Faux Elf

It was the night before Christmas and all throughout the town children frolicked in the snow covered streets, building snowmen, and having snowball fights. All accept young Charlie Peppermint who sat alone atop a stump on the hill behind his house. With an aching heart he watched as all of the other children. As much as he racked his brain for an answer he was never able to understand why they shunned him so. When Santa had visited his school all of the other children asked him for toys, but not Charlie. His humble request was for a friend that he could play with. Just one would suffice.

Every night before he went to sleep he would pray that Santa fulfill this one wish. He swore that if he were to grant this wish than he would never ask for anything ever again. With a fallen stick he had found he traced along the snow what he envisioned this friend might look like. He or she would be around his age but taller and stronger that way they the bullies at school would not dare to mess with him ever again.

The stump on which he sat was all that remained of a large oak tree long since gone. A few yards from the stump was the edge of a vast forest. The other children often spoke of things that lurked in the forest at night ready to snatch up children who wandered in unsupervised. Charlie was unsure of these tales of yetis and boogeymen so he had thought to ask his father. He told him that while there may not be yetis or boogeymen that were surely wolves whom would happily gobble up a helpless little boy. It was because of this that Charlie would venture no further than the tree stump.

Snap

Charlie sat up suddenly, fear gripping him. Something was moving about somewhere behind the trees and foliage that he could not see. He glanced back to see if his dog Donner was close by, but he was chained up on his leash, and too far to be of any help. He considered running to his parents for help, but they were busy and would only be upset if it turned out to be nothing.

You need to be braver son.

His fathers words echoed through his head, and he began to consider investigating the noise. He was always telling him he needed to toughen up, but than again he had also strictly forbade him from entering the forest.

After a moment of deliberation he decided that a peek would not hurt, and if it turned out to be a yeti or a wolf than he would run back to the house as quickly as possible.

Slowly he crept towards the origin of the noises. As he got closer the noises became quieter and quieter until they suddenly stopped altogether.

"Damn bugger!"

He stopped. It was a man, but who? None of the other children ever dared to enter the forest and this time of day all the parents were either preparing dinner and watching this game or that game. He also did not know anyone who spoke like this mystery person did. What was a bugger? Curiosity had ooutstripped his fear.

Slowly he crept closer unitl he could finally see the stranger and he was unlike any person he had ever laid eyes on. He was as short as the children in Charlie's class, but his facial features resembled that of a full grown man. The pigment of his skin had a light green hue, his nose was curved to a point, his bushy beard shone bright red, and his fingernails were long and as jagged as tiny little daggers. He wore a dark green coat with matching pants held up by suspenders, pointed boots, and a similarly green hat.

Charlie looked at this little man in awe for he knew what he was and from where he came. He was an elf from the North Pole!

His mind was racing with questions.

What was an elf doing in the forest? Why was he not at the North Pole this close to Christmas?

He watched the elf pace back and forth anxiously trying to summon the courage to approach him. The elf slammed the club into the ground and yelled "Nasty bugger!" It was all so silly that Charlie could not help, but giggle. Upon hearing this the elf stopped in his tracks and glanced around. "Who's lurkin' about?"