Chapter 2

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Bernard managed to keep away from the humans for several weeks. Eventually, however, hunger drove him back to their village. He risked sneaking into the market, hoping he could swipe the scraps that fell to the ground. He was so intent on hiding behind a corner and spying on the people that he did not notice someone approaching.

"Hello there."

Bernard spun around to face Jacob. "You!"

Jacob smiled. "Yes, me." He tossed a loaf of bread at him, which he caught. "You can have this." Bernard looked down at the bread and then back at the man. "It's good."

Bernard broke off a piece of the bread and tossed it in his mouth. It was good. By the time he lifted his head again, Jacob was gone. It was just as well. He could not trust that man. He could not trust anyone.


2005

Brooke opened her eyes and immediately felt disoriented. Where was she? The last thing she remembered, she was traveling through the snow with her faithful companion Rufus. Then their strength had failed them... The girl sat upright in her bed. "Rufus!"

"Whoa, careful there," said a young boy who rushed to her bedside. "You need to rest. You've been through a lot."

Brooke's eyes flickered to the kid's pointed ears as she eased back down into the bed. "Wait, I remember now. You're an elf, and this is the North Pole!"

The boy gave her a friendly smile. "That's right. My name is Alex. What's yours?"

"Brooke. Did you save me?" She remembered a tall elf carrying her through the snow. "No, that was Bernard. He was in here too, wasn't he? He did something to me." Something she did not quite understand.

Alex nodded. "He rescued you from the cold and used magic to heal you. You're lucky he was there. You had a bad case of hypothermia."

Brooke swallowed hard. She remembered feeling so cold and so tired. She had not realized she was so close to death. She really owed that elf a lot. "And what about Rufus, my dog?"

Alex's smile fell. "I'm sorry. It was too late for us to save him."

A sharp pain struck Brooke in the chest. Rufus had been her best friend. "Th-that's okay. I understand."

Alex frowned and stepped closer. "Is there anything I can do for you?"

Brooke pushed back the wave of grief for her poor dog. "Can I talk to Bernard? I want to thank him."

Alex smile. "Of course. Just one moment." He left through the door on the right side. A second later, and older elf entered. It was the elf who had saved her.

"Hello there," Bernard said with a small smile. "Are you feeling well?"

"I'm fine," Brooke said. She moved her pillow up so she could lean against the wall and watch him better. She wondered why he appeared older than the other elves who seemed nothing more than kids.

"Good. I'm glad."

"Thank you for saving me."

"Anyone else would have done the same." Bernard dragged a wooden chair over to her bed and sat near her.

Brooke smiled at them. "But they didn't. You did. So, thank you."

Bernard gave her a slight smile in return. "You're welcome." He paused. "Listen, Brooke, I need to know why you are here. It's not everyday you find someone wandering the North Pole alone."

"Oh, that's easy. I came here to become on elf!"

Bernard's face turned blank. "You... what?"

"I want to be an elf. I knew this place existed even when everyone laughed at me. I knew Santa and the elves existed. I knew magic was real. I just had to see for myself! And now that I have, I know where this is where I belong."

Bernard appeared absolutely perplex. "You can't just- Who do you think-" He sighed and shook his head. "Why would give up your life to be an elf?"

Brooke frowned, and she shifted uncomfortably. "Well, the truth is, I didn't have much of a life to leave behind. I don't have any family or friends. I wanted to become a writer, but I couldn't get a job after college. With no money, I couldn't get food or housing except through charity. I had nothing to lose. I knew Santa would help me."

Compassion flickered on Bernard's face. "I'm sorry, Brooke. Really, I am. Santa will help you, but you can't stay here. You are not an elf, and you will never be an elf."

Brooke swallowed hard. "But I don't have anywhere else to go. And I don't have anyone else. Rufus was my only friend, and now he's gone..." She tried to fight back the tears that formed in her eyes.

Bernard reached out his arm and placed a hand on hers. "Your dog was very brave. He sacrificed his life to keep you warm. You probably would have died without his help. He's a hero."

Brooke wiped her eyes with her free hand. "So are you."

Surprise flashed in Bernard's eyes. He pulled his hand back. "I'll talk with Santa about what we should do with you. Right now you need to rest, alright?"

"Okay." Brooke settled back down in the bed and closed her eyes. She dreamed that her wish would come true.


"She's here to become an elf!" Bernard exclaimed. "Who wants to become an elf?" He paced back and forth in Santa's office. Scott sat at his desk while Carol sat in a chair next to him and Curtis leaned against the wall.

"Who wouldn't want to be us?" said Curtis.

"But she can't be one of us."

"Clearly."

"Why can't she join the workshop?" Carol asked, hands on her round belly.

Bernard held in a sigh. Mrs. Clause was still relatively new her. She did not understand all the rules. "Brooke is human."

"What is wrong with being human?"

"The handbook clearly states that all workers must be elves," Curtis said.

"Then maybe it's time we changed the handbook," Scott said.

Curtis gaped at him. "What?! How could you suggest such a thing?"

"For once, I agree with Curtis," Bernard said. "We can't go around changing rules that have been working for us for centuries. What will become of this place if we start accepting any human who wants to work here? We'll delve into chaos!"

Scott waved him. "Don't be dramatic, Bernard. We're not inviting the whole world; just one girl."

Bernard crossed his arms. "She doesn't belong here."

"And where does she belong? She has nowhere else to go."

Bernard opened his mouth to respond and then closed it again. He had a point. "We can't leave her out in the cold or drop her off in a random city," Carol said gently. "She'll never make it."

"Maybe if she spends a few months here, she can pick up a new skill and find her place in the world," Scott said.

"You could find a place for her," said Bernard. "You're Santa."

"But it's almost Christmas. I have to focus on my work. I can't afford distractions."

"I hate to admit it, but he's right," Curtis said. "And we could use the help."

"Fine," Bernard snapped. "She can stay until Christmas is over. But who is going to watch her to make sure she doesn't get into trouble?"

Scott smiled at him. "You are."

"Me? But I have thousands of elves to look after!"

"What's one more? I'm sorry, Bernard, but by saving her life, you accepted responsibility for her." Scott stood. "Now, let's go check on her. I want to meet her." Bernard clenched his teeth, having no choice but to follow him out the door.

The two of them wandered through the city until they reached the healing ward. Scott stopped to knock on the door. Alex opened it and gave them a bright smile. "Hello," he said. "Brooke is good as new. She doesn't need to stay here any longer."

Scott nodded. "Thank you, Alex. We'll have a chat with her now." He entered the room and Bernard followed.

Brooke sat on the bed with her back to the wall. She smiled when she saw the visitors. "Hi, Bernard!" Her eyes landed on Scott. "Hey, you're Santa Clause! I knew you were real."

Scott grinned at her. "You bet I am. You must have a lot of faith to still believe in me." He sat in the chair Bernard had used earlier, and the head elf stood at his side. "Bernard tells me you want to be an elf."

"That's right! Will you please give me a chance? I promise I won't mess up!"

"You can't be an elf," Bernard said. "You're human."

"But you can help us out around the workshop until I find a place to take you," Scott said.

Brooke's face lit up. "Really? Oh, thank you!"

"Only until Christmas is over," Bernard said. He did not want her to get too comfortable.

"That's alright. By that time, I'll be so good that you'll be begging to keep me on."

"We'll see about that." She had confidence, that was for sure. He just hoped her skills could back up her words. He did not need someone who would make his job harder. Christmas had to be perfect.

"I'll bet you're hungry, Brooke," Scott said.

Brooke smiled sheepishly. "Yeah, not that you mention it, I'm starving. I ran out of provisions yesterday."

"Why don't you let Bernard take you to get some dinner? He'll find a room for you as well."

"Okay!" She swung her legs over the bed, but when she tried to stand, her legs wobbled. Luckily, Bernard was there to catch her.

"Careful!" he said. She blushed as he steadied her on her feet. "Are you sure you're alright?"

Brooke brushed her hair behind her ear. "I'll be fine."

Bernard nodded. "Good. Then let's go." He turned and walked briskly out of the room. He could just feel a headache coming on at the prospect of his new responsibility.


Brooke marveled at the working elves as she followed Bernard through Santa's workshop. She could hardly believe she was here. She had dreamed about this day for so many years. Now everything was finally within her grasp. She knew she could find a place here. She just had to convince everyone else.

"This is the dining hall," Bernard said, swinging open a set of doors.

Brooke gasped. "Wow." The dining hall was like the one at college but four times as big. Tables and chairs littered most of the space. The left side was set up with service counters sporting all kinds of food. Behind that, she noticed a door that must lead to the kitchen. The light chatter of children filled the air. Elves sat around eating and talking, not giving her a second look.

"Take whatever you want," Bernard said, motioning towards the service tables.

"Who does all the cooking?" Brooke grabbed a plate and surveyed the food. Most of it was pretty normal.

"The cooking elves."

"There are cooking elves?"

"Of course. Elves need to eat too, and specialization is more efficient."

Brooke chose friend chicken and roasted green beans. None of the drinks stuck out to her, so she went with water. "Where do you get the food? You can't possibly produce it all yourselves. Especially not with this weather."

"We have undercover buyer elves. Are you ready?"

Brooke looked at him. He did not even have a plate. "Aren't you going to eat?"

"No." Without another word, he turned on his heels and headed to the nearest round table. He only sat down after Brooke did.

"Where do elves learn to cook?"

Bernard gave her a pointed look. "You ask a lot of questions."

"There's a lot I want to know."

"You can't eat if you're talking, and we can't move on until you eat."

"What's the hurry?" But Brooke did take a bite of her chicken. It was pretty good! She immediately dug into her food, losing awareness of her surroundings.

"Hello there."

Brooke nearly jumped out of her skin. "Oh! You startled me."

A young girl gave her a smile. "I'm sorry. I wanted to introduce myself. My name is Judy. You're the human Bernard saved."

"Wow, how did you know?"

"News around here spreads fast."

"A little too fast," Bernard muttered.

"My name's Brooke," said the woman. "It's nice to meet you, Judy."

"You as well," said Judy. "I hope you enjoy your stay here. Would you like some hot cocoa?" She held up a pitcher and a mug.

Brooke smiled. "Sure!" That was what had been missing from the drinks counter.

Judy poured liquid in the mug and then handed it to Brooke. "Be careful. It's quite hot."

Brooke blew into the mug before taking a tiny sip. "This is great!"

Judy grinned at her. "I'm glad you think so. Well, I'll see you around, Brooke. Goodbye, Bernard." She waved at them before walking off.

"She seems nice."

"Very," said Bernard. "Now eat."

Brooke wondered why he was being so short with her but then remembered that he was probably tired after using magic. She wanted to ask questions on that but thought it was best to wait until later. She focused on eating her meal. She had just about finished when another elf approached. This one she recognized.

"Brooke," Alex said, "I'm glad I found you."

"Is something wrong?" Bernard asked sharply.

Alex hesitated. "Not exactly. It's the dog." He looked at Brooke. "I just thought you'd like to give him a proper burial."

"Oh," Brooke said, her heart dropping at the reminder. She wanted to forget all about it, but she knew she needed the closure. "Yes, that would be good. Thank you."

Alex nodded. "Then follow me if you're ready."

Brooke glanced at Bernard, noticing his expression had softened. When he did not object, she stood from the table. Then she glanced at her plate and hesitated. It would be rude to just leave it, wouldn't it? "Don't worry about it," Bernard said. He placed a hand on her back to guide her forward. So, she followed Alex outside into the cold air. Luckily, she still had her coat.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"The cemetery," Alex replied.

"Cemetery? Do elves die?" With how young they appeared, she thought they would be immortal.

"Accidents happen on occasions," Bernard said without looking at her. "We have about a dozen berried there."

"12 in 1600 years is a pretty good record," Alex said.

"But not good enough."

"I know what you mean," Brooke said. It was terrible when anyone had to die. She had dealt with it way too much in her young life. And now it was her dog's turn.

They finally arrived at the cemetery at what appeared to be the edge of the city. It was enclosed with a black fence that gave off on eerie feeling. Two elves stood on either side of a dog-sized casket and a hole; their expressions were solemn.

"Would you like to see him?" Alex asked.

Brooke shook her head. "No, that would be too hard. Can I saw a few words?"

"Of course." Alex motioned towards the casket.

Brooke took a deep breath and stepped forward. "Hello, Rufus." She placed her hand on the lid of the casket, and she could swear she felt him there. "I am so sorry about what happened. I was unable to save you. But you saved me, didn't you? Thank you, buddy. You were always there for me. Now you can rest in peace. You deserve it." She wiped her wet eyes with the back of her hand. "I love you. Goodbye..."

She walked backwards and bumped into Bernard. He placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. She watched as the two elves lifted the casket into the hole before burring it. After Alex gave a few formal words, it was over. Rufus was gone.

"Come on," Bernard said softly, turning away from the grave.

Brooke did not notice the cold until it was gone upon entering the workshop. She remembered she wanted to take everything in, but she did not feel up to it at the moment. She figured she would have time for that later. Right now she was too tired and sad to care.

There were no workers around now. A few elves passed by, but they did not seem too busy. Bernard led her to a hallway with doors on either side all the way down. "Where are we going?" she asked.

"To your room," Bernard replied.

"I have a room already?" Honestly, Brooke had not given much thought to where she would be spending the night even though it was fairly important.

"There is always a spare room ready for emergencies."

"Do all the elves live in the workshop?"

"No. Only the head elf, which is me. Santa and his wife also live here."

"Oh." Now that he mentioned it, she remembered seeing what appeared to be huts outside in the snow.

Bernard stopped at a normal looking door. "We're here." He opened the door with ease.

"Wait, there's no lock?"

Bernard gave her an odd look. "We don't have locks. There are no criminals here."

"Well, yeah, but what if someone walks in while I'm changing?"

Bernard rolled his eyes. "There is this thing called knocking. Elves do it too. You will be fine. Come on."

"Oh, okay." Brooke followed him in to the room. She immediately stopped and gasped. It was huge! There was a king sized bed right under a frosted window. A large, ornate dresser stood to the right of the bed, and there was a walk in closet on the left. Everything was adorned in green with some red splashed in. "This is amazing."

Bernard shrugged. "It's just a room. The dresser and closet are empty. I can help you find clothes tomorrow." He looked her up and down. "You will probably need to have some custom made."

"Why are you the only one who doesn't look like a kid?"

"Back to the questions, are we?"

"I'm just curious." Brooke brought her hand to her face as she yawned.

Bernard shook his head. "There will be time for curiosity tomorrow. You need some rest." He paused. "You'll be alright in here alone?"

Brooke looked around once more. "I suppose so. I can't imagine what could happen. I feel fine, if that's what you're asking."

Bernard nodded. "Good. If something does happen, there is an emergency button under the bed. I will take my leave then." He started for the door, stopping with his hand on the doorknob when she spoke:

"Thanks again for saving me."

Bernard remained quiet for a long moment. "Good night, Brooke." He opened the door and slipped out.

"Good night, Bernard." Brooke turned to her new bed. She had a busy day tomorrow. It was time for some well-earned sleep!