"Well, we're almost read for the holidays", Fabian commented.
"I can hardly wait to get out and see the lights."
"The lights?" Morik asked puzzled. Isn't there enough light in here? It's night time. I don't think there will be very much light out."
"Oh, I forgot. You don't get out very much, do you?" asked Martin.
"I like to be outside, but I don't get to go there very much.
"Hey, we go out to the forest, and to pond all the time. What are you talking about?" Fabian countered, good naturedly.
"Yeah, I know, but that's not enough. I love the outdoors, but I want to actually get to see the town once in a while. I want to see what it's like to go see all the storks and things."
"Don't you mean the zoo or something?" Jason asked.
"Noooooooo. You know, the place where people go to see all the miniatures! The storks!" Morik exclaimed, frustrated.
"What miniatures?"
"All the tiny little things people have here."
"Do the storks bring the little things from Paris?" Martin inquired.
"Yes, I think so, and from all over the place."
"Do you mean the hospital?" Fabian asked, confused. "You want to go to the hospital and see all the tiny babies??"
"The hospital???" What on earth are you talking about??" Morik asked, confused now too. "Why would I want to go to the hospital??? Has anyone ever told you you're really weird sometimes?"
"All the time," Fabian sighed. "Just never by someone that's green."
"I resent that," Morik said.
"Don't worry, you look cute green."
"That's better," Morik relented. "A hospital to see babies," Morik muttered. "I ask to see the stores, and they think I want to take me to the hospital to see French babies.... and people think I'm weird."
"What do you want to go see then?" Fabian asked, trying to hide a smile.
"I want to go to see the storks where they sell all the miniature things!"
"What miniature things are you talking about?" Fabian insisted.
"Miniature everything! Miniature cars, miniature planes, miniature houses, miniature dinosaurs, miniature people made out of plastic, miniature everything!"
"Ohhhh. Do you mean toys?" I think he means wants to go see the toys at the stores." Jason said, understanding dawning.
"Yes, that's what I said, stores!" Morik answered nonchalantly. "I want to see all the toys! They have everything, but it's all tiny, so you can hold it in your hand!" Morik, having grown up most of his life without seeing one, was fascinated by earth's toys - miniatures of about anything one could imagine.
"Ahhh, I'm sorry, Morik," Fabian said, feeling a little bit sad for Morik. "You know we can't take you there. A little green boy with pointy ears running around the toy section. Morik, you're adorable, but you'd be on the news in 10 minutes! I wish we could take you, but you know what would happen if we did. Besides, even if they didn't notice you're green, I don't think there'd be a way to get you a visa no matter what, much less permission for you to grow up with us!
"That's not fair!" Morik said. "Couldn't they just see I'm an orphan, a good person, and I have no way to get back to my planet, so there's no way to get a visa? It's common sense."
"I'm afraid not, Morik. There's no room for common sense I'm afraid," Fabian said with brutal honesty.
"I'm surprised someone hasn't tried to stop Santa Clause," Martin said. "He must fly over half a dozen countries or more."
"Who's Santa Claus?" Morik asked, bewildered.
"He's that guy in a red suit," Martin replied.
"Green suit in some countries," Fabian added savvily.
"He's the one that brings all those toys!" Martin said enthusiastically.
"Toys??" Morik looked up suddenly. "He brings toys?"
"Yes!" Martin went on, more enthusiastically than ever. "He brought me some toy cars last year!, and Niklas got some action figures!"
"Why does he wear red, or green in some countries?" Morik went on, intrigued.
"Well, in most countries, he wears red, but both red and green are Christmas colors," Fabian offered.
"Who does he give the toys to?" Morik asked, innocently.
"To children!" Martin continued.
"Really?" Morik asked, impressed. "Where can I find Santa?"
"At the North Pole!" Martin stated.
"Well, how do the kids get the toys if he's at the North Pole? It's kind of far away, isn't it?" Morik asked, worried.
"He comes here every Christmas eve!" Martin ended.
"When is that?"
"It's not until around the end of December." Jason offered.
"The end of December? I can't wait that long! Do you think he might give me a toy?"
"Yes, Morik. We'll make sure he gets you a toy," Fabian said, tenderly, glancing at Jason."
"Time to go to bed!" Mrs. Waitaweill's voice could be heard from downstairs.
"Ok!" said Jason. "Thanks for letting us all stay here!"
"No problem! It's Christmas vacation. Now lights out!"
"Ok mom!," Fabian's voice wafted down the stairs.
Morning found Fabian and Jason sleeping soundly. Jason had a goofy smile on his face, like he was dreaming about chocolate, or something. Not so for Morik. He had dreamed about toys enough for the entire year, and was up bright and early with the prospect of one for Christmas. Maybe even more than one if he was really lucky. Since the other boys were asleep, he decided to go downstairs to see if breakfast might be ready a little early. It wasn't, but Morik had more important things on his mind.
"Mrs. Waitaweill, how does Santa get all the toys here?" Morik asked, all of a sudden. "Does he bring them all by himself?"
"No, he has lots of elves that help him with the toys too!" she answered, with a smile.
"What are elves?" Morik asked, puzzled.
"Oh, I forgot you don't know those things," Mrs. Waitaweill responded. "They're little people with pointy ears that help Santa with all the toys each Christmas."
"Really?" Morik asked.
"Sure.... Isn't it a little cold to be running around in your underwear?" Mrs. Waitaweill asked, changing the subject.
"No, it's warm in here. It's out there that worries me. It got really cold the last time I went into the forest."
"Well, just bundle up a little, and make sure you wear a heavy coat."
"I don't have a coat," replied Morik.
"Oh, that's right, I forgot. Listen, I was meaning to give you this at Christmas, but maybe I should give it to you now," stated Mrs. Waitaweill, thoughtfully.
"They're red!" Morik noted happily.
"Yes, and they come with matching pants. I hope they fit."
"Oh, they fit fine," Morik enthused, jumping into the pants on the spot, followed by the coat, without any shirt underneath.
"That's not exactly how I thought you'd wear them, but I just glad you will wear them for a change. I hoped you'd like them."
"I love them!" Morik blurted out, with more than characteristic enthusiasm for such things. "And they come with boots too!"
"Yes. I thought you could use them will all this cold, traipsing around the woods and things. Besides, you're always coming here at night, when it's coldest. The boots have bells on the toes, but you can take them off if you want. It's only held with velcro," she added. "They were only added as kind of a Christmas decoration. You know, to kind of get in the spirit of Christmas."
"Thank you!" Morik said, hugging Mrs. Waitaweill tightly. "Mrs. Waitaweill?" he asked, remembering what he'd been thinking about all night. Is it true that before Christmas I can only see Santa at the North Pole?"
"Not unless you saw him at the mall," Mrs. Waitaweill answered, absent mindedly, now thinking about starting breakfast.
"Santa Claus is going to be at the mall???" he asked, incredulously.
"Sure. He'll be there starting this morning," she answered, nonchalantly. Gee, you really look Christmassy, all green and red!"
"Yes, I do, said Morik, pensively, a funny look on his face. Ok. Thanks! Well I guess I'll be going!" he said suddenly. At that, he stepped out into the cold, completely forgetting the sweater, and the pair of jeans he'd arrived in the night before.
A while later, the other boys arose to the smell of breakfast cooking. "Mom, have you seen Morik?" Fabian asked.
"Yes, he said he said he had to go. He left really fast."
"He left last night?" Fabian inquired, puzzled.
"No, he left this morning. I didn't even get a chance to offer him breakfast!"
"Mom, he comes here at night. He can't go out there in the morning. He's green for heaven's sake! They'll have the news truck here before he knows what hit him!"
"Oh my gosh! I'd forgotten about that - I'm so used to seeing him, I don't even think about it!" Mrs. Waitaweill admitted, suddenly looking worried.
"How long ago did he leave, mom?"
"Just a little while ago," she said. He couldn't have gotten very far yet. Not in this weather."
"I'm going to go see if I can track him down," offered Fabian.
"I'll go too," Jason voluntered.
"Martin, you stay here and watch the news with my mom," Fabian added.
"I always have to do all the boring stuff, just because I'm the smallest," grumbled Martin.
"If somebody sees Morik, I'm sure it won't be boring, Martin," Fabian chided, "and somebody has to. What if the news discovers him first?"
"Ok. I'll stay here and watch the stupid news," Martin conceded.
"Well, there's no way I'm just staying here to see what happens," Mrs. Waitaweill asserted, stubbornly. "I'm as worried as you are. Maybe more! Besides, I can drive, Mr. too big for your britches."
"I don't think that will help. I know all the places Morik goes. I don't think he'll take the beaten path where a car could drive. You'd just slow us down. Besides, we're going to try to follow his footprints."
"Well, he'll probably be frozen in them," came Jason's voice from the stairs. "He left his shoes in our room. His pants and shirt are there too."
"Mom, you let Morik go out there in this weather - naked?! Do you realize how cold it is out there??"
"Now listen, young man. Don't take that tone with me. Just because I'm older doesn't mean I'm stupid! I gave him a coat and boots first." Fabian raised his eyebrows. "and pants," Mrs. Waitaweill added, indignantly. "I swear, I do have an IQ!"
""You got Morik to wear a coat? Fur and all? Way to go mom. I thought I'd never get him to wear one."
"He didn't have one," Mrs. Waitaweill interrupted, "and it had fake fur inside, but it's still pretty warm. "Besides, he liked it - a lot! It was red and I said he looked Christmassy. He seemed to really like that idea."
"Christmassy?"
"Yes, all red and green."
"Oh I guess you have a point."
"Fabian," Jason prompted, "we better stop talking and get going!"
"You're right," Fabian relented. "Let's go. Now for real, mom, you should watch the news. You can watch one channel, and Martin another in the other room. If the news finds out about him, we probably won't know about it, so you'll need to high tail it to wherever he is and do some fast talking; and if he isn't on the news, someone needs to be home if he comes back."
"I guess you're right, but if you find him call me, and if you don't find him soon, we're going in the car, period. I can't take that kind of risk."
--End of chapter 1--
This topic was modified 1 month ago 7 times by Lyel
"While Mrs. Waitaweill and Martin watched the news nerviously, Fabian and Jason managed to find what appeared to be Morik's tracks."
"I don't think these are his," Jason said. "These look like boot tracks."
"Unless she sent him out barefoot, I think he does. I saw my mom bring home a pair when she thought I wasn't looking. I thought there were me, but I think they were for Morik. His shoes are still upstairs, you know."
"Oh, yeah, right."
After a while of following the tracks, which was getting harder, they saw a large figure start to loom up in the haze. It looked a little bent over, and it soon became apparent it was Mr. Donner.
"Hi Mr. Donner!" both boys exclaimed. "What are you doing out in weather like this?"
"I needed a shovel to shovel out my drive. I don't think I'll be able to get the car out until I do. Besides, I thought the walk would be good for me. Next time I think I'll ask me to drive me. By the way, I met your cousin, Fabian. Where'd you been hiding him? I hadn't ever seen him before. You know, he doesn't look like you at all."
"What cousin?" Fabian asked, confused for the moment.
"One with longish straight hair, red boots, a big smile, and a red coat that looks like it could have belonged to Santa Claus," he chuckled. "Morik, I think he said his name was."
Jason and Fabian gave eachother a glance. "Did he have pointy ears?" Fabian asked, increduously.
"Yes. They were amazing, if you ask me!" said the old man.
"He's green! You don't have a problem with that?"
"Well, the pointed ears made sense, though I can't believe how real they looked. As far as the green skin, I guess I haven't kept up with things. The green color was a bit of a surprise to me, but I don't see anything wrong if the new generation has made some new holiday traditions. His costume looked great! His skin looked so real too. I don't think that color's ever going to wash out. What did he use, for heaven's sake? It looks so real. I hope it wasn't anything too permanent."
"Oh, it's permanent, alright," Fabian snikered. "Did he happen to mention where he was going?"
"Oh, yes. Kind of. He said he was going to help Santa Claus so he could get some toys. When he gets dressed up, he really goes all out! I still can't get over those ears! How did he do it? Did your mother make them?"
"No, his mother made them," Jason chuckled. Well, thanks for the help! Tell him to come home if you see him!"
"Ok," Mr. Donner responded, continuing on his way home. "Will do."
"Where do you think he's trying to go?" asked Jason. The North Pole?"
"Not quite," answered Fabian. "I'm not sure, but I think I might have an idea. Maybe we should call home now. It's freezing out here. Why don't we duck into that laundromat, over there and call from there. I'm sure they won't mind.
In the meantime, Mrs Waitaweill sat watching the news in the livingroom in silence. "Mrs. Waitaweill, I think you better come watch this," came a call from the other room. I don't think you're going to like it!" came Martin's voice from the other room.
A few miles away, a green boy with very red pants and coat, plodded his way along the street, while passers by stared in disbelief. He knew where he was going, although he had to ask directions to get there. A couple of cars collided. Why couldn't the drivers seem to watch the road? It's no wonder Fabian and everybody encouraged him to stay away from town, Morik thought.
What would seem like a very long walk for most Earth boys, seemed normal for Morik, who was used to going everywhere in the tropical world he once lived in, on foot, since he was left alone. After what probably seemed like an eternity to the Waitaweills, Morik's walk came to an end. He stopped for a moment, and smiled to himself, realizing he had finally done it. He had reached Utopia - the city Mall.
After reaching the door, it opened by itself, before he could even attempt to open it. Some great smells wafted out, as he walked past what appeared to be booths full of food. Morik's stomach rumbled, and he remembered now how he'd left without eating. He couldn't help but stare at the selection of entrees pictured on the wall behind the counter.
"Could I interest you in a combo?" came the obligatory question from a new employee behind the counter, who appeard to still be in his teens.
"You could interest me in as many combos as you like!" Morik answered, thinking that whatever combos were, they mustn't be too bad if they smelled like that, but doesn't that take some credits or tokens or something?"
"Credit? Uh, don't you need to get your parents or something?" the voice behind the counter asked.
"No. I don't have any parents," he said, sadly.
"Oh, I'm sorry," said the boy behind the counter, trying to think what to say.
"That's alright. There's no way you could have known." Morik said, eying the food hungrily, before turning to go.
"Wait. Where are you going?" the boy asked.
"The combos smell great, but I don't have any way to pay for one," answered Morik, dismally.
"Combos are free for children today," the boy behind the counter fibbed, thinking quickly.
"Really? You mean for Christmas?" Morik asked, surprised.
"Uh.. yeah... of course," the boy responded.
"Gee thanks!" Morik exclaimed, enthusiastically.
"No problem! By the way, whoever made you up is a real genius! The coat looks great, but those ears... they look so real!"
"Yes, Mrs. Waitaweill got me that coat. She's is as good to me as if I had a real mom," Morik stated, cheering up suddenly. "People are so nice to me here. I was really hungry. I haven't eaten since yesterday. Thanks again, Mister! Merry Christmas!"
Merry Christmas!" the boy behind the counter answered, trying to hide a tear in his eye. "Put me down for another combo, Boss," he yelled into the back room. "Yes, I know I already ate. I'm buying two lunches today, ok? No, I'm not in love, and it's not a girl. Actually it looked more like a Lepricon. No, I didn't drink any of the wrong eggnog! Haven't you ever heard of a suit? How should I know why? Yes, I know it's not Halloween! Just put it on my tab, ok??"
In the meantime, Morik walked deeper and deeper into the heart of Utopia, as he munched on fresh 'combo'. He'd have to ask Mrs. Waitaweill if she knew how to prepare a combo too. Conversation had seemed to come to a halt, and a small informal crowd had formed around Morik.
who
"You just broke it all!" a girl exclaimed, looking at her mother who let go of the bag she was carrying and stood with her mouth agape, as Morik asked, "mam, could you tell me where to find Santa Claus?"
"Uh, uh, uh," was all she could get out.
"I just came from there!" a little boy interjected. "Keep going straight until you reach the wall, then turn right!"
"Thank you!" came Morik's response. "Did you see any elves?"
"No," said the little boy, truthfully.
"Great! Gotta go," responded Morik. "I'm sorry, I didn't know you couldn't talk," he added, turning to the lady who had dropped her bags. It helps if you hold sombody's hand! Just make sure it's a human! I couldn't talk until I did that either! Now I have to go see Santa while he's still alone!"
"He's not alone, the little boy said.. There are a lot of people there!" he added.
"Did any have pointed ears?"
"Noooo," came the boy's response again.
"Then they don't count! Thanks, bye!"
"Can I take your picture?" someone asked, but Morik was so absorbed with what he was doing that the question went unnoticed, along with the crowd that was starting to form around him.
"Did you see his ears?" the little boy asked his mother.
"Ears?? All you noticed were the ears? He's completely green!"
"Yeah, but he had a red suit," the boy said, trying to defend himself.
Morik, moving post haste, soon found the person he was looking for. "Santa!" he exclaimed, pushing his way through the crowd, which wasn't difficult, as they all suddenly seemed to be paying more attention to Morik than to Santa. "I've been looking for you all day! Are there any elves here yet?"
"Elves??" Santa asked, in disbelief."
"Yes, small people with pointed ears that help you at Christmas time!" Morik exclaimed, exasperatedly.
"Un, no... is all that he could say.
"Good! I'm here to help you with your presents!"
"You're green!" the mall santa said with disbelief.
"Yes, all red an green! Christmas colors! Like it?" Morik asked, candidly.
Around the same time, or slightly afterwards, Mrs. Waitaweill was in the process of answering Martin, who was watching one of the tv's at the Waitaweill's home. "Mrs. Waitaweill, I think you better come watch this," came a call from the other room. I don't think you're going to like it!" came Martin's voice from the other room.
"What is it?" Mrs. Waitaweill asked, worried.
"I think you better come see for yourself," came Martin's voice, as Fabian's mother walked into the room.
"Today, hundreds of children turned up at the mall to welcome Santa Claus, as in years past," blared the voice from the television, "just this year has proved to be different. This year Santa Claus has been seemingly upstaged by a small boy with pointed ears." The camera panned to Santa, and confirmed Mrs. Waitaweill's worst fear. "Pointed ears that could probably convince his own mother, and, yes, you've got it, an impeccable green complexion." The camera zoomed in, and there, in the high definition was Morik's face, plastered across the screen.
"I told you that you wouldn't like it," said Martin, noting the look on Mrs. Waitaweill's face, which was about as pale as Morik's was green at the moment.
Just then, the telephone rang. Fabian's voice came mercifully on the other line. "Mom, I think we know where Morik might be."
"Fabian, stay right where you are," came Mrs. Waitaweill's response. I'll pick you up. I know where Morik is," she added, "and I'm afraid half the city does too.
"I'll stay right here. How can you be so sure you know where he is for certain?" Fabian asked.
"Oh, I'm sure. Is that a TV I hear where you're calling from?"
"Sure, it's right over th......... Oh my gosh! Mom, drop the phone, and let's hope you get here quick. It's on the way. I'll be waiting!"
"So where are the toys?" Morik asked, back at the mall, ignoring the surprised look on Santa's face, and pretty much everybody present.
Santa still just sat there with his mouth agape, not yet able to say anything.
"Hey, mommy, I didn't know elves were green!" came the voice of a little girl, breaking the silence.
"I didn't know either," came the mother's response. "I guess I haven't kept up on these things. That's the first green elf I've ever seen. In fact that's the only elf I've ever seen, now that I think of it. Maybe there supposed to be green now a days.
"What's wrong?" Morik asked Santa, ignoring the crowd around him. "Oh I get it," Morik postulated. "The elves already got here and finished. Can I at least see them?" Morik pleaded. "I"d give anything to talk with them. I speak their language. I thought there wasn't anyone like me left."
"I'm afraid you're the only elf around here," Santa stated, with a confused look on his face. "Who are you and what are you doing here??"
"I told you. I'm here to help with the toys. See, I'm little, I have pointy ears, I'm all red and green - Christmas colors!"
"Oooh. I see! I've been asking the mall for help for years, Santa observed. It's just that nobody actually told me they'd finally decided to send it this year. I can't get over how real you look.
"Of course I'm real!" Morik exclaimed, indignant.
"Did you hear that mommy?" a little boy said, somewhere in the crowd. "I told you he was real!"
"You really caught me off guard," Santa explained, directing himself to Morik, still stunned. "They took their time to give me the help I'd asked for, and now I know why! They really went all out this year! I was just expecting an attendant to help me with the kids, and they gave me Lucas Films."
"What's Lucas Films?" Morik asked.
"Don't worry about it," chortled Santa.
"So what should I do?" asked Morik. "Do you need me to go get the toys?"
"They'll all receive their toys later. I just need you to help with the kids. Especially if they're tired, scared, or crying. You know. Just try to help make them feel happy."
"I think I'm going to like this job," Morik stated. Needless to say, there wasn't much crying going on. All were too intent on looking at Morik, who was all smiles, now that he'd found Santa.
'Chuck, call the station! This is just the type of thing we've been looking for," a woman said somewhere in the crowd, who went unnoticed. "Tell them to get here pronto!"
"Can I sit on the elf's lap too? A pair of twins," a boy and a girl, could be heard to say. "He's a real elf. I heard him say so!"
"Yeah, I want my picture with the elf too!" another boy could be heard to say. From an obscure alien in hiding, to beloved helper of Santa, Morik not only felt for the first time that he belonged here. He felt like the most popular boy on the planet. He'd never received so many hugs, nor taken so many pictures in his life!
"Mom, I touched his hears. I tell you, and he's the nicest person I've ever met!!"
"Yeah, and he even has green freckles," another child cut in.
In the meantime, Mrs. Waitaweill was racing in her car, Fabian and Martin in tow, as fast as their safety would allow. "I feel awful!" Mrs. Waitaweill bemoaned. "I'm so used to seeing Morik that he doesn't even seem unusual to me anymore. Besides, with Jahv and his friends and brother around, it's nothing to see a boy running around with green skin, or blue, or purple, or whatever! Now, just because I couldn't remember that other people might not understand that, Morik's in danger! He's in front of the entire city, for heaven's sake! The entire country for all we know! He's just a little kid, like everybody else! He needs protecting, and I let him down! I'll never forgive myself if something happens to him, and at this point I can't see how we can keep that from happening!"
"I don't care, we've got to try!" Fabian exhorted.
"Darned right we're going to try. We're going to get him out of there and somewhere safe if I have to fend the entire mall off myself!" Mrs. Waitaweill affirmed, pulling into the mall parking lot. "Oh my, what channel was that news report on? I see two news trucks out there and I fear that one's from another channel. Look. They're still in their truck. Let's make it in there before they do! Hurry!"
Upon entering the mall, the small group waded its way to Santa. Considering the crowd, finding him didn't turn out to be very hard. "There he is!" Martin said, pointing.
"Let me take care of this," Mrs. Waitaweill spat out. "Morik, over here! What are you doing?"
"I'm helping Santa, and it's a good thing I am! I'm the only one of us that showed up!"
"Only one of who?"
"The only elf, of course!"
"Elf?" Mrs. Waitaweill asked.
"Yes. Little people with pointed ears. You said so yourself." Morik reminded her.
"Yes, I did, didn't I?" Mrs. Waitaweilll responded. "Listen, Morik, I think it's time to go now."
"Yeah, before channel five gets here!" Fabian said, under his breath.
"Too late," Martin noted. They're already here.
"Oh great!"
"Listen, I can explain," Mrs. Waitaweill started telling the Santa in the mall. "You have to give him a chance!"
"This I've got to hear," Fabian muttered.
"He's just a little boy, just like the rest of the children here!" she went on.
"Oh, no need, to explain," the mall Santa interrupted. "I already gave him a chance, and he's the best employee I've ever had!"
"I meant, I mean... you think he's...."
"Oh, yes, absolutely, the best I've ever had!" interrupted Santa.
"It's great to hear that," Mrs. Waitawell said.
"Are you the genius responsible for his wardrobe and makeup?" Santa inquired. "I can't believe how real this ears look, and his skin!"
"Makeup?" she asked confused for a minute.
"Yes, the pointy ears, the green skin, the outfit and everything."
"His mother's the one responsible for the pointy ears and green skin. Mom only got him the outfit," Fabain piped in, trying keep a straight face.
"Well give her your compliments if we see her," Fabian stated, trying not to burst out laughing.
"I'm glad to hear that," Mrs. Waitaweill answered, recovering somewhat. "Well, we have to go now." "I'm so glad things worked out so well," she stated, not wanting to press their luck. She suspected it would be difficult for Santa to know how glad she was that things worked out well, though.
"Well, I guess we'll have to be going," Mrs. Waitaweill stated, tacitly.
"Alright. We were about done for the day anyway," Santa stated with a smile.
"Can I get my toys now?" Morik asked.
"Toys?" Santa asked, inquisitively.
"Yes. I was told by everybody that after I helped out, Ssnta would give me some toys," Morik stated, confused.
"They did, did they?" Santa scowled, assuming Morik was referring to the Mall personell. "That's just like them. The rott...." Then he stopped in mid sentence, sensing how this appeared to Morik and the other children, and feeling bad for Morik especially.
"Don't worry. I'll take that up later with the mall employer. It's not your fault. We've never had so many visitors here until you came, in all the years I've been here! You've earned this!" Santa said with a big smile, taking something out of his pocket.
"That's because you've never had a real elf here before. Look at him. Everybody wants to see him. He even let me pull his ears. They're real. And his skin. It really is green. It's not just make up! He doesn't have a shirt under that jacket, so you can tell. When he bent down to pick up a flyer Ssnta dropped, you could even see he has green...."
"That's enough! The child's mother cut him off. "I don't wanna know."
"But mom!"
"Enough I said! You're worse than the paparazzi!"
"I don't see why mom makes such a big deal over a mole," the child could be heard, muttering under his breath to his sister.
"Well, I was saving this for someone special," Santa mused, thoughtfully, "but after what you've done, and the way the kids love you, I think special would be a pretty good description for you!"
"They love me?" Morik asked, surprised.
"Of course they do! More kids asked for their picture to be taken with you than with me, and I've never heard of kids asking to sit with Santa's elves before. The love you. I've never seen anything like it!" Morik started to get a warm feeling inside. Maybe he did belong on this planet after all. "Anyway," Santa was saying, bringing Morik out of his daydreaming, "this is a gift card for the toystore here at the mall. It should get you quite a few toys."
"Thanks!" Morik said, looking up with a big smile.
"Don't mention it! You helped set a record today I believe. You deverve it!"
"Now let's take him to use his gift certificate before he figures out Morik's not a store employee, and the tv stations really get a story," Mrs. Waitaweill muttered to Fabian, under her breath, though she couldn't quite surpress a smile.
The toystore was a dream come true for Morik. He bought himself some toy cars, with which he was fascinated, never having had a toy before, along, with a toy plane, and even a toy spaceship, but what especially fascinated him was a tiny toy helicopter with a remote control that really flew. Not wanting t leave his friends out, he bought a few gifts for Fabian and Martin, then took it all to the counter, sure he'd never have enough to pay for it, planning to return a few of his toys to make sure he could get something for his friends if he had to. To his surprise, he still had almost half of the gift card left. He was really going to be able to go on a shopping spree today, he thought.
It was then that he heard the little girl. "Can't we just see the toystore?" she asked with an undefinable accent.
"I guess we could but it's only going to make you feel worse. You know your Dad's out of work. There's not going to be any toys for Christmas. I'm sorry, but I don't want to get your hopes up just to destroy them tomorrow morning. You've been good, but there's nothing we can do."
"That's no fair! Dad has a doctorate. He studied for years and the only thing they'll let him do is sweep streets and clean bathrooms! Why won't they let him do what he knows how to do?"
"It's our alien status. He doesn't have a visa honey. Even if he could've gotten a visa without a sponsor, and he couldn't, that often takes a decade or even two. There's a war back home, and the educated people are the first ones they try to execute. They don't want people to think for themselves. If we come here they don't recognize his education. If we'd stayed there we wouldn't be alive to tell about it. I'm sorry I have to explain this to you when you're so young.
"Oh, there you are!" Morik said to the girl suddently, making everybody jump.
"Who are you?" the little girl asked, big eyed. "Aren't you the elf that was helping Santa a little while ago?"
"Why yes. Santa had a really hard time finding you after you left your country and everything. You didn't leave any forwarding address!"
"No, we didn't," she said, looking at the floor. "I miss my friends."
"Well, you've made some new ones! My name's Morik, and this are my friends, Fabian and Martin!"
"Hi!" said the little girl, suddenly shy.
"This is a gift certificate for the toystore. Santa would want you to have it!" Morik said with a smile.
"Morik, are you sure you want to.." Mrs. Waitaweill tried to get out.
"I'm very sure," Morik interrupted. "That's what Christmas is all about, isn't it?"
"Here. You'll be able to buy plenty of toys with this. Believe me! There's a lot left on it, and you need it more than me. You can use it for anything you want, but the doll section is over there," Morik stated.
"Mom, Santa's elf gave me a Christmas present!" the little girl shrieked, enthusiastically.
"I don't know if we can accept this," the little girl's mother said, worried.
"Oh course you can accept it!" Morik said, emphatically, with a smile. "I wouldn't have it any other way. That's what Christmas is all about. Doing things for the good of others, not just ourselves."
"I'll never be able to thank you enough. You have no idea how much this means to my little girl," the mother replied, trying to keep a dry eye."
"Yes I do. Christmas eleves don't always have as much as you think. If it wasn't for her, I wouldn't even have this coat!" came Morik's response, signalling in Mrs. Waitaweill's direction, and the toys are from Santa. Some day, if you ever can, and you see another little girl like her, or a little boy, just remember how easy it is to make them happy too."
"See, I told you Santa wouldn't forget us!" the little girl told her mom, giving Morik a big hug, and a kiss on the cheek so quick he almost didn't know what happened, turning bright green. "And give one of those to your friends too!" she said, smiling from ear to ear. "You guys are wonderful!" she reiterated, as Morik, turned a brighter green still. "Well, see ya!" she could be heard to say, as she walked towards the doll aisle, looking happier than ever. "Mom, I think I've seen those other boys somewhere. I can't believe they know one of Santa's elves! I think Ricardo said Keith and the smaller boy are his friends or something......."
"That was a nice thing to do," Mrs. Waitaweill said, as the conversation no of the little girl and her mother faded. "Yeah. I was taught by my best friend's mother.
"Oh, who was that?" she asked, curious. "You! Can we go home now? We have a little helicopter to fly around the house!"
"To fly outside, young man," she corrected, sternly, but lovingly. "Ok, if you think the neighbors won't say anything about a green boy with pointy ears flying things around the yard."
"Ok, inside. You do look kinda like an elf next to Santa Claus, but I don't know if that'd be the case alone in our backyard. The TV station might not be so understanding then." Fabian gave Morik a high five, as Mrs. Waitaweill turned her back. "Way to go! Try not to hit the lighting fixture!"
"If they just understood Morik and the other aliens like Morik understands the little girl and her mother, we'd be fine!" Mrs. Waitaweill could just scarely be heard to say, muttering under her brfeath. "Remind me to get a fence, she could be heard muttering under her breath. Especially before summer."
(More illustrations should be added in the future.)
Copyright belongs to Eidan I. but copying is presently allowed for non-commercial purposes. Just make sure to give credit. You can print up a poster if you want to too. Go for it! (Exception: Yes, you can use it for your boyscout fundraiser, or to go to camp or something. I support giving such things.) If you want commercial access, feel free to contact me on the forum. That would be interesting.)
