SAVING SANTA - ( a christmas original. )

december 02.

———— 0002. d e c e m b e r  0 2

blame it on christmas

I have to admit, changing to night shifts was always hard. Making myself busy on a free day till the evening... was the hardest thing I had to do every two weeks.

I've tried to distract myself with books I've had on my cupboard. Re-running lines of The Great Elf Book. But it was like time was standing still. It got me wondering that maybe I really don't have a life outside being an elf. No other personality trait or even a hobby.

But by the time I could have got myself full into "dwelling mode"... my free time passed and I had to get ready for work.

The Christmas lights and glowing candy canes guided my way from my little mushroom-hobbit-like house to the Central Square. I couldn't help but whistle a cheerful holiday song.

I almost choked on my own tongue when my eyes caught a group of unfamiliar elves at the corner, just outside of the Toy Shop. When I shakingly got closer to them... I realized they are not entirely unfamiliar. In fact, I knew exactly who they are.

The Finnish group of elves who came to help us in the factory.

"Ash!" I tried really hard to sneak away without them seeing me. But as I was a terrible liar... I was terrible in all sneaky and deceitful things too. I recognized the voice right away. It wasn't particularly hard since I lived my whole year waiting to hear this voice in December. This voice was so deep in my heart that I would have recognized it in my sleep.

And the voice belonged to the one and only...

"Gertrude!" I exhaled her name like I was in delirium. My voice shook, my legs shook, even the ring on my hat shook. I had to go to the group. I just had to. It was kind of like my obligation. I had to play the elf who was not... in a bit... astounded by the fact that she is here again. But of course, she was here... She waited this time of the year like any normal person would wait for other big things... Like... Christmas.

Even with her dark hair and dark, chocolate-like eyes... her whole spirit gleamed in the night. She was like one of the stars that shone even on the darkest nights.

"It's so good to see you! It's been a long year!" she hugged me before I could even process the situation. I gasped but I reciprocated the hug. "I almost forgot how beautiful it is to be here!"

"Oh, it's... Iceland... you know how it is!" I added awkwardly, fidgeting with my fingers and nails, standing from one foot to the other.

"It's more than that!" she giggled just like a year ago. I knew Gertrude for a century or so... but her giggle did not change. It made my stomach flicker like nothing else.

"Well it... nothing changed here, I mean..." I gestured with my hand around the snowfields. It struck me once again that... when she was around I felt like a newborn little elf, just trying to stand on her own two feet.

"You're still the favourite so I've heard!"

"News travel fast, I assume." whenever someone noted that it's visible that I have a high position here... it made me more awkward than everything else in life. It wasn't a success really. It was my duty. My job.

"Well, we... have to meet up as soon as possible! I've been here for a whole day and you haven't taken me for a stargaze yet, so I'm a little offended!" stargazing was... our thing when she was at our territory. It became a sweet tradition.

Make no mistake it wasn't... anything between us. But if I would have told anyone about our little stargazing and snow walking and Christmas decoration... they would obsess over the situation. This is why Lenna and Gaylia were so excited about the guest teams' arrival.

"Yes... oh.... Absolutely... as soon as possible!" I repeated her like I had no thoughts on my own. "But... if you'll excuse me, I have to... have to go to work!"

And I went. In some language, they would have called that escaping. Or running for life.

Okay, I admit... I panicked. So hard.

I've tried to use my methods in my mind to distract myself and focus on my job, try to forget the whole encounter with Gertrude and her shiny brown eyes. I took the Naughty and Nice list updates from Moira and went to the chambers to get them verified.

"Santa?" I called out as I got through the doors. The big boss was nowhere to be found. His office was empty.

Maybe he is taking a break and went home to talk to Mrs Clause.

But as I cornered his private office... I noticed a handwritten note hanging on the door.

And... my world crashed. All. At. Once.

"Feeling ill, taking a vacay far far away. Coming back day: the middle of January. Or later. Idk" 

starring:

herizen guardiola is gertrude

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a/n : so uhm... this is still the shortest chapter i've ever written. like... ever

but it is as short as many things happened in it. let's start with the gay panic our girl must have felt here 😂😂

and then... santa bailed? on christmas? can we believe this?