by R.K. Mortenson

Landon was dreaming of opening his Christmas presents when something stirred him from his sleep. He glanced at his clock: 2:03.

Just a few more hours till we open presents, Landon thought.

A light flickered from the hallway. Landon forced himself out of bed to investigate. “That better not be Holly or Bridget playing with a flashlight,” he muttered, yawning.

Landon followed the dancing light down the hallway toward the living room. His heartbeat quickened. What's going on? He turned the corner and-

“Ha!” Landon said.

“Ha! Ha!” Holly and Bridget echoed.

“What are you two doing?” Landon asked his sisters accusingly. “You scared me to death.”

He thought better of this comment and decided to rephrase it. “Well, not really to death. I mean-I really wasn't scared at all.”

But Landon's sisters weren't listening. Their eyes were fixed on the Christmas tree, where two little lights flitted about.

“What's that?” Bridget whispered.

“I don't know,” Holly said. “Looks like there's a short in the wiring or something.”

“But that doesn't explain-” Landon's voice trailed off as he took a step toward the tree. He had to act brave in front of his sisters.

“There's no short,” he said softly. “Those aren't Christmas lights.” The two lights landed near each other, deep within the lower branches. “They're fireflies.”

Suddenly the twin lights went out.

“Hey,” Bridget said. “Where'd they go?”

“What I'd like to know,” Landon said, “is where they came from.” He turned around. His sisters hadn't moved.

“It's not firefly season in Minnesota,” he said. “Come on.”

Holly took Bridget's elbow. “Come on, Bridge. Landon knows what he's doing.”

Landon began shoving presents out of the way. “You do know what you're doing, don't you?” Holly asked.

Landon grinned. “Of course not. But that hasn't stopped me before, has it?”

Stars of Wonder

Landon lay on his back, looking up at the tree. The smell of pine filled his nostrils. Holly and Bridget slid under the tree, heads near the trunk. “Remember the Bible verse I read during devotions tonight?” Landon whispered.

“You mean last night?” Holly said.

“Yes, last night,” Landon said. “Christmas Eve.”

“It was about a light, right?” Bridget asked. “A light shining into the darkness?”

“Yes,” Landon said. “And I didn't choose that verse. It chose me.”

“You mean-” Holly began.

“Yes,” Landon said. “The pages in the Bible seemed to turn by themselves. And that verse was already underlined-from over a hundred years ago.”

“Over a hundred and forty years ago.“ Holly corrected.

The children gasped as a thousand amber lights suddenly twinkled overhead. Landon squinted, fearing the entire neighborhood would wake up from the flood of light.

As his eyes adjusted, he realized the lights were now far above in the night sky. He and his sisters lay beneath a gigantic tree that was pulsating with thousands of fireflies.

“Good morning and hello! If these aren't the children known as Snow-then, well, who they are, I just don't know!”

Landon sat up, frowning. He recognized the voice of someone he'd met before in Wonderwood-a fellow who first seemed friendly but turned out to be up to no good.

“Ludo?”

From behind a bush-sized pinecone jumped a sprightly man dressed like a leprechaun.

“Of course it is I-and howdy!” He removed his hat and tipped forward like a chicken pecking the dirt. “But 'tis still early here, so let's not get too loudy!”

Bridget giggled and clapped her hands, at which Ludo pounced and placed a bony finger to his lips.

“Oh!” Bridget exclaimed. “Sorry.”

Ludo extended his hand to Bridget and popped her up like a cork.

“I feel a jiggle when you giggle and as tall as a giraffe when I hear you laugh!”

“I've heard about you,” Bridget said. “You're even funnier in person.”

“Oh, and have you now?”

Ludo cast a sharp glance at Landon and Holly, who were standing and brushing off their pajamas. Ludo's face flashed into a nutcracker-tight grin. “Funny as honey-” he whipped something out of his coat pocket “- and a glistening glob of money?”

A gold coin swung on a chain, glimmering from the firefly sparks above. As Landon looked at it-and he couldn't help staring-he saw not its shimmering shine but a dull, disturbing darkness closing in around him. His knees grew weak.

“Yes, yes . . .” Ludo's voice dripped like sticky syrup. “I have presents for my guests. It is Christmas, after all. All for one, and give me all!”

The gold coin vanished, and Landon swayed uneasily, blinking at the empty dark spot.

Boxed In

A multitude of boxes appeared in the circular clearing before them. A tiny, wrapped box sat at Landon's feet. Beyond this box sat a slightly larger box wrapped in the same shiny paper. What followed was a series of packages, each larger than the one before-like a row of Russian stacking dolls.

“For me?” Landon asked, his chest pumping with desire.

Ludo leered in Landon's peripheral vision. “Yesss, all for you, Mister Lan-duhn. All we ask is that you start here-” Ludo's pointy black shoe stamped the ground near the tiny box “-with this one.”

Landon crouched down, breathless with anticipation. But something tickled his conscience. This isn't right. Don't trust him.

The black shoe tamped impatiently. “Well? Are ye waiting for a bell? Or a song? Or a gong?”

Ludo dangled his gold coin and flicked it. Ting!

The tinkling sound drew Landon's fingers to the tiniest package. He picked it up, peeled back the paper and peered inside.

Empty.

Landon tilted it this way and that. He inserted his pinky finger and swished it around. Nothing.

“Is this all?”

Ludo's eyes gleamed. “Do you want more?”

Landon nodded.

Ludo gestured to the next box. Dropping the first box, Landon opened the second. He could fit two fingers in this one. But that wasn't enough. He wanted more.

Ludo was beside him, pointing to the next box.

Landon opened it and jammed in his fist. Still nothing. He fit his whole arm in the next.

Both legs fit inside the next box.

A bigger box-half his body went in.

And the next fit his entire body, even lying down. If Landon had his wits about him, he would have noticed when lying down that this box felt rather like a dark, stuffy coffin.

But Landon didn't notice. He couldn't reach the next box fast enough. Finding nothing inside each box only made him hungry for more.

Finally he came to the last, giant box. It was taller than his house. A faint line revealed a door with a shiny gold knob.

“What's this?” Landon asked, craning his neck. “The last present? Aren't there any more?”

Ludo smiled coyly. “Through this door you'll find only more, more, more.” His voice slipped below a whisper, “Nothingness, emptiness, darkness.” Ludo twisted the gold knob and pulled. Waving a hand, he said, “Happy Christmas, Lan-duhn Snow.”

The Greatest Gift

Landon took a step forward, faint with anticipation. One foot was already through the door-

“Wait!”

Landon grabbed the doorframe, tottering on one foot.

“What?”

An old man with a white beard appeared. He carried a box, though it looked nothing like the shiny packages Landon had opened. This box was made of rough wood, and pieces of straw spilled out.

The man thrust out his arm. “Go, Ludo. Now!”

Ludo shriveled like a shadow under the man's fierce gaze. Snarling like a wounded animal, Ludo bounded off into the forest.

“It's empty in there.” The man nodded toward the dark doorway. “An endless pit of despair.”

Glancing down, Landon's head reeled. The box had no floor! It was an endless pit. Pushing against the doorframe, he stumbled out. The old man caught him and set him gently on the ground.

The solid earth had never felt so good.

“This is the only box you need at Christmas,” the man said.

Landon examined the straw and saw a rumpled blanket.

“A feeding trough,” the man explained, “and a swaddling cloth.”

The old man's face crinkled into a smile, and then he was gone. Only his glistening eyes remained as twinkling stars. Or were they fireflies?

*********

“Landon? Holly? Bridget? What are you three doing down there?”

Landon smelled pine. Lights flashed on above him. He and his sisters shimmied out from beneath the tree in their living room. Their parents stood in robes and slippers, curiously watching. Landon rose and cleared his throat.

“Um, we were just checking on the lights.” He glanced at his sisters.

“Yeah,” Holly said.

“The lights,” Bridget giggled.

“Hmm.” Landon's dad said.

“Would you like to open presents now?” Mom asked.

Landon looked at the packages under the tree. He knew they weren't empty; he knew that he'd find nice things inside. But he wasn't concerned about them at the moment.

“How about we read the Christmas story in the Bible?” Landon suggested.

“And can we sing 'Away in a Manger'?” Bridget asked.

“And how about if we make you breakfast this morning?” Holly added.

Landon's parents exchanged surprised looks.

Mom smiled. “Sure,” she said. “Those are great ideas, kids.”

“Come here,” Dad said, waving them in.

Landon, Holly and Bridget gathered in their parents' arms. As they wished each other Merry Christmas, Landon glanced at the twinkling tree. For a moment he thought he glimpsed another box beneath it. A plain wooden box stuffed with straw and a rumpled cloth.

“Jesus,” Landon whispered, “the greatest gift of all.”

For more Landon Snow Adventures, visit the official Web site: www.landonsnow.com

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