Ana Sofia and the Search for Santa

🎄Chapter 1: The Holiday Rush🎄

The shopping center was full of people honking, screaming, laughing, and crying.

Every shop from the grand mall to the grocery and pet stores were decked out in holiday cheer. Green garlands perfectly framed doorways and windows with colorful lights, and giant candy canes lined sidewalks which nervous shoppers scampered along.

Eight-year-old Ana Sofia Wilson eyed the passing lights through the window of the moving family car. Her mother was seated next to her, watching and criticizing her older sister's driving, while her father in the passenger's seat did the same thing, just louder.

Considering she hadn't heard a scream or sudden thump, Ana Sofia thought Ashley was doing a pretty good job. Not running anyone over was a pretty important part of driving after all.

"You're doing great!" encouraged Mom.

"Don't distract her!" said Dad. "Last thing I need is a dead elf on my windshield."

Ashley groaned. "Wasn't planning on hitting any elves, dad!"

"That's my girl!" said Dad. "Stop!!!"

Ana Sofia felt herself jerk forward and looked ahead to see Ashley had barely avoided a head-on crash with a very jolly man in red, or perhaps a snowman in a top hat with a carrot for a nose.

"You almost killed Santa, ash," said Dad, motioning to the man who was waving his thanks. "How would I explain to the world that my daughter killed Santa?!"

Mom yelled at dad for stressing her, and her father yelled at mom for not taking the situation more seriously before sharing one of his many stories about all he'd been through with the family car, which was older than Ana Sofia herself.

Ana Sofia tuned out the noise and turned back to the colorful shopping center. In the crowds she recognized their next-door neighbor, Mr. Winston. His hair was white like snow, and she always thought he looked sad under his eyeglasses for some reason. It was no different then and there. Like the seasonal songs playing on loudspeakers, and the decorations were making him even sadder.

She wondered why, but didn't think about it much longer, because she knew the airport was only a little past the shopping center, and the airport was where they were heading.

Her older brother, Albert, was coming home from college for the holidays and while she couldn't wait to see him again, she was also lost in thoughts about a friend. About the goodbye.

I have to try and forget...

Maddie...

Albert being home would make her feel better. It always did. She loved Ashley, but her big sister was usually more interested in boys, Instagram, and makeup than spending time with her. Her brother was different. He ALWAYS had time for everyone.

Ashley finally pulled into the airport pick-up loop and Ana Sofia groaned. There must have been a million cars in front of them. Meeting up with Albert would take an eternity.

The eternity passed in really only a few minutes, and then she finally saw him.

Albert was tall, taller than anyone else in the family. His hair, as always, looked like he hadn't brushed it yet, and for the first time in her life, she saw he'd grown a beard. It was small and uneven, but he was still holding his head high.

Mom exited the car, ignored Dad's whining that they were holding up traffic, and Albert backed away like he wanted to avoid one of mom's signature suffocating, rib-cracking hugs, but she caught up to him. She hugged and kissed him all while practically begging him to shave the beard and brush his hair.

When the cars behind them started to honk, Albert finally squirmed his way free and said they needed to get going.

"Okay, if you insist," said Mom, drying her eyes.

Albert and Mom went to the trunk, and Ana Sofia noticed a news crew was set up nearby. That the car was in the cameraman's shot, as was a reporter holding a microphone. They were so close; Ana Sofia could hear every word of the report.

"Thank you, Tom! As you can see, the hustle and bustle of the holiday season is in full effect with Christmas less than one week away."

The trunk wouldn't open, so Albert started pounding on it and calling out to Ashley in an annoyed voice.

"Ashley! Open the trunk!"

"I don't know how!" she cried back, searching for the right switch or button.

The reporter glanced at them while continuing her story.

"Rising airline costs certainly haven't diminished demand for flights, especially during this very busy time of year."

"Ashley come on! Open the trunk!"

"I'm trying!"

Soon everyone around was looking at them, and Ana Sofia turned away with her cheeks turning red. She'd never liked being the center of attention. It made her chest feel tight and her stomach queasy.

Through the window on her side of the car, she saw something that made her eyes widen.

From a cloud darker than the rest, a ball of blue light fell for the earth. Falling so fast it left a fiery tail behind its form.

Looking around, she realized nobody else seemed to be seeing the same thing she was. Albert was still focused on trying to pry open the trunk with his bare hands, while her sister and father kept trying to get it open from inside.

"You've gotta pull the lever!" said Dad, pointing to something in her sister's general area.

"Oh that's so specific, dad! Thank you so much!" Ashley sassed.

Nobody else is seeing this?!

When she turned back to the window, the mysterious light was gone, as were all traces it had ever even been there in the first place. She rubbed her eyes, shook her head, and pinched herself like she wanted to make sure it hadn't been a dream, and found it wasn't. She'd really seen it. And had been the only one.

Finally fed up with the commotion, the reporter turned and yelled in the direction of the car.

"Hey! I'm trying to do a story here, people!"

Mom and Albert stopped in their tracks.

The reporter turned back to the camera with a crazed look in her eyes.

"Why are you still filming?! Turn it off!" she demanded.

The trunk finally opened and hit Albert in the face.

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-What do you think Ana Sofia saw?