SHORT FICTION

Thursday, 20 December 2018

Xmas in Wonderland-short story

I hope everyone is ready for Christmas. Here is the last one for the year. This is Xmas in wonderland! Hope you enjoy.
CHRISTMAS IN WONDERLAND
Short story
The entire wonderland forest was covered in a white blanket of sparkly snow. The air was crisp and it was Rabbit’s favorite time of the year or at least next to spring. He was busy in his whole making his list of what he would need for his own feast and getting his letter ready for Santa.
One of the best things was that so far he had heard nothing from the hatter about any festive celebrations with those creatures. He hadn’t even seen any of the faeries floating around. Not even the winter ones which he was very glad not to see. Those things were nasty.
But the thought barely was put behind him when he heard footsteps above him and by their lively steps, he knew who it was.
“My dear friend, you down there fluffy? I have some exciting news for you.”
Rabbit sighed. And here he thought…He climbed out of his hole and hatter stood tall before him dressed in this very colorful coat. Reds and greens that glittered and around his neck was a knitted scarf the color of greens and reds mixed together. His hat was decorated in pine cones and leaves. “Are you up for a party my fluffy?”
Rabbit shook his head no. Hatter frowned. “Now don’t be a grumpy pants. You have to come out and celebrate this wondrous time. Isn’t it the best? Gifts are exchanged and we eat good food and we dance.”
Rabbit cringed when he said dance. The wild ones liked nothing better than to dance and twirl around like the snowflakes. He was having no part of that.
“The party is the eve of Xmas and I will come pick you up and we shall attend the event of the year.”
That made Rabbit cringe even more. He knew that he would not take any refusal to go so all he did was give a sad nod.
“Turn that frown upside down my fluffy. It will be fun I promise.”
Then off he went like a gust of wind leaving Rabbit standing there holding his paper that he was going to write his letter on to Santa. He scampered down his hole and got to the letter. He had lots to say.
Dear Santa:
I hope you have had a good year and that it is not too cold in the North Pole. Hope Mrs. Santa is doing well and probably baking lots of cookies!
It will soon be Xmas and I do have some things I would like to ask for. Hatter just announced that there will be a party in the forest and is insistent that I come with him. Now you know how I feel about such things. And I’m not sure what you can do about this but maybe you can?
I would also like a new basket to gather my berries and such in. My other one is falling apart.
I thank you and wish you and Mrs. Santa a happy new year.
Cheers,
Rabbit
 
He sealed it up and put Santa on the envelope and went out his hole. There was now a strong north wind. That would be perfect. He hopped over to a small knoll and held up the letter. It was like the wind had hands and snapped it out of his paw and off into the wind it went. Rabbit watched it go up up up and disappeared.
He shook himself as he looked around. There was a storm coming. Rabbit got back to his hole and got out of the stormy weather. As it turned out, it got quite blustery in the forest. For most of the night it howled.
The next morning when Rabbit got up, ho noticed a small pile of snow on his floor. That meant it had snowed a lot when that happened. He set to getting his little shovel and pushing it back out. He got quite a surprise when he got to the surface. The snow had buried everything. The sun was out and the snow sparkled and glittered everywhere.
Tonight was the party. Rabbit smiled to himself. With this much snow, they would not be able to have their party. Santa had got his letter!
But then he frowned. “How will Santa make it out tonight,” he said out loud. Oh dear what had he done? He paced back and forth and then he heard his name.
“Are you alright Rabbit?”
It was another woodland rabbit, Hermy. He came scampering over the snow to Rabbit. He was all bundled up. A large brown scarf and two long ear mitts covered his head. “Hello Hermy. I’m fine but with all this snow, how is Santa going to come tonight?”
“He will make it Rabbit. He always does.”
“I hope you are right but I’m still worried.”
“Are you going to the festivities tonight?”
“Are they still having it?”
“Oh yes, they won’t let this snow stop them from celebrating Xmas eve.”
“Oh I ‘m not sure I want to venture out.”
Hermy made a little noise through his scarf. “That old hatter will come for you. Might as well come at least for a while and a present. That’s what I look for and those candied nuts that the faeries make.”
It was getting close to twilight now and Rabbit knew that the hatter would be coming soon. So, he bundled up. Slipped on his ear socks and scarf. And just in time as he heard the bells above. He knew that was Hatter.
He jingled at his hole. “Ready Rabbit?”
Rabbit came up and there was a deer faerie with bells on her head. Hatter picked Rabbit up and placed him on the back of the deer. They started for the forest.
Rabbit got quite a surprise when they got there. The trees were all lit up with faerie orbs. The place looked magical. The long table was even dug out of the snow and decorated with rose hips and nuts and small fairies flitted about. Tiny plates with acorn cups were neatly lined up along the table.
The food was overflowing in the middle. Rabbit suddenly decided that he would enjoy the meal if nothing else. Hatter sat Rabbit down next to his seat and Hermy was there with some other bush rabbits. They all enjoyed their meal and the music filled the forest air. Rabbit rather enjoyed himself. They just all finished eating when the wind got up and it started to snow again. In fact it was snowing quite hard. The little faeries flew off for cover to their nests.
Hatter knew Rabbit would want to get going as well. He placed him and Hermy with a few other bush bunnies and took them all home. Then it was just rabbit. The deer faerie found her way to his hole but by then it was really starting to storm.
“Take care Rabbit, I will see you in the morning. Oh and here is a little gift for you.”
Rabbit thanked him and scampered down to his home, covering his hole with some bows to keep the snow from coming in too far.  
He placed his little gift under his small tree and noticed something. There was something wrapped in some cloth with a bow and note attached.
He opened the note. Dear Rabbit:
Thank you Rabbit for your letter. I hope you enjoyed your festivities tonight. I trust you had a good time. I knew you would. Sometimes being with your friends can be most enjoyable. I know you don’t like big parties so I hope this calmer version was agreeable.
Mrs. Santa had made lots of cookies. Look inside your gift. Merry Christmas my fluffy friend.
Rabbit opened the gift and there was a brand new basket with a little package. He opened the package and inside was cookies made by Mrs. Santa! He nibbled on one with some warm milk.
He decided he would save Hatter’s gift for the morning. He had some gifts for Hermy and the other bush bunnies as well. They would spend it together. Tonight was very good he thought. He took his cookie to his bed and snuggled down and was all warm and toasty.
Rabbit sighed. “Merry Christmas from Wonderland!!
 TIP JAR:
 
 
 
 

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