What Happened To Christmas?
This is a story about an 11 year old girl named Annaliese. She is a new student at a school in a sleepy little town called Dingley. When she finds out Christmas doesn't matter to the people at Dingley, she tries to bring back the Christmas cheer to the town. But when the town is determined to not listen, can Annaliese really save Christmas?
"Do you have everything you need, dear?"
"Yes, mum."
"Do you have your clothes?"
"Yes, mum!"
"Are you sure?"
"YES, MUM!"
"Alright, alright!" Mum smiled. She patted me on the back. "Let's go!"
I rolled my eyes and began trudging towards the car. My long blonde hair whipped around my face. Grumbling, I brushed it out of my eyes. I turned around for one last look at my home, well, my former home.
Australia.
Joey bounded up to me, his big brown eyes looking up at me as if to say 'Don't go!'
I smiled at the baby kangaroo, and patted his head. He nuzzled my hand gently. Then he looked up. 'Where's the treats?' he seemed to say.
"Don't have any, buddy. Goodbye, boy." The words choked in throat, and I ran off towards the car, tears rolling down my cheeks.
*
I got out of the car, hauling my luggage behind me. Mum shut the car door, shivering.
Too bad she didn't bring a change of clothes.
The whole town was covered in soft, white snow. Back in Australia, it had been scorching.
I had changed clothes on the plane. My warm winter coat was fuzzy and comfortable, and my pants were woolen and soft. Mum was still in shorts and a t'shirt. Daniel, my older brother, was carrying my baby sister, Ebony.
"Where's Dad?" Daniel asked.
Our dad had come to Dingley some weeks earlier. He had gotten a new job, and had wanted Daniel and I to finish school before coming.
As if on queue, Dad came out of a nearby hotel and stood, grinning from ear to ear. Mum went running over and gave him a long kiss.
Daniel gagged on his spit. I fake vomited. Ebony stuck out her tongue and said "Yuck!"
Finally, mum and dad came over. "Room 14 at the Dingley Hotel!" Dad said.
"We'll need to buy you some new school clothes!" Mum smiled.
Daniel looked horrified. "Why?"
"Because you are going to school tomorrow!" Dad beamed.
My mouth dropped open in the shape of a perfect O.
"WHAT???? What about the Christmas holidays!?" I bellowed.
That's when I noticed. There were no Christmas decorations anywhere. Nothing. Not even a christmas tree in the town square. I turned back to Dad, shocked.
"Do the people here even celebrate Christmas?" I whispered breathlessly. Dad bit his lip, then shook his head.
"No, they don't. I'm sorry, Annaliese, Daniel, Ebony. But they don't. There's some story that makes them think Christmas is..... haunted, was it? Yes, haunted. They think Christmas is haunted."
I gasped. Ebony began to cry.
There were 3 weeks to christmas eve! And no one in Dingley even cared!
"Yes, mum."
"Do you have your clothes?"
"Yes, mum!"
"Are you sure?"
"YES, MUM!"
"Alright, alright!" Mum smiled. She patted me on the back. "Let's go!"
I rolled my eyes and began trudging towards the car. My long blonde hair whipped around my face. Grumbling, I brushed it out of my eyes. I turned around for one last look at my home, well, my former home.
Australia.
Joey bounded up to me, his big brown eyes looking up at me as if to say 'Don't go!'
I smiled at the baby kangaroo, and patted his head. He nuzzled my hand gently. Then he looked up. 'Where's the treats?' he seemed to say.
"Don't have any, buddy. Goodbye, boy." The words choked in throat, and I ran off towards the car, tears rolling down my cheeks.
*
I got out of the car, hauling my luggage behind me. Mum shut the car door, shivering.
Too bad she didn't bring a change of clothes.
The whole town was covered in soft, white snow. Back in Australia, it had been scorching.
I had changed clothes on the plane. My warm winter coat was fuzzy and comfortable, and my pants were woolen and soft. Mum was still in shorts and a t'shirt. Daniel, my older brother, was carrying my baby sister, Ebony.
"Where's Dad?" Daniel asked.
Our dad had come to Dingley some weeks earlier. He had gotten a new job, and had wanted Daniel and I to finish school before coming.
As if on queue, Dad came out of a nearby hotel and stood, grinning from ear to ear. Mum went running over and gave him a long kiss.
Daniel gagged on his spit. I fake vomited. Ebony stuck out her tongue and said "Yuck!"
Finally, mum and dad came over. "Room 14 at the Dingley Hotel!" Dad said.
"We'll need to buy you some new school clothes!" Mum smiled.
Daniel looked horrified. "Why?"
"Because you are going to school tomorrow!" Dad beamed.
My mouth dropped open in the shape of a perfect O.
"WHAT???? What about the Christmas holidays!?" I bellowed.
That's when I noticed. There were no Christmas decorations anywhere. Nothing. Not even a christmas tree in the town square. I turned back to Dad, shocked.
"Do the people here even celebrate Christmas?" I whispered breathlessly. Dad bit his lip, then shook his head.
"No, they don't. I'm sorry, Annaliese, Daniel, Ebony. But they don't. There's some story that makes them think Christmas is..... haunted, was it? Yes, haunted. They think Christmas is haunted."
I gasped. Ebony began to cry.
There were 3 weeks to christmas eve! And no one in Dingley even cared!
0 Comments
No comments yet!