"We have no immortal souls; we have no future life; we are just like the green sea-weed, which, once cut down, can never revive again! Men, on the other hand, have a soul which lives for ever, lives after the body has become dust; it rises through the clear air, up to the shining stars!"

― Hans Christian Andersen, The Little Mermaid

Chapter Fourteen: To Be a Doll

"Alright, here's what we're going to do," Bernard started as soon as we got back to my room, "You're going to figure out what happened to Heidi and why it's been redacted by the council and I'm going to make sure Santa's ready for Christmas Eve."

"There's one other thing." I mentioned, "What do you remember about my dad?"

"He was one of the best Santa's we've ever had." He replied, "Why?"

"He was the grandson of the Boogeyman." I told him, "And the only one of his relatives he kept alive."

"Which means he meant him for succession." Bernard surmised.

"Do you know how he disappeared that Christmas Eve?" I asked, "Do they teach you that in training?"

Bernard shook his head, "No and that was under the Head Elf before Elijah, so I don't know if any elves around here would know what happened."

"Looks like I have two mysteries to solve then."

"You and I both know he died." Bernard rebuffed, "That's the only way a Santa disappears."

"That's the way a human Santa disappears." I countered, "And you and I both know my dad was not human, or at least not originally."

"Then what do you think happened?"

"I don't know, but I'm going to figure it out."

Allie's POV

I wandered around the workshop in a haze; there was too much on my mind to sleep, yet not enough for me care about that which surrounded me. There was nothing here that I hadn't seen before. Not that really anything new would catch my fancy, it just reminded me of what I couldn't have. Or at least what I could not have for many centuries to come. I didn't want centuries, I've spent too many watching those grow around me. I've out lived too many friends. I've moved around too many times. I don't want to watch Charlie grow up while I stay the same age. I want to experience that with him. I want to be part of the human world, his world.

"Things would be so much easier" I picked up a doll with dark hair like mine.

"If you were a doll?" I heard Scott ask from behind.

"If I were like the girl this doll will belong to." I corrected, "I know what it's like to be a doll, to never age and to watch those you play with do. To watch life pass you by like a doll on a shelf." I lightly ran my fingers through the doll's hair and gently set her down. Before I left to go to my room, I added, "You should get some rest, Scott, you have a long day tomorrow. Things get a little more chaotic here in December."

Scott's POV

After Allie left, I picked up the doll she had been admiring. It had looked just like her; the same dark hair and eyes and soft smile. "Maybe this Christmas will be different." I dropped off the doll in wrapping to place with the toys that need to be wrapped and filled out a tag to be included in the gift, before heading to the library. No one should have to live their life as a doll.