UberMas 06: Blue Christmas (646 hits)
Category: Quotes & StoriesLabels: fiction
Rating: 1.8 on 24 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Sacrilicious (View user info) at 2006-12-15 16:00:45 EST
Evie was waiting for something.
She sat on the sill of the big bay window, staring out at the giant oak tree in the yard. There was plenty of room for her tiny frame, but there she sat, with her knees pulled to her chest, arms holding them close. She rested a cheek against the cold pane- so cold she could feel her eye quiver in its socket and almost tear.
This was her favorite spot in the house, and this was her favorite time of year.
She savored the brisk, clean air, and everything it brought with it. When the children at school shivered and braced themselves against the wind, she turned her face to the thick, milky-gray sky and smiled.
When the elders would curse the slick roads, Evie would lace up her boots and happily trudge away for her own adventures in the woods. While the books she read spoke of winter as a time for dying, she knew it was a time for dreaming.
Yes, she loved winter. Winter held secrets in frozen sheets and deep drifts. And Evie held her own under thick coat and cap.
Today, she was especially joyful. Today was Christmas Eve- and Evie's birthday.
---
"Evie, get in here, please!" Her mother beckoned across the house. "I need you to set the table for dinner, and then it's almost time for your special surprise, little one!"
Mother's demeanor toward her daughter generally ranged from inattentive to needlessly strict, whatever served best to absolve her of efforts at the time. On a different day, Evie would have rolled her eyes at her mother's poor attempt at any particularly pleasant emotional display. But today was special. Evie shuffled cheerfully into the kitchen.
Daddy sat at the table, engrossed in the newspaper. He briefly peered over the top of his glasses and winked at Evie as she passed. But even when he was smiling, she could tell he felt a little sad inside.
He was a good man- loyal, and worked hard enough. But mentally, he was weak. Years of living with mother and caring for the family had worn him down. He laughed, but was rarely happy. He played strong, but was submissive to all those around him. Especially to Danny.
Danny was 3 years younger than Evie, but there was no mistaking that he was the true king of the castle.
At 7 years old, Danny was small and frail. He had been sick all his life, which was most of Evie's, too. She couldn't remember a time when her parents would dote over her..or pay her much attention at all, really.
Danny was brilliant. He excelled in school when he was well enough attend. He played chess and read books all day when he couldn't.
Sometimes Danny couldn't breathe. It was only some of those times that Evie was scared.
But Evie didn't want to think about Danny today. It was her special day and they were having her special birthday dinner. She smiled to herself as she carefully balanced the glass and silver on the stack of china as she made her way to the table.
---
Evie eagerly licked the last traces of chocolate frosting from her fingers. Her wait was almost over. This was the moment she waited all year long for.
Every year on Christmas Eve, she was allowed to choose one present to open. Gift giving wasn't a common occurrence in the house; her parents were much too concerned with practical matters. And truth be told, what she did receive was usually modest and fairly unimpressive. But just having those few moments of attention and anticipation meant the world to her.
"Well, go ahead, dear. Another hour and it's bedtime. You best pick your present before it gets too late." As the rest of the family retired to the den, Evie padded across the hard wooden floors into the parlor.
She stood before the tree. She wasn't supposed to play near it; mother said the glass ornaments were fragile and not for children. And its classic white lights and red velvet bows made it seem more majestic than inviting, but it was surely beautiful.
Evie gazed at the offerings below the fragrant, green branches. Despite her instructions, she'd stolen many glimpses before now. But in her haste, none of the plainly wrapped items had stood out to her.
She began to examine the wrapped goodies carefully. She weighed one in her hand, and held one up to the light, when something across the room caught her eye.
In the corner, she saw a big blue box. She knew right away that it was very special. There was no way she would have missed it earlier.
The box was tall; it came up past her belly and was wider than her little arms could reach out even when she stretched them wide. She stood up, mesmerized. It was the most beautiful present Evie had ever seen.
The wrappings were luminous, in fact the whole package seemed enveloped in an eerily beautiful blue orb. Evie should have been a little afraid to approach it, but somehow, she knew that the contents of the box were what she had been waiting for, for a long, long time.
Evie was so entranced, she forgot all about her family waiting for her to make her selection. She took a few steps closer.
A gauzy, iridescent bow was tied all around the package. There was no paper on the box after all. She saw that what looked like specks of glitter, but with a closer look, realized it was much more. The sparkles looked superimposed, like they were actually dancing just above the surface.
The little girl trembled as she reached out and touched the box. She felt a subtle vibration in her fingertips, and a cold sensation spread through her tiny body. As she ran her fingers along the groove where the lid met the sides, the bow fell away on its own. The lid of the box seemed to loosen slightly, until it appeared to almost hover above its base.
Evie nudged the lid slightly, hesitated, and then pushed it away with her fingertips. The lid seemed to float away, and she gripped the side of the box so she could peer inside. Suddenly, an icy curl of what looked like steam drifted out of the box and circled around Evie's head. The room went cold.
Looking down into the box, she saw a thin, drifting cloud of hazy white give way to what looked like a deep hole- it looked like it went below the floor and deep, deep down under the ground. The hole swirled downward in the most beautiful hues of cerulean and sapphire and blue black that Evie had ever seen.
Inside the box, it was snowing.
Evie wriggled her toes in her slippers, and felt them stick to the floor. She looked away from the box and down, and saw that the floor below her feet was covered in ice.
She watched in wonder as what looked like a foaming, thick wave tipped with fingers reached the edge of the floor and began crawling up the walls, locking everything in its path below shining sheets of glassy glaze.
It was as if the same force that pulled her toward the box was forcing itself back up through the floor and over everything in the room. Evie excitedly turned her attention back to the magic storm.
As the snow fell and the swirls twisted more rapidly, an icy flow began to rush down the side of the box and into the deep. It formed a frozen slide into the winter wonder of Evie's discovery.
She wondered what other secrets were to be found in the box. Would there be people down there? How deep was the snow at the bottom? She bet there would be great hills for sledding, and maybe even a frozen lake to skate on.
She closed her eyes and thought about her parents and her brother for a moment. She thought about all the secrets she never told them. She thought about all her winter adventures, and of all days she sat alone at the big bay window.
Evie gripped the sides of the box, and smiled. Christmas was going to be different this year.
She stepped one foot over the edge, followed by the other, and slid down into the beautiful blue abyss.
User Reviews
Submitted by webcorona (user info) at 2007-01-09 11:20:40 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Stabkill (user info) at 2007-01-09 10:56:08 EST (#)
Ranking: -2
No Comment
Submitted by charminglybeef (user info) at 2006-12-27 21:33:54 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
You know what, you're absolutely right, and I'm sorry. For you, and for me -- because this was good and I almost missed it.
The development here was strong and the language so capable I wonder why you don't write stories more often.
This was really good.
But the rest of those posts, you know, I always feel funny adding to them. I mean, you get on most heated with a sneeze. And I guess I have this immature and snobbish thing going where I try not to support posts that don't need support.
But hey, that's not really fair, is it?
I owe you one. Or a couple, actually.
You always rate me and rate me honestly and I sincerely appreciate that.
Cheers
Submitted by ih8u2man (user info) at 2006-12-23 19:43:07 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Sweet. WHATEVER YOU DO DO NOT...I REPEAT DO NOT DO A GOOGLE IMAGE SEARCH FOR "XMAS FUCK YOU"!!!!!
Submitted by Amontillado (user info) at 2006-12-23 17:52:12 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Prettyful. I enjoy you.
Submitted by Jack_McCallum (user info) at 2006-12-16 23:26:53 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
This is some freaky shit. I'm halfway through a Christmas story for my little niece (because I'm too cheap to buy presents) and it is called "A Box of Winter."
Guess what the little girl in the story gets?
Synchronicity rules.
Submitted by ripple (user info) at 2006-12-16 05:51:41 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
absolutely beautiful.
this has been a really good exhibition.
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2006-12-16 02:42:38 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice.
Submitted by coley (user info) at 2006-12-15 23:33:00 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
nice :)
Submitted by Bubba2341 (user info) at 2006-12-15 22:38:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Great writing!
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2006-12-15 20:01:33 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
That's one hazy shade of winter
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-12-15 19:51:37 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
Thanks, all.
Filename was for you, JonnyX.
YAY I'm coming down with something just as I embark on a weekend-in-which-I-have-57-Very-Important-Things-to-do. Sigh.
Submitted by TheUniter (user info) at 2006-12-15 18:56:17 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by ghola (user info) at 2006-12-15 17:22:44 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
you should post more fiction.
Submitted by CaptainThorns (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:51:30 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Well done.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:22:46 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
filename
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:22:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Juvenile review below.
Submitted by Orgasmatron (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:20:27 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
So she disappears down the rabbit hole, matures to a ripe, taut age and has countless hot Adventures in Sexyland?
AWESOME!
Submitted by Coffeeisgood (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:17:55 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Danger_Ranger (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:14:29 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
What the hell is snow?
Submitted by ubetidid (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:10:50 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
very nice.
Submitted by redskieslookfake (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:06:08 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
Lovely work
Submitted by Sacrilicious (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:04:18 EST (#)
Ranking: 0
MERRY UBERMAS
http://www.ubersite.com/m/96717
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2006-12-15 16:01:35 EST (#)
Ranking: 2
i'm first!