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“You can’t steal something from someone’s heart.”
Santa’s words played over and over in Jebidiah’s mind. What does that mean, he thought. Why do we have presents at all if they aren’t important?
“You can’t steal something from someone’s heart.”
We’ll see about that, Jebidiah mumbled to himself as he climbed aboard the sleigh.
Gathered around him were hundreds of elves, but Jebidiah wasn’t worried about them. In fact, he was confused by the sight. Instead of sad eyes and tears, there were smiles on all their faces and laughter in the air.
“What is wrong with you?” Jebidiah yelled. “I’m stealing Christmas right in front of you. Stop smiling!”
At the sound of his angry voice, the service elves arrived. Again, they hung back at the sight before them. Axe leaned down and took the hot chocolate, bouncing to the chorus.
“Thank you, my friends; I can use this.” He lifted the mug as if in a toast to Jebidiah, then drank it down.
“Aaaaaghg,” he yelled, startling the crowd. Then, a sheepish grin came over his face. “Sorry, I forgot how hot this was.”
The elves roared with laughter.
Jebidiah grabbed the reins, snapped his whip, and took off for his cave, trying to escape something he couldn’t understand.
“You can’t steal something from someone’s heart.”
*****
Levi stood next to the locked door, trying to find a way out. Jane and Mrs. Claus sat whispering in the corner near the dim candle.
“What are you guys talking about?” Levi asked.
“We’re just waiting for you to remember something,” Mrs. Claus said.
“Remember what?”
“You know how you said you wanted to work alone? And I told you it would be different this time?”
“Yeah, you sent Jane with me.”
“And?” Mrs. Claus said, tapping her finger on the table.
“And what?” Levi said, his head tilted slightly as he tried to figure out the point of this conversation.
“Think, Levi, think.”
A few moments passed by as Levi’s confusion only grew more, well, confusing. Then, the light went on. “Kevin!” he shouted. “We can get Kevin to help us. But wait, where is he?”
As his words faded, he felt the tiniest of movements in his pocket. Reaching in, he pulled out the tiniest dog he had ever seen. Kevin immediately changed to his normal size, knocking Levi to the ground and licking his face.
“Okay, okay. Sorry, I forgot you were in there.”
“That’s the problem with you sometimes, Levi. You forget about how what you do can affect other people,” Jane said, helping him up as she rubbed Kevin’s head.
Levi’s face turned red. “I know, but I never meant to hurt anyone.”
“What we meant to do, and what it does to others, is often very different, Levi,” Mrs. Claus hugged him. “Try to remember that.”
“But all Kevin can do is change size. How does that help?” Levi asked.
“Oh, Kevin is much more than just a trickster. He has the same magic as the reindeer, just slightly more slobbery. Now, let’s see what a magic dog can do for us.”
Kevin ran over and sniffed the door, then disappeared before their eyes.
“Where’d he go?” Levi said.
A moment later, the door opened. Kevin stood on the other side, prancing, panting, and spinning in circles.
“Let’s go before they realize anything.”
The trio headed out, making their way through the dark cave. As they came closer to the main area, the darkness faded. Peering over a boulder, the sight before their eyes shocked them.
The Writing of Joe Broadmeadow 