The cynical optimist

I’ve really been wanting to write a christmas story, but it’s never felt right and I’ve never had the right cast of characters or the story I wanted to tell, but this year things are different. I hope you enjoy the following story…which is also a sneak peak into the world I’m creating for the novel I’ve been writing….It’s titled A Found Family Christmas.

Ellayne sat on the stone steps of the amphitheater and watched as her brother and all the others lost themselves in the fight to come. They were all bent over a table pointing at maps and yelling and screaming over each other because each one believed their plan was the right one. It hadn’t taken her too long to get extraordinarily bored so she wandered away.

The sun was beginning to set so there was no way they could be at this for much longer right? soon enough they wouldn’t even be able to see the maps or the notes they had taken and it was starting to get cold and with the cold she couldn’t help but think of the snow…she loved snow ever since she was small. It brought with it the rush of memories of winter and the christmas season, the gifts and the family and she felt her heart sink and she gasped.

She ran towards the bickering group and tried to get their attention but her voice was lost in the sea of angrier ones. Frustrated and flustered she decided to take matters into her own hands. She ascended the steps of the amphitheater and made her way out into the streets of Friar’s Glen. Christmas was coming up…only a few days away…she had lost track of time with everything going on and that’s what she was trying to tell everybody, but nobody would listen to her!

As she walked through the town she began to notice all the signs she had missed that the holiday was fast approaching, from literal signs declaring holiday sales to garland strung up on windows and in odd houses here and there candles that glowed mysteriously green and red, there was even a roving crowd of people singing songs in a language that she couldn’t understand.

“They really are quite good aren’t they?” A woman said as Ellayne was admiring the singing group, startling her. “Oh! I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“No, it’s fine, it’s been a weird few months, so I’m a little jumpy…but yes, they are very good…What are they singing?” Ellayne asked the woman.

“Songs of hope and healing, of moving forward and family, songs that they feel really capture the spirit of the christmas season, and sung in a language that many people consider dead but kept barely alive by the people of this group.” The woman said losing herself in a moment of nostalgia and then she simply wandered away from Ellayne without saying another word.

Ellayne walked away a little on edge by the strange way the woman acted, but as she wandered the city trying to figure out how to bring at least a little holiday spirit to the idiots back at the amphitheater the thought of the strange woman faded and she found herself lost in the spirit of the season she had almost forgotten and was smiling and humming the songs that she had heard the chorus sing.

Her mood had lifted to soaring heights as she stopped in front of a building one that had the mysteriously glowing candles of red and green. The shop entrance said it was a woodworkers shop and that there would be toys for just about anybody in there so she wandered inside.

The inside of the store was decorated with brightly colored ribbons and bows and more of those candles. The man behind the shop was an older man with glasses and a long white beard, the man had a twinkle in his eye and smiled brightly when she walked inside.

“Hello! Hello!!” The man said “And what can I do for you today?” he said leaning over the counter.

“My brother and all of our friends seem to have forgotten the season we are in and I want to help them remember the spirit of the season.” as she said that the bell at the door rang out and the woman from earlier walked in absentmindedly. It took a her a few moments to realize that we were both staring at her.

“Oh! Oh, why hello again, don’t mind me…just looking for some last minute presents for some people…go about your business.” she said waving us off and she busied herself at one of the tables with little wooden carts on it, humming to herself the whole time.

We watched her for a few more minutes before I turned back to the man who ran the shop. “So, any ideas, I need something that will make them remember…”

The man thought hard for a few minutes his brow furrowed in concentration and he looked off into the distance and then suddenly and all at once he shouted . “A-ha!” and his eyes lit up and the biggest of smiles spread across his face. “I think i have just the thing.” He disappeared behind a door and the sound of rummaging and occasional sound of something crashing could be heard from the same direction. Ellayne waited patiently for the man to come back

“So everyone’s forgotten what the season is all about and it’s up to you to remind them?” the woman had suddenly popped back up on the side of her causing Ellayne to jump. “I am sorry!” the woman said

“You have got to stop doing that….” Ellayne said shaking her head and trying to slow down her breathing. “But yes, it’s been a rough few weeks and honestly I don’t even think they remember that Christmas is so close!”

“Well we can’t have that now can we? Everyone should have a Christmas! Let’s go!” she said excitedly and seemingly more alive than ever before.

“What about him? He should be back soon!” Ellayne said

“Ah, forget him, we’ve got a lot to do and if you still want to come back later we can…but we’ve got a lot to do and such little time.”

Ellayne held back from the strange woman, but there was something warm and inviting about her. The woman stared back at her with a slightly amused smirk on her face. It was then she realized she didn’t even know this woman’s name there was no way she was going anywhere with her.

“I-I’m sorry, I don’t even know your name…” Ellayne said making a move to walk out of the store.

“It’s Grace…” the woman said. “It truly is nice to meet you, oh, I don’t think I know your name either!”

“My name is Ellayne.” She said.

“Well Ellayne, I want to help you out….I want to make sure you’re brother and you and the rest of your family have the best christmas ever, will you let me do that?” Grace asked.

Ellayne thought about it for awhile letting the silence stretch out into uncomfortable territories there were hundreds of questions that she should ask Grace but only one floated to the forefront of her mind.

“You can really make sure we have a good christmas?” Ellayne asked.

“Yes.”

“Well then, let’s go!” Ellayne said laughing Grace smiled and grabbed Ellayne by the hand and together they ran out into the streets of Friar’s Glen.

They ran here and there for the rest of the day, picking out a tree and having it delivered to the amphitheater later that day, they picked up ornaments and stopped for a bite to eat and some hot chocolate. they laughed and joked and they even stopped back by that woodworkers shop and bought something that they had come up with.

As the sun started to set they made their way back to the amphitheater where everyone who had been yelling at each other now stood around staring at the gigantic tree that now stood in the middle. As they made their way down the steps Frey turned to her and was taken aback.

“Ellayne? Wh-where have you been?” He asked.

“Oh? Are you just realizing she’s been gone all day? Finally looked up from your maps and ceased your arguing?” Grace responded.

“Excuse me?? Who the hell are you?” Frey asked angrily.

“I have been helping your sister out all day, she’s really a joy…” Grace said with a smile and a quick peak at Ellayne.

“I know she is, are you responsible for the tree? What’s that about?” Frey said.

“You aren’t dumb, think about it, it’s cold, think about what you’ve seen pop up around town, the lights, the decorations.”

“It’s almost Christmas….” He said as it hit him, Grace saw him physically recoil. “Ellayne, my god, i’m- i’m so sorry.”

“I knew you’d forgotten, so that’s why i did this, but the tree isn’t all, leave me and Grace here for a few hours, come back when it’s night time and see what we have planned.” Ellayne told him.

“Okay, I’m really sorry, this weight shouldn’t have fallen on you.”

“You’re right, it shouldn’t have, but I’ve actually had a lot of fun today, so go! scram! spend some time soaking in the christmas season here and as soon as it gets dark come back and we’ll be ready for you!”

Frey laughed and motioned for everyone else to come with him. As soon as they had cleared the amphitheater Ellayne and Grace got to work; garland was hung, ornaments and some of those strangely glowing lights were hung from the tree and placed throughout the whole amphitheater. A table was set up and on it they placed a feast of sweets and snacks that they had gotten from a friendly person at the town bakery, Ellayne was impressed with the towns generosity as soon as Grace had told any of the people what they were up to they donated what they needed no additional questions asked. Once they were finished they took a step back to admire their work.

The amphitheater, a memory of all the wrong, a symbol of all her problems now reflected in the colors of christmas, it felt warm and welcoming, it felt hopeful….and she felt herself tear up.

“It’s beautiful…” Grace said with a smile wiping away a tear from her eye.

“Thank you so much for everything you’ve done for me today, you didn’t have to do any of it and I have no way to repay you…” Ellayne said.

“You don’t have too, like I said at the start, no one should ever have a bad christmas.” Grace said.

There was an audible gasp from behind them and Ellayne turned to see her friends walking up to the amphitheater.

“Ellayne…it’s amazing!” Frey said hugging her close. “Thank you.”

“Is that a meal I see?” Garrick said laughing “You really thought of it all…”

“I had the help of Grace here…thank her too…” Ellayne said.

“Thank you Grace, is there anything we can do?” Frey said.

“No, don’t worry about it, it was my pleasure really, now you all go enjoy your christmas…I have to go.”

“What?” Ellayne said shocked and tears quickly filled her eyes. “You can’t go!”

“Oh, I’d stay if I could by my family is waiting for me and it’s family you should be with on the holiday’s so I’m going to have to get going.”

“I want you to have one…” Ellayne said.

“What?”

Ellayne reached into her pocket and pulled out a small wooden token and Grace immediately began to cry.

“You helped me…and with us that makes you family…take this and whenever you feel alone no matter where you are, remember that you have a family out there that’s thinking about you…” Ellayne then turned to everybody that was gathered around. “I got you all one, because even though me and Frey might be family by blood, I consider you all family…and I couldn’t be happier we found each other.”

As Ellayne passed out the rest of the tokens, Grace slipped away and stood behind the tree for a brief second, this was always the hardest part…saying goodbye, but she twirled the token in her hand, this year seemed especially hard. She whispered “Aperi mihi portas mortis.” and vanished.

The Christmas party carried on until the sun started to rise once again. Ellayne was exhausted but she wanted this feeling she had of hope and joy to last forever so she didn’t want to sleep. She took out the token and ran her thumb across it absentmindedly. The symbol which in her home language meant family glowed a faint blue and she gasped slightly.

On the other side of the doors of death Grace’s was also holding the token, and tears shone in her eyes.

“Merry Christmas Ellayne…” She sighed and crossed the bridge and made her way back home, to her place in the afterlife.