Winner of the 2004 Daniel Island News Fiction Contest - Elementary School Division

 Missing
    

BY TAYLER SCHILLING
 

 

Winner of the Daniel Island News Fiction Contest
5th Grade - Hananhan Elementary School
  

  The aroma of baking gingerbread wafted through the air. This scent was enough to wake Santa Claus up. The old man stumbled into the kitchen just in time to see Mrs. Claus taking gingerbread out of the oven.
    “Sleep well dear?” she inquired. Grumbling about how cold it was, he managed to squeeze out a sleepy “yes”. He sat in his favorite chair when clumsy Mrs. Claus almost dropped his gingerbread and coffee in his lap. Just then Mrs. Claus turned and opened the door; the morning paper flew through the air and landed on Santa’s head. He rubbed his head. “When is that paper boy ever going to throw carefully?” he grumbled. He quickly got dressed and went outside.
    “Where are those silly reindeer?” Santa called. “I have a big journey tonight in a Sleigh that is pulled by the reindeer and yet I have no reindeer!” Santa exclaimed. “This whole Christmas is over this year unless I find the reindeer.”
    “Excuse me!” Mrs. Claus cried. “I went to check on them before you were up and they were gone. I thought you had taken them for a test fly. Then I realized you were in bed. So I went to ask the elves if they let the deer out, and they said “no”. So I was scared. Now would you like me to call some detectives?”
    Santa nodded.
    When flipping through the telephone book, she knew just the person to call. After the phone rang four times a pleasant voice answered. “Hello this is Detective Kaydee Smith, how may I help you?”
    “Hi Kaydee this is Mrs. Claus. Our Reindeer are missing,” Mrs. Claus exclaimed in a teary voice.
    “I’ll get there as fast as possible,” said Kaydee, who was already searching for her clothes.
    As Kaydee rushed to get dressed in her jeans, tennis shoes, turtle neck and sweatshirt, she thought, could some one have stolen the reindeer. After throwing her hair up in a ponytail, she wished she could be more organized. It seemed time was a wasting as she searched for her purse and cell phone. Of course her dog Daisy always had it together standing at the door with her leash in her mouth. Daisy loved a mystery just as much as Kaydee. When Kaydee and Daisy got into her blue V.W. Bug she just hoped that the roads would not be too slick, and the traffic, which always seemed tremendous during the holiday season, would not slow them down.
    Mrs. Claus felt that more than one detective was needed due to the urgency of the matter at hand. You have to realize no reindeer means no presents and no present’s means unhappy children. She called Detective Tayler Schilling, on the last ring she answered. Mrs. Claus quickly explained that the reindeer were missing. The Detective, rushing to get her jeans on said she would be right over. Her stomach grumbled as she got dressed. Rushing down the stairs she almost collided with her Chocolate lab, Holly, who was going up to get her. The detective grabbed her keys, purse, and cell phone, hopped in her green V.W Bug and motored off. On her way she grabbed a bite to eat at MC Donald’s, where she ran into Kaydee doing the same.
    They went to Santa’s house and Mrs. Claus put them to work. They could tell she was sad that the reindeer were gone. She wiped a tear as she went in. They searched the reindeer’s barn; while the detectives searched, the dogs went over and ate the reindeer’s food. Daisy almost ate a sock that was in the food. Holly sniffed the sock and led everyone over to the wise old elf’s hut. He said that he had fed the reindeer last night but did not see them after that. As they turned to leave Tayler noticed the snow on the ground was spotted with foot and hoof prints. The foot prints were made by someone wearing boots. The girls quickly sketched them and followed them, but then they stopped. There was a dry cleaning ticket on the ground with yesterday’s date on it, which read Cherrie’s Cleaners 2167.
    When they arrived at Cherrie’s the lady said the only customer she had all day yesterday was a girl named Briana, who picked up a fur coat. Then the lady gave them her address. They thanked her, and off they went to Briana’s house. Lingering under the window which was cracked slightly they heard her talking about the reindeer and that she had stolen them. Right then the 2 detectives stood up and said that’s not very nice. The girl said she did not want coal in her stocking so she stole the reindeer. The detectives said she needed to apologize at once and bring the reindeer back. That did it, the girl started crying and apologizing. The detectives could not help but go into the house and hug the poor girl. The girls marched to Santa’s house with the reindeer and Briana apologized and hugged the jolly old man. She told everyone she would help Santa deliver Christmas presents to everyone.
    It was now time to deliver the presents. They did all the houses carefully. As they approached Briana’s house Santa handed her a specially wrapped parcel decorated with candy canes and large beautiful ribbons. She unwrapped it carefully. It was a new stocking that had her name neatly printed on it. She cried tears of happiness and hugged Santa. Then she looked inside and found a note that said “I FORGIVE YOU”. She waved at Santa as he pulled away in his sleigh. This was truly the best Christmas ever.

Daniel Island Publishing

225 Seven Farms Drive
Unit 108
Daniel Island, SC 29492 

Office Number: 843-856-1999
Fax Number: 843-856-8555

 

Breaking News Alerts

To sign up for breaking news email alerts, Click on the email address below and put "email alerts" in the subject line: sdetar@thedanielislandnews.com

Comment Here