We let out a yell when we saw him, he had come to rescue us, Father Christmas was here after all. He smiled at us quickly and then placed a white gloved finger to his lips telling us to be quiet. We fell silent at once. He walked through the door and stood in front of the desk, watching Carl all the time as he did so. Carl tried to grab the book but he wasn't quick enough and Father Christmas picked it up and slammed it shut with a loud snap. Carl fell back into the chair the look of defeat finally crossing his face. Then it all started to go a bit wrong to be honest. Jack leaped up and ran at Father Christmas, he ran straight into him but Father Christmas didn't move and Jack fell back onto the floor tears streaming down his face as he did so. Me and Tommy looked at him a little surprised by what he had done. He was crying uncontrollably now, huge deep sobs as if he had been holding it all in for many years. Father Christmas bent down on one knee and lifted Jacks head up slightly. He then began to wipe away some tears that were falling from Jacks eyes.
"Jack,I have something to tell you and you must listen to me please" His voice was soft and deep
Jack just stared straight back into his face and didn't say a word, there appeared to be a hatefulness in his eyes but he nodded that he would listen.
"Good" Father Christmas said wiping another tear away from Jacks face. "Jack I never sent you away, you and Peter were babies I would never do that, that's not who I am. The story that you have been told is lies Jack, its been fed into you so many times by someone who hates me that you have started to believe it haven't you?"
"So whats the truth then? Did I somehow get lost with my brother and you didn't come and find me? Is that what happened?" The tears were flowing now quickly down Jacks face.
"Peter come in please" Father Christmas called towards the door.
We all turned and faced the door as Peter walked through it. He ran towards his brother and hugged him tightly. They sat there for a few moments before Peter stood up and held his hand out for Jack to take and stand up with him.
"You need to hear what he has to say Jack, its time you knew the truth about what really happened all those years ago. Will you listen Jack? For me?"
Jack nodded.
"Thank you Peter, now then you weren't left out there Jack you were taken by Carl, weren't they Carl?" Father Christmas looked straight at him and all he did was shrug his shoulders. He looked truly defeated now.
"Why?" Jack yelled at him " You told me we were banished and left to do die here, you told me that my parents didn't want me or Peter anymore and we believed you, we believed everything you told us." He began to cry even harder now. All I wanted to do was hug my friend and tell him it was okay, that at least he had found out the truth finally but I knew this wasn't the time, he needed to get all the anger out of his system first.
"I think its time we told everyone the truth don't you Carl?" Father Christmas turned and looked at Carl who just shrugged his shoulders once again.
"Okay boys let me tell you a story about a young, clever and very talented leprechaun called Carl. He was the most talented creative leprechaun Id ever seen. The toys he could make and design were beyond anything I had ever seen before and all of us were very impressed by what he could do. I promoted him time and again until one day he joined Devel's father as Chief toy maker. He had a beautiful wife Sally who adored him but it wasn't enough for Carl. He always wanted more, he wanted to make money from the toys he made but that wasn't the way we did things around here and as long as I am here it will never be that way. The toys we make are made with love and they are made for Children who are good enough to have them. That is what working here is all about. We do it because we love it, no over reason, but Carl, well that was never going to be enough for him, he wanted money and fame, he didn't know when enough was enough. So he tried to destroy everything that we had built here over the last few centuries and I had to stop him." Father Christmas looked at us as he said the last bit and we felt a little uneasy at that, we didn't see Father Christmas as a vindictive person, we wondered what we were going to hear next. He took a deep breath and continued.
"Sally came to me one night and told me that Carl was going to try and take over the factory. She cried for many hours and had agonised over what she was telling me. This was the man she loved after all, yet he had changed beyond anything she could recognise. She told me she wanted to leave, I tried to persuade her otherwise but she said she couldn't stay any longer and she left to work in Greenland where she still lives to this day. I watched Carl a little more closely and over the next few years I watched as he made contacts with toy manufacturer's around the world and hoped that he would one day see sense and stop but he didn't. He then started to turn the leprechauns against the Elf's. He told them lies about what was going on and some of them believed him. They started to form a little group. Then they decided to start a war amongst the Elf's, this was all started by Carl, he thought by doing this he would be able to take control here but he was wrong." Father Christmas started to shake his head slowly as if the memory was to painful for him to recall. I went towards him and touched his arm gently, he turned and smiled at me, he placed his hand on top of mine and smiled at me.
"Sammy, you've been through so much and yet even now you are thinking of others" He smiled once again and turned back towards Jack.
"I knew that the only way I could stop Carl was to banish all of the leprechauns form here. Except I didn't, not all of them anyway. You see the ones that followed Carl I did, it broke my heart to do it but I had to keep the others safe, the ones that didn't follow Carl went to live with Sally in Greenland until we knew that Carl wasn't coming back. They then returned one by one to take their rightful places alongside the Elf's. When I heard of what Carl planned Sally was kind enough to take them all back, they didn't want to go but they knew they had to. I pretended to go on holiday as well, so as Carl could make the plans that would lead to his downfall. I'm only sad that a brave Penguin lost his life for Carl's greed. Jack the leprechauns that returned today include your parents as well, who have missed you both since the day he took you away and never stopped loving you"
We all turned and looked at Jack
"My parents are alive? but he told us they were dead." The tears stopped and a big grin began to spread across his face.
"Its true Jack they are alive" Peter smiled
"Where are they?" Jack said getting more and more excited
"Downstairs waiting for us, would you like to see them?"
"You try and stop me" He ran out the door closely followed by Peter. My friend who had helped me when I needed it, the person who had placed all his fears and nerves about coming back here was happy at last and that made me smile.
"What happens to me now?" Carl asked meekly from behind the desk.
"Carl you have done some terrible things and for this you must be punished. You will go to jail and serve your sentence with the Penguins, when that is finished you can come back here and work for me once again"
"What? After all that he has done to us and you, you would allow him back into this place" I couldn't believe what I was hearing
"Yes Sammy I would because that is what I do. People make mistakes, sometimes they do terrible things but we have to try and forgive them for what they do and help them if they will let us. Carl wont be designing toys though, no I have a better job for a man who has such determination and nimble hands. Carl will spend the rest of his time here peeling potato's" He smiled once again as he said it and I burst out laughing. I knew what a horrible job THAT was.
"King Penguin he is ready to go now" Father Christmas called out to the hallway.
The King of the Penguins marched in with two of his men and I watched as he handcuffed Carl and led him out of the room. He didn't say a single word as he left the room. Then it was just me, Tommy, Devel and Father Christmas left. I watched as he turned to Devel and spoke to him next.
"Devel your father would be so disappointed with you, as am I. Your greed and hunger got the better of you. Your punishment will be as follows. You will wash and scrub the dishes for the next 15 years. Only then will you be allowed to go anywhere near the toy factory floor. You will however never design another toy here. Do you understand?"
Devel nodded his head.
"Very well on your way then" and Devel left the room taking off his hat and jumper as he went and placing them gently on the table. The ultimate humiliation for the Chief Elf, once so powerful now a simple dishwasher, the fall from grace had been quick and painful. He deserved nothing less.
"Now then, what am I going to do with you two then? Right pair of trouble makers you two aren't you" He laughed as he said it but we weren't quite sure how to answer now.
"Sammy and Tommy, you know who I really am don't you? Look at my eyes boys look deep into my eyes, we have met before haven't we?"
We both stared at each other then at Father Christmas and looked into his eyes. It took a moment but then all of a sudden it dawned on us.
"Frank" We yelled
"The one and only" Came the reply
"How?What?Why?"We yelled at once
"Well I had to make sure my new Chief toy designers got here okay didn't I?" He laughed
"Huh?"We shouted again
"Boys I have a couple of vacancies at the top here and I thought you two would be good at it, well what do you say?" He was shaking with laughter now
"Yes of course" We replied
"Frank?" I asked " I have a questioned though, how did you know where to find us?"
"Ah the inquisitive mind strikes again. Well I knew Carl was up to something and when I heard what he intended to do I decided to keep an eye on you. Then when you escaped I made sure that me and Elsie were there to keep you safe. Sammy and Tommy you have done me proud these last few months, I never thought that you two would be so resourceful and determined. I knew you had talent but for ones so young you have earned your place here and I want you to stay for as long as you want to. Okay?"
"Of course" We replied together
"Now then, I believe your parents are here waiting for you shall we go and see them?"
"They are here, but I though they weren't coming till Christmas Eve?" Tommy asked
"No Tommy they are waiting for you both downstairs, shall we go boys?"
"Yes please" Tommy said and darted out of the room.
I stayed there for a few moments there was something else I needed to ask
"What is it Sammy?" Father Christmas had stopped at the doorway when he noticed I hadn't followed Tommy straight out of the door.
"What about Kai, Lis and Vie, where are they now?" I asked
"Come with me Sammy I have one more surprise to show you" He smiled once again and placed his arm around my shoulder. After everything I had just found out, he had one more surprise for me, what on earth could it be?
To Be Concluded Tomorrow............................
No comments:
Post a Comment