Holiday Advent Story 22

Location: the backyard.

Time hours to Christmas Eve.

A dapper dog named Daisy, a beagle of the highest caliber was sniffing around her back yard. When suddenly, a figure appears from the darkness.

Who could this shadowed figure be? Why none other than Keith the Christmas Werewolf. What could prompt this noble defender of the human and animal peace accord be doing here on this particular night?

“Daisy,” said Keith. “I’m afraid I’m going to have to call on your services this evening. Without your help, Christmas will be ruined. Can I count on your aid?”

“Heck Keith, you sure can,” said Daisy.

*Note* It should be noted at this point that the conversations held by this pair will be translated from Caninus into English so that you will be able to follow along on this adventure.

“We don’t have long,” said Keith. “I’ll have to explain on the way.”

The pair ran into the woods. Keith’s dark blue trench coat and Daisy’s bright yellow Christmas scarf billowing behind them.

“What’s the matter Keith?” asked Daisy.

“It seems one of my old enemies, that vile villain, Dexter Scrooge has struck again.” Keith took a deep breath, as if the words themselves hurt to say. “He’s kidnapped one of Santa’s reindeer.”

“No,” said Daisy. “Doesn’t he realize that with even just one of the reindeer missing that Santa can’t possibly make it to every house on earth tonight?”

“All too well my friend,” said Keith. “In fact, he’s counting on it.”

“But that could destroy Christmas,” said Daisy. “Why would he do that?”

“It’s a sad tale old chum,” said Keith. “You see Dexter Scrooge hates Christmas. He’s always hated. Some say it’s because of his family name, others believe it’s the result of teasing when he was a child, and some say it’s a curse set on the family by Charles Dickens, a well know holiday warlock.”

“What do you think?” asked Daisy.

“I’m not usually one to say it,” said Keith. “In this case I believe Dexter was just born naughty. Some people, just want to see the world get coal.”

They ran on in silence until Keith signaled for Daisy to stop. “This is the place. This is why I needed you.”

“What can I do?” asked Daisy.

“While my detective skills are amongst the best in the world, I don’t have your nose. This is the last place the Reindeer’s locator went off. I was hoping you could track them from here.”

Without a word Daisy set to work sniffing the ground. She carefully worked her way back and forth across the clearing. She checked every path, trail, and footstep until she was certain she knew what had happened.

“It’s pretty messy,” said Daisy. “There were six of them. Five tough men smelling of rifle oil and another smelling of ink, money, and hatred.”

“I didn’t realize hatred had a smell.”

“It does,” said Daisy. “Like rotten candy canes on radiator.” Daisy turned back to the clearing. They came at the reindeer from all sides. The deer tried to make a run for it but they got him. Drug him down and tied a leash on him. Then they…” Daisy paused a snarl at eth edge of her mouth. “They muzzled him.”

“The fiends!” cried Keith. “We need to move fast. Do you know which way they went?”

“I do.”

“Lead the way old chum.”

At that moment across the magical forest a young near-do-well sat upon a throne of second hand wood.

“Boss,” said Tank, the lead henchman. “The boys were wondering if we could up the heat a bit.”

“No,” said Dexter Scrooge. “Heat costs money.”

Dexter stood. He was an old soul, even at fourteen. Dexter dressed in the style of a business man much older than he was. His long trench coat hung near the ground, its collar raised against the chill in the room. He walked with a cane, though he didn’t need it. He never smiled even when things were going according to plan. The very weight of his vile person made the world feel titled twenty degrees.

His hideout was a dark affair, lit by a single candle nestled on an old silver holder. The furniture was a collection of thrift store antiques and hand me downs that would have once been nice. Around the room were stacks and stacks of crates.

Dexter paced the length of the large room. “Has our guest arrived?”

“Not yet sir,” said Tank. “Are you sure he’s coming.”

“He’s never disappointed me in the past. Why would he fail now?”

Meanwhile, outside.

Keith and Daisy stood a few feet from the hideout, hidden in the bushes.

“That’s the place,” said Daisy.

“An abandoned gold mine,” said Keith. “Very clever. No one would think to look here.”

“What should we do?” asked Daisy.

“We have the element of surprise. However, that doesn’t mean we should be careless.” Keith pulled a long rope from his pocket. “Do you mind?”

“Not at all.”

Keith lifted Daisy and slid her into one of the long pockets of his jacket. Keith then hurled the end of the rope up and used it to scale the outside of the mine office.

Arriving at the top Keith moved across the roof towards the skylight. Reaching the side of the skylight Keith took a moment to look through the window. Below was a large empty room with a huge shape under a larger tarp. Suddenly the roof gave way beneath him dropping him several feet into a waiting net. The Net constricted around Keith and Daisy holding them in place.

Keith and Daisy struggled against the net in vain.

“Struggle on my friend,” said Dexter Scrooge.

The light of a single candle flared slightly illuminating the darkness. Dexter stood with his henchmen around him. “It seems not only Santa finds his way to the roof tops of children.”

“You’re no child,” said Keith. “You’re a monster.”

“Biting words,” said Dexter. “You’re too late. You might as well give up. My plan is already a success. I’ve captured one of Santa’s reindeer. He’ll never get to every house on his list.”

“He’ll still get to some,” said Daisy.

“Exactly,” said Dexter. “And some is all I need. While some children will have been visited by Santa others will not. Parents desperate to make their children feel better after having been snubbed will need to run out at the nearest opportunity and purchase gifts. Where will they go? The largest toy store has closed its doors and there’s a massive toy shortage. They have nothing they can do. That’s where my own brand of hand carved wooden nutcrackers comes in. With a three hundred percent mark-up I’ll make a tidy profit.”

“That’s just crazy enough to work,” said Daisy.

“You’ll never get away with it Dexter,” said Keith.

“Of course you two won’t be around to see it,” said Dexter flipping a lever on the wall. The net began to lower towards the object under the tarp.

Tank walked over, grabbed the tarp and pulled it away revealing a giant nut cracker.

“Once you’ve reached its mouth it will close destroying you both.” Dexter turned and walked from the room. “Come, we must prepare to ship the orders.”

“Holy Christmas Cracker Wolfman,” said Daisy. “What can we do?”

Is this the end of our heroes? Will they be able to escape the crushing cracker before it breaks their shells? Is Christmas doomed?

“Don’t worry Daisy,” said Keith. “If I can just reach my pocket I might be able to save us.” Keith struggled against the net to move his hand to get into one of the inside pockets. “It’s no use. My fingers aren’t long enough.”

“I might be able to reach,” said Daisy. She began twisting and shoving herself forward. “It’s not working. I can’t reach it. I’ve let you down.”

“No,” said Keith. “That’s not true. You’re a very good dog.”

Suddenly the net loosened just a little bit and then stopped. Keith twisted his head to look down. “Your tail Daisy.”

“What about it?”

“It just might be our ticket out because you’re a good dog.”

Daisy’s tail began to wag.

“A very good dog.”

Daisy’s tail moved faster the motion of it began to saw through the net.

“Are you a good dog? I’ll bet you’re a good dog. Who’s a good dog?”

With each intonation the tail moved faster and faster, cutting through more and more of the ropes. Soon the net began to loosen and finally it gave way dropping our heroes. Keith grabbed Daisy as they fell and timed it so that he could push off of the nutcracker a hairs breadth before it crushed them.

They landed on the ground. Keith put Daisy down.

“Thank you,” said Keith.

“It’s my pleasure,” said Daisy.

“Let’s go save Christmas,” said Keith.

Our two heroes ran into the next room and faced off with Dexter and his minions. WHAM! The fight was brutal. POW! Each of Dexter’s men leaping to his defense. ZAP! No quarter was asked for or given. BITE! However the heroes were in the business of justice. BLAMMO! Business was good. SNAP!

Dexter and his men finally fell to the ground. There was no way for them to resist our heroes. The fight had been beaten out of them. Keith walked to the too small cage and slid the door open. He reached inside and removed the leash and muzzle from the reindeer inhabitant.

The reindeer’s nose glowed red in thanks.

“If you want to thank us,” said Keith. “Get back to the North Pole as fast as you can. Help make this a Merry Christmas.”

The reindeer looked to the large clock on the wall. It was almost time.

“It might be late,” said Daisy. “But I believe you can do it. You’ll have to run faster than you ever have but I know you can get there.”

The reindeer nodded and ran for the door. It stopped just past the entrance and its nose glowed again. Then it was gone.

With Christmas saved and all the world’s children protected from the forces of evil our heroes retire to their respective homes. Though should dark forces ever again threaten the holidays you can bet that the Dognamic Duo will be there. In the end nothing stops the forces of justice or the might of Wolfman and Daisy.

end
Run Run Rodolph