In the spirit of Christmas, J. B. Hahn tried to write an english version of the Crhistmas tale that she wrote in her mother-language: portuguese. So, for anything that can look wrong: appologies. Enjoy Marine, the twins and Santa Claus.
December had arrived. More specifically, Christmas Eve. In Passo
Fundo the Christmas mood had spread rapidly since the beginning of
that month. It was present in every shop window, in every street, in
every tree, and in the facades of the houses ... The streets, of
course, were crowded with people who bothered to do their Christmas
shopping. After all, this is the most wonderful time of the year, as
long as you get gifts ...
Marine, on the other hand, could not get caught up in this
Christmas spirit. She didn't believe in the Christmas spirit since
she was eleven years old. If someone asked her why she did not like
Christmas, she would not have an answer. The fact is that she felt a
little depressed during the holiday season.
In Earth days, five years had passed since Marine had first
visited the magic land of Havenoon. Some things were different in her
life. Starting with the fact that she was acting as nanny to her best
friend Amanda's twins. She had understood that changes were not
always bad, for she herself had changed a lot... Well, as I wrote
earlier, it was Christmas Eve and Marine had taken the twins to the
mall to see Santa. She was well aware that he was nothing but a
costumed guy, but she understood better than anyone how good it was
to keep the fantasy alive, especially in children. What mattered was
that the kids did not suspect that the Good Old Man at the mall was
any ordinary man.
There was a considerable line of children who wanted to take a
picture sitting on Santa's lap. Marine was getting impatient. After
all, patience had never really been her strong point. Of course she
was going to put up with the situation for the kids. It would be very
bad if their Christmas was traumatized in any way. Marine knew very
well how traumas on holiday could be intense and long-lasting.
There were still five children waiting in line, to sit on Santa's
lap before the twins Lucas and Lydia when Santa's beard was ripped
off by a pre-teenager who ran off toward the exit of the mall. The
reason why the did that, no one coul tell. But fake Santa stood still
not knowing what to do. The children began to complain and to cry,
for this was not really Good Old Man. The twins also complained. In
fact, Marine could see that something had died inside them. Maybe it
was faith in that whole fantasy. However, she still tried to ease the
situation by saying that Santa had sent one of his helpers to the
mall in his place so he could stay in his workshop preparing the toys
to give to the well behaved children later that night. But when Lydia
threw her Christmas hat on the floor, Marine knew the damage had been
intense. The magic of Christmas had been lost to those two brothers.
Young Bastian from five years ago would not care about what a
couple of kids could think about anything. But the current Marine
cared. She revealed a legitimate concern to keep the magic alive in
the lives of such young children. But despite her goodwill, there was
nothing to be done. Then, after an ice cream, she returned the twins
to their mother and went home.
At that day's dusk, while Mary, her mother, was preparing the
Christmas wreath, Marine was still thinking about the children with
their dreams shattered. The stone of the heart was in a necklace
around her neck. She wished she could give the faith back to the
twins somehow. It was then that a loud noise on the roof of the house
penetrated her ears.
- Mom, did you hear that noise? - She asked curiously.
- What noise?
- Something on the roof, did not you hear?
Mary, without paying much attention to the girl, denied it. Still,
Marine was certain that something had hit the roof of the house and
decided to go out and find out.
Outside, looking up, a big surprise: a sleigh and a row of
reindeer. What is this? She thought. It was then that a
retractable ladder opened toward her. Obviously she went up.
Curiosity had always spoken loudly to her ears. She just went up the
steps without worrying if the neighbors could see and startle the
girl on the roof of the house. When she reached the shiny red sled,
she noticed that there was an inner compartment on the floor. The
door was open as an invitation. Came in. To her surprise, the
interior of that sleigh was quite large. She soon recalled an iconic
phrase: "It's bigger on the inside." And it really was.
Standing on the bottom step of the stairs, Marine found a cozy
1950s-style office. There were even windows, wallpaper, and
everything else. Some maps covered part of the walls. The fire
crackled in a fireplace full of Christmas decorations. Closed doors
could be seen. In one of them there was a sign saying "kitchen."
In another: "toy factory"... Noises of working machines
filled the atmosphere, as well as the delicious aroma of hot
chocolate.
Contrary to what could be expected in a hot climate like that of
Passo Fundo at that time of year, Marine felt neither heat nor cold.
She felt cozy, but she had many doubts. There was a desk in front of
one of the windows, certainly virtual, and in the chair was seated a
fat old man with grizzly beard and hair, wearing white clothes. He
looked at the girl, smiled, and stood up saying:
- Ho ho ho! Merry Christmas Marine.
Young Bastian shook her head as if with that gesture she could get
the whole situation out of her head.
- Am I dreaming by chance? Is this a trick? - She asked.
- No. This is not some kind of dream.
- And you are ... him? Santa?
- Ha ha ha, I have many names, but you can call me that if you
prefer.
- Putz! Marine began to walk nervously around the room, trying to
digest that information. - How is that possible?
- Why are you asking? It was you who called me here.
- No ... No ... I'm sure I did not call anyone, especially you. I
did not even think you could be real.
The man did not even change his kindly smiling expression. Just
added:
- I do not expect adults to believe me. I only need the faith of
the children, who are innocent. It is because of them that I am alive
and have certain powers. The faith of children make feel strong. But
when they stop believing in the Christmas magic, they stop sending
energy to me and I weaken.
- Okay ... This is crazy, but supposing I believe this story, why
did you say that I called you?
- Marine, you wanted to give the faith back to two children, did
not you?
- Yes, but - She knew the stone of the heart had no powers in her
world. - Again… How?
- Ho ho ho, let's leave the formalities aside my young, it's
Christmas Eve and we need to light up the Christmas of two little
ones and then the whole world.
- Wait a minute ... you're on the roof of my house!
- Only you can see me, my dear. Just because I allow it.
Otherwise, only those who believe in me are able to see me and of
course my Christmas things.
- If you say so, it must be true. But what about the red clothes,
where are them?
- Who said I only wear red clothes?
- Everyone ... But fine. Clothes do not really matter...
The old man smiled and started to climb out of the sled.
- Let's go to the little ones' house. - He said smiling. - We have
faith to revive.
- Wait a second. People do not see you, but what about me?
- Do not worry about it. You will not come around flying in the
air if that's your fear.
Marine took a deep breath.
- OK then. - And she sat down in the seat next to the one where
the old man was. He took reins in his hands and in the sequence
uttered the name of each of the reindeers: - Go ... Comet, Star,
Leopold, Emerald, Manor, Temente, Ignea, Alcaçus and Lazule. They
began to move and then pulled the sled through the air, leaving a
trail of bright dust. Young Bastian felt a chill in her belly as the
magical vehicle made aerial maneuvers. Feel the wind in her hair made
she returns to the moments when she swayed in the swings of the
little square in front of her grandmother's house.
- It's good, is not it? - Santa asked, watching her joy.
- Very good! I have not felt light in this way for a long time. -
Marine was smiling like a child.
In less than two minutes the sleigh was parked on the roof of
Amanda's house.
- What do we do now? - The young Bastian wanted to know.
- Simple. The best way to show someone that magic is real is by
doing magic. Get the twins.
- Hey... what am I going to tell their parents? They will not let
the kids leave at this time. It's dark already!
- I know you'll think of something. Now go Marine. The time is
running out and Christmas night will soon begin.
Young Bastian nodded. She left the sled and called her friend at
the door of the house. She told Amanda that she would like to take
the twins to see the Christmas lights and the choir in the city's
Cathedral. Although she was not sure that Amanda would buy that
story, but there was even a bit of gratitude on Amanda's part,
apparently she wanted to "get rid" of the little ones for a
few moments because of the number of tasks pending for dinner that
night. Then Marine took the twins by the hands and walked away from
the house a few steps. She waited for Amanda to go inside the house
and talked to the little ones:
- Do you really want to meet Santa?
- We do not want to see any white-bearded faces. - Lucas replied
in a very nervous tone to his five-year-old.
- The one at the mall was not the real Santa Claus, but he does
exist and he is right on the roof of your house.
- There's nothing there. - Lydia spoke with her eyes fixed on the
top of the house.
At this point, the sledding staircase appeared to Marine and she
asked the two children to close their eyes and only open when she
said it. Everyone went inside the sleigh and Santa, now traditionally
dressed in his red and white clothes, began:
- Ho ho ho, welcome little ones.
- Open your eyes children. - Marine spoke and watched their faces
to see the reaction.
Lydia was the first to open her eyes. She saw the figure already
so familiar in front of her. Lucas wasted no time and said:
- You do not wear a mask like the man at the mall.
- Ha ha ha, I do not need any mask that imitates my face young
man.
At that moment, the kitchen door opened and a rather nice
green-skinned goblin wearing a striped overalls came up to them with
three cups of hot chocolate.
- Drink it. It's good. - He said.
Marine had never drunk a hot chocolate like that one. Apparently
the twins did not either, for they were delighting themselves
indiscreetly, licking up their mouths and getting chocolate
mustaches.
Old Santa knelt down to keep up with the children and said:
- Everything you believe in is real. It does not matter if
ordinary people try to imitate. So try to remember that your faith
should never be broken. She is your magical power. - The twins had
bright eyes. The good old man got up. - Now... who wants to help
Santa deliver some presents?
The disappointment of hours before disappeared completely. The
children were radiant as they took sits on the sleigh. They marveled
at the reindeer. Marine felt good, happy to see that the trauma of
the two brothers had been overcome. Their faith at Christmas was
alive again.
Santa Claus called his reindeers and the sled gained altitude and
speed. The twins screamed in ecstasy and two funny goblins in green
and red striped clothes tossed the presents that were into a bag that
seemed to have the same technology as the sleigh: small on the
outside, big on the inside.
Marine and the children were totally enveloped by the Christmas
magic as they traveled on Santa's sleigh through the sky of the city
of Passo Fundo. Young Bastian understood that faith was what made the
magic happen and that anything could be possible with it. She herself
started to believe in the spirit of Christmas again, as did the twins
who had been frustrated with the fake Santa Claus at mall.
- Ho ho ho, Merry Christmas! - Santa intoned as he drove through
the starry night. How many people would be able to hear it? Marine
would not know, but at least she and those children would never let
the magic of Christmas die again.
* Just to remeber: the reindeers' names are no the ones of the original tale.
.jpg)