The Winter Freak Show (Book One of The Twisted Christmas Trilogy)

19

'Come on, Toby, wake up!' Charlie dived on his older brother to help rouse him properly. 'He's been!'

'What?' Toby murmured tiredly.

'He's been. Father Christmas has been!'

Toby leapt out of bed – it was actually Charlie's. He'd let Toby use it on his first night in the house. Charlie hadn't wanted to sleep next door, so his father had brought in a mattress to put beside Toby.

'Look! Look!' Charlie said as he pointed at the fireplace. Above it hung two bright, red stockings. Another two were on the floor. The twins were pulling out their contents with glee and chattering to one another. A bounty of small gifts spilled around them.

'There's one for me?'

'Of course there is. He never misses a good child.'

'But how did he manage it so fast? We only saw him last night.'

'Saw who?'

'Nicko.'

'Who's Nicko?'

Toby sighed, realising immediately what had happened, and said, 'Never mind.'

Charlie tore down the two stockings, opening his with one hand while he passed the other to Toby. Inside were chocolates and fruits and small wooden toys. Toby had never felt excitement at the workhouse. Christmases there were drab, not at all like this. It was a world away. He was smiling so hard his cheeks ached.

After they had opened the stockings, the four children left their room and stormed their parent's bedroom with excited babbling. They promptly got up, pulled on their nightgowns, and slippers, and the family headed downstairs for breakfast. The sight they beheld was breathtaking.

Piles of gifts lay around the Christmas tree, each decorated with ribbons and tags, and wrapped in fine paper. Each of the tags read, 'From Father Christmas'.

Mrs Thornton called her maid to put on the stove for tea while the whole family got to work, busily unwrapping their presents. The chirpy maid – a plump, jolly widow called Nellie who lived with the family full-time – bid them good morning from the kitchen, then squealed when she found gifts of her own near the stove. She brought them in and joined the family gratefully.

All Toby could do was stand and stare, awestruck. He didn't expect presents on Christmas Day. The only gifts he had ever received in his life were the clothes Stella had given him when he joined The Winter Freak Show. And that was only because he would have died without them. This was different. It was selfless. Somebody actually cared about him.

'Toby, this one's for you!' said Charlie gleefully.

He held up a small, round parcel wrapped in green paper. Toby took it from Charlie. It felt heavier than it looked. The tag simply read, 'To Toby Thornton'.

'Go on, Toby, open it,' his father said, perching on the arm of his favourite chair with an unlit tobacco pipe in hand. Toby unfastened the ribbon that held the paper in place. There were two items inside. Firstly there was a snow globe the size of an apple. Inside, it contained a tiny replica of The Winter Freak Show's Big Top in a snowstorm. The other item was a note that read:

Dear Toby,

One never knows what to give a child that has everything they ever wanted, but I think I've come up with something that might satisfy you. Firstly, your brother Charlie has been taken off The Naughty List. Melvin abused his power and I'm sorry. Stella has now taken over all of his duties and is settling into her new job admirably. By the way, she hopes you're settling in well with your new family too.

The second thing I thought you might like is this snow globe. At first it may appear the same as any other one you may have seen. Take a closer look and you'll find that could not be further from the truth. What you hold in your hand is no ordinary ornament. It's full of elf magic. Look after it well.

If at any time you worry about The Winter Freak Show, or feel like we may have forgotten you, you can look at it for reassurance. The snow inside has been enchanted so that it will fall for as long as we are around to protect you, your family, and the children of the world. As long as that snow continues to fall, you know we have not forgotten you and that we are safe.

Now carry on with your life as fate intended. I sense great things still to come in your future. Don't waste that potential, Toby.

You remain in our hearts forever.

Merry Christmas,

Nicko.

Toby carefully folded the paper and tucked it safely into his pocket. He looked at the snow globe. There was no need to shake it. Under the glass dome, a flurry of snow fell gently, and constantly. Toby couldn't have asked for a better present.

He felt the watchful eyes of the elves on him and he knew he would never be alone again. He couldn't explain how he knew, but he just did. The threat of Melvin seemed a distant memory.

Snapping back to his surroundings, Toby looked around at his family. They were all blissfully happy, caught up in Christmas morning. The scene couldn't have been more perfect. It didn't really matter what presents he had to unwrap. He would have been happy with nothing at all as long as he had them. They were the greatest gift he could have wished to receive.

'Toby, darling,' said Mrs Thornton, 'come and open another one.'

'Yes,Mother,' he said, trying out the word for the first time, assured that the snowin the snow globe would never stop falling.

***

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