Authors Note: Sorry if this chapter is really long.
Chapter 2: A Special Gift
He ran his fingers through his brown hair. His dark amber eyes looked at a small imperfect cloth doll in his hands. Jack worked secretly for weeks for this day to come, but sewing was not his strong point. I can't give this to Pippa. She deserves so much more. Jack thought as he shifted the doll in his hand.
The small doll he created was made out of a piece of the thin blanket Jack had cut out of his side. Inside of the cloth was stuffed with soft grass he collected during the spring.
The doll itself was nothing more, but a small pony with uneven lengths of legs. It's mane and tail was made out of thread and the eyes were made from charcoal marks. Jack thought it might have been easier to make a doll pony than of a girl, but he was proven wrong.
He walked quietly through town staring at the odd doll. No girl he knew had a doll of a pony, but no girl had a horrid doll like the one he made.
"Jack? " Came the small voice of Pippa behind him.
Jack quickly turned around, hiding the doll behind his back. He gave her a warm smile. Pippa tilted her head and tried to bend to see what Jack was hiding behind his back as he gave a warm laugh.
"Not yet Pippa, you'll have to wait until tonight. You don't want to ruin your Christmas surprise do you?"
"No," Pippa sighed.
"Hey, hey don't be sad. Night will come soon."
"But Jack its only noon."
"I know, I know, how about we play your favorite games today?"
"You mean hop-scotch and hide and seek?" Asked Pippa excitedly.
"Yeah, whatever you want to play today," said Jack smiling down at his sister.
"Come on Jack! Lets play hop-scotch!"
Pippa eagerly took his free hand and quickly pulled him in the direction of their cottage. Jack couldn't help, but grin as Pippa dragged him all the way home.
"All right, all lright, just hold on, hold on for a moment. I have to put something inside," Jack chuckled at his sister's eagerness.
"Ok, but hurry," Pippa said as she let his hand go and picked up a stick.
Jack rushed inside their cottage and went into their bedroom. He quickly looked for a place to hide the doll. His eyes locked onto the cot. A smirk crossed his lips.
"Perfect!"
He walked back to the door. The cottage was empty. Jack knew his mother and father had gone to another settlement not to far from their own. Only about a day drive or so in a horse drawn cart. They went to get a calf that their father had bought from another farmer. They would be back by nightfall, just in time for Christmas Eve.
"Come on Jack!" Called Pippa who spotted her older brother in the door way.
"All right, all right, ready to have some fun?" said Jack as he joined Pippa.
The squares were already made. They weren't perfect, but there were ten. Pippa placed a pebble in her brother's hand and had another in her own.
"Can I go first?"
"But of course," said Jack, "ladies first." He made a gesture with his hands and gave an awkward bow.
"Why, thank you," said Pippa who gave a light laugh.
She threw her pebble, which landed on the second square. Pippa hopped onto one leg, then one and then two until she got to the tenth square to turn around and jumped to get her pebble.
It was then Jack's turn. He threw his pebble and it landed on the sixth square. He hopped onto one foot then two and then one until he too reached the tenth square. But as Jack came back to pick up his own pebble he lost his balance and fell. Although Pippa was worried about him she couldn't help, but laugh. He had looked so funny when he fell.
At first Jack was a little stunned by his own fall, but when he heard Pippa laughing he laughed along with her.
"Jack you're so funny," Pippa giggled.
He made a playful face at her and said. "Not as funny as when the tickle monster is going to get you."
Jack stood up and pretended he was a monster making Pippa squeal and laugh harder. He took a giant step forward which made her run away.
"You can't catch me!" Pippa called out.
"We'll see about that!" Jack called back and ran after her.
They ran through the small barn and through the cottage. He never caught up with her, but stayed behind her at a slower pace than his sister's legs could run. Jack was always able to catch Pippa, but Jack was eight years older than her and had longer legs. He always let her get ahead of him.
The game of chase made its way back into town. The siblings were having so much fun that they hadn't noticed the clouds had become dark.
A few stared at the two who were running and others tried to get out of their way. Friends of their parents smiled at the sibling and their own friends laughed along with them. A few of Pippa's friends tried to help her get away by grabbing onto Jack's legs until their parents called them off of him.
Pippa had made her way to the square. She stopped to catch her breath when she didn't see her brother behind her. The first snow started to fall gently to the ground. Amazed Pippa could only stare at the dark sky. A single snowflake silently floated on to her noise, giving her a cold nip.
"Caught ya!"
Before Pippa could say anything Jack came from behind and enclosed his arms around her. He tickled her as she tried to break free.
"Jack haha it's snowing hahaha," Pippa laughed.
Jack stopped tickling his sister and looked up. The snow was coming down heavier now.
"It is..." How will Father and Mother come home? Jack wondered.
Pippa looked up to see her brother's face. She knew he loved the snow, but instead of a happy smile or smirk Pippa saw him saddened. She noticed his arms loosen around her.
"Jack? What's wrong?" Pippa asked tugging on Jack's white puffy sleeve.
At first Jack hadn't realized Pippa had asked a question until she asked again nor had he noticed that he was letting his concern show.
"Everything is all right." Jack said as he looked down at his sister and quickly put on a brave smile.
She looked at him in disbelief. Pippa knew him like the back of her own hand.
"It's ok Pippa. I promise everything is fine," Jack reassured.
Pippa knew better than to not believe him. She put on a small smile for him and soon after her excitement for the snow returned.
"Jack, if there is enough snow can we make a snowman tomorrow?"
"Yeah, we can, but it's starting to get dark now we should go home."
Pippa nodded in agreement.
"Want to hop on?" Jack offered as he released Pippa from his arms and crouched down for her to get on his back.
"Yeah!"
She quickly scurried onto Jack's back. He stood up and shifted Pippa a little to make her comfortable.
"Ready?"
"Giddy up!" Pippa shouted as she wrapped her arms around Jack's neck. Jack let out a laugh as he began to run carefully home in the snow.
As the siblings arrived home Jack was horrified to find their father and mother had not come back yet. The light snowfall had become a blizzard. Harsh icy winds blew, knocking the breath out of both brother and sister. Jack could feel Pippa shivering from harsh winds.
"Jjjack, I'm ssso so cccold," Pippa chattered through her teeth.
"I know, I know, but everything is going to be all right. We're home we're home. I'll make a fire. All right?" Said Jack as he let Pippa down.
"Ok."
The cottage was pitch black and ice cold when the siblings entered.
Pippa slipped her hand in her brother's and squeezed it. Jack felt his way through the cottage. He found the two pieces of flint next to the fireplace and found that wood had already been placed in the pit. Jack let his hand slip from Pippa's and placed hers gently on his shoulder.
"I need to light the fire wood," He explained.
"All right."
One, two, three, four strikes it took to light the wood in the pit, but it provided very little. Jack blew on the tiny flamed to increase the heat and light. He took Pippa's hand and led her to sit close to the fire.
There were only a few pieces of wood in the cottage, which Jack suspected would not last very long. The night was so cold that they would need more wood to keep warm.
Although she close to the undersized fire Jack could still see Pippa shiver.
"I'll be right back. I'm just going to get more wood," announced Jack as he stood up.
As he turned to leave he felt a hand grab his own. Jack turned his head to see Pippa's small hand in his own.
"I'm coming too," said Pippa as she stood up.
"No, its to cold outside for you," He replied. He kneeled down at her eye level. "I need you to stay here and keep warm and watch the fire. I need someone to tell me if the fire is going out or not."
At first Pippa just stared at her brother. She didn't want him to get cold.
"But you'll going to get frost bite."
Jack could say nothing at first. He never really argued with Pippa, not in a serious manner.
"I'll be fine. Don't worry. I promise I'll be fine. I'll be as fast as the rabbits we try to catch in the spring. Do you remember them?"
This earned a lighthearted laugh from Pippa, but it didn't last long before her face fell into concern again. Jack gave a sigh; his soft spot for his sister wouldn't allow him to become strict with her.
He took off his brown vest and put it on her. He quickly walked into their room and returned with the thin blanket. He draped the blanket over Pippa's shoulders and tied a knot around the neck.
"There you'll be nice and warm."
Pippa looked at her make shift winter cloak and smiled at her older brother.
"Hey I want my vest back when we come back in," Jack lightheartedly teased. "If you become to cold you can come back in and leave the rest to me. All right?"
"All right, but I can go as long as you can Jack."
"Haha all right, we'll see about that kiddo," Jack chuckled at his sister's challenge.
He opened the door as a gust of icy wind blasted in his face and nearly made Pippa topple backwards if she hadn't hugged Jack's waist.
"Hold on to a piece of my shirt," Jack instructed as he unstuffed his white cotton shirt in his pants. Pippa grabbed tightly a handful of his shirt and the two braved the storm.
An Hour Later
The door swung opened and the siblings rushed in. Snow clung to their hair and covered their shoulders. Their lips were blue and their hands were numb. Jack had taken the worst of the storm, but was glad he could provide what he could to make his sister a little warmer.
Their small fire had gone out after the first time they entered back into the cottage with the wood, leaving everything black.
They had brought in all the firewood that had been cut. Jack had taken three to four pieces at a time and Pippa had taken one to two pieces. The two had made a pile in a corner closest to the door.
Jack placed his last three in the pile and Pippa her last one. With the last bit of strength he could muster Jack struggled to close the door. He felt his way to the pile of wood and the fireplace. One, two, three, four, five, six strikes it took to light the fire again. He blew on tiny flames and placed three more pieces of wood into the pit. Soon their fire began to grow.
"We'll be able to make that snowman tomorrow for sure," said Jack trying to get a smile from Pippa, but she was only able to nod. She tried to smile, but he could see how cold she was.
Jack knew she had taken a bit of the brunt from the blizzard. He knew he shouldn't have let her come with him. He blamed himself for Pippa becoming so cold and letting her get into such a condition.
"We'll be all right now. We'll be nice and warm. We'll be so warm we won't even realize that we were in the snow."
"Jack, I can't feel my hands," Pippa whispered.
Jack uncovered her hands from her make shift cloak. Horrified to see they had almost lost their color.
"Were you trying to build a snowman without me?" Jack teased. He placed hand on his chest, pretending to be surprised and hurt.
Earning a smile and a giggle from his sister, who shook her head "no."
"Is that the reason your hands are so cold," Jack smiled as he covered his own hands around hers and brought them up to his lips. He blew his breath into them trying to warm them faster.
"Jack, your hands are cold too. Were you trying to build a snowman without me?" Pippa teased back with a soft giggle.
He stopped blowing and smiled back at her. Ggggggrrrrrrrr growled a stomach. Jack raised an eyebrow and Pippa tried hard not to allow herself blush in front of her brother.
"Hungry?"
Pippa nodded.
"Ok, let me find something. Stay here and keep warm."
Jack gave a wink and left to go into the cabinet.
There wasn't much though. There was only one slice of the bread. He checked the water bucket, which to his surprise there was water in it. Jack took down a plate with two cups. He filled the two cups with water and placed the bread on to the plate. There was barely enough food for one, which Jack rationed that he could eat a big breakfast in the morning when his mother would come home.
"All warm?" Jack asked as he placed the plate on the floor in front of Pippa and put the cups onto the hearth.
She nodded her head, but he could still see her shivering. He took her hands and began to blow. He blew into her hands until he heard her stomach growl again.
"Here, eat this," Jack remarked as he pushed the plate closer to her.
Pippa stared at the plate for a moment and then to her older sibling.
"Go, go and head eat. You need your strength. I promise I'll be fine," Jack white lied, but his stomach gave a soft growl. He hoped that Pippa didn't hear it or would think it was her own.
She crawled next to him and placed her ear on her brother's stomach. He prayed his stomach wouldn't growl. Ggggggrrrrrrrr. Pippa looked up and Jack gave a sheepish smile.
"I'll be fine. I promise," He reassured and gave nervous chuckle.
"Your stomach growls funny Jack," declared Pippa as she giggled.
"Well your stomach sounds funny too," countered Jack as he gently rubbed his noise against hers. He smiled gently at her as he received a soft laugh. He took the piece of bread and tore it unevenly in half.
"Here," said Jack, who gave Pippa the bigger half.
She took a bite out of her half and started to chew making sure to savor the flavor of the bread.
"Good?"
She nodded her head and Jack started to eat too. It wasn't long before brother and sister had finished their small meals. Delicately he placed the cups between them.
"Careful Pippa its hot," Jack warned as he took a light sip.
Pippa blew on hers. Warm steam caressed her face as the soft haze rose and disappeared into the air. She sipped her drink and tried not to notice that it was tasteless.
"Pretend its hot coco. It will make it seem much better."
"Ok," Said Pippa as she tried another sip and then another and another until it was gone and placed her cup onto the floor.
"All warm now?" Jack asked as he finished his own drink.
But Pippa didn't hear him. Her eyes had become heavy as she struggled to keep them open as she tried to fight off sleep. Her head started droop, but she strained to keep it up.
"Hey, hey are you sleepy?"
He moved closer to her. "Come here, you can rest with me."
She crawled into his lap and rested her head on his shoulder as Jack wrapped his arms around her.
"Jack, where is Mother and Father?" Pippa asked in a hushed voice.
"Their safe. Their still at the farm."
"How do you know?"
"I know."
"How's Santa going to find us?"
"He'll find us and he'll bring us gifts in his pack."
"How do know?"
Jack chuckled. "I just know Pippa. You have to believe that Santa will come and you have to believe Mother and Father are safe."
Pippa smiled as Jack rested his head on hers.
"Do you want to rest in the cot?"
"Can you give me a piggy back?" Pippa asked as she gave a soft yawn and rubbed her right eye.
"Ok, just let me put out the fire and find a candle. All right?"
"All right" Pippa agreed as she stood up and Jack got to his knees.
He gave her a light noogie as he left to go to the cabinet. No longer able to keep sleep at bay she let herself lie on floor, letting her weighted eyelids close as dreams carried her away.
"I found your favorite candle you know the one that…." Jack said as he entered the room, but was cut off when he saw her asleep.
A soft lopsided smile twitched the corner of his mouth.
"The Sandman visited you early tonight, huh?"
A gentle chuckle escaped his lips as kneeled next to her. He took Pippa into his arms, letting her head to rest on his shoulder as he carried her into their room. The fire's light could only touch the doorway of the small room, casting Jack's shadow on the wall and the bed. Gently he laid her on the cot. As he untied the makeshift cloak from her neck the thin blanket revealed that she still had his brown vest loosely on. Quietly he covered the thin blanket over her.
"I just have to put the fire out and I'll join you." Jack whispered as he stroked Pippa's bangs out of her closed eyes and lightly planted a kiss on her forehead before he left.
Cautiously he lit the candle by holding it over the flames and with the utmost care he placed it on the ground as he threw sand onto the flames and watched them die. For a while Jack sat in the silence listening to the howling wind howl whenever it pleased and watched the small flame of the candle flicker in the dark. The night draft subtly crept into the cottage subduing the after warmth of the dead fire.
THUD! The uncanny sound broke the silence. Pippa! Jack thought. Quickly he grabbed the candle and ran to the small room. She lay quietly on the ground as the thin blanket slipped on to her. He put the candle on the nightstand as he rushed to her side.
"Pippa?"
"Hmm?"
"Hey you all right? You fell."
She sat up looking tiredly at her brother.
"Don't fall back now," chuckled Jack as she started to sway a little.
"I'm not going fall back," Pippa replied wearily.
"All right."
Playfully she stuck her tongue at him and he did the same. Pippa gave a little giggle as Jack gave a light laugh. He placed his hand down and felt something smooth and cold.
"What's this?" Jack asked as he picked up a small tin can and opened the lid.
Her eyes grew wide and she quickly grabbed the can and lid from him.
"Don't look at it! Its your Christmas present," Pippa said as she closed the lid.
"Is that powder coco?" Jack teasingly asked.
"No," Pippa replied, but he raised an eyebrow and gave a smirk.
"Pippa, have I already told you that you are a terrible liar."
"No, I'm not."
Jack quietly snickered to himself.
"All right, all right how did you get it?"
"I made a bet with Devon last week with money and I won and I had enough to buy one can. I saved it for a Christmas present," Pippa explained as she gave the can to Jack.
At first he had no words to say he was so touched.
"Thanks Pippa…" Was all he could say then he remembered the doll. "I have something for you, but you have to close your eyes and no peeking."
Jack quietly stood up and placed the can on the nightstand as he crawled onto the bed. He lifted his pillow revealing an odd doll. He smiled to himself as he tried to imagine how excited Pippa will look when she sees it. Silently he crawled from the bed and sat in front of her.
"Can I open my eyes now?"
"Not yet, just hold on."
He lightly placed the doll in her hands as he bit his lower lip to try to contain his own excitement.
"Can I open my eyes now, Jack?"
"Yeah you can open them."
Her eyes grew wide as she looked at the odd doll. A wide grin spread across her lips; Jack could have sworn it was the biggest smile he ever saw on his sister's face.
"A doll?" Pippa said a little bewildered.
"A doll…"
"A doll! A doll! Jack you gave me a doll!" Pippa squealed in excitement as she held the doll. She was almost too afraid to touch it for she thought it might be a dream.
"A doll. My own doll."
Gently she stroked its muzzle.
"I got a doll! Thank you Jack!" Cried Pippa as she jumped to hug her brother, who was smiling and laughed along with her.
"Yes your own doll."
"How did you get it? How did you get a pony? How Jack? How?" Squealed Pippa who started to play with her doll trying to make it gallop.
"I made it," chuckled Jack.
"You made it?" Pippa echoed astonished. "I love it! I love it so much!"
"Haha all right, all right, but now we have to go to bed before Santa comes, ok?"
"Ok."
They crawled into bed. Pippa snuggled close to Jack hugging her new doll. He wrapped his arm around her. Jack was surprised when his eyes became heavy as he rested his head on his pillow. He allowed his body to relax as his eyes closed. He felt Pippa turn in under his arm.
"Jack," came her small voice.
"Hmm?"
"I can't sleep. I'm to excited."
"Close your eyes. Think of the snowman we're going to build."
"Can we make the biggest snowman?"
"We can make the snowman as big as you want," Jack whispered with closed eyes. "Think of Mother and Father coming home. Think of Santa visiting."
"Jack. You're not helping. You're making me even more excited."
He softly chuckled and unwillingly opened his eyes. He leaned over her as he blew out the candle and everything turned black. He turned himself onto his back.
"Come here Pippa."
He felt her snuggle closer and felt her head rest on his chest. She felt his heartbeat gently pound.
"What do you hear?"
Jack murmured as he softly stroked her hair.
"Your heart" she whispered back.
For moment there was silence. She listened to the soft heartbeat and felt Jack's chest slightly rise and fall. She listened to his gentle breathing as his strokes became slow and hesitant. It wasn't long before she could no longer feel him stroking her hair.
"Jack?"
But there was no answer. Pippa leaned up as she gently planted a kiss on his cheek and rested her head on his shoulder. In time her own eyelids became heavy as her dreams carried her away.
