CHAPTER ONE

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As the long summer days linger in our memories, nature rests her rainbow palette. In their place she brings out the colours of beach and woodland, soothing us into a quiet reflection. We walk through pictures shown so beautifully by the winter sun; each as bathed in love as the one before. Be it the blue of sea or sky, or every shade of brown from almost white to almost black, it brings a peaceful harmony. Yet in this choir of colours, mother nature keeps by a little green, a little red, for the holly tree, the evergreens and robins. And after this rest, this deep breath of cool fresh air, we are ready for the sweet mischief of spring.

Under a dove grey sky the colours of world don Jake's winter coats, each hue darker and richer than before as he looked on the path which sparkles and crunches, like sugar underfoot, and the coolness brings him right into the now, into the moment of life. Though the flowers sleep and the trees show their lofty arms once more, a smile plays upon these cold pink lips of his. For as much as he loved the summertime, he love the winter more. For every perfume of the meadow, there is the earthy loam of the newly-lit forest floor.

Breath pale against the numbing air, he blinked thoughtfully as the frost patiently kissed his face, captivated by the soft, dusty illusions of light that sat heavy on his eyelashes. He adored the snow, he always adored the snow, moreso when it was falling.

"This party rocks" Someone shouted from the house which he sat in front of. The music was so loud that it made his skin tingle and his lungs feel like mush. The bass thumped in time with his heart beat as though they were one, filling him from head to toe with music. He always loved this song. It was his favorite.

Over the roar of music, he still did not feel like going in and dancing his heart out like he always loved to do. Somehow he felt different. The song that was playing got louder, trying to pull him in with it's beats and lyrics, but still he felt too stiff to give in. 

It was a house party thrown by the Head boy of Free land high, one of the best schools known in Arizona. The party was planned for the main purpose of celebrating the end of the recent exams. The party did not really seem like a normal school party but it was in fact, the opposite. It was more like the bad stuffs people do in a bar. So if you have any idea of what it looked and maybe felt like, then you would know that what exactly they were doing in that party would be enough to make an angel faint.

Jake sat in front of the house where the party was being held. He still did not want to party that night, although he came here to 'have fun'.

Normally he loved going to parties, getting the chance to while away time and f*ck any ass he lays his hands on. He never had problems with that because that was his life and yeah he had food looks. So he won't deny the fact that girls drool over him.

But tonight was different. He did not know why but somehow he felt so different.

He pulled out a cigarette from his pockets and lit it, taking in the smoke and exhaling it from both his nose and mouth. He closed his eyes as he tried remembering the stories his mother always loved telling him when it was the Christmas season. A tear fell as he remembered his mother.

They say sadness is behind anger, yet anger never comes unless in direct self defence, and so perhaps he could credit this natural passivity with his willingness to cry and feel pain, to let the sorrow teach him more about his true nature and how fragile we humans are. 

He was not always like this, he never was. He was not the type that always goes to parties, waste his time and life. But this was all the death of his mother had done to him, she had left with his happiness and love for Christmas. And now all he felt for Christmas was hate because it was this seasons that had brought in the jaws of death on his mother and had taken her away from him. It was this season that had denied him the joy of having a mother.

Cleaning the tears that were falling down his cheeks, he looked up to the darkened sky, remembering the days when he once had love for Christmas.

The days when his mother will sit with him on his little bed telling him stories on Christmas as those were the only memories he had of her.

And he treasured them with all he had.

ELEVEN YEARS AGO 

"Mama, please tell me a Christmas story" Little Jake pleaded as he climbed on his mother's lap.

"You always want me to tell you a story baby. Ain't you scared that one day I will run out of stories to tell?" His mother said as she tickled him, laughing as he was being tickled.

"I will not kind Mama, I will just have to keep listening to them again and again" He said as he hugged his mother.

"Alright my dear. I will tell you a story. This story is one of my favorites and maybe it will be yours too. Now listen and listen very clearly. Will you do that for your mother?"

"Yes mother" He said as he clapped his hands, looking at his mother's face as she cleared her throat.

"It was a beautiful December day" She began, "with clear blue sky and snow-covered treetops. Christmas was in the air but up in Santa’s lodge, all was quiet. The usual hustle and bustle of preparing Christmas presents had gone for Santa had fallen ill. “Oh dear, what will the children say when they don’t receive presents this year,” Santa wondered sadly as he lay on his bed. 

Suddenly, he heard a noise from outside. He looked out of his window and saw his four reindeer standing patiently as usual. But they seemed quite out of breath as if they had just finished a long trip. And as Santa took a closer look, he could not believe what he saw. For behind the reindeer was a long train of sleds carrying little children dressed in all sorts of colors.

One by one, they hopped out onto the snow and headed towards Santa’s lodge. Soon came a knock on the door. “Come in,” Santa called out as he was extremely curious. In came a little girl, hugging something soft in her arms. “I heard that you were sick Mr. Santa,” she began. “So, I’m giving you my teddy bear to keep you company.” “Thank you little Emma,” said Santa as he knew every child by name.

Then entered a young boy with a red package in his arms. “We knew that you were ill, Papa Santa,” he said. “So my family knitted this quilt for you to keep you warm in the winter days.” “What a wonderful thought Paul,” beamed Santa patting him on the head.  

And on by one, the children came in through Santa’s door, each with a special gift to wish Santa well. There were cookies, pies, socks, mittens, books, jigsaw puzzles, and even a small Christmas tree! “Christmas delivered to my doorstep!” exclaimed Santa. “Come, let us all share these wonderful gifts.” And he gathered the children around him in a big circle.

"Santa, which present did you like the most?” Emma soon piped up. “My dear little ones, it is the love and kindness that each one of you has shown me today. That is the best present of all!” Santa said smiling. He looked fondly at all the eager faces around him. “This, my little ones is the true meaning of Christmas,” Santa said.

And with that, Santa gave each of the children a big, warm holiday hug. 

The End" She said as she smiled at her son whom still looked at her, expecting her to continue with the story.

"But Mama this story does not really interest me this night. I have heard alot of stories about Santa. Please tell me something different?"

"Fine! I will. But promise me that after this it will be over?"

"If I like it Mama" he responded.

" Ok then, I will call this story THE LITTLEST ELF"

"Oliver was an elf. He lived with his family in the North Pole. There were many elves in the Santa’s village, but Oliver was the littlest one. It was Christmas time and Oliver was excited. This year, he would discover his special job at one of Santa’s workshops. He just needed to visit each shop to see which one was the right fit.

At the toy workshop where his mom worked, Oliver tried to make cuddly teddy bears. But he got lost in the huge stuffing piles! “Oliver?” an elf asked. Oliver’s mom said, “I think you are too little for the toy workshop. Why don’t you try helping your dad at the bicycle workshop instead?

So, Oliver went to Santa’s bicycle workshop. “I’m ready to help,” he said. Oliver watched as the elves added wheels and seats and handlebars and bells. But the tools were very big for Oliver’s little hands. “Maybe bakery is your special job,” his father told him. “You should visit your brother at the bakery next!”

Off Oliver went to the bakery. These elves made sugarplum cookies and candy cane squares! But when Oliver tried to stir the cookie dough, he fell into the giant mixing bowl. “Oliver, look out!” one of the elves shouted. “Sorry, Ollie!” his brother said. “You’re too little for the bakery. Maybe your special job is at the bookmaker’s shop.”

Oliver arrived at the last of the Santa’s workshops where his sister worked. The bookmakers there wrote the amazing stories and drew wonderful pictures. “Can I help?” Oliver asked. “Of course!” the elves replied. But the inkpot was too deep and the stack of papers was very tall. “Oh Ollie,” his sister cried. Bookmaking was harder and messier than it looked.

Oliver wandered through the North Pole. He was sad. Oliver knew there had to be one special job he could do even if he was little. Then he heard a sound of hooves clattering at the stables. Inside, a herd of reindeer had gathered to meet Dot, the new reindeer. She was little just like Oliver.

Dot was very excited to help flying Santa’s sleigh. She practiced for the big night by jumping and hopping and leaping, but she could not fly. The reindeer’s mama gave her a gentle kiss. Dot was still too little. Dot was very sad. Oliver wanted to cheer her up. He dug in his pockets to find a treat for Dot, but instead he found little trinkets from each workshop he had visited. Just then, he had an idea!

Oliver and Dot used the tiny trinket to make the ornaments, cards and fun decorations for all the hardworking elves in the village. The littlest elf and the littlest reindeer filled the sleigh with their Christmas treats. They delivered the presents to all the workshops. The elves loved their special gifts.

Soon, Santa came to see what all the fuss was about! He watched as Oliver and Dot made everyone smile. Suddenly, Santa had an idea. “Oliver and Dot, with your big hearts and great Christmas cheer, won’t you be my very important helpers this year?” asked Santa. Oliver and Dot had found their special jobs after all! But more important, they had each found a special friend!

The End"

She ended as she looked at her son again but still, there was no sign of him going to sleep nor did he seem satisfied with the stories she had told him.

"Mother, I want to hear something different, a story that relates to Christmas. A story that will seem so real and one I will never forget. I do not want to hear of Santa anymore" You said as he folded his arms.

His mother looked at him and sighed.

"Do you believe in magic?" She asked him, causing the little Chile to look up at her in utter surprise.

" I do not Mama, my friends say it is lame" He replied as he looked away.

" The Christmas Spirit does not entail you believing what your friends believe but it entails believing what you think is right. I never will force you to believe what you don't want to believe but I will tell you a story of a far away land. A land you never thought will ever exist.

" A land where magic runs and where snow falls unceasingly. I will tell you how the winter season originated and why this land is so special. It is left for you to believe what you hear because I can never force you to believe what you do not want to believe. 

"I will tell you about Marixona, the birthplace of winter"