Pillars of Creation

Absent Friends

Tonight, there were only five of them huddled around the fire, trying to keep from freezing in the cold night air. Once, there had been more, but their numbers had dropped every year. Now, with their memories dimmed from age, they had gathered here to try and remember how it used to be, just as they did every Christmas Eve.

Big Ted had his back to the wall. He wanted to see the lights of the city, as they shone brightly beyond the confines of the abandoned apartment. Even though he could never go back, he took some comfort in knowing that maybe - just maybe - his owner was somewhere out there. Also, it meant he could keep an eye out for the Claws.

Raggy had flopped down beside him. These days it took so much effort for her to stand up, let alone walk, that she hardly moved at all. When she did, she was always complaining about how tired she felt. Still, the older ones in the gang helped her along. They had lost so many that even the most crippled of their number was worth saving.

Across the fire was Bongo. The painted smile on his clown face grinned inanely at the others, but they all knew it was a sham. Bongo had never been the same since ... Well, none of them had been the same since it all changed, but Bongo had been affected the worst. What good is a clown if no-one laughs at him?

Doggy had curled up next to Bongo, lying on the floor with only her head sticking out from the bundle of rags that she had wrapped around herself. She didn't like others to see the scars that had been ripped into her body by the Claws, and she would bite anyone who came too close.

Last of all was Spaceman Sam. The others had found him on Christmas Day. He had never known what it was like before, never known what it was like to be loved and played with; but he was still one of them. If the Claws found him, they would take him just as readily as the others.

There was a certain ritual on this night. Big Ted insisted on it - it helped him remember. Of all of them, he was the one who least wanted to forget, but was the most in danger of losing his memories. The ritual helped his mind to tread those old pathways. He raised his threadbare paw for silence, even though it was unnecessary, and gave a squeak - the equivalent of him clearing his throat. "Jeffie's toys! Once again we are gathered here tonight to show that we are still free; to show that we still remember the time before; to show that we remember Jeffie." The other toys looked at the bear, their black button-like eyes gleaming in the firelight. Big Ted continued. "It has been ..."

His voice faltered as he searched his memory, trying to remember how long it had been since that last, proper Christmas Eve. The slot was empty. If only Major Memory was still with them, he would have known to the second how long it had been; but Major Memory had been one of the first to go. Big Ted tried to regain his momentum. "It has been a long time since the coming of the Claws and the night we lost Jeffie."

Spaceman Sam jerked his head upright, and lifted the visor of his helmet. "Hey! I'm Spaceman Sam. How long?"

Big Ted glared at the plastic mannequin in disgust. "That is not the right question. You know the question you should ask."

Spaceman Sam jerked his shoulders up and down. "Hey! I'm Spaceman Sam. No-one tells me what to do."

Raggy pushed herself upright, her limbs bending with the strain. "You're a Spaceman Sam. We've seen a lot like you on the heaps. If you want to stay with us, you do as Big Ted says." Then she flopped back against Big Ted, the strain of the activity making her shake.

Spaceman Sam flipped his visor open again and tried to sound contrite. "Hey! I'm Spaceman Sam. Will you tell us what it was like, Big Ted?"

Big Ted rocked back and forward. This was better; this was how the night should go. While he could tolerate Spaceman Sam's lack of respect - after all, he would have been one of Jeffie's toys - Big Ted did not want tonight to be spoiled. "It was good. We lived with Jeffie, in Jeffie's house, with Jeffie's mummy and daddy. There were lots of us ... ."

Bongo laughed. He couldn't help it, as he had been made to laugh before he said anything. It didn't mean anything. "Lots of us! All so happy!"

"Yes. Lots of us. Jeffie would play with us. He would take us out of the box, where his mummy and daddy put us, and he would play with us. Although he had favourites, he loved us all. He was our boy, and we were his toys. We knew that one day he would grow up and he would not need us any more, but until then we would be happy and loved."

Big Ted paused, waiting for something. Spaceman Sam looked around, then spoke. "Hey! I'm Spaceman Sam. What happened to Jeffie, Big Ted?"

Doggy lifted her nose out from under her rags and growled, "Bad things! Claws come."

Raggy flopped forward and dropped a limp arm across Doggy's nose. "Hush. Let Big Ted talk. He knew Jeffie better than all of us."

Doggy growled and bit at Raggy's arm. Raggy tried to pull away, but couldn't summon the energy to do so. She had no choice but to let Doggy vent her impotent fear and fury on her. Big Ted ignored them. "It was a Christmas Eve, just like now. Jeffie was happy. He knew that in the morning he would have a new toy, and we would have a new friend to play with and to love him." The bear looked meaningfully at Spaceman Sam, but he was looking up at the ceiling, seemingly oblivious. Big Ted went on. "Jeffie was put to bed, and his mummy and daddy picked us up and put us into the toybox, just like they did every night. We lay there in the dark, waiting for Christmas Day to come. Then it happened.

"We heard them come. They came into Jeffie's house without knocking or asking. They broke the doors and frightened Jeffie's mummy. We heard her screaming. Then she stopped. Jeffie woke up. He was a good boy, and brave as well. He wanted to help his mummy. I heard his daddy shout at him to hide, then his daddy stopped shouting.

"Jeffie opened the toybox. He must have wanted one of us. Then I saw the Claws. They grabbed Jeffie and pulled him away.

"We waited in the toybox until morning. We couldn't come out to play before then, but there was no Jeffie to play with. Jeffie's house was empty. Jeffie was gone. Jeffie's mummy and daddy were gone. We looked for them but we couldn't find them. We didn't know what to do.

"Then the Claws came back. They told us that Jeffie and the other people had gone. They said that we should forget Jeffie, and that they would help us to forget. When we said we loved Jeffie, the Claws ho-ho-hoed and told us that they would put us in their sacks and take us away."

Doggy let go of Raggy and growled again. "Love Jeffie. Never forget."

Big Ted nodded. "Never forget. We should have waited for Jeffie, but we left. We ran away to find him. Everywhere we went there were other toys who wanted their owners. But the Claws didn't want us to remember. The Claws came for us and took us away. We hid from the Claws, but they still found us. Now there are only us to remember Jeffie."

The other toys spoke in unison. "Merry Christmas, Jeffie."

Bongo giggled. "Wherever he is."

* * * * * * *

This story appeared in the 'Dystopian Christmas' issue. To most children, the best thing about Christmas is the new toys that appear under the try. Indeed, I'm probably not alone in having toys that were given to me many Christmases ago; toys that I still love. But what if the toys could return that love? What would they do if their owner was taken from them?