Phoenix (Disconnected)

VIII-XV

Carter

The event started around 6 pm, Nhinx and I are walking around to see the booths and some kiosks.

"Uhm...Carter?" I looked at her. "Yes?"

She looked around and then at me, she craned her head to get a good view. "What do you do during winter fest? Besides having booths and all."

I think for a second before answering. "Winter fest is preparation before the Winter holiday. Students went for winter breaks, mostly go to their family gathering and stay there until the break is over."

She nodded slowly, digesting the information. Her mouth formed an 'o' like she remembered something. "Oh! You meant Christmas!"

A what? I looked at her in confusion. "Christmas?" She enthusiastically nodded. "Well, every Christmas, there's this person named Santa. He goes around the world to bring gifts if you're in the good list."

Hmm, interesting. "Though, how does he know who's on the good list? Is he spying the kids?" She pondered for a second. "Now that you mentioned...I have no idea."

Then there enters the silence between us. I  cleared my throat. "In our tradition, children believed that the gifts came from Lady Winter."  I heard her mumbled 'Classic'

"What about this Lady Winter?" I racked my brain. "They say that Lady Winter grants any wishes, by means anything. People claim that they saw her, beautiful woman with a skin that radiates like a star, hair white as snow and she dressed in a long nightgown, dense how cold the snow is." I stopped for a minute and looked at her if she's listening then continued.

"The adult's version, you have to offer something to her in order to get what you want, though nobody knew what kind of offering that is. If you are worthy, she will grants you a wish without any cause. Rumor has it that a student tried it and never saw them ever again."

She shifts uncomfortably. "That...escelates quickly, " She said in a quiet voice.

I shrugged. "It's just rumored after all." I noticed her sigh in relief.

"Carter!" I turned and saw one of my classmates panting. "This is bad! We're run out of Brundles!" He said in a frantic manner.

I sigh in frustration. I already remind them to check the inventory! "I told y–" He grabbed my shoulders. "Please! You can scold us later, by all means, just help us out!"

I pinch the bridge of my nose and close my eyes. "Alright, fine." He looked at me with such happiness. "Don't look at me like that. Get back to the booth, I'll bring it there."

He scurries off after he gave me an enthusiastic salute. "Brudles?" Nhinx asked.

I almost forgot her. "Yes, from the Chillberry family. Though it is used for desserts."

"Are we going to go get it from the storage?" I looked at her. "We don't have one. It's always sold out by this time of the month. We have to get it ourselves, which is there are bushes not far from here."

She gulped. "Don't tell me, we're going to..." I nod. "It'll be good since it's freshly picked from the woods. Let's go, I can't leave you here."

I went to take the lead towards the woods. I stopped and turned around to see Nhinx's just standing there and looked at the entrance uncomfortably.