It’s a quiet day on some deserted tropical island. Santa and Mrs. Claus are relaxing on the beach during their annual post Christmas vacation. Santa’s cooking up some barbeque chicken and Mrs. Claus is walking along the beach looking at the scenery.
As Mrs. Claus approaches her husband to see how the chicken is coming along. The silence is broken up by the sound of Christmas Music. Santa grabs his cell phone from his pocket expecting it to be his CEO from the North Pole trying to bother him with business matters again. He’s shocked to see the area code for the State of Maine.
“What’s this? Nobody has my phone number on earth except the people I work with at home.”
His curiosity peaked. He hits the answer button. “Hello?”
“Santa? Is that you?”
A moment passes before he recognizes the voice. “Joey, how’d you get my private number?”
Sounding relieved that he was talking to Santa, he replies. “You told me that if I worked hard and believed, anything was possible. I prayed with all my heart to find you and just randomly hit numbers on my cell phone.”
Santa could tell Joey was clearly upset over something. “Take a breath and calm down. Tell me what’s troubling you.”
“It’s Samantha; she’s in the Hospital, again.”
“Oh!” Santa said with obvious concern. “I understand your concern. But, why are you calling me. You should be talking with her. She needs friends right now more then ever.”
“I know. I plan to call her as soon as possible. But, it would mean the world to me and all her friends and family if you could help her too.”
“Me?” Santa was clearly shocked Mrs. Claus thought as she watched the conversation and took the chicken off the grill.
“Son, I deliver presents. I’m not a doctor or a miracle worker. Samantha’s in good hands where she is.”
“Bullshit!” Joey said his anger building. “I know you better then that. Your history goes back hundreds of years. I’ve studied it. You’ve raised the dead, you’ve saved girls from slavery, and you’ve brought evil doers to their knees begging for mercy just by your presence alone. You’ve even fought demons from the underworld and won. Don’t give me this bullshit that all you do is deliver presents.”
Joey pauses to regain his composure before continuing. “Santa. You know how special Samantha is. You know that me, her friends and family care for her and love her very much. Please, do something for her. I’m begging you. Please help her fight whatever demons haunt her.”
Santa could tell over the phone that Joey was starting to tear up and cry. “He’s always been emotional over the people he cared for most.” Santa thought to himself. He was impressed that Joey went so far as to call him for help. Most people would have left it to the doctors to take care of Samantha. He cares for her far more then he lets on.
“Joey. I’ll make no promises. But, I’ll look into the matter. Now, go talk to Samantha and cheer her up.”
“Yes, Sir.” Joey said.
By the way, “Santa said. “Don’t give anyone this number. I don’t want every child on earth calling me.”
“Santa.” Joey said somewhat embarrassed. “I had my eyes closed when dialing. I don’t even know your number.”
Both laughed at the picture of Joey’s eyes closed and randomly pressing buttons on his cell.
“Joey, Take care.” Santa ended the call before Joey could get another word in.
Mrs. Claus had the Chicken and the rest of lunch all set up on the blanket for the both of them.
She looked at her husband. “What are you planning, dear?” She said knowing the wheels are churning in that ancient head of his. “Joey said that demons haunted Samantha. I’m thinking of calling in a specialist to help out. Someone that’s deals with demons on a regular basis.”
“You’re referring to Peter. Aren’t you.” She said knowing her husband all too well.
Without even paying attention to the motion of Santa waving her to stand back. She moves away from the barbeque grill.
“Peter!” Santa shouts out. “I have work for you !”
Immediately, the grill starts shaking and the cooling coals start flaming up into a mini inferno on the grill. From those flames rises the demonic monster that Santa conquered in battle so many centuries ago. He jumps from the grill to the hot sand of the beach. His bare feet now firmly planted in the sand.
“Dam! The monster said in surprise. “Humans worry about burning their feet on this? I’m freezing.”
Santa laughed at the monsters discomfort. “You walk in fire everyday.”
The demonic figure stands in front of Santa towering a good three feet over him. Mrs. Claus stands further back. But, knows she’s safe with Santa here. She watches the two face to face. The devil’s tail hovering just off the sand to avoid contact with it. “Probably afraid he’ll freeze his tail off if it touches the ground.” She thinks to herself, carefully guarding her thoughts from the monster reading them.
Peter, still showing discomfort from the sand being so cold, speaks up. “What’s your bidding, old man? What humans do you want me to punish this time? What children do you want me to scare straight?”
“Neither.” Santa said. Now in his serious business demeanor, which he always uses around his enforcer of the naughty list. “I want you to track down some of your fellow demons and stop them.”
“Why would I stop my brothers from doing what they want?” He said.
Santa looked him in the eye. “Samantha's’s under my care, now. She’s no playground for your brothers anymore.
“You can’t boss my brothers around.” He said. His anger starting to show.
“I won your loyalty. Not your brothers. I don’t care if you tell them to leave or fight them. Samantha's off limits to all those of the underworld. They’re your brothers, I called you to deal with them as you see fit.”
“I will not go against my brothers.”
Santa saw he wasn’t going to budge. “Then, you leave me no choice. I’ll fight you for Samantha. You win. Your brothers can have her. I win. You free the girl of her demons.”
The monster started foaming at the mouth at the opportunity to beat the old man and avenge his only loss in battle. He let out a roar that echoed all over the island. “Deal, Old Man. I’ll beat you if it’s the last thing I do and rid myself of you once and for all.”
Without hesitation, a bowling ball size ball of fire materialized in Peter’s hand and he threw it at Santa. The fire ball hit Santa square in the head and knocked him back several feet to the ground. The ball evaporated, leaving Santa sitting on the sand with char marks all over his face and his beard singed from the heat.
Santa stood up, without taking his eye off Peter. “Impressive, Peter. Actually caught me off guard. You’ve been practicing.” Santa waved his hands over the sand. It started floating, twisting and swirling around the demon, rising and enveloping him. Mere seconds later, he was covered in a huge mound of sand. Santa then snapped his fingers and the sand started superheating and forming a solid glass cocoon around him.
Things stood motionless around them. Then the glass cocoon started shaking and shattered in a huge burst. Santa saw glass shards flying everywhere including at his wife. He quickly snapped his fingers and the shards quickly dissolved into sand again and fell harmlessly to the ground.
Santa shouted out “Rudolph!” The Reindeer darted out from the forest and ran toward Mrs. Claus. She quickly climbed on board and flew off.
“There. No distractions and no casualties.” Santa said clearly annoyed at himself for letting her stay too long. “Now, bring it on. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Peter’s teeth started showing a demonic smile. “Gladly, old man.” He raised his hands and two huge fireballs materialized and flew at Santa. This time, Santa was ready. He Put both hands up and caught the blazing spheres. Slammed them together to form on big fire ball and thrust it back at Peter. The fireball hit Peter in the chest and knocked him to the ground.
Peter stood up. “You know fire can’t hurt me.” He said.
“I know. Hurting you wasn’t my intention.” Santa said. “I was just getting your attention.”
Dark clouds quickly formed over the two and the rain started down pouring over the two gladiators.
“Rain! You can’t be serious. How’s this going to stop me?”
Santa smiled “I’m not done, yet. Old foe.”
The rain started freezing up and surrounding Peter. The monster quickly realized what Santa was doing and raised his own body temperature to evaporate the water before it could cling onto him.
Santa waved his hands to the sky and more clouds formed and the rain fell harder and harder. The ice kept forming and moving toward Peter and evaporating.
For several minutes, this went on. A stalemate of fire and ice. All the surrounding trees and plants were covered in ice. The entire area was frozen except for the one spot where Peter stood. His body, a huge ball of heat evaporating everything Santa threw at him.
“Give up, Old man. I’ll last far longer then you.”
“No.” Santa said with conviction. “You’re fighting for revenge. I’m fighting for a friend. I’m fighting for what I believe in.”
Santa pauses briefly as he motions for more clouds to roll in. “But, most of all. I’m fighting with love in my heart. For that reason alone, you can’t win.”
This time, Santa motions to the beach nearby. A huge tidal wave forms out in the ocean and rushes toward them. Peter realizes that he can’t evaporate that much water at once. The impact of the wave will weaken him enough for Santa to freeze him solid.
“All right, old man.” Peter said disappointingly “You win. I’ll do your bidding.”
With that admission of defeat, Santa lowers his hands. The wave quickly dies out and the dark clouds break up.
“Finally.” Santa said clearly exhausted from the hour long clash. “I have your word of honor?”
“Yes. If my brothers are responsible, they will torment Samantha no more. If something else torments her, I’ll take care of it.”
“Good. Now, go home and rest. You have a big fight ahead of you.”
“You think that what torments this girl is bigger then what we did here?” He says it and motions to the surrounding tropical island that covered in ice that’s just starting to melt under the blazing sun.
“I have no idea what torments her. I’m just saying she’s worth fighting for and be prepared to risk it all for her.”
Peter looked deeply into the old man’s eyes and into his heart. He could see the sincerity of his statement and how much Samantha meant to Santa. “Old Man! I will fight for all eternity to protect Samantha if I have to. You have my word on it.” With that, Santa’s enforcer fades away and back to his underworld home.
Santa stood there silent and alone. Tired and ready for a long nap.
Overhead, Rudolph and Mrs. Claus return with the sleigh. They land near the picnic area.
“Not hungry?” she said, half joking looking at their picnic lunch now covered in melting ice.
“Actually, I’m starved.” Santa snaps his fingers and evaporates the ice around the picnic area. Leaving a dry blanket and a hot meal from before the interruption. Both sat down and started eating.
Mrs. Claus looked at her husband as they finished up and started packing for the ride home.
“Do you think Peter can help?”
“ I hope so. But, in the end. It’s Samantha’s battle. She alone will determine the outcome. She has what it takes to defeat those demons and she has friends and family who love her and go to great lengths to prove it. All we can hope for now is that she realizes how special she is to all of us and that we’re willing to fight for her life. I can only hope and prey that she starts fighting for her life, too.”
The two finish packing the sleigh and fly away home. Leaving behind an ice covered deserted tropical island. The only remains of an epic hour long battle between Santa and Peter. All for one girl who is loved greatly by Friends, Family, and a young man who would do anything for the woman he loves..
As Mrs. Claus approaches her husband to see how the chicken is coming along. The silence is broken up by the sound of Christmas Music. Santa grabs his cell phone from his pocket expecting it to be his CEO from the North Pole trying to bother him with business matters again. He’s shocked to see the area code for the State of Maine.
“What’s this? Nobody has my phone number on earth except the people I work with at home.”
His curiosity peaked. He hits the answer button. “Hello?”
“Santa? Is that you?”
A moment passes before he recognizes the voice. “Joey, how’d you get my private number?”
Sounding relieved that he was talking to Santa, he replies. “You told me that if I worked hard and believed, anything was possible. I prayed with all my heart to find you and just randomly hit numbers on my cell phone.”
Santa could tell Joey was clearly upset over something. “Take a breath and calm down. Tell me what’s troubling you.”
“It’s Samantha; she’s in the Hospital, again.”
“Oh!” Santa said with obvious concern. “I understand your concern. But, why are you calling me. You should be talking with her. She needs friends right now more then ever.”
“I know. I plan to call her as soon as possible. But, it would mean the world to me and all her friends and family if you could help her too.”
“Me?” Santa was clearly shocked Mrs. Claus thought as she watched the conversation and took the chicken off the grill.
“Son, I deliver presents. I’m not a doctor or a miracle worker. Samantha’s in good hands where she is.”
“Bullshit!” Joey said his anger building. “I know you better then that. Your history goes back hundreds of years. I’ve studied it. You’ve raised the dead, you’ve saved girls from slavery, and you’ve brought evil doers to their knees begging for mercy just by your presence alone. You’ve even fought demons from the underworld and won. Don’t give me this bullshit that all you do is deliver presents.”
Joey pauses to regain his composure before continuing. “Santa. You know how special Samantha is. You know that me, her friends and family care for her and love her very much. Please, do something for her. I’m begging you. Please help her fight whatever demons haunt her.”
Santa could tell over the phone that Joey was starting to tear up and cry. “He’s always been emotional over the people he cared for most.” Santa thought to himself. He was impressed that Joey went so far as to call him for help. Most people would have left it to the doctors to take care of Samantha. He cares for her far more then he lets on.
“Joey. I’ll make no promises. But, I’ll look into the matter. Now, go talk to Samantha and cheer her up.”
“Yes, Sir.” Joey said.
By the way, “Santa said. “Don’t give anyone this number. I don’t want every child on earth calling me.”
“Santa.” Joey said somewhat embarrassed. “I had my eyes closed when dialing. I don’t even know your number.”
Both laughed at the picture of Joey’s eyes closed and randomly pressing buttons on his cell.
“Joey, Take care.” Santa ended the call before Joey could get another word in.
Mrs. Claus had the Chicken and the rest of lunch all set up on the blanket for the both of them.
She looked at her husband. “What are you planning, dear?” She said knowing the wheels are churning in that ancient head of his. “Joey said that demons haunted Samantha. I’m thinking of calling in a specialist to help out. Someone that’s deals with demons on a regular basis.”
“You’re referring to Peter. Aren’t you.” She said knowing her husband all too well.
Without even paying attention to the motion of Santa waving her to stand back. She moves away from the barbeque grill.
“Peter!” Santa shouts out. “I have work for you !”
Immediately, the grill starts shaking and the cooling coals start flaming up into a mini inferno on the grill. From those flames rises the demonic monster that Santa conquered in battle so many centuries ago. He jumps from the grill to the hot sand of the beach. His bare feet now firmly planted in the sand.
“Dam! The monster said in surprise. “Humans worry about burning their feet on this? I’m freezing.”
Santa laughed at the monsters discomfort. “You walk in fire everyday.”
The demonic figure stands in front of Santa towering a good three feet over him. Mrs. Claus stands further back. But, knows she’s safe with Santa here. She watches the two face to face. The devil’s tail hovering just off the sand to avoid contact with it. “Probably afraid he’ll freeze his tail off if it touches the ground.” She thinks to herself, carefully guarding her thoughts from the monster reading them.
Peter, still showing discomfort from the sand being so cold, speaks up. “What’s your bidding, old man? What humans do you want me to punish this time? What children do you want me to scare straight?”
“Neither.” Santa said. Now in his serious business demeanor, which he always uses around his enforcer of the naughty list. “I want you to track down some of your fellow demons and stop them.”
“Why would I stop my brothers from doing what they want?” He said.
Santa looked him in the eye. “Samantha's’s under my care, now. She’s no playground for your brothers anymore.
“You can’t boss my brothers around.” He said. His anger starting to show.
“I won your loyalty. Not your brothers. I don’t care if you tell them to leave or fight them. Samantha's off limits to all those of the underworld. They’re your brothers, I called you to deal with them as you see fit.”
“I will not go against my brothers.”
Santa saw he wasn’t going to budge. “Then, you leave me no choice. I’ll fight you for Samantha. You win. Your brothers can have her. I win. You free the girl of her demons.”
The monster started foaming at the mouth at the opportunity to beat the old man and avenge his only loss in battle. He let out a roar that echoed all over the island. “Deal, Old Man. I’ll beat you if it’s the last thing I do and rid myself of you once and for all.”
Without hesitation, a bowling ball size ball of fire materialized in Peter’s hand and he threw it at Santa. The fire ball hit Santa square in the head and knocked him back several feet to the ground. The ball evaporated, leaving Santa sitting on the sand with char marks all over his face and his beard singed from the heat.
Santa stood up, without taking his eye off Peter. “Impressive, Peter. Actually caught me off guard. You’ve been practicing.” Santa waved his hands over the sand. It started floating, twisting and swirling around the demon, rising and enveloping him. Mere seconds later, he was covered in a huge mound of sand. Santa then snapped his fingers and the sand started superheating and forming a solid glass cocoon around him.
Things stood motionless around them. Then the glass cocoon started shaking and shattered in a huge burst. Santa saw glass shards flying everywhere including at his wife. He quickly snapped his fingers and the shards quickly dissolved into sand again and fell harmlessly to the ground.
Santa shouted out “Rudolph!” The Reindeer darted out from the forest and ran toward Mrs. Claus. She quickly climbed on board and flew off.
“There. No distractions and no casualties.” Santa said clearly annoyed at himself for letting her stay too long. “Now, bring it on. Let’s see what you’ve got.”
Peter’s teeth started showing a demonic smile. “Gladly, old man.” He raised his hands and two huge fireballs materialized and flew at Santa. This time, Santa was ready. He Put both hands up and caught the blazing spheres. Slammed them together to form on big fire ball and thrust it back at Peter. The fireball hit Peter in the chest and knocked him to the ground.
Peter stood up. “You know fire can’t hurt me.” He said.
“I know. Hurting you wasn’t my intention.” Santa said. “I was just getting your attention.”
Dark clouds quickly formed over the two and the rain started down pouring over the two gladiators.
“Rain! You can’t be serious. How’s this going to stop me?”
Santa smiled “I’m not done, yet. Old foe.”
The rain started freezing up and surrounding Peter. The monster quickly realized what Santa was doing and raised his own body temperature to evaporate the water before it could cling onto him.
Santa waved his hands to the sky and more clouds formed and the rain fell harder and harder. The ice kept forming and moving toward Peter and evaporating.
For several minutes, this went on. A stalemate of fire and ice. All the surrounding trees and plants were covered in ice. The entire area was frozen except for the one spot where Peter stood. His body, a huge ball of heat evaporating everything Santa threw at him.
“Give up, Old man. I’ll last far longer then you.”
“No.” Santa said with conviction. “You’re fighting for revenge. I’m fighting for a friend. I’m fighting for what I believe in.”
Santa pauses briefly as he motions for more clouds to roll in. “But, most of all. I’m fighting with love in my heart. For that reason alone, you can’t win.”
This time, Santa motions to the beach nearby. A huge tidal wave forms out in the ocean and rushes toward them. Peter realizes that he can’t evaporate that much water at once. The impact of the wave will weaken him enough for Santa to freeze him solid.
“All right, old man.” Peter said disappointingly “You win. I’ll do your bidding.”
With that admission of defeat, Santa lowers his hands. The wave quickly dies out and the dark clouds break up.
“Finally.” Santa said clearly exhausted from the hour long clash. “I have your word of honor?”
“Yes. If my brothers are responsible, they will torment Samantha no more. If something else torments her, I’ll take care of it.”
“Good. Now, go home and rest. You have a big fight ahead of you.”
“You think that what torments this girl is bigger then what we did here?” He says it and motions to the surrounding tropical island that covered in ice that’s just starting to melt under the blazing sun.
“I have no idea what torments her. I’m just saying she’s worth fighting for and be prepared to risk it all for her.”
Peter looked deeply into the old man’s eyes and into his heart. He could see the sincerity of his statement and how much Samantha meant to Santa. “Old Man! I will fight for all eternity to protect Samantha if I have to. You have my word on it.” With that, Santa’s enforcer fades away and back to his underworld home.
Santa stood there silent and alone. Tired and ready for a long nap.
Overhead, Rudolph and Mrs. Claus return with the sleigh. They land near the picnic area.
“Not hungry?” she said, half joking looking at their picnic lunch now covered in melting ice.
“Actually, I’m starved.” Santa snaps his fingers and evaporates the ice around the picnic area. Leaving a dry blanket and a hot meal from before the interruption. Both sat down and started eating.
Mrs. Claus looked at her husband as they finished up and started packing for the ride home.
“Do you think Peter can help?”
“ I hope so. But, in the end. It’s Samantha’s battle. She alone will determine the outcome. She has what it takes to defeat those demons and she has friends and family who love her and go to great lengths to prove it. All we can hope for now is that she realizes how special she is to all of us and that we’re willing to fight for her life. I can only hope and prey that she starts fighting for her life, too.”
The two finish packing the sleigh and fly away home. Leaving behind an ice covered deserted tropical island. The only remains of an epic hour long battle between Santa and Peter. All for one girl who is loved greatly by Friends, Family, and a young man who would do anything for the woman he loves..