Link to the beginning of the story https://atomic-temporary-37778625.wpcomstaging.com/2024/12/12/rescuing-christmas-memories-the-land-of-forgotten-toys/

Knowing what to do and finding a way to do it are two different animals. If making all these children, or whatever they were, understand they’ve not been forgotten is the way to release them, figuring out how to do that was not simple.

There were hundreds here, Levi thought. The girl had said she was alone. That didn’t make sense. Unless each memory couldn’t know there were others. But how could that be?

Levi needed to consider things here. And he needed to be sure. Then it came to him. George! The old man who remembered the Red Ryder BB Gun. If he could find that memory and let him know he wasn’t forgotten, he would be certain what he had to do.

And he had a bigger problem. How can he let Vel and the others know he was here?

*****

Vel and Iriel flew back to the North Pole as fast as they could. She rushed into the Elf Infirmary and found Wyatt sitting beside his grandfather, who was sprawled across three Elf-sized beds.

After she explained what had happened, Grandfather stood.

“You’re not going anyway,” the Elf doctor said. “I know you feel better, but I’m not certain we’ve recovered all of your memory.”

“Look, Doc,’ Grandfather said. “At my age, losing a few marbles goes with the territory. That’s my grandson back there and not you or anyone else will stop me. Got it?”

The doctor raised his hands in submission. “Okay, okay, but be careful there may be left over magic still percolating around in there.”

“Great, I’ll make coffee,” Grandfather said. “Now, let’s go.”

As they made their way back to the river, just as they landed, Grandfather’s cellphone rang.

“Oh, oh,” said Wyatt. “I bet that’s Mom wanting to know where we are. You’re in trouble now.”

“Thanks,” Grandfather said. But when he looked at the number, he smiled. “Nope, not her. Just my friend from the nursing home. Mary, how are you? Hmm, really, wow, that certainly is strange. Let me know if anything else happens like that.”

“What’d she say?” Vel asked.

“The oddest thing,” Grandfather said. “She was opening her closet, and the doll she had told Levi about, the one from her memory, was there. She was certain she hadn’t seen it for decades. She had no idea how it got there.”

“Was her name Mary?” Vel asked. “And the doll was named England?”

Grandfather looked surprised. “Why yes. How did you know that?”

“The girl we found in the cave, Levi asked if her name was Mary and if the doll was England. He must have figured out a way to restore the memory.”

“That may be the key to freeing all the memories!” Wyatt said.

“Out of the mouth of babes,” Grandfather said, smiling. “Come on, I think those keys you kept may get us back inside and to Levi.”

As they approached the cave, Grandfather’s phone buzzed again.

“Oh, Oh,” Wyatt said.

“Nope, Mary again,” Grandfather said. “Hi Mary, George? Yeah, I remember. He what? I, I know, strange. Thanks for letting me know.”

“What was that about?” Vel asked.

“We are right. Levi’s found a way to restore the memories. George, another of the people Levi and Wyatt talked to, scared the nurses with his old Red Ryder BB gun. Nobody lost any eyes, but the nurses are not thrilled.”

Vel reached into her pocket and pulled out the stones. “Ready?”

“As we’ll ever be,” said Grandfather. 

Tomorrow: The Heart of the Matter

(Author’s note, Christmas is about sharing. Please share this with everyone you know!)