Snowed In!

Ding dong! The sound of a doorbell woke Brooke from her slumber. She sat up, smacked her lips, slipped on her pink bunny slippers, and made her way to the door. The auburn-haired girl peered out the tiny gold peep hole and unchained the bolted door. “Yes?” she called through the peep hole, scrutinizing the motionless figure outside.

      A young male Eyrie robed in messenger clothes stood shivering in the snow. His silver wings were folded neatly on his back, and his muscular arms wrapped around his quivering body.

      Slowly, Brooke unlatched the door and grinned at the attractive neopet. He glared at her for a moment before handing the girl a clipboard and a neatly folded letter. The mail-carrier hesitated for a moment and spoke in a sour tone, “A note from the Neolodge,” he grumbled behind gritted teeth. They chattered so loudly, the words he spoke were barely a murmur.

      The freckled face girl giggled and signed the clipboard. I wonder what it says, she thought, peeling away the seal and walking back into her cozy Roo Island Neohome. Carefully unfolding the letter, she began to read.

      Some time a while later, Brooke stared blankly at the note that lay before her on her lap.

      “What?!” she mumbled to herself, fingering the crinkled edges.

      She had just found out that her three Blumaroos, Amanda, Grampa, and Blankie, were not going to make it home for Christmas. Brooke followed her finger carefully over the inky words to make sure she was reading it right, but her heart soon dropped again. How could this have happened? She soon found her answer.

      ~~~

      Blankie paced up and down her family's hotel room. The Faerie Blumaroo stood immobilized by the fire, spellbound by its warmth. Snapping back into reality, Blankie turned to Grandpa and questioned, “Oh, bother what are we going to do?” The faerie Blumaroo had a hint of panic in her voice. Blankie struggled to keep her features emotionless as she glanced at her baby girl. Amanda, the baby Blumaroo that she was holding, looked at her with wide eyes.

      “We are going to be home before Santa Claus comes--right?” The baby scrutinized her mother desperately.

      “Yes, Mommy will find a way.” Blankie’s eyes drifted towards the figure sitting in a velvet chair by them.

      Grampa held an old-fashioned pipe and added to his daughter’s comment. “I hope Brooke isn’t worried too bad about us! Bless her soul...” He shook his head solemnly and his hoop earrings swayed as he did so. He hopped up on the tip of his tail and bounced to the only window in the small room.

      The evening snow had piled up so high, Grampa could not make out anything. It was as if someone was playing a nasty joke on them, packing snow up on the window as if they had been stuck in an avalanche.

      But the sad truth was, they were stuck in the aftermath of an avalanche and there was no way out--and it was Christmas Eve.

      It all began when a joyful set of young Christmas carolers decided to stop by the Neolodge and sing a couple of common tunes. Amanda remembered looking out her window at them, bags in her paws, getting ready to leave from a well-deserved vacation. Just then, out of the corner of her eye, the baby spotted a young female Yurble squeak a note so high pitched, even the inhabitants of Kreludor could hear it as clear as day. She cringed and plugged her pinkies in her ears.

      Suddenly, like the rumble from the belly of a hungry Skeith, mounds of snow from the surrounding hills came straight toward Amanda’s hotel window.

      ~~~

      “Check mate!” Grampa squealed and jumped up, doing the most embarrassing dance Neopia has ever seen. Amanda slapped her face and threw her body on her sleeping bag wearily.

      “Grampa, do you have to do that every time?!” she giggled as Grampa danced even wilder, flailing his arms up in the air like a Mynci. Blankie neatly stacked the chess pieces in the box and glared at her goofy father.

      “I think he has had enough chess, don’t you think, Amanda?”

      The Blumaroo went serious and very gravely accepted the hot cocoa that was given to her. “Yes, I do.” Amanda couldn’t help it and another burst of laughter flooded out. She took a sip and relished the feeling of the hot liquid running down the back of her throat. Yummy!

      Grampa and Blankie soon laid their sleeping bags (they wanted to pretend they were out camping to make it enjoyable for Amanda) between their precious angel and together sipped their drinks (from the compliments of the Neolodge kitchen) in an awkward silence. Amanda would have never thought she would be in the Neolodge, sipping chocolate beverages, stuck in piles of snow! Everyone in the building was calmly riding out the storm and praying that it would melt away the next morning.

      “What is that on your face?” Grampa pointed a tan finger in Amanda’s direction. The baby crossed her eyes, trying to look down, but failed.

      Quickly, she ran over to a dressing mirror. She snorted at her own reflection. A collection of froth from the mug had built up on her lip, in turn creating a snowy white beard just like Santa Claus.

      “Well, speaking of Santa Claus,” Blankie said, almost reading Amanda’s mind, “you look just like him!” The trio once more broke out into a fit of laughter. “And that reminds me,” the faerie added, “it’s time to hang our stockings and then to get some shut-eye or else the big man in red won’t come!” So saying, she unzipped her Rainbow Kacheek Tote and pulled out three Magic Smelly Socks. She grinned. “These will have to do!”

      Although they didn’t have a Christmas tree, Amanda felt satisfied that they made the most out of their ‘Christmas Eve.’ After they had hung their so called stockings, Grampa had found an Abominable Snowball Light String from under the hotel bed. How lucky they were!

      Long after the faerie and island neopets had gone to sleep, Amanda was wide awake. She stared at the faint glow of the little snowmen that hung over the mantle of the fireplace. The fire had long been burnt out. Counting Babas, Amanda finally drifted in and out of slumber.

      It was not all too pleasing to be woken up again after she had just fell asleep. Amanda raised herself up with her elbow and sniffed the air. It smelt oddly of fresh baked cookies and warm milk. Oh no, she thought wearily, I’m so deprived from sleep that I’ve become mad!

      She once more buried her face into her pillow, but not for long. She now imagined the soft tinkling of bells. It sounded as if it was coming from the roof. How queer...

      Opening her eyes, Amanda stared in awe as soot began to rain down the fireplace. “Okay, I am not dreaming.” She switched her flashlight on and shone it on the chimney.

      Amanda nudged the two sleeping neopets, but they just snored some more and rolled over, each facing opposite directions. The baby couldn’t take it anymore--enough was enough! She got up and switched on the room light.

      “Ahh!” Grampa jolted up and Blankie followed. “Why did you do that,” they both cried in unison. Amanda pointed a finger at the flue and they followed her finger. The leg of a plump Scorchio stuck out of it. It wiggled for a moment and loosened a bit, but was still stuck. Amanda would recognize those big red pants anywhere.

      “Santa?!!” Amanda tiptoed to the fireplace and looked up. Sure enough, the jolly fellow was stuck so bad, she could only see from his waist and down. The Blumaroo gained alertness. “We need to get him out of there!”

      Grampa and Blankie agreed, and gathered around the body. With one tug, they managed to slide Santa out of the chimney. Saint Nicolas was just like Amanda had pictured him. He had rosy cheeks, a snowy white beard, a plump face and belly, and a red suit finished off with a black leather belt, some boots, and a red hat. The classic Santie.

      Being Amanda, she ran over to the Scorchio and gave him a hug only a true believer would give.

      “Do you and your family need a ride home?” he said, looking up at the chimney. Amanda smiled and gave a small nod and gathered her bags in a split second. Grampa and Blankie giggled and did the same.

      The family of three peered inside the dusty, pitch black chimney.

      Amanda cocked her head to the side and shoved her paw on her hip. “And how do you suppose we get up the chimney and on the roof?”

      Santa released a chuckle from deep within his bloated belly. “Feisty little one, aren’t you? There is only one way up; climbing. See that little ladder there?”

      Amanda looked in the fireplace again. “How come we never see ladders in our chimneys?”

      “And that is a secret I am not allowed to tell.” Santa suppressed a grin and patted her on the back. “Let’s go!”

      One by one, Santa managed to fit everyone in his big red sleigh (including the sack of toys) and still make it comfortable for the nine Raindorfs. “Um, one more thing,” Amanda noted, motioning to the pile of snow that was blocking the Neolodge entrance.

      Santa chuckled. “Why of course.” With a flick of his wrist, the gigantic mound of snow gradually melted into a pool of water and then suddenly evaporated. With another flick, it began to lightly drizzle snowflakes, enough where it could stick. “You always have to have snow on Christmas,” Santa said, leaning over to Amanda and showing her that it was five past twelve. “Merry Christmas!!”

The End