O' Christmas Tree

Chapter 2- Midnight Stakeout

"Teddy, get down here! You've gotta see this! You're not gonna believe it!" Kate called excitedly.

Teddy ran down the stairs, expecting something horrific to happen. Instead, Kate was hooking up the camcorder to the TV. "You know who that looks like."

"Aunt Peggy," Teddy replied.

"No way. That person isn't wearing an ugly Christmas sweater. And besides, Aunt Peggy's never here on Christmas Eve. And if she was, why would Mom and Dad leave her alone in the living room in the dark?" Kate reasoned.

"Maybe it was a burglar," Teddy reasoned.

"Burglars take things. Whoever it was would've had to been standing flat up against the wall like this, next to the—Oh, my gosh! The fireplace! I just got goosebumps!" Kate said excitedly.

"Calm down, silly." I smiled at the girl's enthusiasm.

"Just let me think," Teddy said.

"Come on, Teddy. You know it's him," Kate said.

"Kate-"

"Hey, we should make a video!" Kate suggested.

"A video?" Teddy questioned.

"Yeah! Tonight! Maybe we can get a shot of the whole Santa Claus, and not just his hand," Kate said excitedly.

"You don't think anyone's thought of that before?" Teddy questioned. "Catching Santa in the act?"

"Yeah, but have you ever heard of anyone actually pulling it off? No. They probably don't think it's possible. But it is! This is proof! A video showing exactly how he does it. It's gonna get, like, a gazillion hits," Kate ranted.

"No way," Teddy said, starting up the stairs.

"Teddy, come on," I said, grabbing his sleeve.

"Mom always says we should be helping each other out," Kate pointed out.

"I don't think this is what she had in mind," Teddy replied.

"Teddy, please," I begged, pulling him aside. "Maybe this'll show her the truth. Just like how we've learned, but... the hard way."

Teddy sighed. "Fine."

I grinned. "That's my boyfriend."

We set the trap. The trap would make a tripwire for Santa, so it would ring a bell while the camera was recording. We would hide in the room across from it for a lookout.

"Hey! Mom said no junk food!" Kate protested.

"We gotta stay up somehow. Plus, sometimes you gotta break the rules for the greater good," Teddy reasoned.

Kate started the camera. "Can't even remember the last time we did anything together, Teddy. Or the three of us! Pulling an all-nighter! How awesome is this?" Kate said, her mouth stuffed with ice cream.

"Whatever." Teddy rolled his eyes playfully.

Kate ended up falling asleep a little while later. I laid with Teddy, his arm around me. He was asleep too. I was wide awake. I wanted to give Kate the peace of mind that Santa wasn't real.

I was told at nine that Santa wasn't real. After there turned out to be no presents under the tree, Mom told me the truth. The truth that's stuck with me for seven years.

The bell rang, making me dart up quickly and Kate stir. She sat up as I sat up quickly, trying to not wake up Teddy. I was sitting up when Kate nudged Teddy.

"Teddy! Teddy! Teddy!" Kate whisper-yelled.

"What?" Teddy asked.

"He's here," Kate whispered.

"Who?" Teddy questioned.

"Santa!" Kate said. "He's gone."

"You're kidding, right?" Teddy questioned.

We heard footsteps, making me jump at the first one. "What the-"

"He's on the roof, let's go!" Kate said, grabbing my hand. "He's at the back of the house!"

"Get your coat," Teddy said as I slipped on my shoes. "Be careful!"

"I don't see him!"

"Whoa! Gimme the camera!"

"What?"

"Did you see that? It's Santa Claus!"

"Come on! We'll get a better view from the alley!" Kate reasoned.

"Wait up!"

"Hurry!" Kate said as I ran next to her.

"Slow down! Wait for me!" Teddy said after we stopped short. "What?"

He looked up and saw what we were seeing. Santa's sleigh. I looked at it in disbelief. Santa was real?

"Tell me you're getting this," Kate said.

Teddy pointed the camera at the sleigh. The reindeer were drifting. "It's more beautiful than I ever imagined."

Kate suddenly ran away from us. I looked at her worriedly as Teddy and I ran behind her. She ran along the roof and started up the pegs on the pole.

"What are you doing?" I questioned.

"Do you realize how big a deal this is? I need to get a closer look," Kate said.

"Get down," Teddy hissed.

"No way. Hand me the camera," Kate insisted.

"Be careful," I said.

"You break your neck, and Mom will kill me," Teddy added.

Kate climbed to the top and jumped into the sleigh. I gawked at her in disbelief.

"We're not doing that, are we?" Teddy questioned.

"Yes, we are," I said, tying my hair up into a ponytail.

I climbed up the pegs, careful not to slip as I looked over at the sleigh. I jumped, landing on my side. Teddy jumped from the street and Kate and I helped him up.

"Are you crazy?" Teddy questioned. "Why'd you do that?"

"I wanted to get a closer look at the sleigh," Kate explained.

We heard a tinkling sound and looked over the side. We saw a man in red standing on top of the roof and ducked, not wanting him to see us. He jumped, turning into sparkling red dust.

"Did he see us?" Kate asked.

"I don't think so. But we got enough footage, okay, let's just get out of here!" Teddy insisted.

"Why don't we just stay here?" Kate suggested.

"Stay here? In the sleigh?" I questioned.

"Yeah! How many kids get to ride with Santa in his sleigh on Christmas Eve?" Kate questioned.

"No, okay-"

Teddy stopped when the sleigh jerked from the sudden weight in the front. Santa threw the bag of toys into where we were and we were off.