In the middle of a frozen town, they stood.
It looked like a hundred gingerbread houses decorated with food goods.
All the houses must have been real, for the air was a-spiced with ginger meal.
Smelling the peppermint redolent air, he was delightfully heady with each deep inhale.
Gingerbread men stood behind fences grinning with marshmallow teeth and lips of molasses.
Blakely walked over to the marshmallow snowman that stood off to the side of the street, pulled off its licorice nose and, blissfully, began to eat.
Mot got angry and cried at the sight, “Do that again, and thrash you, I might!”
Every single door had a peppermint leaves wreath, and candy cane fences, striped red and white, with lamps that dangled, giving off light.
Cris and Mot lead him to the biggest house on the street.
It was made of hard candy; it smelled delicious and sweet.
Inside smelled just as yummy as out, making his stomach rumble aloud.
From somewhere, inside, chocolate wafted about.
His mouth started watering like a fount.
All he wanted, without a doubt, was to eat, eat, eat, nothing but sweets.
As if reading his thoughts, little Mot said to Blakely, “You can eat later, but right now, Santa wants you working.”
They took him to Santa, to whom he asked, “Why am I here?”
“Well didn’t you ask?
I got your letter saying you wanted to come.
You’ve been a real good boy, except for tonight.
Still, I thought it important to give you something you’d remember for life.
Here you see proof of me, proof of Elves and magic, so let it be.
Now you’ll get to prove whether you deserve to see the Christmas mystery.”
Go through these lists and find me three boys who deserve toys.
Also three girls who are just as good as the boys, and don’t take too long because, soon, I’ll be gone.”
Blakely sat at the desk and looked down at an enormous mess.
There had to be a million boys and girls who were, comparatively, the best; boys and girls who deserved toys more than the rest.
After sifting through many names, he couldn’t decide which ones were great.
There was Bobby from Maine who wanted a Great Dane; there was Michael from Harlem who wanted a game; Stewie from L.A. who wanted new skates; Susie from Massachusetts who wanted new Mary Janes; Marcie from Pennsylvania who wanted a horse she could race; Darcy from Florida who wanted orange braces.
All seemed reasonable to Blakely.
He set them aside and considered them likely.
But then he pulled a little profile of a boy whose mother had a new baby, and his father was unemployed.
What he wanted for Christmas was this: presents for his mom and dad, and anyone like him.
What impressed Blakely the most about the boy was his first wish was happiness for those without joy.
His name was Jesse and he was a hopeful type.
Blakely thought it was important to support his kind.
Then there was Sally who wished she could have the holes in her shoes filled before her next class.
The girls made fun of her and the boys laughed.
How could he not choose a girl such as that?
Mac lived in an orphanage home; he wanted a family and to no longer be alone.
Sarah wanted her father back from the war.
Rob was sick and wanted to be, healthily, restored.
Maggie wanted her parents to stop fighting.
They were always so mad, and her mom always crying.
Although the requests were not always toys, Blakely believed the children showed poise.
He didn’t know if Santa could deliver, but these kids needed cheer, now, more than ever.
After he’d done, Blakely looked at the clock; it read 1 a.m., he said, “Oh my gosh!
My parents will kill me!
I must go home!”
He picked up his choices and went to find Santa, but he’d already gone to deliver more toys.
The Elves told him to wait, but it was past late!
The kids needed toys, and he was gonna make sure they were great.
Blakely ran to the store room and picked out some gifts, put on his coat and ran to the light beams and stuck in his toe.
The beam seemed to know where to go, for it kicked him off the stream with a wind blow.
A thin little branch of light extended, and in the shape of an arrow, pointed right.
Blakely turned and saw a house glowing; then he knew where he was going.
The door opened, as if the house was expecting him.
He tip toed into the living room; though he didn’t know which house he was in, his bag knew, magically, which gifts to give.
Blakely pulled out the packs and set them under the tree, and then returned to the light beam.
He stuck in his toe and then he was gone.
Five more times, he did this before he was done!
Amazingly enough he delivered all the toys.
He got home and entered with very little noise.
His family was asleep and his cousins were gone, but from the living room, there came a loud sound.
Quietly, he snuck out to see what it was.
In the living room, Santa Claus was petting his dog.
“What are you doing here?
Why did you come?
I picked out the three, each, but you were gone.
I delivered the gifts; the kids will be happy.
Now you should go because sunrise approaches, and I need nothing.”
Santa stood and smiled wide.
He stroked his beard and said, “You are wise.
The truth is, you don’t need anything.
You have proven that you’re smarter than you seem.
Now, I hope you understand the Christmas mystery.
It’s love with an open hand.
Love your family and love your friends; be their support, when you can.
When you feel you’re getting down, look around and be grateful.”
He lowered his pack and from inside took out a giant snow globe.
Blakely walked up and accepted his gift.
He looked deep inside and saw the elven village.
The houses were alight, and there was commotion in the street; the elves were partying amidst light beams.
“So now you’ve seen and now you have proof.
Don’t ever give up on love!”
Then he vanished with a poof!
Blakely touched the glass orb of the globe, and everything went foggy.
He woke up in his bed, and felt something beside him.
Pulling back the covers, he saw the globe.
Etched across the glass orb, it read, “Eedle Bops and Doodle Drops, and Cosmic Taxi Streams.”
Holding it up closely, he peered in and looked.
Elves from within smiled and waved.
“Don’t ever forget us,” he heard them say.
“We’ll always be here on Christmas Day.”
THE END
Series to Date:
A Very Blakely Christmas
Another Blakely Christmas (Scheduled for release 2012)
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