"So. We meet again Adira. This time you've gone too far! You give no choice but to fire you. I warned you last time and I always stick to my word."
"Please, Mister Santa, sir" whimpered the young red-haired elf in front of the large man, rubbing her charcoal stained cheeks and spreading it all over her face in the process. "Please give me another chance..." She fell on her knees, tears pouring out of her eyes and down her long nose.
"Your record does not work in your favour! In your youth you and your friends were caught racing and harassing my magical and incredibly valuable reindeer. You were caught in a blizzard after curfew and nearly the entire medi-elf team had to work together to heal you. You have been caught in avalanches and have had to be rescued more times than my most senior elves even though it is only your first day!
"You barely passed the GIFT tests but I took pity on you. I gave you a job which should really have gone to a far more worthy candidate. This time you've gone too far. You blew up my factory for snowball's sake! I have no choice but to banish you from the North Pole. Pack your bags. You are leaving today."
"Please Sir!" she cried desperately. "Please! Please give me another chance. I'll do anything. Anything at all! Just don't banish me. The only other option for an elf like me is becoming a house elf and I can't do that.
"It destroyed my uncle. He never laughs, never smiles. The job killed him inside. He is forced to cover himself in cuts and burns. Please Santa... please have mercy on my soul."
"Hmm... Well, I guess there is one way you could make it up to me. But it is dangerous and you could very well lose your life in the process."
"I'll do anything. Anything!"
"As you know it is nearly Christmas now. Because of your... your mishap..."
"I swear it was an accident! I sneezed while I was pouring Christmas Cheer into that cracker. I promise! I would never purposefully sabotage you. You know that! I didn't mean to blow up your factory."
"Be quiet! I don't have to give you this opportunity to redeem yourself. I should just send you away. If you want that chance keep quiet. Don not interrupt me again.
"As I was saying, because of your mishap we are now being in our Christmas preparations. All my elves have to work overtime. If you want a chance to keep your job you gave to go out to complete twelve dangerous tasks for me.
"Before you accept you need to realise that you could very well die in some of them and as soon as you fail one, you are being shipped off, never to return to the North Pole. You will have to find your own way in the world and support yourself, even if that means you have to become a house elf. No more chances. Do we have a deal?"
"Yes Mister Santa, Sir! Thank you! Thank you! I will succeed or die trying. It is better to die a free elf than be one enslaved by wizards. I'll do it!"
"Good. Meet me here at eight sharp in the morning. Get some rest. You'll need it."
Adira turned to leave but Santa spoke again before she could even take a single step to the door. "Oh, and if you're late, the opportunity falls away."
Adira hurried out of the office, eager to escape Santa's shook up rage.
Author's Note
Welcome to the magical world of the North Pole and to Santa's icy temper. Thank you for reading this chapter. I know it is not the most interesting but it sets the scene for the rest of the book. Any votes or comments are greatly appreciated. Have an amazing day and I hope you enjoy The Twelf Days of Christmas.
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The Twelf Days of Christmas
Short StoryAdira Hollybell, a clumsy young elf, has finally qualified as a Christmas elf after many years of begging and training. The accident prone elf has already survived many near death experiences such as nearly being buried by an avalanche. Despite bare...
