My Short Short for the Day

“When I say go, we rush into the kitchen and get under the table as fast as possible.” Eddie explained. “The table cloth looks long enough to hide us.”

Lou's smile dropped away. “But what if Santa catches us?”

“Don’t worry. Just do what I say and you’ll be fine.” Eddie stated.

When Santa bent over to pull more toys from his bag, the two elves rushed to the kitchen and slid under the table cloth.

“Phew! We made it!” Eddie whispered.

“I don’t think I can take much of this racing around.” Lou panted.

Eddie patted Lou on the back and smiled. “You stay here, I’ll grab the cookies.”

Eddie peeked through the table cloth then quietly slipped out. Lou could hear a few noises above him then Eddie slipped back in with a handful of cookies.

“Here, give me the bag.” Eddie said. “Santa is almost done.”

“I get the red one, right Eddie?” Lou asked licking his lips.

“Yes, here you go.” Eddie handed his friend the cookie slathered in red frosting and green and red sprinkles. Eddie quickly packed the rest of the cookies into the bag and zipped it closed.

“Mmmm! That was good! Can I have another one?” Lou begged.

“We’ve got to go.” Eddie said sneaking another peek under the table cloth “Santa's going to leave without us if we don’t hurry.”

“Aw. Just one more.” Lou whined. “Please?”

“Okay, here, you little piggy.” Eddie said tucking the cookies into his pocket.

Lou nodded his head as he quickly munched the cookie leaving only a small smudge of frosting on his chin. His wiped it with his sleeve before looking up at Eddie.

“Santa is coming so be very quiet.” Eddie explained.

“But I thought you took all the cookies?” Lou asked.

“I had to leave him one. He needs some energy for the long night ahead.” Eddie replied. “As soon as he sits down, we’ll rush back to the living room and jump back in the bag.”

“Okay Eddie, I’m ready.” Lou said. “But won’t he notice his bag is a little heavy?”

“If you wouldn’t have eaten so many cookies we wouldn’t have to worry.” Eddie replied peeking under the table cloth.

“But….but…” Lou stuttered.

“Let’s go. Follow me!” Eddie whispered tugging Lou’s sleeve. They slipped under the table cloth and darted to the living room. As soon as they spotted the red sack by the fireplace, they climbed in and closed the opening.

“Ooooh, I don’t feel so good.” Lou moaned.

“Quiet, you don’t want to get caught do you?” Eddie scolded.

“No but those cookies had too much frosting on them. I feel sick.” Lou moaned holding his belly. They braced themselves as the bag started to move.

“Brr! We must be outside again.” Eddie whispered rubbing his hands together for warmth. The bag rustled and settled down on the back seat as the sleigh swiftly glided off the rooftop and into the night air.

My Short Short for the Day

After a short time the sleigh landed gently on a snow-capped roof. Just before Santa turned around, Eddie nudged Lou and they quietly slipped out of the bag and rushed behind the sleigh. They held their breath as Santa picked up his bag and climbed out of the sleigh. With a twinkle in his eye he slipped down the chimney and out of sight.

“I can’t believe Santa didn’t catch us.” Lou said peering around the edge of the sleigh. “It was really smart of you to think of wearing outfits that look like presents.”

“Well one of us has to have some brains or our lives would be pretty dull.” Eddie replied motioning Lou.

“Gee, you’re the smartest elf in the whole north pole!” Lou said grinning from ear to ear. “What are you doing, Eddie?”

“We’re going down there.” Eddie smiled as he leaned over the edge of the chimney opening.

“How?” Lou asked looking over the edge.

“Jump, of course.” Eddie replied.

“But won’t that hurt?” Lou asked.

“Santa has been doing it for years and he’s still laughing.” Eddie replied climbing up onto the edge.

“Yeah, I guess you’re right.” Lou shrugged.

“Okay, you go first and I’ll be right behind you.” Eddie patted Lou's shoulder.

“Okay.” Lou said as he jumped feet first into the chimney. Lou landed on the floor with a bump but before he could stand up something landed on top of him.“Ouch!”

Eddie stood up with a grin and brushed himself off. “See, that wasn’t so bad.”

“It would have been better if you hadn’t landed on me.” Lou said rubbing his back.

“Shhh! There’s the kitchen through that doorway.” Eddie said pointing. “See?”

Lou’s eyes lit up at the sight of the plate heaped high with Christmas cookies. “I get the red one.” He said in a loud whisper.

“Okay but be still. Hm? Now where did Santa go?” Eddie asked scanning the room.

“Maybe he’s in the bathroom.” Lou said eyes wide with innocence.

“No, Santa doesn’t go to the bathroom.” Eddie replied. “Oh, there he is on the other side of the tree. Be very quiet and follow me.”

“Okay Eddie.” Lou said.

“Shhh!” Eddie said putting his finger to his lips.

My Short Short for the Day

“Okay Lou, when I say go, we rush….Lou, hey Lou? Pay attention!” Eddie whispered loudly.

“Huh? What?” Lou sputtered turning to his friend.

“Lou, you have to pay attention or Santa will catch us for sure.” Eddie said.

“Right, sorry Eddie. I’ll pay attention. I promise.” Lou replied.

“Okay. When I say go, you run to the sleigh and climb into the back.” Eddie said. “And remember, be quiet.”

“What about you?” Lou asked.

“I’ll be right behind you. Just be ready to move when I say go.” Eddie patted Lou on the back.

Santa walked across the room buttoning up his bright red coat with fuzzy white trim. His cheeks were a little pale but as soon as he opened the door and the chilly wind hit his face they turned a wonderful rosy red color. He laughed warmly and stepped outside. The elves and Mrs. Claus hurried to the window to watch the sleigh take off.

“Now, Lou! Go!” Eddie said pushing Lou toward the door.

Lou hesitated with his eyes wide with excitement.

“Go you silly elf!” Eddie said grabbing his arm and pulling him through the door a second before it shut. They skidded to a halt and hid behind a small shrub as Santa climbed up onto his sleigh.

“What do we do now?” Lou asked.

“Shhh!” Eddie gestured. “This way.”

When Santa turned toward the window to blow Mrs. Claus a kiss, the two elves climbed into the sleigh and snuggled down into the sack of presents. Santa let out a jolly laugh as he picked up the reins.

“Hey, move over, your foot is in my face!” Eddie whispered shoving at Lou.

“Sorry Eddie.” Lou moved aside. “Do you think Santa saw us?”

“No, he didn’t see a thing.” Eddie stated puffing up his chest with pride.

With a jerk, the sleigh took off into the night sky. The elves were forced against the back of the seat. They grabbed onto each other in an attempt to steady themselves. After a few minutes the sleigh leveled off.

“Wow, this is fun.” Lou whispered peeking out at the sparkling stars.

“Yeah, sure is Lou.” Eddie whispered back. “But we have to be quiet so Santa won’t hear us.”

My Short Short for the Day

The chilly wind swirled the snow across the ground as the stars twinkled in the night sky. There was a flurry of activity inside the warm glowing house as happy, little elves packed toys into Santa’s bright red sack. Outside the reindeer danced around Santa’s sleigh eager to be on their way. Upstairs Santa finished his dinner while Mrs. Claus bustled around the kitchen. She quickly prepared a snack for Santa's long journey. Mrs. Claus laughed cheerfully as Santa pushed away from the table and patted his full belly.

“Ho, ho, ho! Time for me to go.” He said giving Mrs. Claus a hug before heading downstairs to the workshop.

With all the activity, two elves go unnoticed as they leaned against the back wall. Eddie is thin and tall for an elf. His eyes sparkled with mischief as they darted around the room. He always enjoyed a good challenge, so when Randy proposed a dare, he couldn't turn it down. He had to sneak onto Santa’s sleigh on Christmas Eve and bring back enough Christmas cookies for the rest of the elves. He prided himself on being the most clever and daring elf in all of the North Pole so he quietly watched as Santa made his way down the stairs.

Next to Eddie stood a short, chubby elf named Lou. He always had a good natured smile on his face. Eddie had been his best friend forever and he admired him for being so smart and brave. He could remember all of their past adventures. Like the time they spent the night in a polar bear cave. One day a little polar bear cub had wandered into the village. He looked so scared and all the elves agreed that someone had to help him find his way home. So Randy had dared Eddie to take him home without any help from Santa. Of course, Eddie immediately took the challenge and before Lou knew it, he and Eddie were putting on their warm winter coats and heading off towards the polar caves. No elf had ever ventured that far before. They found the bear’s family and the mother was so grateful, she gave them cookies and cocoa. It was very dark and a storm was brewing outside so she insisted they spend the night. Early the next morning, after a hearty breakfast of pancakes and more hot cocoa, they started back home. She even let them ride on her back all the way to Santa’s village. The other elves watched in awe as the two slid off the polar bear’s back and calmly strode into the house. There was never a dull moment with Eddie.

My Short Short for the Day

Willa lifted the book from the shelf, hugging it to her chest as she slowly made her way back to the couch. Once she had settled down, she placed the book on her lap and lifted the heavy cover. A smile creased her face as she lovingly touched the photo.

“Oh, Matt. Such a handsome young man.” Willa moved her finger across the page to rest on another photo. “We were so young, so in love.”

Willa continued to flip through the pages, pausing to stare at each photograph and remember. Her heart filled with love and warmth as she revisited all the memories. “I have lived a good and full life.” She said closing the book. Sighing to herself she closed her eyes and leaned back to rest.

A knock on the door jolted her awake. There was another knock.

“Coming.” She called in her gentle voice. She rose to her feet grasping the arm of the chair for support. She straightened as much as her body allowed, then shuffled her way to the door. She unlocked the door and opened it slightly to peek out.

“Grandma! Hi!” Sara and Julian grinned up at her.

“Hello! Come in! Come in!” Willa backed up, letting her grandkids in before closing the door. “Sit. I'll get some cookies.”

“Hey Grandma, what's this book?” Sara called from the living room.

Willa shuffled in from the kitchen carrying a tray of cookies and milk. “Come, sit. Let me show you.”

They settled on the couch, Sara on one side of Willa and Julian on the other. Willa carefully opened the book and rested her hand on the photo. “This is Grandpa Matt.”

“Is that you?” Sara asked pointing to the next photo. “You look so young.”

“Yes, we were. We'd just been married.” Willa said patting Sara's hand.

My Short Short for the Day

Sue yawned and stretched until her joints popped. She breathed in the scent of frying fish and fruit tea. Her stomach growled in response. She deftly rolled up her sleeping mat and packed her bag. Then she carefully made her way down to the lake. She splashed the ice cold water in her face and lost her breath for a moment. As she opened her eyes the blur in front of her knocked her onto her butt.

“Gerry. Gerry!” Her voice was pitched higher than normal.

“Sue? Are you ok?” Gerry so the fear in her stiff pose. “What's wrong?”

“Gerry.” Sue turned to Gerry. “I...I...can see.”

“What? How? What do you mean?” Gerry knelt by Sue taking her head in his hands and staring straight into her eyes. “Can you see me?”

Sue smiled and gently eased Gerry back. “Everything is blurry but I can make out shapes and colors. Nothing clear, though.”
“Oh, Sue. I...I can't believe it.” Gerry sat back hard on his butt. “How did this happen?”

“I don't know. I woke up like normal and walked down here to wash up before breakfast. I splashed my face and...” Sue stopped and stared toward the lake. “The water. It must be the water.”
“But it's not the right place. Edgar said it was farther along. Didn't he?” Gerry rose and briskly walked to the edge of the lake. He leaned over staring into the water before dipping his hand in. The water slid through his fingers. He tasted the water and sniffed it. “Seems like normal water.”

“Test it Gerry. That's the only way to know. Test it.” Sue crawled to the edge and leaned over. Staring into the clear blue until she could almost see the pebbles at the bottom. Time passed unnoticed as she marveled at the blueness of the water and the shine of the sun glinted off it.

“It's it! The water! This is it! I don't know how but we found it!” Gerry all but danced back to the lake. “I can't believe it!”

Sue turned to get her very first look at Gerry, the man she had loved her whole life. Her best friend, her companion, her husband. The man she would spend eternity with. Her heart pounded as she looked up at his face. That beautiful, strong, kind face she had imagined didn't compare to the reality. Her smile warmed his heart.

My Short Short for the Day

What's the point? Ella wondered. No matter what I do, it's just never good enough. She sulked at her desk twirling her pencil in one hand and resting her chin on the other. She had a good day at school but as soon as she walked in the door her dad was all over her. She didn't make her bed well enough, she didn't play hard enough in the soccer game yesterday, she didn't do well enough on her test, she didn't eat all her dinner...it just went on and on until he finally said, “Why can't you be more like your sister?”

Tears pooled in her eyes as she dropped her head to her desk. Just once she wished he would tell Mara that. Mara, so perfect. Her room was always perfectly neat, she was the best athlete in her grade, her test scores were always perfect, she never got in trouble, blah blah blah. Why couldn't Mara mess up just once? Like get an F on her test or score a goal for the other team or disappear...forever!

There was a knock on the door. “Who is it?' Ella grumbled quickly swiping at the tears.

“It's me. I brought you a snack.” Mara said. “Can I come in?”

“Yeah, sure.” Ella pretended to be hard at work studying.

“I heard Dad.” Mara set the plate on the edge of Ella's desk. “Sorry he's so hard on you.”

Ella glanced over as Mara sat on the bed. She actually looked sad.

“I wish he wouldn't compare us.” Ella finally said.

“Me, too.” Mara agreed. “It's not fair. You're so creative and musical. I wish he would realize that.”

Ella grumbled hiding her surprise.

“He puts so much pressure on you.” Mara looked at Ella. “You're pretty cool just as you are.”

Ella looked at Mara not bothering to hide her surprise anymore. “You really think so?”

“Yes, of course.” Mara laughed. “I've always been jealous of talented you are with paints and I would love to be able to play drums like you do. Dad would freak if I even thought of asking for lessons.”

Ella turned to Mara. “Thanks. I wish I could play soccer like you. And wish good grades were as easy.”

Mara smiled at Ella as she stood. “Hey, we both have our strengths, right?”

Ella smiled back. “Yeah.”

As Mara closed the door behind her, Ella whispered, “I'm glad you didn't disappear.”