Reindeer James

Chapter 3

James walked into the workshop the next day with his head held high. "Good morning, Greta!" he said to a bespectacled old elf with a clipboard.

"Sorry to see you back for a new assignment so soon, dear." She gave him a sympathetic smile. "I was sure you'd be a natural at assembling toys."

James chuckled and rubbed the back of his head. "Turns out I just can't resist playing with them. So what do I get to try this time? Tree decorating? Playtesting?"

Greta squinted at the clipboard. "It says here you're to report to the Wrapping Department to help put on bows."

"Bows? Aw, man." James's shoulders slumped, but he forced himself to smile. "At least they're pretty, I guess."

"Santa told me he knows you'll do a great job because you know how to make even the smallest details fun. And," Greta lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper, "I think he's absolutely right."

James beamed. When she said it that way, putting bows on presents didn't seem so bad. "Thanks, Greta." He gave her a cheerful salute before prancing off toward his new workstation.

The elves' usual humming and chatter faded as James passed the most desirable stations. As much as he longed to assemble marshmallow guns or stuff teddy bears, he didn't pause even for a moment on his way to the far end of the factory floor. He'd promised his dad he'd do his best, and he'd rather eat yellow snow than let him down.

A familiar face welcomed him to the Wrapping Department. "Got switched again?" Clarice said. Her fingers danced over a candy dispenser shaped like a triceratops's head until wrapping paper speckled with peppermints hid the ever-popular toy.

"Yup." James eyed the boxes full of rainbows of ribbons and bows before selecting a blue one and sticking it on the newly wrapped gift. "Nick's still mad at me. It's kind of my fault he had to evacuate the elves yesterday."

"That was you?" Clarice laughed. "Man, I thought someone tried Mom's fruitcake again."

"I wish. Whoever invented those fart cars better watch out, or they'll end up on the naughty list. It has to be illegal to make something that fun!"

Clarice thumped him on the arm. "Dooming your own sister to the naughty list? You're one to talk, Mr. Cookie Monster."

"Hey, I'd like to see you resist tasting the dough." He paused in the middle of curling a ribbon. "Hang on, you made that?"

"Well, I came up with the idea for the scent compartment, anyway. I thought about using chocolate, but that might make kids tempted to eat it. No one in their right mind would eat a fart, and since little kids like gross stuff I figured these would make for a good test before I experiment with different scents."

"That's amazing! But I thought one of the elves invented it?"

Clarice shrugged. "Wally helped, and I figured I might as well let him take the credit."

They worked quietly for a while with only the snap of Clarice breaking off pieces of tape as she wrapped presents breaking the silence. James stifled a yawn as his eyes began to glaze over. "How do you manage to do this all day without falling asleep?"

"Paying attention to the toys helps." She shook a massive plastic egg to make sure the stuffed dino had made it inside before cocooning it in silver. "Sometimes I like to imagine I'm mummifying them and the kids have to help them escape from their cardboard sarcophagi on Christmas."