hour a day on this new development but no more, I had to perfect the skills I knew about and it would be too easy to get distracted now. I made my way home after a short run to clear the cobwebs from my brain and had spent the evening with friends as I felt the need for some normalcy. I remember thinking during the next few days how they seemed to drag and that the endless waiting was driving me insane, looking back now I wished I had not been in such a hurry.

Blicks next return heralded change. I could see that from the purposeful stride that something was going to happen, he had signalled to me that I should go to my room, I was in the middle of dinner so I had wolfed down what I had left much to the disdain of my parents and excused myself from the table. Rushing up the stairs I found him sitting cross legged on the floor and I went to sit on the edge of the bed facing him. He had told me that the situation had come to a head and that I had been discovered by the Indraci and that we had to make our move now. I had sat there in shock and suddenly did not feel very ready for what was about to happen.

Following his instructions I got changed into some hardier clothes having been in pyjamas at dinner. I pulled on my jeans and t-shirt and then a light weight jacket that did not restrict movement. I had to wait until my parents had gone to bed before sneaking out, I was following Blick across the garden when I realised I had not even left a note. Blick turned as he sensed my sudden hesitation but had moved his head side to side at my unasked question, I knew then it was to late to turn back. We were approaching the row of conifers now and I could hear something chiming on the wind, it was like a chime only the notes were so pure and clear, I picked up my pace curious now but I stopped dead as the branches were parted.

It was not the elves standing there in a myriad of clashing colours that had shocked me, although at any other time that would have been plenty, it was the sleigh. Bright Red with a dark wood trim, the seats lined with white furs for comfort and warmth. Behind the seat there was room for what I guessed would ordinarily be a sack of presents but currently housed a small bundle of red and white fabric. There was a lantern affixed to a hook at the front which gave of a soft yellow light. Out in front, four reindeer attached by their harnesses, along which where little bells that chimed as they moved. I was struck dumb at seeing Santa’s sleigh and even though it was a long way till Christmas I had felt the joy and wonder that had been missing for so long. I wished that everyone could share this feeling. I could see the approving looks on the faces of the elves as they saw my obvious joy.

I had moved towards the sleigh and reverently slid my hand along the side, feeling the grain of the wood beneath my fingers, the graceful curves and the small pattern carved along its length of holly and presents. It was so silent other than the odd chime of the bells as I moved along and patted the reindeer’s flanks, seeing for the first time the names on the harnesses, Blitzen, Dancer, Prancer and Dasher. Finally I was stood in front and looking into the eyes of four reindeer and seeing an awareness that should not be there and I knew these animals were no dumb beasts. I glanced across at Blick questioningly who had said that I should get in the sleigh as I could not travel the same way as the elves I did not possess their magic.

I made my way down the other side stopping to pat Prancer and Dasher on the way. I settled myself on the furs and looked around not sure what to do, the matter was taken out of my hands when another elf came and sat beside me, his name he told me was Scootch and he took hold of the reins and I was forced back into the seat as the reindeer surged forward and we took flight. I doubt that any experience I will ever have will match up to that flight, the speed and exhilaration made me laugh out loud. I had plucked up the courage to look over the side and could see the lights that seemed to twinkle in the night below me, I watched as we flew over towns and villages and imagined people looking up and pointing in wonder at the spectacle above their heads but I knew we were too high and moving to fast to be seen. I settled back in the seat and was soon lulled into sleep by the sound of the bells chiming and the calming whoosh as we cut through the air.

I am not sure how long I slept for but when my eyes opened it was still dark out and I realised that the wind noise was louder and a lurching feeling in my stomach alerted me to our decent. I was so very cold and I forced it from my body and warmed myself. I peered over the side and wished I hadn't as the ground appeared to be rushing up to meet us, I stifled a scream as at the last minute the reindeer righted their decent and we smoothly touched down on fresh deep snow.

I managed to calm my self as I donned the snow shoes I was given, now I understood why Blick had made me spend a day walking around with tennis rackets tied to my feet. I disembarked from the sleigh and said my thanks to Scootch and the reindeer who snorted an acknowledgement to me. I walked over to join the rest of the elves who were in deep conversation, they made way for me to join them. Blick bought me up to speed on what I had missed, which was not much, thankfully. They had waited for me for the serious stuff and now we got down to planning in earnest. The elves using their magic were able to mould the snow to create a model of the building that was housing the captive Santa Claus. I was amazed at the detail when they made miniature versions of the Indraci appear, patrolling in the routine they had been observed for the last couple of months.

I asked for them to create a life size model of an Indraci so that I could fully understand what I would be up against. It was creepy looking on this creature of evil, suddenly it lunged at me, claws flashing for my throat and I stumbled backwards falling in the snow. The Indraci disintegrated becoming a miniature snow shower, covering me from head to toe. I looked over at the elves who were trying very hard not to laugh at me. I dusted myself off and rejoined the group, Blick burst out laughing as he looked in my face and though I tried to be angry I imagined how it would have looked and found myself laughing too. It was a great release of tension and I think we all needed it, however we had planning to do and were soon engrossed again.

The plan was fairly simple: Sneak past the patrolling guards, infiltrate the building then find and free Santa Claus and so full of confidence we set off. It was a long walk, and I commented at the fact it was not getting any lighter. Blick filled the gap in my knowledge about the south pole, apparently the sun does not show its face there very often and was next due in a few months. While he was explaining, we reached the crest of a hill and he pulled me to the ground, putting his finger to his lips to make sure I understood the need for silence. We edged forward and peered down the other side to the building I had only seen in miniature, it was exactly as I had been shown earlier even to the roaming patrol. It was about to get real and I had felt a strange sense of calm descend over me, my training had started to assert itself and I had finally felt ready.

I looked across at Blick, pointed at the rear of the building waited for his nod and we were off and in a crouching run through the gap in the patrol. Huddled low we covered the ground quickly despite my snow shoes, soon we were stood with our backs against the cold wall of the building.

I edged to the corner and peeked around and seeing the solitary Guard in front of the door I moved back out of sight and whispered to Blick my intention to neutralise the threat. As the snow was compacted this close to the building I kicked off the snow shoes as I did not want to have my movement hampered, I stepped into view and the Indraci immediately started towards me. I was horrified at how fast it moved and it had closed three quarters of the distance in a blink of an eye before my training kicked in and I focused enough to take the cold away. Its momentum carried it forward into my spin kick, stunned and sluggish, it was easily finished with a flurry of punches that sent it unconscious to the floor. Blick appeared next to me and told me he would drag the Indraci around the back of the building and out of sight and that I should go on ahead.

I moved along the wall towards the door, trying the handle was relieved to find it turned under my hand and I slipped inside closing the door behind me. Around the building at the windows and the other door the elves were trying to gain entrance, the plan was if they could not get in they would melt back into the distance and be ready should anything go wrong. Knowing what I know now, I should had realised that it was too easy, but in the heat of the moment, with adrenalin coursing through my veins I did not stop to think but moved deeper into the building. I did not see any sign of the elves but I also did not see any sign of the Indraci. I came to the bottom of a set of stairs and worked my way up, keeping to the wall to minimise any sound, as I could not afford a squeak to give me away.

I found myself in a long corridor and looked both ways, there was no sign of anyone and there were doorways lining the walls down both sides. I had been told that Santa was in the end room at the back of the building and so I turned left and sneaked down the corridor to the end. A couple of times I stopped as I thought I heard a noise in one of the rooms I passed, holding my breath hoping that the noise of my heart beating like a drum in my chest would not get me caught. Each time I pushed on after a brief pause, finally I was at the end of the hallway and at the door. I could not believe it I was about to meet a legend the one and only Santa Claus, I reached out and touched the handle and that was when it hit the proverbial fan.

Sirens blared out and as I spun around every door down the corridor opened and out stepped Indraci. I reached behind me for the handle and turning it stepped backwards into the room. I slammed shut the door and turned to see a frail looking old man laying on a bed, he looked weak and sickly and I realised at once I was not going to get any help from this quarter. Looking around I saw a chest of drawers and dragged them in front of the door just as the first of the Indraci threw themselves at it causing it to rattle on its hinges. I ran to the window looking for a way out and was horrified to see a battle being waged outside, the elves having been ambushed and where holding their ground valiantly.

The sound of the door being smashed behind me faded as I saw Blick move into view, time seemed to move in slow motion as I saw an Indraci burst up from beneath the snow behind him and thrust out a clawed hand. Blick collapsed in a spray of blood and I screamed out 'no' over and over again, the Indraci looked up at the window and smiled at me. Blick lying so still at its feet broke my heart and I felt something snap inside of me. I turned in time to see the last of the door being ripped away, I let them move the chest of drawers for me and then took the cold away all down the corridor and watched their faces register surprise.

Without the cold that sustained them they became slow and lethergic and I ruthlessly applied not the gentle warmth from before but a white hot heat to match the raging grief I was feeling, all down the corridor the Indraci turned into vapour. I helped Santa to his feet surprised at the weight of him. With him leaning on me for support we made our way to the top of the stairs, he was breathing hard and a said he had to rest. Every fibre of my being was screaming at me to run down the stairs and join the fray but Santa was the reason for this mission and I owed it to Blick and the others to get him out of here. I had sat him on the top step and explained to him that this was a rescue but we had walked blindly into a trap, he could see I was upset and had forced himself upright with a supreme force of will, to make our way down the stairs.

I saw Indraci massing at the foot of the stairs and in a blink of an eye I turned them into vapour. I would show no mercy to these vile creatures and as we made our slow way to the door I kept that promise as I used my talent again and again until they realised that to come at me was to invite destruction. We finally got to the door that would lead us outside, I asked Santa if he would be alright, he was only wearing his black boots and red trousers held up with braces over a white T-Shirt, he nodded he was okay. When I opened it there was no sound of fighting any more and I was not sure if that was good or bad. We were going to step outside when I heard a snide little voice say “And were do you think you are going” I had turned slowly to see an elf dressed all in black in an outfit the same style as Santa Claus. I felt my rage crest and went to move the cold out of him as I had with the Indraci but he just laughed at me and called me a pathetic child.

He held in his hand a staff and seeing it Santa took an involuntary step forward as he reached for it, the elf Scatch who I realised must be 'Santa Claws' pointed at the real Santa and he fell to his knees shaking in pain. I moved forward too, to try and stop this frail old man suffering any more at the hands of this despicable creature when the finger swung from Santa to me. My knees buckled and I will never be able to describe the agony that tore through my body, 'Claws' took another step closer to us and I managed to block some of the pain using the exercises Blick had taught me, Santa through gritted teeth said “get the staff”, I could only think of one thing to try but I was aware that it had only really worked the once. I centred my mind and called the staff to me, it hit my outstretched hand and immediately the pain stopped. I let out a sigh of relief and stood using the staff to help me. 'Claws' looked shocked at what had happened but more so when I used that power to throw him against the wall, he slid to the floor like a rag doll and I gave no consideration to the fact that I might have killed him. I turned to Santa and helped him once more to his feet, I had passed him the staff and when he had hold of it had seemed to sand taller and look less frail and more hearty.

I had tarried enough and told Santa I had to check on Blick, he told me to go and he would follow shortly as his strength was returning through the magic of the staff. I rushed out into the snow and saw that the fighting had indeed stopped and the elves had rounded up the remaining Indraci, I ran around the side of the building to where I saw Blick lying in the snow. I turned him over and looked at his pale face, I could see he was not breathing and he seemed so tiny and fragile lying in my arms. I could feel the tears streaming down my face as I looked down at him. In my young life I had not encountered death before, Blick was lifted gently from my arms by the elves and taken away.

I knelt there in the snow and gave in to my grief and felt no shame as the sobs racked from me. I am not sure how long I was like that but I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder, I looked up to see the figure of Santa Claus standing there. How I could have thought him frail I will never know, he was larger than life and a force of nature once more. In the background I could see the sleigh and reindeer and that explained the red coat he had found. Snow started to fall around us but none settled on him but seem to dance away to fall elsewhere. He spoke to me in a voice deep and full of power “My thanks to you for my rescue and the return of this staff, fashioned by the elves from the very first Christmas tree” he looked at it reverently and went on “This staff contains the magic of Christmas and it has been ill used these last years by one who betrayed his people and his nature, what you have done will bring joy to many. I would not deem to make light of your pain but look to Christmas and you will feel a lifting of your heart” with that he used his staff to send me into a deep sleep.

I awoke at home and was surprised that the whole adventure had taken place in only one night. Time as they say is the great healer and all though I thought of Blick often in the coming months I was able to remember the good times we had and not dwell on the sad. December dawned and with the first opening of the doors on the advent calenders around the world something magical happened, everyone felt it. The excitement and anticipation of Christmas was back and as each door opened the feeling grew, people laughed and joked and bought gifts for their loved ones delighting in the wrapping of presents and the writing of cards. In my house the atmosphere affected even me and on Christmas eve I hung a stocking and left a mince pie and carrot on the mantle over the fire for Santa and his reindeer.

I struggled to sleep that night knowing that Santa was going to be able to deliver the greatest gift to every house, the gift of 'Christmas spirit and joy'. I finally drifted of to sleep only to be awoken by Santa as he sat on the edge of my bed a few hours later, I was wide awake in an instant. He looked at the shock on my face and laughed out loud “Ho ho ho” it was such a joyful sound that I found myself laughing too, he told me in that deep happy voice that as I had been instrumental in the return of Christmas that I deserved the first present of Christmas. As the words sank in I heard a merry tune being whistled and Blick walked into the room with a merry twinkle in his eyes.

I realised I was crying, although this time tears of joy. Blick explained that although he had been near death there had been enough life left for his brother elves to help heal him and he had lain in stasis until this very evening when the north star bathed him in her magical light, completing the ritual. Santa invited me along and that night and we flew around the world spreading the Joy of Christmas laughing and joking until finally our job was done. I was returned home and given one last gift, an orb that would let me travel to Santa’s workshop whenever I wanted to visit my friend. I was told to visit often as I still had much to learn and there was still a destiny to fulfil as Scatch had escaped.......but I guess that is another story. The End.