'I Believe' - chapter 1
By Wyntirsno
Cody had stopped believing in Santa around the time he started going to school; he knew that Zack still believed even though he denied it and he wished he could too. However, on the Christmas Eve after they turned six he got up to go to the bathroom, and on his way back to bed he caught his parents putting presents under the tree. He heard them talking about which ones to put Santa's name on so he sat at the top of the stairs and watched until they were done; then he walked slowly back to his room feeling sick from what he had seen. His family thought the next morning that he was sick because he just wasn't very enthusiastic about opening his gifts. He never told Zack what he saw because he didn't want to ruin his Christmas too. He eventually got over the disappointment and never really worried about it anymore, or at least that's what he told himself.
'On the ship'
In the middle of their competition to go to space with London, Woody and Cody had to take a test that London made up. When she was telling them about it she read the first question out loud.
"If you're traveling thru space in a pink rocket and you pass Santa's sleigh, who will get to moon first?" London read.
'I can't believe she is asking about Santa, doesn't she know there is no Santa?' Cody thought sadly to himself. 'I wish there was, but I know the truth, I saw the real Santa's.'
Suddenly Woody yelled, "I know, I know, Santa because he can travel the whole world in one night!"
Well Cody failed that test; he did try to make up for it when he read his report to London later in the competition.
"...I would use a laser to carve your face into the moon," Cody read.
"Oooo, then once a month there would be a full me!" London squealed.
"Where would you get a laser that big?" Woody asked.
"Maybe from Santa," Cody replied sarcastically. Of course he was being sarcastic, he knew there was no Santa.
'Later that year'
Here it is Christmas again, and Cody and Zack are now sixteen. They are stuck on the ship because there is a storm keeping them from being able to dock. They have to stay at sea where it is safer, and all the kids have to stay over for Christmas. Most of the kids are happily decorating their rooms, and they got permission to use one of the classrooms for their Christmas party, although they are all disappointed that they can't go home; they are really getting into the fact that they are going to have Christmas with each other.
Woody had been decorating their cabin and singing carols for the last couple of weeks, even before he knew they were going to have to stay onboard. He was such an innocent little kid when it came to Christmas. He was sitting on his bed right now writing a letter to Santa.
"Cody, aren't you going to write your letter to Santa?" The curly haired teen asked his depressed roommate.
Cody was lying on his bed staring at the ceiling like he had been doing for the last couple of days after school. Luckily tomorrow was the last day before Christmas. He was so down because he and Zack didn't get to go home for Christmas. He missed his parents, he loved being on the ship but you were supposed to be home for the holidays. That is where his Santa's were. He didn't get to see his dad often, but he always came to visit for Christmas.
"No Woody I haven't written to Santa since I was six," Cody said.
"WHAT?" Woody gasped. "You've got to be kidding."
"No Woody, I don't believe in Santa any more, I haven't for a really long time," Cody said blandly. "I wish I did, but there just isn't any real evidence that he exists."
"Wow, Cody I thought if anyone would believe in someone like Santa, it would be you, especially since you believed so strongly in 'Galapagos Gerti'. You know Santa's so much more likely to be real than she was," he reasoned.
"..."
"You know you should write a letter anyway, maybe it would make you feel better. You could write down what is bothering you, or just what your deepest wish is for Christmas," Woody offered.
Cody thought about what Woody said and he thought maybe he had a point. He knew that it was good to get your feelings out.
"You know Woody maybe your right, I think I'll try it, thanks."
'It can't hurt.' He thought to himself.
Meanwhile, Zack was busy helping decorate the classroom; he thought if he helped a lot it might be easier to get a date for Christmas. Since he was the only boy helping out it was looking really good; the girls were so impressed that he was being helpful, and he was really starting to get into it. When it came to Christmas he always felt like a little kid again, he only wished his brother felt the same.
He decided to take a break and get a smoothie. While he was sitting there he started thinking about how depressed Cody was this year, but then he never seemed really happy at Christmas. He stopped getting excited when they were about six, and it only got worse after their parents got divorced. He had been trying to get Cody to believe since they were little. That darned analytical mind of his just didn't want to listen. He just didn't know what to do anymore; but he knew he wanted Cody to be happier at Christmas time. He really needed to find something that would work this year since they were stuck so far away from home. He would miss his parents too, but he was happy as long as he had his brother with him.
