The Christmas Crusade [NaNoWriMo 2015]

❄ Chapter Three ❄

          "It has been a week since I have been fired. We have a little over three weeks to get this shit done and we don't even know what we're doing."

          Moose and Babs were sitting together in the back of the lost children station, waiting for Elliot who was late.

          It was his last day as the new Santa, being replaced by one of the elves who was actually pretty good from what the girls saw. It was kind of sad, though, Elliot was great with the kids.

          On the bus ride home, Babs explained to Moose that she had been told my Nicole about the agreement because Moose had been left to stew in the back while Candy went to confer with Nicole. Being the "bestest friend to even friend" Babs decided to join in and convinced Elliot to help as well. ("It wasn't that hard, he was ready to help anyways").

          Elliot walked into the back in regular clothes. That was new. He was wearing a slightly oversized sweatshirt and shorts (who wears shorts anymore, especially during winter?). Moose had taken the time to try to describe him better.

          He had a sharp jaw, according to Babs, one that could cut a watermelon. Which literally meant nothing to Moose. His dark hair was curly enough to be considered slightly curly (though it had to  be longer). It was just that the word 'wavy' didn't suit it, so he just had dark hair.

          He was wearing a necklace that fell out when he sat down. It was a plain and simple cross. Moose thought back to the one she was wearing around her neck, then to Babs whose parents were looking for their long-since used menorah in their attic.

          "Are you Catholic?" Moose asked, picking at her nails. She wouldn't be asking if it wasn't important.

          Elliot nodded. "Are you?" Moose nodded as well.

          "I'm Jewish. My dad isn't big on celebrating, so we like to switch it up and whatever, but yeah, I'm Jewish," Babs chirped. She kept glancing at Moose with a too big smile; the other girl was grateful for that.

          (Moose and Babs prided themselves on being dysfunctional in just about everything)

          Elliot was about to say something (probably nice, let's be real) when the door opened. In came Candy holding a Santa hat and Nicole balancing a plate of gingerbread cookies and three lattes. She looked so pissed off.

          "It's time to pick!" Candy announced. It was dead silent. She cleared her throat, "The other groups already picked, so you get to follow their style. You will have an hour to pick and you have to pick one every time you finish a cookie. Any comments or questions?"

          Moose raised her hand. "Um, yeah, why the hell doesn't Superman or Supergirl wear masks? And why does no one notice that the only thing that's different is the fact they wear glasses? Don't get me wrong, I love Supergirl, but really?"

          Candy gave them a pursed smile. "I'll leave you to it."

~*~

          "They want us to sneak a pony into the mayor's house?"

          This was their third pick and by far the weirdest. The other two were normal, like a toy jeep and a full child size race car track. Elliot "knows somebody" so getting the race car track wouldn't be that hard.

          The mayor's daughter wanted a fucking pony and she wanted it in her room on Christmas morning?!

~*~

          "Who the fuck wants the fucking Polar Express?"

          So far they have jeep, Elliot's race track, walking talking doll, working Iron Man suit, toy pony, real pony, and now the Polar Express.