Angels and Toys
The Christmas morning came and went as most Christmas mornings do. The children jumped up and down with excitement, awakening their parents before dashing downstairs to the tree and presents. Gifts were exchanged and opened, and then they vanished to visit relatives and have a Christmas dinner.
And when the family went away the toys awoke to play, or more likely, the old came downstairs to check out the new-seeing who would be a friend and who would be a threat.
One of the new toys was a solider, dressed up as am American Revolutionary War soldier, this new toy crawled out of the box he and his fellow soldiers came from and started to walk around, taking in their new home and the toys already here.
"Bonjour, bonjour," a toy frog hopped over to Alfred's side. "Welcome to the Jones' home, mon cher."
"H-Hello," the solider replied, kneeling down to get a look at the toy, "Nice to meet you."
"A pleasure," the frog replied. "I hope everything isn't too much to take in."
"It's pretty intimidating," the solider admitted, looking around the large living room, the old toys greeting new toys, some looked more friendly than others.
The frog, who called himself Francis, introduced the solider to a few other very loud toys who immediately tried to think of a good name for him. An albino sock monkey was the loudest, but least creative of the mob. He wanted names like Blue, Fighter, Super Solider Man (the soldier secretly liked that one). Finally Francis went over to the box the soldier had came in and picked out a name 'Alfred' from the fine print.
The solider decided that he liked that name and decided Alfred it was.
Alfred sat down with the toys who started to give him the lay of the house and what to avoid and the best places to hang out when the humans weren't home. It was then Alfred heard the most beautiful voice he had ever heard start to sing.
A shiver went up his body as he looked around for the source, and then realized everyone was staring up, he followed their gaze, to the top of the tree, to see an angel.
She was gorgeous, beautiful long blond hair, in a white robe and fluffy little wings. Despite how far up she was Alfred could see her emerald eyes that seemed to shimmer.
"Who is that," Alfred breathed dreamily as she continued to fill the room with her amazing voice.
"That is the angel on top of the tree," Francis replied, "Alice."
"Alice…" Alfred repeated, tasting the word. It was delicious.
"She spends all year in the attic," Francis explained, "Only coming down to be put on top of the tree. Then she spends all the holiday singing to us toys and doing a welcome song for the newcomers. And then she goes back up to the attic until next year."
The fact that in just a few hours Alice would vanish make Alfred panic, "I have to meet her, I have to talk to her!"
"How ya gonna do that," Gilbert the sock monkey asked in amusement. "Climb the Christmas tree?"
The monkey had barely finished speaking when he realized that Alfred was at the tree, starting to climb up and disappearing behind the branches.
"Alfred," many toys gasped in shock but Alfred paid them no mind; instead he focused on climbing through the branches, careful not to let any ornaments fall. The climb was longer then he had imagined. But he didn't want to give up, all he had known since the time he was made was his brothers in arms. He had never seen anyone like Alice before and he wanted to see her up close, to talk to her, and give her someone to talk to. He could only imagine how lonely she must feel, stuck in an attic for a month and not even getting to talk to any toys because she was immediately placed on top of the tree.
Alice had finished her song a few minutes after Alfred had started climbing, so when he finally, finally, reached the top, she was there waiting for him.
He poked his head through the branches to look up at her pretty face twisted in a scowl that made him droop a little, despite everyone yelling encouragements down below.
"And I suppose you think you're some big shot, hmm," she asked, despite her annoyed tone her pretty voice was still music to his ears. "Climbing up this tree, you could've knocked an ornament down, or fall and break, do you know what happens to toys that break they get thrown away."
"You're beautiful," Alfred said in a daze, being so close to her didn't help his listening skills.
If toys and decorations had the ability to blush they both would have, Alice had never been complimented and Alfred had never given a compliment.
"Did you really climb all this way just to say that," she asked, her brow furrowed.
"No-no," Alfred stuttered, "I wanted to talk to you."
"Talk to me," she echoed.
Alfred nodded emphatically, "I didn't want you to be lonely on Christmas."
Alice gave him a strange look, perhaps deciding if Alfred was crazy or not, then carefully slid down to rest on the branch with him, ignoring the suggestive whistles from the other toys.
"You are absolutely insane," she said with a scowl.
"I-I guess," he replied quietly. "But I really wanted to talk."
"Well, I'm here," she said primly, "So talk."
Alfred desperately tried to think of something smart and witty to say…he had nothing.
Alice arched a brow, "You scaled a tree and didn't think of anything to say? What's your name?"
"I-I'm Alfred," he answered quickly. "I'm a solider."
Alice nodded, "Yes, I noticed the outfit, very formal. My name is Alice."
"I know," Alfred said eagerly. "The other toys told me."
She looked sadly down at the floor below, "They know me, yet I know nothing of them."
"I can tell you some things," Alfred offered, scooting closed to her, "I know I'm new but I made friends with some of the most talkative toys here."
A small smile trailed up Alice's lips and she nodded, "Very well, dazzle me with your story telling."
Alfred lost track of time as he told Alice everything he had learned from Francis and the others, and when he ran out of stories from them he told her about the time before he was bought and brought here, about his brothers and the toy store he was from. At first Alice tried to act causal, like she was only doing this for Alfred's shake, but after a while her green eyes started to gleam as she got more into his stories, unconsciously leaning closer.
It wasn't until Alfred finished his tales that he realized how close. "S-so, what do you think? Did I dazzle you?"
Noticing her nearness she started to draw back, "Very much-" she stopped abruptly, having moved back too far and was starting to lose her balance on the branch. Alfred immediately lunged forward, wrapping her up in his arms only to lose his balance as well, so they both fell, tumbling through the branches to the floor. Alfred held Alice close and tried to take the blunt of fall. He closed his eyes when the floor grew closer, waiting to break into pieces and be thrown away…
But instead of a hard floor he landed on something soft and furry. He and Alice (sprawled on top of him) looked up in surprise to see that their rescuer was a stuffed polar bear.
"Are you two okay," he asked in a quiet voice and they both nodded mutely.
"Alice is down," Francis suddenly yelled in excitement and just like that they were surrounded by the other toys, all of them pushing themselves forward to greet the popular angel. While Alice tried to remain calm Alfred could see the glimmer of excitement in her eyes and stepped back, letting her be introduced to all the toys she sang to but never got to meet. Though he couldn't help a twinge of jealously when his brothers spoke to her, he wondered if they were flirting with her…and if she liked it.
Once they toys had calmed down they begged Alice for a song and the angel was all too delighted to appease, but she didn't just sing this time, this time she danced. She twirled around the living room, everyone watching in captive silence as her voice swirled around her. And then to Alfred's great surprise she skipped over and pulled him into a dance.
It was easy to see that Alfred was built with two left feet but Alice apparently didn't care, she was smiling and laughing and letting Alfred hold her close as the other toys broke into partners and started to dance around. But all Alfred could focus on was the angel in his arms. She looked down at one point and muttered that he was embarrassing her, staring at her so much.
"I really like you, Alice," was all he could think to say.
Alice stared at him in surprise but didn't reply. And only a few short minutes later some toys pointed out that the Joneses would be home soon and they needed to get back to their original place.
Though it pained him to have to leave her Alfred helped Alice up to the top of the tree. But he wasn't done talking with her just yet.
"You live in the attic right," he asked, "That's where they put you when Christmas is over?" He stood on a branch while she sat at the top.
"Yes," she replied sadly, looking away. "And you were right; it is quite lonely up there."
"Not anymore," Alfred declared, "I'm going to visit you from now on. I'll ask the others were the attic is and I'll come visit you every night when the family is asleep, and then we can talk and dance and do anything you want."
Alice looked surprised by his words but finally smiled, if Alfred had a heart it would've stopped from the sight. "You truly are the chivalrous fellow," she decided.
Alfred shrugged, feeling flustered from getting a compliment, "It's no big deal, the other soldiers would do the same."
"No, I don't think so," Alice replied, leaning down to where they were nose to nose, "I think you're quite different. And yes, I think I really like you too."
Then she leaned forward and kissed him. Alfred could only stare dumbly while the toys below cheered and whistled. Finally he collected his wits and, spluttering, wished her a good night and started to climb down the tree.
Alice sang softly, the words just for Alfred's ears and as the toy solider climbed down back to his new life in this new home with his new friends and the most beautiful angel-he couldn't stop his smiling.