The Simplest Gifts

Tied by a Song

Two children walked through the snow, their little boots sinking into the powder. The girl breathed out, watching her breath form frostbitten clouds in the air before them. The boy, her brother, shivered, putting his hands into his coat pockets.

Lacie stumbled forward to catch up with him, holding onto the crook of his arm.

The town square was quiet, the snow creating an atmosphere of dormancy—though the few people who were there in the little place wore smiles, red noses, and cheerful laughs. They saw some kids putting ornaments on the trees, or throwing snowballs at each other, and though there was longing in the sibling's eyes, neither felt the urge to join them.

As they passed an old church, notes to a song fluttered out into the winter air, as they often do for lonely children on Christmas Eves.

It took a moment for Oswald to realize his sister wasn't following him. He turned to see her staring up at the church's big oak doors, as if tied there by the song.

"Lacie?" he asked, running up beside her.

She stared, her red eyes shimmering like the snow itself, a smile tickling her lips.

Without warning, she grabbed his hand, and dragged him up the steps. But when she reached out towards the doors to open them, Oswald pulled her back.

"Let's go in!" Lacie smiled, joining his game of tug of war.

"We can't!"

"Why not, silly?"

Oswald paused, looking up at the the stones and symbols, thinking hard.

"Well I'm going inside," determination set in to her expression, "If you want to sit outside like a loser you can," she stuck her tongue out, then grinned and waved, heaving open the doors with all her might.

Music spilled out of the cracks.

She was right; it was beautiful, tempting, almost intoxicating.

As long as he could remember, she had always been enchanting by music.

And in truth, when she herself sang her lullabies and songs, he found them, her voice, quite lovely.

"Wait!" he called as she left him out in the cold.

She didn't wait.

The door closed with a large bang, sending puffs of loose flakes his way.

He stood there for a moment. Then, his brows set, his arms crossed, Oswald plopped down on the stone steps, back to the doors, incensed by her recklessness, and disregard for his on wishes. There was nothing wrong with sitting and listening to a choir singing, but there were times for such things, time they surely didn't have. They had to keep going.

She always did things like this; running off without his say-so.

Inside, the world was a dream in white and gold. The glass sent colorful stained patterns onto the floorboards, wreaths and evergreen boughs lined the pews and pedestals, candles shone from the chandeliers and there were even some in an advent wreath at the front. The pretty music was coming from a small circle of women at the front of the church; the notes fluttered like butterflies let loose into the vaulted ceiling of the place, coming down to land on her ears. Lacie's eyes widened, a smile breaking out across her face.

There were a few other people there, praying, alone, together, a pastor studying the scriptures, another kid, trying to get some relief from the cold.

"Hello little one!" a man's voice came from her side. He was wearing long white robes that told her he worked at the church. "And what might you be doing here?"