Rudolf Saves Christmas - Part 1
’Twas the night before, the night before Christmas, and all through the barn a studied silence reigned. Rudolf held his cards close to his chest as he glanced around the table at his opponents.
“I’ll raise you five,” he said, his left hoof pushing a pile of carrot slices towards the already substantial pot.
“I’m out,” said Prancer.
“Me too,” groaned Cupid.
“Hey! Mister Cardsharp, we’ve got work to do,” shouted Vixen as she sidled up to Rudolf and placed her right hoof on his shoulder. “Serious work,” she said, winking seductively.
Rudolf grinned.
“Not that kind of work,” trilled Dancer as she pirouetted the length of the floor, her Fuschia-pink tutu quivering as she moved. She halted at the table and struck a pose. “Donner and Blitzen have just returned from the annual trial run with a damaged sleigh.”
“What?”
“That’s right,” added Vixen. “Blitzen thinks they hit some sort of forcefield above Moscow. Mr C suddenly lost control of the sleigh, it tipped, he fell out and the wrench of the shift did for Blitzen. He’s dislocated his right shoulder. Donner’s exhausted. She had to take the full weight of Mr C, the dragging sled, and support Blitzen all the way back.”
Rudolf threw his cards on the table.
Cupid flipped his competitor's hand face-up. “Typical! Bluffing again Rudi,” he said.
“Never mind that,” said Rudolf. “What about the Boss, is he OK?”
“Slight concussion and a bloody nose,” said Dancer as Mr Claus ambled up to the table and plumped down onto the only available seat.
“We crash-landed in Gorky Park and when I came too…” Mr Claus dabbed at his still bleeding nose with a much-blooded handkerchief. “It’s the Jo-Jo boys,” he said as he fished out a scrap of paper from his pocket and handed it to Rudolf.
“It’s a long time since we’ve heard from those three,” said Rudolf as he flattened out the note. His gaze followed the lines of text. “They want all the world’s presents,” he said looking up at Mr C. “Delivered to Gorky Park and if they don’t get them, they’re coming for you.” He turned the note so that Mr Claus could read it for himself.
“That dratted Bishop from Myra! Why couldn’t he just keep his miracles to himself?” Mr Claus frowned and dabbed at his nose.
Rudolf shrugged. “We are where we are,” he announced sagely. “We’re smarter than those three pickled Choir Boys and we will beat them.”
“And how do you propose we do that?” Dancer supplemented her question with a twirl.
“We give them what they want, but we set a trap.” Rudolf grinned. “Dancer, I want you at the communications station. Get looking at the footage from the Star Cameras. Vixen rally the elves. Boys, you’re all with me. We need to examine the damaged sleigh and get the spare one ready to fly tonight.” Rudolf started to make his way to the entrance to the barn.
Dancer nodded and smiled. In a moment she had shimmied across to the large bank of monitors. Headphones on, she set to work.
“And what do I tell the elves?” Vixen demanded. Her left hoof tapping the cold stone floor.
Rudolf paused for a moment and then turned to Vixen. “To get every single empty box we have and wrap it. And if there aren’t enough, tell them to make some more and wrap those. Prancer, Dasher, and Cupid, you’re with me.” Rudolf led his colleagues out of the barn and into the freezing night air to look at the sleighs.
In the infirmary, Donner and Comet were tending to a stricken Blitzen writhing in agony in his stall.
“Stop whinging,” shouted Donner above the noise. “OK. Comet, hold on and pull!” Blitzen let out a terrifying scream of pain as his shoulder clicked back into place.
Donner stood up and shook her head. “OMG. Boys! What wimps they are.”
“Good job they don’t have to birth a calf,” added Comet. “Then they’d really know what pain is!”
Blitzen groaned and turned his head away.
Donner collapsed down on the straw.
“You look all in,” said Comet. “Any injuries I need to take care of?”
“No, just a few bruises where I hit the ground, but that’s all, I think.”
“Get some rest and I’ll bring you some food in a couple of hours.”
Donner managed a fleeting smile and a nod...
There is more from Rudolf and his team Here
Love the story.
ReplyDeleteThanks Allan. Part 2 tomorrow.
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