Christmas Elf

Part 21

Outside small children had gathered to spot the two strange men in their village. What the older two children had told them sparked joy in their small frames. I could see them bubbling with joy to ask for toys and trinkets. Nick eagerly took to them and aided them in requests of next year's dreams. A small girl around the age of merely seven was placed near him and her eyes kept watching his features, studying all she could to remember the magical man with pointed ears.

"Sir, what's your name?" a young boy asked, boasting all the kids' excitement to learn who the joyous toymaker was.

"Santa Claus, I'm Santa Claus." he adjusted his red cap and smiled at the small child. I could tell he loved being around children, since that first day eleven years ago when he first held Holy.

From behind him I saw my daughter feeding a small reindeer I had yet to see from the doorway. I could tell it trusted her, and was just a young deer. Her red hooded dress concealed her face from the crowd of children but they nevertheless were in awe of her gentle care of the animal.

"And who is he?" another small child called from the back of the crowd, after i had made my way over to the taller man. I could tell they were puzzled as to why we both wore the same suits and caps.

"I'm Chris Kringle." I simply exchanged before joining Nick on the town bench.

I had finally gotten a good look of the town. It had indeed changed for the better structurally. The old school house had a fresh roof, whereas when I was a tot it held broken glass and shambles. The old church was well maintained and adjusted in the way it looked welcoming, and not ready to throw its children in a box for their gender preferences. I could see the old toy factory from afar, rush covered the soot covered pipes, rust formed along the sides, abandoned.

"And who is she?" the girl finally questioned.

"She is my daughter, Holy Claus-Kringle." I reasoned. I could tell the girl was shy but she didn't seem to care about the response and just went with it waving to the small doe.