Advent Calendar Day 23

Happy TWO DAYS BEFORE CHRISTMAS! 

We have another offering of fiction this morning. Haldis has outdone herself this year with a second scrumptious morsel of story.

I was going to mention that this takes place within the world of Lone Star... let's call it the prequel. ;-)

 Under a Lone Star

Marty gazed up at the lone star shining bright in the clear night sky and sighed.  How did he get himself into this situation? It wasn’t as if he had mixed all that much hot sauce into the red sprinkles on Toby’s sugar cookies. And Toby was acting like he was all hot stuff at the toy factory, so Marty felt the hot sauce was appropriate. Marty chuckled remembering the steam pouring out of Toby’s pointy ears after that first taste.  Unfortunately, Mr. Claus also sampled the cookies….And that’s how Marty found himself half a world away from his home in the North Pole chasing a randy reindeer across the cold, foreign landscape of Texas. Although he supposed as far as punishments went, it could be worse.

Marty heard the jingle jangle of bells and picked up his pace, jogging past odd prickly trees and short scrubby bushes. Twin lights to his right caught his attention and he realized he was approaching a roadway. And now Marty could see Blitzen trotting along on the other side.

“Blitzen!” called Marty.  “By Jack Frost’s nose, if you do not come here right now, I will eat your gingerbread!”

Blitzen looked back over his shoulder at Marty and made a questioning grunt.

“That’s right! Stop with these silly reindeer games right now, or else,” said Marty as he pulled a fragrantly wonderful cookie from his pouch. “I’m going to eat it. All of it.  Unless you come here this very second.”

The headlights were getting closer. He may have to wait until the vehicle went past hoping Blitzen wouldn’t take advantage of the distraction to keep on with his moseying, as the locals said. At least he thought that was what they said. He wasn’t sure. This was his first time in Texas. 

Across the roadway, Blitzen lifted his nose to sniff the air. He turned back around towards Marty and made another inquiring grunt. He stepped out on to the road.

“No, no, no, no,” said Marty, quickly waving his hands, trying to signal Blitzen to stay.  The car was too close.

Blitzen watched the gingerbread in Marty’s hand wave back and forth. He kept walking out into the middle of the road directly in front of the oncoming car. It swerved to avoid Blitzen, skidded, spun out, and away it flew like the down of a thistle…ok, no, it crashed and rolled like Santa’s sleigh after a couple of rowdy elves took it out for a joy ride during a particularly boisterous New Year’s Eve party.

“Good King Wenceslaus!” exclaimed Marty as he debated whether he should assist the human in the car. Blitzen had finally reached him and was nibbling at the gingerbread in his hand. Marty noticed more headlights coming down the road and decided it was best to leave humans to other humans. He grabbed Blitzen’s harness and pulled him further away from the road, bells jingle jangling all the way.

“I could really go for a double shot of peppermint,” muttered Marty to himself, as he tried to hide behind a crazy looking tree with Blitzen happily munching beside him.

Marty watched as the person from the wrecked car climbed up to the road. He appeared to be okay. The other car pulled over and a cowboy got out and approached. They were talking to each other, but Marty could not hear what they were saying. He could use his magic to get closer, see if there was any potential danger, but neither human even looked in his direction. Eventually the two got into the cowboy’s vehicle and drove off.

Marty waited until the red tail lights had disappeared into the distance before coming out from his hiding spot. Blitzen nuzzled his pouch, looking for more gingerbread.

“That was all I had, Blitz,” said Marty as he fondly rubbed Blitzen’s muzzle. “Let’s say we head home, get some more? Mrs. Claus promised a fresh batch as soon as we arrive.”

Blitzen tossed his head in affirmative and then positioned himself so Marty could scramble onto his back. He got a running start and leaped into the air, straight towards the lone star shining like a beacon in the night sky and Marty couldn’t stop himself from shouting, “Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good night!”

They were going home.