Lights-Short Story

Yes, it’s January 5th. Yes, I know most everyone is posting New-Years goals. And yes, I know Christmas was a while ago. But am I still posting a Christmas-related story with my characters? Yes, yes I am. 😂 I mean, after all, who doesn’t want the Christmas season to last just a little longer? (I really should’ve posted this closer to Christmas, but I wrote it during my break and life has been a little crazy, so here is your very late Christmas present from me. *hands you hot chocolate* 

***

Ava Emmer looked around with wide eyes. She couldn’t fathom the sights around her. Lights hung from every building, each twinkling in the darkness. They lit up the paved road that stretched along between the small buildings. The buildings themselves were practically glowing. Cheery music poured from their open doors, followed by warm smells that made her mouth water. 

Trees sat in almost every window, covered in lights. They were wound with ribbon then held perfect colored balls on their thin branches. 

People walked on the street in large groups, bundled in scarves and coats. In most of their hands, they held steaming cups of some warm drink or another. They laughed as they engaged in loud conversations and awed over the lights strung on the buildings. 

The air itself felt…magical and joyful. It made her want to dance. 

“Ava!” Zaria snapped, shaking the little girl from her beautiful daydream. 

Ava’s head shot up and her eyes caught on Zaria’s cold, annoyed gaze. She gave a small, inaudible sigh. Of course her older sister wouldn’t enjoy a magical place like that. Zaria hadn’t smiled since the day their father died. She was just an unfeeling leader of the Shadow Lizard who liked to ruin a perfect day like that one. 

“You need to pay attention! You could get swept away in a town like this! ” Zaria sighed, the coolness in her tone terribly noticeable. “Now, look. I’m going to go inside the store and grab a few things. I need you to stay out here and don’t move, you hear me? When I’m done, we can meet up with the other Shadow Lizards at the edge of the city.” 

Ava brought her hand up to her forehead in a salute. “Yes, ma’am!” 

Zaria rolled her eyes. “Please don’t do anything insane.” 

“No major promises,” Ava grinned, her joy bubbling out. 

Zaria clenched her fist as she took a deep breath. “I mean to say. Don’t do anything insane or I will personally come out of that store and strangle you.” She said through her teeth. 

Ava nodded slowly, not saying anything. After all, Zaria never understood things so complicated as excitement and happiness. 

She watched as her older sister stepped up the wooden steps gruffly, walking into the brightly lit store, leaving Ava alone with the magical town. 

Ava had never been outside of Regnum City before that point. And it was even better than she imagined. She didn’t understand why her city was so terrible, especially compared to the beautiful lightness of the small town. Everywhere there seemed to be joy. If Ava could choose, she would live there forever. 

She took a step forward towards the street. Parked cars sat along both sides, but in the middle of the street a carriage pulled by a beautiful black horse rattled down the street. Bells on the side of it sent a new wave of music through the chilly air. 

Ava took another step forward, her hands clasped together. She took another step. Her heart raced with excitement. 

Something new caught her attention as a new song began to play from the store next door. She turned around and wandered to the brightly-lit window. 

Inside, fake snow covered the window sill. Atop the snow lay a tiny village. Each building was perfect in every way as it sat there with a white roof. Tiny lights were strung on the buildings just the way the real stores were. In the center of the village stood a tree, decorated with wonderful strings of red and green. On one side lay an ice skating rink, people dancing across the ice like ballerinas. It was all just as magical as the real city around her.

That’s when she promptly ignored everything her sister had told her as she dashed into the quaint, little shop.

The music washed over her as she entered and her heart filled to the brim with delight. 

The shop was covered in wall-to-wall shelves of assorted objects. From jewelry to beautiful glass dishes, each green, white, or red or all of the above. A tree stood tall and proud by a counter. Music filled the air with a wondrous song. 

Ava ran her small hand along the shelves, sucking in a breath. She wished with her whole heart that she wouldn’t have to leave the store. Or at least stay in the town. She never wanted to go back to the terrible city, not after she had seen such amazing things. Things that actually filled her heart with happiness. 

She wandered around the shop, her eyes flitting from object to object, finding new awe for each one. By the time she looked up again, she was standing by the tree. 

She stared at the colored lights for a few minutes before reaching her hand out. She touched one of the branches gently before pulling her hand away once again. She stared at her reflection in the giant red ball hanging onto the branch. Her messy black hair and too-large sweatshirt with her green scarf. She hardly seemed to fit in with the decorations. 

But if she thought about it, the decorations were just as odd as magnificent. After all, who kept a tree inside a building? Surely they didn’t keep it inside all the time. 

“Hello, down there! What are you doing in my little shop?” 

Ava blinked, looking up. Leaning over the counter, was a woman. She had thick, brown hair that curled ever so slightly and warm chestnut eyes that glittered in the light coming from the tree. She looked to be much older than Zaria, but not too old. Though, with one look at her, Ava wanted to trust the woman. 

Ava took a step back to get a better look at the woman. “I wandered in here. Your little village on the windowsill is very nice.” 

“Aw, thank you,” The woman said with a smile. “Do you have your parents nearby?” 

Ava shook her head. “Both my parents are dead, but my older sister is inside the shop next door.” 

“Oh, I’m sorry,” the woman’s face filled with sympathy. 

Ava shrugged, rocking back and forth on the balls of her feet. “It’s okay. I never knew my mother and my father didn’t like me very much,” She said, adjusting her scarf. 

The woman was silent for a moment as she rubbed the backs of her hands against her red apron. “What’s your name?” 

“Ava Emmer,” Ava said with a grin. 

The woman returned the smile. “Nice to meet you, Ava. My name is Emily.” 

Ava shook the woman’s hand then returned her gaze back to the tree. “Why do you have a tree inside?” 

Emily raised an eyebrow in confusion. “You mean, you don’t already know why?” 

Ava shook her head, studying the tree again. She had no idea why the tree was there. All she knew was that it looked beautiful in all its cute lights and colored ribbon. 

“You’ve never seen a Christmas tree before?” Emily came around the counter so she was standing beside the little girl. 

“No, I come from a far way away…” Ava trailed off, careful not to say anything more about the city. Zaria had threatened her with worse things than being strangled for blabbing about the city. 

“You’ve never celebrated Christmas? You don’t even know what it is?” 

Ava kept shaking her head from side to side. 

Emily blinked in disbelief. “Then would you like to know what Christmas is?” The woman leaned against the counter and pulled her apron off to reveal a long, blue dress. 

Ava beamed. “Yes, please! If it’s all as magical as your store and this town, I very much want to know.” 

Emily sat down atop the counter then gestured for Ava to follow. Ava climbed up and sat across from her. 

“So, we celebrate a holiday called Christmas. We put up lights everywhere and trees on the first of December. Then on the twenty-fifth, we do all sorts of things. Give each other presents and spend time with our family and good friends. That’s why this,” Emily gestured to the whole shop. “Is all here. It all began a long time ago when a baby was born.” 

Ava cocked her head to the side. “When a baby was born? That doesn’t seem like something that would start this whole thing.” 

“Not just any baby,” Emily held up a hand. “The son of God, the Creator of the whole Earth. He came to Earth as a tiny baby long ago. He lived on the Earth, doing miracles. Then He died on a cross to allow people to go to heaven and live with God, if they only believe. But that wasn’t the end of the story, He came back to life three days later. So, we celebrate Christmas to celebrate His first coming. When He came down to Earth.” 

Ava blinked, staring with wide eyes. “The son of the Creator came down to Earth?! That’s why all this magical stuff is here?” 

Emily nodded. “Yes, Ava. He came down to Earth for me and for you. He came as a little baby, born in a stable.” 

“Wow…” Ava shook her head again, this time in disbelief. “That’s crazy!” 

“It is. But He came because He loved us so much,” Emily said. 

“Could you…tell me the whole story?” Ava looked up pleadingly. 

A smile spread over Emily’s face as she pulled a bowl of red and white striped candies over to them and gestured for Ava to take one. “I sure can.” 

Ava took one of the J-shaped candies, lifting it to her mouth. It was the best thing she had tasted in such a long time. A wonderful mint flavor filled her mouth followed by a genuine sweetness. She sucked on it for a long time while looking expectantly at Emily. 

The woman took a deep breath. “Like I said, a long time ago in a little town there was a woman. Her name was Mary. She was betrothed to marry a young man named Joseph, but before they got married an angel appeared to her. The angel told her that she would have a baby. Not just any baby, but the Son of God. Mary hardly believed it, but she did as the angel said-”

Emily was cut off by a shout of Ava’s name from outside. 

Ava’s head whipped around and out the window with the small village, she saw Zaria looking very angry. 

Ava gave a long sigh. “I wanted to hear the rest of the story…” 

Emily got up from the counter and helped Ava down. The woman quickly walked around to the other side of the counter and pulled something from one of the shelves. “You can. Here, you can have your first Christmas present.” 

Ava peered over the edge of the counter to find a blue-bound book that almost matched the shade of Emily’s dress. On the front of the cover lay the words The Holy Bible. 

Ava looked back up at Emily’s face to make sure it wasn’t a trick. “I really have this?” 

Emily nodded vigorously. “You may. I have a feeling you will enjoy the true stories there. And you can take a few Candy Canes too.” 

“Thank you so much!” Ava cried, grabbing the Bible and the candy off the counter and shoving them into the depths of her coat. She smiled up at Emily. “Thank you!” 

Emily grinned back. “You’re welcome, Miss Ava. I will see you soon, I hope.” 

Ava nodded once more before turning towards the door of the small shop. She took a deep breath then walked out the door, leaving the small shop behind her along with her new friend Emily. 

She had her sister’s fury to face, but she didn’t mind. Because deep in the depths of her coat she felt the thumping of the book against her side. A book that would tell her the story of a miracle that had changed the world and brought all the happiness of the lights to her. 

A miracle that she was sure would change her as much as getting out of the city had.  

***

Until next time, 

~A.J. Syngraféas