Chapter 1 - Santa and Holi

It was the night before Christmas, and the world was anxiously waiting for Father Christmas to visit. Children of all ages and all around the world looked up to the dark starry night wishing for a glimpse of his flying sled.

Although the day was filled with celebration and cheer, many, including some adults, kept their ears open for any sound that would resemble a bell or hooves.

As the children waited, Santa was already in the cold dark sky filled with fluffy clouds dropping off gifts and goodies to all the good little boys and girls. On the way, he performed Christmas miracles to those who truly deserve it.

No matter the country, people were feeling the happiness of the holidays. Although very high in the sky, Santa could hear the merry laughter of the people below. He could smell the turkey and puddings wafting from the windows, and he could feel the heat coming from the fireplaces.

Santa smiled at the view, this he thought, was what Christmas will always be.

“Santa!” screamed the head elf named Holward Merrywitz.

Santa looked at his assistant with amusement, Holward, or Holi, was a scrawny young man with black messy hair, bright green eyes, and elf-like ears. Although anxious and nervous, Holi was a truly gifted elf. He was more gifted than any other elf that Santa had ever met. He graduated top of his class in the elfcadmy with honors in toy making, sled-engineering, and magical physics. Nobody was surprise, not even Santa that Holi was going to become his head elf for many years to come.

“Holi, my boy! Are you trying to wake all of Washington?” laughed Santa from the driving seat.

“Sorry Santa” blushed Holi as he strapped himself tighter within the sled. “It’s just, I think there is something wrong with Prancer.”

“Huh? Prancer?” asked Santa.

“Yes. Um…Santa Sir. I think…I think…he’s…” stuttered Holi.

“Out with it boy! Before Christmas ends” Santa smiled.

“Sorry Sir!” he forced out, “I think Prancer’s harness is coming…”, but before Holi could finish his sentence. Prancer, indeed, became loose from his harness. Both Holi and Santa watched in horror as Prancer loosen himself from the rest and went to the other direction.

“Oh no!” both Santa and Holi screamed.

It wasn’t long before the sled started to tilt. Both Santa and Holi need what was going to happen in just a few seconds.

“Abandon sled!!!” screamed Santa. He pushed the eject button on his sled. Immediately, the rest of the reindeer were detached from their harness, and both Holi and Santa were shot further into the air.

The only thing that Santa could hear was the roaring of the freezing Washington wind and Holi’s screaming. Santa looked at his overcoat-parachute. When they jumped, both Santa’s and Holi’s coat increased in size and opened like an umbrella. It made their plummet to their death, decrease in speed. Although he was grateful that he hadn’t turn to a Santa pancake, he couldn’t help but notice that his parachute let him exposed to the cold.   

With the magic of the sled and the science of the elves, Santa floated gently onto the snowy ground of Washington D.C.

Santa looked around, he was in a small wooded park filled with empty park benches and lonely street lights.

“Are you okay, my boy?” shouted Santa from within the outskirts of a wooded park. “My boy?” bellowed Santa.

“Sa…Santa! Up here!” screamed Holi from a tree, “Santa! Help me! I’m stuck.”

Santa chuckled at Holi’s scared impression. I swear to mistletoe, thought Santa, I’m going to make that boy grow some bells.

“Don’t worry, my boy. I’ll get you down in a jiffy!” approached Santa towards the tree.

Santa could see that Holi’s coat was severely tangled in the tree. Santa looked around the park for something to cut Holi out, but couldn’t find anything. It looked like Santa would have to climb the tree and detangle Holi by hand.

“I’m coming up my boy! Hold still” bellowed Santa from the bottom. It wasn’t long before Santa was huffing and puffing up the outrageously tall tree.  I’m getting to old for this, thought Santa as he continued his climb. It wasn’t long before he reached Holi, but before he could free him Santa heard laughter from below.

“Shh…Santa” whispered Holi, “Don’t say anything, you know that they aren’t suppose to see you.”

Santa rolled his eyes at Holi, “I know that my boy, can you stop fidgeting? I think you’re making it worse.”

Below the elf and Santa, stood a terribly bitter and depressed man.  A man named Harold Jenkins who, up to a few hours ago, thought that he would be able to afford all the lavishing gifts that he bought for his family. He stood in the empty park trying to figure out how to tell his wife and twin twelve year old boys that all their gifts must be given back to the stores if they wanted to have a roof on top of their head for the next month. Sure, he thought, I have savings, but if the company goes bankrupt next year as plan then I’m going to be one of ten thousand people looking for a job in the next few months.

For a bulking man with an intimated physique, Harold only wanted to curl up like a baby and cry. Instead, he sat on the cold park bench right below Santa and Holi. As quietly as possible, Santa continue to free Holi. In his haste, Santa accidently pulled Holi’s coat earning him a hard slap in the face. Leaving him daze and confused, Santa didn’t noticed that his hat fell of his head.

“Oh no! Santa! Your hat!” whispered Holi.

“Huh? My hat?” Santa responded as he try to feel out the hat on his head.

“Where did it go?” Santa cried.

“Down there!” pointed Holi at the small red cloth in the pure white snow.

Santa knew that he had to free Holi quickly if he wanted to get his hat before Harold found it. As he continue to free Holi, in almost a manic matter, Holi let out a squeak of discomfort. In any other circumstance, this squeak would have been unheard to even a mouse, but the night before Christmas in a completely empty park Holi’s squeak might as well have been a roar.

Harold jumped from his bench and screamed, “Who’s there?! I’m in no mood today! I just got laid off on Christmas!”

Both Santa and Holi held their breath, both praying for two completely different things. Holi prayed for Harold to leave and to not notice them up in the tree. While Santa pray that Harold would leave and not notice his hat.

In his quest to find the culprit, Harold walked around trying to hear or spot someone close by. Before he could spot his hat, Santa though some magic into the sky to create a strong wind that would move the snow on top of his hat. Instead, the wind blew his hat from the ground into Harold’s face.

“AHH!” screamed Harold as he fell backwards on to the park’s hard sidewalk. “What in the world!” he screamed in frustration as he clawed the hat from his face.

“A Santa hat?” he questioned. “Hello? Is anybody out there? Hey, Santa! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you off! I’ll buy you a drink!”

Both Santa and Holi kept quiet. They were both afraid of the repercussions of Harold seeing them. Holi understood from his studies that it was against Holiday law for any human to see an elf or Santa. It could cause, like it did during War World One, the rediscovery of magic.

There were only three rules in the North Pole that all elves knew by heart.  Rule one, thought Holi, “A human, not in relation with the Clause Family, is not allowed to witness any magical creature that resides in the North Pole.”

Rule two, he continued, “A human, not in relation with the Clause Family, is not allowed to hold any form of magical inventions, creatures, or items from the North Pole.”

Rule three, he finished, “If broken, Christmas must be canceled for a minimum of twenty-five years until the encounter has been forgotten.”

Holi remembered that during WW1, Christmas was canceled from 1918 to 1943. During its absence, all creatures, magical and non-magical, became sinister and bitter without the holiday cheer. The world, including the North Pole, became dark and cold.

Both Santa and Holi prayed that Harold would drop the hat and go, but to their horror he didn’t. Instead, he shrugged his shoulders, bundled himself further into his warm coat, and began the trek home. Both Santa and Holi could only stared from their tree as Harold left and stuffed Santa’s hat into his pocket.