Quinn
THE NEXT DAY, NORSEWOOD Lodge was a hype of activities with people everywhere, and I couldn't help but come to a standstill and just sort of stare, shocked, and quite frankly, dumbfounded. A bunch of men were already climbing on the trees and putting up the decorative lights, while others were on ladders doing the same to the facade of the building. The children were watching and cheering and some even singing "Jingle Bells." Of course, they only managed the jingle bells, jingle bells, jingle all the way part, followed by repeats.
I flicked my gaze to see Uncle Colt and some of the soldiers coming around the corner, and over their shoulders was an enormous pine tree that wasn't ever going to fit through the front door. I watched as they carried that humongous, lush evergreen conifer like it was nothing. Back on Earth, men would need heavy equipment to do the job, but here...
I rushed up and said, "Uncle Colt, is that what I think it is?"
"Damn right, lass. This thing here will be one of the two Christmas trees we'll be putting up in the courtyards."
"Yeah, and uh, how is that going to fit through the door?" I pointed out.
The soldiers looked at each other, and Uncle Colt tilted his head to one side. "Good point."
I sighed, shaking my head. "I think a ten- to fifteen-foot tree would do just fine, not this... forty-foot one."
Uncle Colt appeared disappointed and said, "The little ones were looking forward to having the big Christmas trees like the one shown on the television. They'll be sad, but I suppose it can't be helped if we can't fit it through the door."
Hadn't he thought about that beforehand? Ah, so they wanted one that big. Like the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree in New York City. I couldn't blame them. As a child, I had always wanted a massive Christmas tree in our home, too.
"But where are we going to put this?" one of the soldiers asked.
In my head, I heard Vicky's voice saying, We can shrink it and then unshrink it again.
I raised a brow. "Really?"
I can create a circle to change the size. Would you like me to do that?
I chuckled. "Yes, please." To Uncle Colt and the soldiers, I said, "Looks like Vicky has a solution for the tree problem."
Uncle Colt's expression changed instantly to one of delight. "Why, that's good news, lassie."
The Christmas tree shrunk to around seven feet, and Uncle Colt alone carried it over his shoulders into the lodge. The moment they saw the tree, those inside, adult and children alike, were clearly disappointed, and Grandma Ada said, "What happened to a big Christmas tree? I thought we're getting one like on the television."
Jonah said, "Uncle, did you forget to wear your eyeglasses when you picked the tree? Because that one is tiny."
Uncle Colt burst out laughing. "Just wait and see. Now, let's get this thing standing."
A few minutes later, Uncle Colt said, "All right, Vicky, let's revert this back to its original size." And voila, a circle appeared, and the standing tree expanded and grew to its forty feet, the tip reaching the base of the fourth floor, and I didn't even have to do a darn thing. Apparently, Vicky could create a circle and do magic without me lifting a finger now, or even my presence at that, though she still needed my command.
Everyone stared at the gigantic tree, wide-eyed, and then loud cheering echoed across the courtyard.
Uncle Colt said, "Phew! Now, let's get that other tree." He marched out with the soldiers. Meanwhile, the women and men, led by Grayson, started decorating the tree, the men getting the ladders and climbing onto them while the women passed the lights and other sparkling decorations to them.
