The Night Before Christmas Eve

Second Place, children's stories

Reina Nelson |

12/18/2008 - 12/19/08

Will and his sister Jane lived in the woods in a place called Elventeen. It got its name from the elves, fairies, and nymphs that people "claimed" to see. Will didn't think much of these sightings until the day before Christmas Eve.

The two were going outside to play in the new fallen snow. They were going sledding to a place called the Fairy Circle. Once there, Jane said, "I want to see if I can identify those tracks. You go and sled." A while later, Jane shouted, "Will, can you come here and help me with something? I want to identify this track. I've never seen it before."

Will replied, "Neither have I. Come on, let's follow it."

The tracks led them on a twisty and turny trail. They finally stopped at the mouth of a cave.

"Come on," said Will. "Let's go in."

"OK," said Jane in a shaky voice. "I'm game if you are."

They went inside and were amazed at what they saw. The cave was a crystal cave. Every crystal gave off light. But they did not have long to marvel at this sight. Shortly, they heard a shrill voice yelling the word "Intruders."


They jumped back in surprise, for at their feet was a little man with a tiny bow and arrow shrieking at them. Then others came: more of the little men, little flying things that looked like human forms with wings. There were things that were like mist, all crowded around the two children. The crowd — for, as you realize, it was now a crowd — pushed them forward. They went deeper and deeper into the cave. They passed many doorways, open and closed, until they finally reached a huge room.

The room was a busy place full of comings and goings. On a platform in the middle of the room were two chairs. Upon the chairs were a fairy, for that is what she was, and an elf, both larger than any of the other beings. The fairy had long golden hair with wings as shiny as the moon, silver and beautiful beyond belief. The elf had bronze hair, and on his seat was a bow and quiver full of arrows, each with a deadly point. Beside him was a pot of purple liquid.

The little man (who was an elf) bowed down before the big elf and the fairy and said, "Your Royal Majesties, we have found humans trespassing on your territory!"

"Humans!" shouted the king. "Where?"

"Here, your Royal Majesties," he said, and pulled Will and Jane out of the crowd.

"Please, your Royal Majesties ..." started Jane.

"Silence," roared the king.

"My dear," said the queen in a lovely voice, "let us hear what the child has to say. Go on."

"Your Royal Majesties, we did not mean to trespass on your territory. We just accidentally came in."

"Accidentally indeed!" roared the king. "Take them away!"

The little elf-man brought the children to a set of iron doors and, taking a key out of his pocket, unlocked the doors. He pushed them into a dark room and slammed the doors shut. They found themselves in a room lit with one tiny torch made for fairies and elves.


Meanwhile, the king was shouting orders at his royal subjects to start bringing in Christmas trees and decorating the walls with tinsel. At the same time, he beckoned one of the fairies and told her to start dipping his arrows into the poison, for he was going to execute the two humans tomorrow.

"No, my dear." said the queen. "You should just set them free."

"Why should I?"

"They didn't mean to come here. You heard the little girl. She said it was an accident."

"You believe them?!"

"Yes," said the queen. "Why shouldn't I?"

"All humans lie. Everyone knows that!"

"Fairy," said the king, "have you finished dipping my arrows?"

"Yes, your Royal Majesty," replied the fairy.


In the dark room, Will and Jane lay exhausted on the cold stone floor. Will said, "I'm going to see what is at the other end of this room." He took the torch, which was barely bigger than his thumbnail, out of the bracket and walked to the back of the room. It was disappointing, for the back was just a solid wall.

He went back to lay down next to Jane, and both of them fell into a fitful sleep. They awoke to a click. They sat up and turned around and saw the doors swing open. There, standing in the doorway, was the queen. She looked at them and whispered, "Come."

"Where are we going?" asked Will.

"I am taking you back to your home."

They followed her back down the passageways to the mouth of the cave. She led them back to the fairy circle and said, "I think you can find your way home from here."

"Yes, we can." said Jane. "Thank you for showing us our way back!"

"Hold on, I almost forgot!" said the fairy. "I have a present for you. It is for how unfairly we have treated you."

"What is it?" asked Jane.

"It is one of our crystals that grow in the cave."

She took out a little box that was glowing and gave it to them.

"Thank you!" Will said, and they ran home.

When they saw the lights of their house shining, tears of relief showed in their eyes. When they got in, their parents asked them where they had been. They were lost in the snow, they said. They had found a beautiful crystal, and they wanted to put it on top of the Christmas tree.

Will took it from his pocket and put it on top of the tree. It was amazing how it glowed. It made all the lights light up. It was a wonderful sight. They stood there looking at it for a long time and then went to bed.